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PORTER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS The regular meeting of the Porter County Board of Commissioners convened at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 in the Commissioners’ Chambers of the Administration Center. Those present were: Commissioners John Evans and Carole Knoblock; County Attorney Gwenn Rinkenberger; Administrative Assistant Melissa Hartig; and Recording Secretary Vi Wagner. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE Com. Evans called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF PAYROLL Com. Knoblock moved to approve the payroll of October 15, 2007, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Com. Knoblock moved to approve the minutes of October 2, 2007, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Com. Knoblock moved to approve the claims of October 9 and October 16, 2007, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. APPOINTMENT TO THE ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD Com. Evans, “There has been a vacancy since about three months ago and there is one applicant. Carole?” Com. Knoblock moved to appoint Bonnie Frye to the Animal Welfare Board, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCES NO. 95-14A AND 97-28 (FUND 143/CABLE) Com. Evans, “County Evaluations have been moved so they are not going to be heard tonight. There’s an amendment to Ordinance No. 95-14A and 97-28 in reference to the cable funding and specifically it refers to what the appropriation may be used for. This allows the appropriation to be expanded and used in a couple of ways that are going to help Highway and the County with the money that is collected from the cable.” Atty. Rinkenberger, “We expanded it so we could use it for maintenance of county buildings and capital expenditures.” Com. Knoblock moved to approve Ordinance No. 95-14A and 97-28 on first reading, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
Com. Evans, “There is also on the agenda an amendment to the CEDIT Plan, Projects 6 and 21 specifically, I think we are going to put that off for two weeks from tonight. There have been some questions and not any answers forthcoming so we are going to look at that a little bit harder before we act on that one. So, we’ll just table that for right now.” OFFICE HOLDERS/DEPARTMENT HEADS
2008 Budget, 1st reading Mr. Sheibels, “Good evening. What I just handed to you is simply a quick summary snapshot that I always present every year along with the normal State Board of Accounts budgetary form for the upcoming year. The budget is identical for last year except with the inclusion of five additional dispatchers per our consolidation plan with the city of Valparaiso. The largest increase is actually dealing with medical insurance. Medical insurance is going to go up substantially according to the data from the auditor’s office, from $170,000.00 in 2007 to $225,700.00 in 2008. Other than that, it is identical. I believe right after the County Council approved the $750.00 across the board raise for county employees, we immediately revised the budget and got it over to Melissa and I believe she advertised that already. So the budget is coming in at $2,339,651.00.” Com. Evans, “Which is an increase of $308,346.36 over the 2007 budget and as you indicated mostly in the medical insurance side and of course the raises.” Mr. Sheibels, “Correct, and the inclusion of five additional employees.” Com. Evans, “So let’s talk about those five employees. How is that transition working?” Mr. Sheibels, “As a matter of fact, today, we had our very first orientation training course with the five dispatchers that elected to transfer and we have a training schedule that is going to take us to the end of the year. The city has approved the Miner Electronics police and fire radio contract at the Board of Works meeting about two weeks ago and the Tiburon Mobile Data contract and I believe they are going to approve the Cisco interface programming contract shortly, we have a price quote in to them. So things are moving along pretty good. We are getting pretty comfortable.” Com. Evans, “The target date for everything to go online is the first of January, is that right?” Mr. Sheibels, “I predict probably sometime in January. The big project, as I mentioned is the radio project. We can’t do the dispatching until we have proper radio equipment and that is going to be about a two month project with Miner Electronics, so hopefully two months from now should take us right to the end of the year once we shake out a few bugs if there are any and of course, get through the holidays. That’s my prediction right now, some time in January probably.” Com. Evans, “Your prediction is everything will be seamless and uneventful, correct?” Mr. Sheibels, “Hopefully.”
Com. Evans, “I think you have done a tremendous job with the budget and it is a pretty good task we ask you to perform in juggling those statistics and you went to the right place for the increase in the medical side and got that pretty much in line. That is something that is costing everybody more money these days. Is there a motion for approval for the first reading of the 2008 Porter County E-911 budget?”
TORNADO WATCH AND WARNING PROCEDURES FOR SUNSET HILL AND JAIL MUSEUM Mr. Griffith, “I believe you have a copy of this already? I sent it up earlier. When we did the other buildings, we had not completed these. I visited with the park employees, I went out and did a tour of the park and figured out the best areas for them. Then I did a tour of the old Jail Museum with the director down there and we spent about two hours figuring out the best places for them. Both places by the way are equipped with new weather alert radios, so they will have them on hand at all times. The park has one of the new outdoor warning sirens that is already installed on park property. But then we actually put two of the weather alert radios out there and then they are going to buy additional ones to put in various buildings. Staff may not have access to the one in the main building at certain times. So, we got those two projects done. We now have a weather alert radio pretty much in every single county building. Actually they are called hazard radios now because they are used for more than weather.”
Ms. Hartig, “Phil, is there a chance we can one for the Administration Center?” Com. Evans, “It’s a difficult building to get reception in many times.” Mr. Griffith, “Okay, I’ve got the new models out now so I will bring one of those and we will test it.” Com. Evans, “I don’t think the antennae works.” Mr. Griffith, “I will bring one up tomorrow.” Com. Evans, “And the Museum, how did that fare?” Mr. Griffith, “That actually, with the jail part, the house part itself there is no good shelter area in the house part. However, in the jail portion, there is enough room there if they had a group of, say, 10, there are places to put them with the construction of it, the windows with the bars on them. The west side of the building has a lot of glass and we need to put some either protection up there or stay away from that side of the building. But on the east side it is in pretty good shape and then on the south end there is a curved area where they used to walk through, that’s a good area, underneath the stairs is a good area because it is all metal and concrete construction. The first floor area on the far side where they have the rifles and stuff from Annie Oakley and all that stored, that is a good location to put people also. So, we drew it out for them, we walked through it with two of the staff, and then we figured it all up from there and then I programmed the weather radio and showed them how to use it. They now have a copy of this.” Com. Evans, “That pretty much wraps up all the buildings in the county, and you have been through them all?” Mr. Griffith, “Yes, other than the Prosecutor’s building, which I haven’t been into yet.” Com. Evans, “Okay. What’s the plan for like an ongoing or an upgrade?” Mr. Griffith, “What I did was I entered every one of them in my computer on the calendar so annually they are going to pop up, which will trigger me annually to review. If there is a significant change we will want to review the project or if it’s not a significant change. That is why when we did this building here, I stopped calling it so and so’s office, I put suite 104, 105, so that whoever is in there, we won’t have to change because the office changes names. But if say an office grew or had more people, we would have to revisit it. I have them all so they will pop up separately, not all together, but each month starting in July one of them is going to pop up.” Com. Evans, “And you’ve done your building, of course?” Mr. Griffith, “Yes.” Com. Evans, “Keep in mind you will have to do the new county highway garage up north before the end of the year we hope.” Mr. Griffith, “I put them all on the agenda so they will pop up as we go through.” Com. Evans, “Very good. Do we need to take any action on this or do we…” Mr. Griffith, “I thought you approved the other so I am assuming you have to approve these, too.” Atty. Rinkenberger, “If you have to sign it you have to take board action.” Com. Knoblock moved to approve the tornado watch and warning procedures for Sunset Hill and the Jail Museum, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
APPROVAL OF LEASE EXTENSION—REASON BELL PROPERTIES Com. Evans, “Is Brian here? We have a proposed extension to the lease for the Prosecutor’s building. In essence, the landlord is being asked to do some major renovations and remodeling upgrade, painting, carpeting, and add ambience to the building in exchange for the landlord is asking for the lease to be extended so that he can amortize the redecorating over a longer period.” Com. Knoblock moved to approve the lease extension for the Prosecutor’s office, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS North District: 1. Fox Burrow Run, Unit 3, Performance Letter of Credit #994919 from Horizon Bank in the amount of $47,000.00. New expiration date is September 27, 2008. Recommend approval. Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Knoblock seconded, motion carried. 2. Fox Burrow Run, Unit 4 Performance Letter of Credited #994920 from Horizon Bank in the amount of $27,000.00. New expiration date is September 27, 2008. Recommend approval. Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Knoblock seconded, motion carried.
Center District: Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. South District: 1. Letter to INDOT requesting additional funds for the rehabilitation of Porter County Bridge #58, CR 50 West, (Baums Bridge Road) over Kankakee River. Based on the bids received on September 6, 2007, Porter County needs to request that the federal match be increased from $420,000.00 to $740,000.00. Recommend approval. Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
Treasurer’s monthly report for September 2007 is on file. Approval of contract with Engstrom Auctions for the annual auctioning of surplus vehicles, office equipment and evidence items to be held on November 16, 2007 at the Sheriff’s garage Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
Approval of 2008 Animal Shelter Service Contracts with: Com. Knoblock moved to approve the contracts, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. Approval by Jackie Sterling of the Red Ribbon Committee for a Drug Free Porter County to use the front steps of the Administration Center on October 22, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. for the Red Ribbon kick-off. Also, to hang the Red Ribbon banner in the rotunda from October 21 through October 31st. Com. Knoblock, “This is every year?”
Com. Evans, “Every year.”
Com. Evans, “I think we need to extend our gratitude to Jackie Sterling, I think she’s been the chairman of that project every year since its inception. Request for transfer of funds-Commissioners
Fund 01.30 $6,000 from acct 3510 power To cover monthly expenses through the end of 2007. Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. Request for transfer of funds-Highway
Fund 02.91 $1,800 from 3730 lease purchase
Fund 02.91 $5,000 from 3730 lease purchase
Fund 02.91 $3,500 from 3730 lease purchase Funds are needed to meet the expenses for remainder of 2007. Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried. Request for transfer of funds-Highway
Fund 26 $22,000 from 3951 railroad crossings Funds are needed to purchase salt for snow removal. Com. Knoblock, “Railroad crossings?” Com. Evans, “He’s taking the money from there and putting it to salt. He’s not fixing any railroad crossings.” Com. Knoblock moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.
Com. Evans, “That’s about it. Does anyone want to address this body? Yes, sir? Have a seat up front here and give your name and address.” Robert Campbell, “903 Chicago Street, here in Valparaiso. I figure you people to be the steward for the county, that is why I have come here. This has been a problem that has been bothering me for a long, long time. And it pertains to Homestead credits. I am going to read this: “Given the numerous problems resulting from lack of funds in Porter County at this time, I believe it is necessary to explore every possible option for increasing the revenue coming without raising taxes. I have reason to believe there are individuals in this county who are abusing the Homestead credit policy. I do not intend to name names, but I do know of instances where besides filing for Homestead credit on their own residences, individuals are also getting Homestead credits on one or more other buildings that are rented. Apparently there have been Homestead credits on buildings that were purchased for income purposes but the credits were never removed. This may be intentional or unintentional. Nevertheless, it is contrary to the law and is costing the county much needed revenue. I realize that checking this situation may be lengthy and will not be cheap, however, I believe that in the end it will produce added income to the county. Moreover, it is needed to insure that the property tax burden is fair and equitable to all. It is also a matter of ethics. Thank you.”
Com. Evans, “Thank you, Mr. Campbell. I agree entirely. If we could have a copy of your letter, we’d like to forward it to the Auditor to see if he can commence some action in that regard. Anyone else like to address this body? Motion to recess?”
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Robert P. Harper
Attest: James K. Kopp, Auditor |
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October 16, 2007