PORTER COUNTY COUNCIL
September 19, 2005

The Porter County Council met on Monday, September 19, 2005 at 6:30 p.m., in the County Administration Center, 155 Indiana-Suite 205, Valparaiso, Indiana.

Members present were Laura Blaney, Jim Burge, William Carmichael, Rita Stevenson, and President Bob Poparad. Also present was Auditor Sandra Vuko, Becky Phillips, Attorney David Hollenbeck, and Jan Noll.

The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mr. Poparad, Do the first reading.

Mr. Carmichael, What about the approval of minutes?

Mr. Poparad, Well, we’ll get to that; yes, let’s do the minutes first.

Mr. Carmichael moved to approve the minutes of July 26, 2005 and August 8, 2005 as received. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried unanimously.

FIRST READING

At this time, Mrs. Vuko read the Notice to Taxpayers.

HAZMAT BUILDING

Mr. Poparad, We’re going to shuffle things. Russell, you’ve got a presentation you want to make about the Hazmat building or whatever.

At this time, Russell Shirley, Environmental Coordinator and Phil Griffith, Director of the Emergency Management Agency presented a slide show to the Council.

Mr. Shirley, We’ll try to keep this as short as we can. I know there is a lot on the agenda. I’d like to read this statement first, well not a statement, but just a. The Porter County Hazardous Materials Response Team was formed in the mid-1980’s. At that time, the closest agencies that would respond to an incident in Porter County was either in Chicago or Indianapolis with a three to four-hour response time. That was not acceptable to the Porter County commissioners.
Greg Phillips and myself met with County Commissioner Mike Aylesworth, and began putting together a team of volunteers to respond to hazardous material incidents. No money was available for equipment. For the first several years, Greg Phillips, Greg Eckhardt, Dusty Godbey, Bill Casbon and myself responded to incidents using our own vehicles, our own tools, and our own personal protective equipment. We responded on our own time to incidents as far away as Starke County and Rensselaer.
As the number of incidents involving environmental concerns continued to rise, the Porter County Commissioners approached Greg Phillips to become a full-time county employee, specifically to handle environmental issues. The Porter County Environmental Department was formed in the last 1980’s as a result, as a department within the Health Department. The department was increased to two full-time personnel and a full-time secretary.
The environmental department became a stand-alone agency in 1989. In 1991, Porter County was able to purchase an equipment truck, along with much-needed equipment. The money came from the hazardous substance fund. The truck and all the equipment combined had a total value of over $200,000 that did not cost the Porter County taxpayers anything, except a few hundred dollars a year for insurance.
At the time of the purchase of the truck, the Porter County commissioners told us that the next year they would build a building to house the truck. In the meantime, Greg made arrangements to house the vehicle at the Valparaiso Wastewater Treatment plant, free of charge. Due to the types of equipment on the truck, the truck must be kept in a heated building with electrical connections. In the past 14 years, the equipment truck has been stored in over a dozen different locations, all donated with the understanding that we would be in our building soon.
In 1998, the Porter County Highway Department moved out of the Boone Grove facility into a new building. The county commissioners told us that we could have that building, a small two-bay garage located 12 miles South and West of Valparaiso. The equipment truck fit with two feet left over in the front, backed all the way to the rear. The command bus fit with one foot of space left in front, backed all the way to the rear.
The hazmat team then spent several hundred-million hours cleaning, painting, and bringing the building into shape. We were advised not to drink the water, and the bathroom fixtures did not work properly, if at all. The building was not insulated, and many of the single-paned glass windows were broken, but it was our home until 2000 when the building was sold to the Solid Waste Management District. At that time, we were told that the new building would be built soon using the money from the sale of the building, and the money from the Greg Phillips Memorial Fund.
The Solid Waste Management District did not have immediate plans for the building, and allowed us to leave our equipment there in a shared arrangement. This agreement was for 18 months. In 2003, after nearly 36 months, we were finally asked by the Solid Waster Management District to vacate the building. The equipment truck and command vehicle were then moved to the Porter County fairgrounds. Two years ago we had to two incidents we could not respond to because our vehicles were snowed and iced in. The truck is currently located at the Porter County Airport in a maintenance building that is scheduled for renovation.
The current location of the truck does not have any space for training with the equipment. In fact, we have about a foot in the front, and two to three feet in the back. For several years we conducted training in the basement of the Valparaiso Department. Some of the training sessions were canceled due to the overwhelming odors. Training now takes place wherever we can find space for it. We’ve been using the upstairs conference room, however, we are frequently bumped out of that location.
The money in the Greg Phillips Memorial Fund has accumulated over the past nine years from a number of different sources, including private donations, corporate donations, court-imposed fines and fees, the sale of Porter County government property, and interest. Currently, the account accumulates about 12 to $1,500 per month in interest.
The Hazardous Substance Fund balance has accumulated over approximately the last 15 years. The fund is primarily derived from a tax paid by corporations on their deep-well injections and chemical inventory. The tax is paid to the State, which then reimburses each county a proportionate amount. The fund also accumulates interest. The interest for 2004 was approximately $25,000. The hazardous substance fund, by statute can be used for ten specific items, one of which is paying the costs associated with the construction or the rehabilitation of a facility used for training.
The Porter County Environmental Office currently utilizes the hazardous substance fund to run our office. All the equipment, uniforms, office supplies, etc., that are used by the Environmental Office are purchased by either the hazardous substance fund or by the LEPC or purchased with grant monies. No general fund money is used to run the office. In previous years, the fuel for our vehicles came from the commissioners’ office. With a homeland defense grant last year we purchased two new vehicles at no cost to the County at a total cost of $104,000. Again, with no cost to the County. The fuel for those vehicles now comes from the hazardous substance fund.
In 2004, income from the hazardous substance fund was approximately $53,388. This includes approximately $25,500 in interest; $27,878 was deposited as a result of hazardous substance distributions, and spiller repayment for equipment used by the environmental department. The environmental department used approximately $10,282 in hazardous substance fund money in 2004. This money primarily was used for equipment, team physicals, and miscellaneous items. $47,415 was used for the training officer’s salary and benefits. A total of $57,697 was spent from a fund in 2004 for a net loss of approximately $4,314. For the year 2005, the salary of both the environmental coordinator and the training officer are being taken from the fund for a total of $107,724. The total budget for 2005 is $199,424.
The cost of maintenance, utilities and insurance for the Porter County Home is approximately $50,000 per year--$4,166 per month. The cost of yearly maintenance, utilities and insurance for the Greg Phillips Memorial building is projected to be $4,000 per year. This figure was determined by using a building of the same dimensions, and the same type of heating system in a similar climate--Athens, Michigan’s fire department. This cost can be even further reduced with the Porter County Local Emergency Planning Committee paying for half of the utilities. So our total utility cost should be approximately $2,000 a year.
Arrangements are being made to have the Valparaiso Water Department provide a water sales point on one corner of the property. In exchange for the use of the property, the Water Department will provide free water service to the Greg Phillips Memorial building. The cost of installing a water line under State Highway 2 is approximately $33,000. By establishing this partnership with the Valparaiso Water Department we can reduce that cost to $16,500 plus have a free water supply. This cost is not included in the cost of the building.
Acceleration and decelerations on State Highway 2 for the Essex Park subdivision will be the entrance and exit points for the facility. This is directly across the highway from Danvers Parkway. The current entrance to the Sheriff’s Garage will be moved to the State Highway 2 entrance. This will allow for safer public access to the Animal Shelter with that entrance remaining on Heavilin Road.
Bidders on the project were allowed to make a primary, and alternate bid for the upstairs portion of the building. The low bid on the building was Morton Buildings Incorporated with a bid of $670,375. By adding a second floor to the building, we will be adding 2,400 square feet of storage space. The additional storage space can be added to the building for approximately $27.72 per square foot.
Currently, a number of county agencies are in dire need of storage space. Those agencies are now storing their equipment at the Porter County Home will also need a new location for the storage of equipment. This storage space will be secure, and temperature controlled. Currently, the Voter Registration office is storing 140 new voting machines in the PCADOS classroom. That room is now full, and 120 additional machines will be added soon. The PCADOS classroom is approximately 728 square feet. Room 309, the upstairs meeting room is approximately 1,200 square feet, and that room is also under consideration for final storage of voting machines. Those machines must be stored in a secure, temperature-controlled room with electric outlets to recharge the machines prior to use.
In December 2003, at the request of the county commissioners, I approached the County Council, and asked for permission to proceed to the bidding process. At that time, I was asked for an estimate of the cost of the building, and I was advised, I advised the County at that time that we did not have an estimate for the cost of the building, that was the purpose of the bidding process.
Councilman Poparad then asked if $400,000 was a reasonable figure, and I advised him that until we received the bids back, we did not know. The original rough estimate of $400,000 in December 2003 did not include any site work; did not include the driveway exit onto SR 2; did not include the second floor storage area; and did not take into account prevailing wage. Serious increases in the cost of building supplies, lumber, asphalt and concrete have also had a large impact on the building costs.
The agencies utilizing the building will include the Porter County Environmental Department, which also runs the Porter County hazardous materials response team. The Local Emergency Planning Committee will also be housed in the building. The Porter County Emergency Management Agency will be located in the building, along with the emergency operations center. This classroom area will serve double-duty as a training area, and an emergency operations center. The Porter County Environmental Department has a responsibility of hazmat training for all police, fire and EMS personnel in Porter County--over 400 people per year. We currently conduct yearly refresher classes and operations-level courses.
At the July 2005 council meeting, Councilman Steele inquired, regarding the possibility of combining with the proposed regional training center. Meetings were held with representatives from DLZ, the design firm that is researching the feasibility of such a training center. DLZ representatives advised us that the facility would not have space for local equipment and/or offices for local government use. The final determination of site location cost and many other variables have yet to be worked out. There is no projected start date for this project. At this time, it is only in a concept stage.
In order to continue with this project, we need permission from the County Council to allow the expenditure of the Greg Phillips Memorial Fund, which currently has a balance of $303,699. A transfer of approximately $385,000 to line item 4210 Capital Outlays, this transfer will include the remaining portion of the building costs, as well as the cost of the water line installation. Total square footage of the building with the second floor will be 11,340 square feet, for a per square foot cost of $60.57. The total completed cost of the building, including water line installation, $686,875.

Mr. Poparad, Phil.

Mr. Griffith, This just shows you some of the equipment the environmental agency has, and they have it stored in various areas. This is all over in the Portage area in a trailer that is stored at the wastewater treatment plant. This is training equipment, and over-packed drums used for training the personnel. This is their upstairs office here. This is the command bus or the command…

Mr. Shirley, Equipment truck

Mr. Griffith, The equipment truck--and the command bus is currently--that’s stored at the airport, the command bus is currently stored behind the old Porter County Home. As far as Emergency Management, just to give you an idea. We are in the process of preparing, and renovate, and responding to recovery from any type of emergency, whether it be man-made and/or natural disasters. It’s a dynamic process; planning is going on constantly. We do a lot of training on that.
Some of the classes that we are taught, teaching to the citizens of Porter County, as well as to employees, is CPR from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross. AED classes. Right now we offer American Red Cross first aid classes. FEMA classes for community emergency response teams, you may have seen that in the paper today--we just finished one of those up today--Are You Ready. We are going to be doing a couple of classes for the citizens to see if they are prepared to take care of themselves for that 72-hour period that they want everybody to do. Disaster Preparedness for Children is toned down, so it’s not quite as intense for the smaller people. Tornado Safety, Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety. The National Weather Service, Severe Weather Spotter classes we offer. We are currently working with schools, nursing homes, hospitals and businesses as well to get a continuity of operations, and citizens groups in disaster planning.
We recently purchased a, 35, automatic external defibrillators, and we will be putting those in the various county buildings, and start to train all the employees in their use. We have three trained instructors; the Sheriff’s Department also has three instructors, so we can do it in-house at the cost of about $2.50 a person for the cost of the card.
The Emergency Operations Center is a mandate in the County’s EMA ordinance, and I was instructed when I was hired that was a priority for me. However, I was also advised there was no money to do it. So through contacts with my former employment as fire chief in the city, I went out and got a whole bunch of donated materials, and a huge amount of volunteer labor, and we built the EOC. The Emergency Operations Center, which in the event of a true disaster, all the officials should actually meet there so that we can actually run it.
One of the things that came up to mandate this was in 1998 during the ice storm nobody knew what anybody was doing. Nobody knew what the City of Valpo was doing; nobody knew what the City of Portage doing; Nobody was coordinated in the stuff that was going on. And while we hope we never have to do it, if we would ever have to open it, it is there; it does operate. And right now, we use it, as tonight, when we first came out with the severe weather warning, the Sky-Warn people came in, and we were actually tracking the storm to find out if in fact it was going to impact our county. Last year we had floods. We monitor all the flooding conditions down in southern part of the county.
Currently the EOC--the Emergency Operations Center--is housed in a 20 by 22 foot room at the old County Home. We have several radio counsels in place. One for the FM police, fire and hazmat to activate the early warning system, and has a HAM radio operator, and this is what we have in this one room.
Directly across from it, we also have two other counsels with four separate computers used to monitor local and worldwide events, weather conditions, and do online research for the agencies that are out there. We have an 80-foot tower at the rear of the building that allows us direct communications in the event that we would have a problem. These are the two computer terminal tables, and the 80-foot tower. Again, these were put in at no cost to the County. The tower was donated. All the labor was donated. All the computers were donated. All the software was donated, and we built our own network.
The current EOC also has a cable TV system set up in it with high-speed internet access, which allows us to keep track of everything that’s going on around. We do have a 40K generator that we purchased with the last homeland security grant, but I don’t really want to spend $4,000 to hook it up, if its not going to be there that long. But I do have it, and its sitting in the barn out back.
This is our Media Center, you can see where we have the TV set up, and again, the computer is over here. This map over here is what we use to track the storms, the Sky-Warn storm spotters actually call in events. We actually track it, all the fire stations during a major storm call in. If we had a snowstorm, they would all call in with their power situations; their road situations; and in fact, their snow situations. There’s our generator.
The Administrative Office out there is in an 18 by 22 foot room, which currently has myself and the Agency’s secretary, which also serves as a secretary for the Environmental Department. We have a 20 by 22 foot storage center for the weapons of mass destruction equipment that’s been distributed throughout the state of Indiana. This is the Administration Office; this is our storage room upstairs with the state-issued gas masks. There’s about $280,000 worth of equipment up there. These are the cots and the blankets. We have 100 cots and 100 blankets all stored out there so if we ever had to actually open a shelter, we could do it, working with the Red Cross and stuff like that. That’s all stored in the various areas of the building out there.
A 16 by 18 room with all the radiological equipment, and we also have 16,000 empty sandbags of reinforced fabric out there, then the highway garage also has about 16,000 of them. There is the radiological monitoring equipment if we ever had an incident with that. Our CERT packs for our CERT teams that we train. Then on the front porch we have our sandbags.
Currently in the old kitchen is the training room. We have numerous props, and stuff, including fire extinguishers. We do do live fire extinguisher training. We do it with the CERT teams. We teach people how to shut off their own gas meters; how to shut off their own electric meters, because you’d be surprised the people who don’t know how to do that. They don’t even know where they are located, let alone how to do that. But that’s all part of the CERT team, and general preparedness training.
The new 2005 homeland security grants will allow us to upgrade our current EOC equipment, however, we have to have an EOC upgrade, so. I don’t know what we can do from there, but again, this will be no actual cost to the County, although we all know, the homeland security grant money came from us.
Currently, we are, the EMA staff and volunteers do our cleaning, and equipment maintenance, computers, radios, everything. We do everything ourselves, unless it would take something beyond our capabilities. We do our own mopping, and our sweeping. The only thing we don’t do is mow the lawn. It’s a big lawn out there. And then the hazmat team, if we were in the same building, they could actually assist us in doing that.
We do encourage each and everyone of you to come out, and see what we do. See what we have out there, so that you understand all the equipment that we have, and the space that we take up. Also, the environmental office, see where they have their stuff stored, and exactly how much they have. Thank you for your time. We hustled through this. Normally, you’re very fortunate, if you have ever known me to talk, it’s usually a lot longer.

Mr. Shirley, I also have a couple of letters here that I will pass out to the council members. A letter of endorsement from the Porter County Local Emergency Planning Committee, where everyone at the LEPC signed the letter of endorsement. I also have a letter from the Porter County Emergency Management Advisory Council, and again, everyone unanimously voted to sign a letter of endorsement for the Greg Phillips Memorial building. Any questions?

Mr. Burge, Russ, the amount again that you’re looking for from the Greg Phillips fund, as well as the transfer from the hazmat fund, what is those two figures?

Mr. Shirley, The Greg Phillips has $303,699. The hazardous substance fund has a balance of approximately $665,684, and the building itself costs $673,375. With the addition for the waterline, that would be 685, $686,875.

Mr. Burge, Okay, so you’re asking for $303,699 from the Greg Phillips, and…

Mr. Poparad, About half.

Mr. Shirley, And a transfer of 385 from the hazardous substance fund to Capital Outlays.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mrs. Blaney, The agreement with the Valpo Water Department, is that a verbal agreement or is that…

Mr. Shirley, Until we get approval here, yes. They’re working, they will be working with the county attorney to put together the contract agreement. There will definitely be a contract.

Mr. Burge, When we spoke the other day, there was access you have to funds from Indianapolis, I believe, for the furniture and other office equipment.

Mr. Shirley, Yes, we talked about that a little bit.

Mr. Burge, But you have to utilize it this year in order to receive those funds.

Mr. Shirley, What they, the homeland security grant for last year did not include funds for the emergency operations center. This year they included funds for EOC upgrading or rehab. Next year we are going to be under a regional concept, and if we want to do that, it may still be possible, but it would have to be under a region-wide basis, whereas this year it won’t have to.

Mr. Burge, What’s the dollar volume of that? Do you have any idea?

Mr. Griffith, We’re looking at probably anywhere from 30 to $60,000. I don’t, I can’t give you a figure until we actually start figuring it out.

Mr. Burge, Do you think you can outfit the offices…

Mr. Shirley, Yes.

Mr. Burge, Without using general fund money?

Mr. Griffith, Oh the actual grant money is about $400,000.

Mr. Poparad, $376,000.

Mr. Griffith, $376,000, then the police grant is 175.

Mr. Poparad, Is the hazmat fund drying up, Russell?

Mr. Shirley, I’m sorry?

Mr. Poparad, The hazmat, the deep-well injection fund, is that drying up?

Mr. Shirley, It’s definitely slowing down, yes, sir.

Mr. Poparad, Because I think some of our concerns, at least mine is that, you know, you’re going to run out of money in the hazmat fund. Then the next thing you know you’re going to be back in the general fund.

Mr. Shirley, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, And we worked so hard to get you out.

Mrs. Stevenson, And that’s a real concern.

Mr. Shirley, Well, we were in the general fund for, I believe, 15 years.

Mr. Poparad, Yeah, and the County is broke too. Well, was broke; that was one of the fixes.

Mr. Shirley, I think for the cost of services though, I think we are doing pretty well.

Mr. Poparad, I don’t think anybody disagrees. I mean I for one don’t disagree you don’t need a building. But I know the history of this pretty well, because I have a guy that works for me that worked here. You know, this started as a pole barn to store your equipment.

Mr. Shirley, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, And now we’ve blossomed into a training center…

Mr. Shirley, When I…

Mr. Poparad, Office space, etc., etc.

Mr. Shirley, Can I clear that up, the training center portion of it. The reason we are using the term or we use the term training center was because we want to be able to tap into the hazardous substance fund legally. In order to do that, it applies towards a training center.
This building really--and I’ve showed you all of the floor plans--it’s basically a classroom. It’s not a training center, per se. We’ll have all kinds of, the burn towers and that type of stuff, that will be for the regional training center, because obviously we cannot afford it.
This is basically a building with a classroom in it. Primarily it storage of the equipment. Secondarily, it is our office space. Third, it will be our emergency operations center. And the last thing will be for the training center or classroom portion of it.

Mr. Griffith, And hopefully we use it more as a classroom than…

Mr. Shirley, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, What do you guys want to do?

Com. John Evans, We’d like to see it approved.

Mr. Poparad, I’ve got one commissioner nodding yes. The second one?

Com. Bob Harper, We’re here with it.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mrs. Stevenson, Okay, you’re saying that the NIPSCO should only be around $2,000.

Mr. Shirley, Per year, yes, ma’am. Actually, we’re estimating approximately $4,000 per year, but that’s without the LEPC paying anything. There’s already, precedence has been set that the LEPC can pay half of the utilities for the building.

Mrs. Stevenson, So let’s say it is $4,000.

Mr. Shirley, Then we’ll pay $2,000.

Mrs. Stevenson, Then…

Mr. Shirley, Then the LEPC would pay the other $2,000.

Mrs. Stevenson, So the whole $4,000 would be covered.

Mr. Shirley, Yes.

Mrs. Stevenson, That wouldn’t be a part of the commissioner paying it at all out of their fund.

Mr. Shirley, I would assume since we can pay, and again, this is an assumption on my part, but, I believe that we can pay that out of the hazardous substance fund. Because, like in this building, it would be hard to do that. It would be hard to differentiate what’s ours, and what’s the rest of the building--that type of thing--in that building, it’s all ours.

Com. Evans, But there was a good comparison that Russ made earlier in that regard. We pay about $50,000 right now to keep heat, lights and gas…

Mrs. Stevenson, Exactly.

Mr. Poparad, In the County Home, yes.

Com. Evans, Into the County Home that is really like opening a window, and throwing money out of it.

Mr. Poparad, Is there enough land out there? You’re not going pinch yourself in the future?

Com. Evans, No, in fact, I think it will make the diagram of the land situation out there much better, especially for the Animal Shelter. As it is now, you know, the Sheriff’s Garage at times they come for the bomb truck or something like that, they come through that Animal Shelter parking lot pretty quick, and they have school buses with children there at the shelter. And I think this would give an entrance directly for the hazmat building, and for the sheriff’s department use, separate from the Animal Shelter, and would provide them a measure of security.

Mrs. Stevenson, So what you are saying right now is, between the hazardous substance and the Greg Phillips, you do have enough money.

Mr. Shirley, Yes, ma’am. And if this is all approved, it would leave approximately $280,000 in the hazardous substance fund.

Mrs. Stevenson, How much?

Mr. Shirley, $280,000.

Mrs. Blaney, And that’s not going to pay the salaries and utilities for too long, if its drying up.

Mr. Shirley, Not salaries, no.

Mrs. Blaney, The storage upstairs, that’s going to be available for other…

Mr. Shirley, Yes, that’s, that was, the original design was only going to call for 1,200 feet of storage upstairs. But with all the storage issues that have come up, we went and had the alternate bid put on, adding for the extra storage.

Mrs. Stevenson, And that will take care of the voters equipment?

Mr. Shirley, If that’s where they want to store it. Or they may want to put something from here out in that building, and then use the space here.

Mr. Poparad, You guys need storage space, it appears.

Com. Harper, You guys, in fact, we’ve got to have a joint meeting real soon, because we’re just…

Com. Evans, Popping at the seams.

Mr. Poparad, Yes.

Com. Harper, Yes, we want to come back, and talk about getting some of these records taken care of.

Mrs. Blaney, Well is this somewhere that would help alleviate that problem?

Com. Evans, Yes, if they could alone take the new voting machines, that would be a big plus.

Mr. Burge moved to apply the $303,699 in the Greg Phillips fund, and transfer $385,000 in the Hazardous Substance Fund, a total of $686,875, to build the Greg Phillips Memorial building. Mr. Carmichael seconded.

Mr. Poparad, Discussion? Can I say something? If we are going to do this, can we get rid of the Greg Phillips Memorial fund tonight, if we are going to zero it out tonight, Sandy? If we are going to transfer this money out of this fund, can the fund disappear?

Mrs. Vuko, If you want it to.

Mr. Hollenbeck, I don’t know why not.

Com. Evans, You’re going to transfer it into the Capital Outlays?

Mr. Poparad, Well, wherever we, we’ll just when it gets spent, when the money is spent it disappears. We can do that, can’t we?

Mr. Hollenbeck, If you are zeroing off the fund, I see no reason the motion can’t include the closure of the fund as well.

Mr. Burge moved to include in his motion, the closing of the Greg Phillips Memorial Fund. Mr. Carmichael seconded.

Mr. Poparad, Any more questions?

Mrs. Stevenson, Okay, this amount of money with everything that’s happened with Katrina, my question is, are you locked in at this price or will lumber and everything else go up?

Mr. Shirley, We’re locked in for another month or so, yes.

Mrs. Stevenson, Okay, so you’ll be able to start breaking ground, and everything else.

Mr. Shirley, That would be up to Morton Buildings. As soon as we can iron out all the contract details, which shouldn’t take very long, then yes.

Mrs. Stevenson, And you’re locked in.

Mr. Shirley, Yes, we’re locked.

Mrs. Stevenson, And it won’t change.

Mr. Shirley, Right. Once the contract is approved, and everybody signed off on it, then we are locked in, so. Right now, the bid is good for, like I said, about another 35 or 40 days.

Mr. Carmichael, What’s your contingency fund, 10%?

Mr. Shirley, I’m sorry?

Mr. Carmichael, Your contingency fund. What have you set aside for…

Mr. Shirley, I don’t believe we set a contingency fund. I don’t believe we did.

Mr. Poparad, There’s no cushion in the bid?

Dan Cosentino, Say that again, Bob.

Mr. Poparad, You have no cushion in there at all.

Mr. Cosentino, When we did the bid, we put in for, we have 180 days from when you guys…

Mr. Poparad, No, I’m surprised. There’s no, you can build this building for this money?

Mr. Cosentino, Yes, we can.

Mr. Poparad, The way the plans were submitted.

Mr. Cosentino, We will not come back, and raise it. Yes, the price we gave you is the price we can build the building for.

Mrs. Stevenson, And we aren’t going to have any problems like we did with the jail, with sewage, with backup, with anything? We’re not going to have that problem. I mean you can’t foresee with a crystal ball, I’m…

Com. Evans, Exactly, we’re not even going to let anybody escape.

Mr. Hollenbeck, Escape.

Mrs. Stevenson, Thank you.

Mr. Poparad, That one was shot right over there. That was sort of like aimed at that part of the room, you know. Alright, call the roll, Sandy. We’re done.

Motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you.

Mr. Shirley, Thank you.

Mr. Poparad, Don’t come back.

HIGHWAY 02
Additional Appropriation
$25,000 to 3650 Vehicle Repair
$85,000 to 2210 Gas, Fuel & Lubrication

Mr. Poparad, Highway. Al, are you guys going to stick around? What are you doing; don’t play with my markers.

Com. Evans, We’re just making sure of who you are.

Mr. Poparad, Oh. Al, you’ve got a $25,000 additional for fuel, or $85,000 for that, and $25,000 to Vehicle Repair.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by Highway 02, $25,000 to 3650 Vehicle Repair and $85,000 to 2210 Gas, Fuel & Lubrication. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Al Hoagland, Thank you very much.

SUPERIOR COURT 1 - BRADFORD 01.82
Transfer
$800 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 3710 Equipment
$250 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 2120 Office Fixtures under $100

Mr. Poparad, Superior Court 1.

Mr. Burge, Did you forget Linda?

Mr. Poparad, No, Linda Trinkler, that’s been taken off the agenda. The commissioners have to do something before we do something.

Mr. Burge, Alright.

Mr. Poparad, They have to set up the fund, then we have to appropriate the money. Hello, Judge. You have a transfer $800 from Maintenance Agreements to Equipment and $250 from Maintenance Agreements to Office Fixtures under $100.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Superior Court 1 - 01.82, $800 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 3710 Equipment and $250 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 2120 Office Fixtures under $100. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you, Roger.

Judge Roger Bradford, Thank you.

SUPERIOR COURT 4 - CHIDESTER 01.37
Transfer
$370 from 2110 Office Supplies to 3170 Interpreters
$482.42 from 2110 Office Supplies to 3130 Training & Education

Mr. Poparad, Superior Court 4; you mean you don’t have a Vietnamese translator on staff.

Judge David Chidester, No, unfortunately.

Mr. Poparad, $370 from Office Supplies to Interpreters, and $482.42 from Office Supplies to Training & Education.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Superior Court 4 - 01.37, $370 from 2110 Office Supplies to 3170 Interpreters and $482.42 from 2110 Office Supplies to 3130 Training & Education. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries.

Judge Chidester, Alright, thank you.

Mr. Hollenbeck, The other option would be to give him the money to go to classes.

Mr. Poparad, Yeah, classes or this.

Mrs. Stevenson, Thanks, Judge.

ANIMAL SHELTER 01.45
Transfer
$800 from 1110 Salaries to 3950 Contractual Services
$200 from 1110 Salaries to 1340 Boards
$1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2330 Household & Bedding
$1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2250 Other Supplies
$1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2410 Medical & Dental

Mr. Poparad, Animal Shelter. Are you going to like this building, the road getting fixed, and all that?

Sandy Ogle, Yes, very much so.

Mr. Poparad, It will make things easier out there for you?

Ms. Ogle, It will be a lot safer, and a lot nicer for us.

Mr. Poparad, $800 from Salaries to Contractual, $200 from Salaries to Boards, 1,000 from Salaries to Household & Bedding, $1,000 from Salaries to Other Supplies and $1,000 from Salaries to Medical & Dental.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Animal Shelter 01.45, $800 from 1110 Salaries to 3950 Contractual Services, $200 from 1110 Salaries to 1340 Boards, $1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2330 Household & Bedding, $1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2250 Other Supplies and $1,000 from 1110 Salaries to 2410 Medical & Dental. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries.

Ms. Ogle, Thank you very much.

BOONE TOWNSHIP 01.51
Transfer
$550 from 1120 Hourly to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100
$250 from 3220 Telephone to 3930 Dues & Subscriptions

Mr. Poparad, Boone Township. You have a transfer of $550 from Hourly to Furniture & Fixtures over $100, and $250 from Telephone to Dues & Subscriptions.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Boone Township 01.51, $550 from 1120 Hourly to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100 and $250 from 3220 Telephone to 3930 Dues & Subscriptions. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you.

Delphine Eck, Thank you.

UNION TOWNSHIP 01.58
Transfer
$200 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 3220 Telephone
$500 from 3930 Dues & Subscriptions to 3220 Telephone

Mr. Poparad, Union Township. $200 from Maintenance Agreements to Telephone; $500 from Dues & Subscriptions to Telephone.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of fund submitted by Union Township 01.58, $200 from 3610 Maintenance Agreements to 3220 Telephone and $500 from 3930 Dues & Subscriptions to 3220 Telephone. Mr. Burge seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.


JUVENILE PROBATION USER FEES 47
144 FORM (2005)
PO Roytan from $20.91 to $0
PO Golub from $0 to $20.13
144 FORM (2006)
PO Roytan from $23,72 to $0
PO Golub from $0 to $20.54

JUVENILE PROBATION 230
144 FORM (2005)
Assistant Chief Golub from $5,130 to $0
Assistant Chief Buyer from $4,869 to $5,130
Supervisor PO Bradley from $0 to $4,869
144 FORM (2006)
Assistant Chief Golub from $5,130 to $0
Assistant Chief Buyer from $4,869 to $5,130
Supervisor PO Bradley from $0 to $4,869

JUVENILE PROBATION 01.79
144 FORM (2005)
Assistant Chief Golub from $41,514 to $0
Assistant Chief Buyer from $36,775 to $41,514
Supervisor PO Bradley from $36,644 to $36,775
PO Brown from $0 to $36,644
144 FORM (2006)
Assistant Chief Golub from $45,984 to $0
Assistant Chief Buyer from $37,508 to $45,984
Supervisor PO Bradley from $37,377 to $37,508
PO Brown from $0 to $37,377

Mr. Poparad, Juvenile Probation, come on down. Hi.

Amy Beier, Hello.

Mr. Poparad, You know what, why don’t you explain this to me, because, I don’t know if anybody can.

Ms. Beier, I was sitting back there trying to get it straight in my mind too, to be honest with you.

Mr. Poparad, Yeah.

Mr. Carmichael, Bob, give her five minutes.

Mr. Poparad, What?

Mr. Carmichael, Give her five minutes.

Mr. Poparad, Well I’ve got a little egg timer going back here; you can’t see it.

Ms. Beier, Okay. This, we had a number of personnel changes.

Mr. Poparad, Right.

Ms. Beier, It all began with our part-time probation officer, Julie Roytan, resigning, and she was being paid for out of the 47 Fund. Okay. At that point, the assistant chief, Mike Golub, due to some personal, family and health reasons opted to resign, but he wanted to stay on in that part-time capacity. Okay. So he’s in the 47 Fund now at a lesser rate, because Julie was making, she had her masters, so she more in an hourly rate. So Mike will be making $20.54 an hour. Okay. So that’s…

Mr. Poparad, That’s the first one.

Ms. Beier, Okay. So we had the vacant assistant chief slot then, which we filled by promoting Chris Buyer, who was the current supervisor. So he goes into the assistant chief slot, making out of the general fund, exactly what Mike was making, so it’s a wash.

Mr. Poparad, Right. Okay, I’m with you; keep going.

Ms. Beier, Okay. Deana Bradley then was promoted into the vacated supervisor slot left by Chris Buyer. Okay.

Mr. Poparad, She had to go backwards out of the one fund.

Ms. Beier, Right, yes. Okay. Then her vacated line staff position was filled with Marc Brown who was on staff with us, but being paid out of some general fund programming.

Mr. Poparad, Oh, he’s all the way at the bottom now.

Ms. Beier, Yeah.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, alright, now you’re jumping ahead of us.

Ms. Beier, So the bottom line figure on the general fund stays the same.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Ms. Beier, Okay. It’s confusing I know.

Mr. Poparad, It’s alright.

Ms. Beier, And then there was the changes accordingly with the 230 Fund too.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael, Is this correct as written? Do you have the same copy I have?

Ms. Beier, Yes, I should.

Mr. Carmichael, So we don’t confuse the auditor, because this is the copy the auditor will work off of.

Ms. Beier, It’s the same.

Mr. Poparad, You guys okay?

Ms. Phillips, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael moved to amend the 144 Forms submitted by: Juvenile Probation User Fees 47 for 2005, PO Roytan from $20.91 to $0 and PO Golub from $0 to $20.13; for 2006, PO Roytan from $23,72 to $0 and PO Golub from $0 to $20.54. Juvenile Probation 230 for 2005, Assistant Chief Golub from $5,130 to $0, Assistant Chief Buyer from $4,869 to $5,130, and Supervisor PO Bradley from $0 to $4,869; for 2006, Assistant Chief Golub from $5,130 to $0, Assistant Chief Buyer from $4,869 to $5,130 and Supervisor PO Bradley from $0 to $4,869. Juvenile Probation 01.79 for 2005, Assistant Chief Golub from $41,514 to $0, Assistant Chief Buyer from $36,775 to $41,514, Supervisor PO Bradley from $36,644 to $36,775 and PO Brown from $0 to $36,644; for 2006, Assistant Chief Golub from $45,984 to $0, Assistant Chief Buyer from $37,508 to $45,984, Supervisor PO Bradley from $37,377 to $37,508 and PO Brown from $0 to $37,377.

Mr. Poparad, Can we do that with the separate funds for the 144’s, can we do that all at the same time? Nod your head yes. Okay.

Mr. Hollenbeck, Yes, if there is a motion and a second.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Hollenbeck, It’s scary for me to say this, but you can do almost anything you want.

Mr. Poparad, I need a second.

Mr. Burge seconded.

Mr. Poparad, We’ve got a motion and a second. Is everybody clear on this, what’s going on? Anymore questions? Call the roll, please.

Motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries.

Ms. Beier, Thank you.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you, Amy.


ADULT PROBATION 01.43
Additional Appropriation
$8,000 to 3640 Rebinding Records - Request tabled

Mr. Poparad, Adult Probation. You want an additional of $8,000 to Rebinding Records, but I don’t think that’s totally accurate, is it?

Deb Morrisroe, No, it’s for Information Records so we can retrieve our files from the Docuware files.

Mr. Poparad, Data Processing.

Ms. Morrisroe, We want the funds put into Data Processing so we can purchase a server.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael, Why isn’t this being taken out of the CCD Fund, from the Data Processing fund? Wasn’t that our recommendation?

Mr. Poparad, I thought that’s what we talked about with the commissioners.

Mr. Carmichael, Sure.

Mr. Poparad, To take this out of the CCD, wasn’t it?

Mr. Carmichael, Yes.

Mrs. Stevenson, Ask Bob that.

Mr. Poparad, They’re ignoring us.

Com. Evans, I’m sorry.

Mr. Poparad, Didn’t we talk about Neil’s data equipment coming out of the CCD? The data processing, you know, the money you have for that?

Mrs. Stevenson, The server.

Mr. Poparad, The server, that’s right.

Com. Harper, Is this, are we talking, Bob, the…

Mrs. Stevenson, The Docuware.

Com. Harper, Right.

Mr. Poparad, Yes.

Com. Harper, I think is what we.
Mr. Poparad, I thought we talked about the CCD.

Com. Harper, I don’t think so. I think what we talked about is this is part of the setup. Sharon, you’re going to have to help me. Also, we had the council meeting the one night on getting everything brought up to date.

Mr. Poparad, Right.

Com. Harper, So what they are talking about is going from here forward. Okay. And we really talked about that the one night we got together; we talked about getting, bringing it up to date, and if you’ll remember the price tag on bringing it up to date, I think, was a million dollars. But what I, here’s what’s going to happen, and I think maybe I mentioned it to you one time, Mr. Chairman, that here’s what’s going to happen, that now every department is going to get to the point that they are going to be here to bring this all up to date. Okay. And my, just a thought, I mean I don’t know if you talked about it, my thought was that we should get started on this whole project. That’s number one, because that’s one of the storage problems that we have, and if we get started on it, where we should probably, it’s probably going to have to come from unallocated CEDIT money. That’s what I thought.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Com. Harper, That was just my suggestion. So I think, and Sharon can tell you this, but there is going to be more than one department in here asking for this.

Mr. Poparad, And that’s what I’m saying, do we want to wait on this until you guys, until we all get on the same page, and do this at once.

Mr. Carmichael, Let’s see the total cost of this program before we enter into it.

Mr. Poparad, Well, yes, and the other thing…

Mr. Carmichael, You’re talking a million dollars.

Com. Harper, That’s, we had a meeting on that one night. Remember? We had a meeting on what it was going to cost to go through all the offices, and all the storage areas, and get all the stuff indexed and so forth, and that’s what the price was. And that night--if I remember correctly--the Council wanted Sharon and Neil and everyone to go back, and check some more prices, which I think is done now. And what I think we should do is have one of those joint meetings here pretty quickly, and discuss this, and how it’s going to be handled. So that’s just a suggestion. But I’m, you’re going to have a lot of people coming in here asking for this money, and that’s what you want to do, right, start keeping it up to date here on in.

Mr. Poparad, Yes. I don’t think anybody is adverse to the idea, it’s just, instead of piece-mealing it, can we do it all at once. If nothing else, at least get everybody on the same page. All the employees in the same room. Do we want to continue this or let them come back when they get a little more handle on it? Can you guys get with you guys, and all that?

Com. Harper, Oh, I think we should try to set a meeting up in a couple weeks.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael, Let’s see the total cost of this program.

Com. Harper, With everybody here, we can discuss it, and…

Mr. Carmichael, Start nibbling away here.

Mr. Poparad, Yes, I guess my big fear is--I know nothing about computers--you’re going to get something that’s not going to match up to, you know.

Ms. Morrisroe, Well no, this is a server that hopefully will enable the prosecutor, probation, the clerk, and the planning commission, all to archive and retrieve all their information.

Mr. Poparad, Why would the Plan Commission have anything to do with Adult Probation?

Sharon Lippens, Because they have documents that are taking up space that they want to scan, and all the documents regardless of whose they are, would be going onto this singled server.

Ms. Morrisroe, They go into the system.

Mr. Poparad, Wouldn’t you, shouldn’t the server be yours?

Mrs. Lippens, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Then why is Adult Probation here?

Mrs. Lippens, I believe that Neil was…

Ms. Morrisroe, We’re all putting money into paying…

Mrs. Lippens, Neil was pushing for the project.

Mr. Poparad, No, this is an additional. This is new money.

Mrs. Lippens, Yes. Neil was taking the lead in coming to the Council to keep things…

Mr. Poparad, Well yes, but I’m sure Neil’s got $8,000 in his budget somewhere. I mean are we going to be faced with, and Bob’s right, we got $8,000 here, the Plan Commission is going to want $12,000, all these additionals. Maybe everybody should look inside first, if nothing else to see; let’s get a final cost.

Mrs. Lippens, I can give you some estimates for the departments.

Mr. Poparad, Well something. Yes, we need something with some numbers on it.

Mrs. Lippens, The…

Mr. Poparad, Not now. Not now. Okay, you’ll come back.

Com. Harper, We did, it’s what Sharon has done, is what you guys asked her to do the last time when we all got together. So if we can set up a meeting some night in a couple of weeks, she’s got all these figures, because everybody wants to get it rolling.

Mr. Poparad, Yes. Okay.

Com. Harper, And I know everybody wants…

Mr. Poparad, Yes, I don’t think anybody is adverse to this, but you’re right, it’s going to get piecemealed out. Let’s do it all at once. So we won’t forget you; tell Neil we won’t forget him.

Mr. Carmichael, Bob.

Mr. Poparad, Yes.

Mr. Carmichael, I want to bring up something that I made a note on while we were watching…

Mr. Poparad, Go ahead.

Mr. Carmichael, Considering this building. Out of CEDIT funds, you know the Valparaiso Fire Department, and I heard more volunteers tonight coming up with equipment, storage space or whatever they are coming up with, and other departments in the county; I don’t know, we have 17 fire departments in the county, some of them full-time, some part-time. I think we should request of them to submit a need for the cost estimate, and each year handle one or two under economic development.
And the reason I say to start with Valparaiso is because we’ve got the biggest investment here that Valparaiso is protecting. Follow me? We don’t pay any taxes to the City of Valparaiso, but they provide us the fire service. I think we ought to start with them, and maybe one other department. Take two departments a year as they request, review them, and then present to us under a CEDIT #10 or whatever. I would like to see that happen.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, it’s up to you guys to chew on.

Com. Harper, Well, what I think we should do is get this meeting set up, because we’ve got, well this is probably, we’ve got several things we need to go over, and this is one of them.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael, See where the greatest need is. I don’t know, I’m not on the fire committee or whatever the case may be, but I’m sure they can, they have needs, and we need to be protected for one thing. We need to acknowledge the fact that they do protect us, and protect us well.

Mr. Poparad, Okay. Thank you. We’ll get together.

Com. Harper, Thank you.

Mr. Poparad, Memorial Opera House.

Mr. Hollenbeck, Mr. Chairman, was there a motion to table that?

Mr. Poparad, Ah, we just sort of like tabled it.

Mr. Carmichael, Do you want a motion to deny the request?

Mr. Poparad, Well I don’t want to deny it because…

Mrs. Blaney, We’ll just start all over again.

Mrs. Stevenson, Table it.

Mr. Hollenbeck, Why don’t you make a motion to table it.

Mr. Poparad, Alright, somebody make a motion to table it.

Mr. Burge moved to table the request for additional appropriations submitted by Adult Probation 01.43. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, now its been tabled.

Mr. Carmichael, In order to bring it off the table, you need a 100% vote.

Mr. Poparad, Well, I vote to take it off the table.

MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE 158
Additional Appropriation
$12,000 to 2250 Other Supplies - Amended to $4,000
$11,000 to 3170 Director, Choreographer, etc. - Amended to $3,000

Mr. Poparad, Alright, Memorial Opera House, $12,000 to Other Supplies; $11,000 to, you need $23,000?

Holly Seibel, No, I was just going to say I want to lower those. $4,000 to Other Supplies; and $3,000 to Director, Choreographer, etc. I checked with the auditor’s office. I do have that in my cash balance.

Mrs. Stevenson, $4,000, and what else?

Ms. Seibel, $4,000 to Other Supplies, and $3,000 to Director, Choreographer, etc.
Mr. Poparad, Okay. Did you guys ever solve your?

Ms. Seibel, Uh huh.

Mr. Poparad, We’re all on the same page? Everybody’s happy now; we’re all playing together--nice. I’ve got to ask the question. I read the newspaper, what?

Ms. Seibel, That’s about as much as I know is what I read in the newspaper.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Ms. Seibel, Because Brian Hurley has been handling it. I spoke to Com. Harper when I heard about it, and told him about it, and I believe they have spoken with him also.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted and amended by Memorial Opera House 158, $4,000 to 2250 Other Supplies, and $3,000 to Director, Choreographer, etc. Mrs. Stevenson seconded.

Mr. Poparad, And this comes from your own operating balance anyway?

Ms. Seibel, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, We have a motion and a second. Any more questions? Call the roll, please.

Motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Ms. Seibel, Thank you.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you.

Ms. Seibel, I brought season brochures for all of you.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Ms. Seibel, So I’ll pass them out.

EXPO CENTER 146.66
Additional Appropriation
$13,000 to 3620 Buildings & Structures
Transfer
$1,000 from 3510 Power to 2210 Gas, Fuel & Lubrication
$500 from 3510 Power to 2110 Office Supplies
$3,000 from 3510 Power to 3620 Buildings & Structures

Mr. Poparad, Expo Center. Anybody here?

Mr. Carmichael, When are you going to invite Bob to appear in one of your performances; he’s a pretty good actor, you know.

Ms. Seibel, I’d love to; I’d love him to audition. He could have been a winner.

Mr. Poparad, Yeah.

Mr. Carmichael, Do you have a clown show.

Mr. Poparad, That wasn’t very nice.

Mr. Carmichael, I’m being hard on you, Bob.

Mr. Poparad, That’s wasn’t very nice, Bill.

Mr. Carmichael, No, I wasn’t thinking of you.

Mr. Poparad, Yeah, I know. The Expo Center, is anybody here? I guess we’ll just sort of put that on next month, if nobody wants to show up for the Expo Center.

Mr. Burge, What did he want?

Mr. Poparad, He wants $13,000.

Mr. Carmichael, Is it his own funds?

Mrs. Stevenson, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Well he isn’t here to answer that question, Bill.

Mr. Carmichael, Can the commissioners answer that question.

Mr. Poparad, He wants it with CEDIT funds.

Com. Harper, Oh, no one is here from the Expo Center. Is that who you are on?

Ms. Blaney, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Correct. Does he even work for us anymore?

Com. Harper, I think that his, I think he’s paid up according to that contract until the end of this month. I ask you, I looked these over, and they don’t seem too outrageous.

Mr. Poparad, Well they’re coming from CEDIT funds: unanticipated replacement of insulation and ductwork, and replacement of ductwork for new heating, with CEDIT funds through the commissioners’ office.

Com. Harper, That one, I’m asking that one to be continued.

Mr. Poparad, Which one, the $13,000?

Com. Harper, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Okay. We need a motion to transfer or to continue the $13,000 additional.

Mrs. Blaney moved to table the $13,000 request for additional appropriations submitted by Expo Center 146.66. Mr. Carmichael seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, we’ll transfer that. Okay, now we have a transfer of $1,000 from Power to Gas, Fuel & Lube; $500 from Power to Office Supplies; and $3,000 from Power to Buildings & Structures.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted Expo Center 146.66, $1,000 from 3510 Power to 2210 Gas, Fuel & Lubrication, $500 from 3510 Power to 2110 Office Supplies, and $3,000 from 3510 Power to 3620 Buildings & Structures. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries. Thank you.

Mrs. Vuko, Bob.

Mr. Poparad, I’m sorry, Sandy.

Mrs. Vuko, A roll call is needed on the additional.

Mr. Poparad, We’re transferring it.

Mr. Carmichael A roll call on the additional.

Mr. Poparad, Yes, we’re not doing the additional. He wants to…

Mrs. Stevenson, It’s to be continued. We’re continuing it.

Mr. Poparad, I’m sorry, I used the word transfer. We’re kicking it forward.

Mr. Carmichael, Okay.

Mr. Poparad, We’re not doing it.

CORONER 01.07
Additional Appropriation
$17,155 to 3120 Consultants (Including Autopsy)
Transfer
$175 from 3630 Equipment other than Vehicle to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100

Mr. Poparad, Coroner.

Mr. Carmichael, I think we’ve heard this story before, Bob, and we agreed to the autopsy…

Mr. Poparad, Well yes, unless people stop dying we’ve got to. I’ve got to ask you a question though, and this might sound morbid. We’ll use Rita for example, she happens to be sitting here. If she fell over dead right now, is that an automatic autopsy? Keep this out of the press; I’m just curious.

Roger Kleist, Well, it would depend on if she had a family physician who had been treating her for…

Mr. Poparad, Okay, she’s under medical care.

Mr. Kleist, For a, you know, a known life-threatening disease for a length of time, you know, not necessarily.

Mr. Poparad, Okay. Alright, I’m sorry. You have an additional for $17,155 for autopsies.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by Coroner 01.07, $17,155 to 3120 Consultants. Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Blaney seconded.

Mr. Poparad, Bill made the motion; Rita’s dead; she can’t make the second. Laura seconded it. Any questions.

Mrs. Stevenson, Three times, don’t jinx me.

Mr. Poparad, Call the roll, please, this is an additional

Motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Poparad, No, you can’t call on Rita because she’s not here.

Mrs. Stevenson, I’m more than here; I’m a hurricane now.

Mr. Poparad, The motion carries. We have a transfer of $175 from Equipment other…

Mr. Hollenbeck, Hurricane Rita.

Mr. Poparad, Than Vehicles to Fixtures over $100.

Mrs. Blaney moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Coroner 01.07, $175 from 3630 Equipment other than Vehicles to Furniture & Fixtures over $100.

Mr. Kleist, That should have been the other way.

Mr. Poparad, I’ve got…
Mr. Kleist, What did you say?

Mr. Poparad, From Equipment other than Vehicles to Furniture & Fixtures over $100.

Mr. Kleist, Oh yes, that’s correct, I’m sorry.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Kleist, We need a file cabinet.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, Laura made the motion.

Mr. Burge seconded.

Mr. Poparad, Jim seconded it. All in favor, say aye.

Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries. Thank you, Roger.

Mr. Kleist, Thank you much.

Mrs. Stevenson, Thanks, Roger.

Mr. Kleist, Have a good evening.

COMMISSIONERS 233
Additional Appropriation
$32,400 to 3520 Water & Sewage
$3,400 to 3220 Telephone

Mr. Poparad, Commissioners 233 Fund, we have an additional of $32,400 to Water & Sewage, and $3,400 to Telephone.

Com. Harper, I think that’s the 233 transfer.

Mr. Poparad, Correct, our federal prisoner money.

Com. Harper, As long as we can keep them there, right.

Mr. Poparad, All you’ve got to do is keep them.

Mrs. Stevenson, Please.

Mr. Hollenbeck, You guys going to ask for a refund.

Mr. Poparad, Are you making the motion?

Mrs. Blaney, I didn’t say a word.
Mr. Poparad, Oh, okay, I’m sorry, I thought you were.

Mr. Carmichael, Her lips didn’t even move.

Mr. Poparad, Well, I.

Mrs. Blaney, Sorry, my mind was a little slow.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, do you want to make…

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by Commissioners 133, $32,400 to 3520 Water & Sewage, and $3,400 to 3220 Telephone. Mrs. Blaney seconded.

Mr. Poparad, Any discussion?

Mr. Carmichael, Yes, I think they should put those valves in so the things only flush the second time; that cuts our water bill in half.

Com. Evans, We’ve been looking for the one that flushes itself so it’ll take care of the third floor.

Mr. Carmichael, Just kidding.

Mr. Poparad, Alright, any more questions, comments. Obviously, this is for the jail.

Mr. Carmichael, Roll call.

Mr. Poparad, Call the roll, please.

Motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

CCD FUND 132
Additional Appropriation
$29,325 to 4540 Other Equipment

Mr. Poparad, We have an additional out of the CCD 132, $29,325 to Other Equipment.

Com. Evans, That’s the radio tower, the weather tower.

Mr. Poparad, Yes.

Com. Evans, It should be noted that that was considerably higher, but the township of Porter participated for $10,000. Boone participated for $5,000. And then Center Township participated for $5,000 also. Otherwise it could have been a lot more expensive. But it’s something that I think will probably save lives. I mean there’s no doubt that it was needed. We probably did our neighbors to the south of the county a big favor by doing it, because they might as well have thrown their radio out the window, because they had no communication with the Weather Service at all., so.

Mrs. Blaney, My radio reached South Bend.

Com. Evans, Pardon?

Mrs. Blaney, My radio got South Bend.

Com. Evans, Does it?

Mrs. Blaney, So by the time the warning was coming, it had already knocked all our trees down. I think this is a good thing.

Com. Evans, It’s a very good thing.

Mrs. Blaney moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by CCD 132, $29,325 to 4540 Other Equipment. Mrs. Stevenson and Mr. Burge seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

COMMISSIONERS 01.30
Transfer
$2,777.53 from 1110 Salaries to 3120 Consultants
$307.97 from 2110 Office Supplies to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100

Mr. Poparad, And we have a transfer of $2,777.53 from Salaries to Consultants. $307.97 from Office Supplies to Furniture & Fixtures over $100.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Commissioners 01.30, $2,777.53 from 1110 Salaries to 3120 Consultants and $307.97 from 2110 Office Supplies to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries. Thank you.

Com. Harper, Thank you.

SURVEYOR PERPETUATION 57
Additional Appropriation
$8,000 to 1120 Hourly

Mr. Poparad, Surveyor. Where’s our buddy at. Since budget cuts, we supplemented…

Kevin Breitzke, What we’re doing is taking $8,000 out of the Section Corner Perpetuation Fund, transferring it over to Hourly. We’ve used up our hourly for this year. We cut substantially about three years ago from the hourly budget. Its currently set about $12,125, and when you consider we go through two to three part-time employees a year, you get a big bang for the buck. But this should get us through the rest of the year.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by Surveyor Perpetuation 57, $8,000 to 1120 Hourly. Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Hollenbeck, She’s come back to life.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you, Kevin.

PARKS OPERATING 127
Additional Appropriation
$970 from 3340 Advertising
$2,000 to 3980 Event Expenses

Mr. Poparad, Parks Operating, $970 to Advertising, $2,000 to Event Expenses--more tourism money.

Ed Melendez, That’s correct.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for additional appropriations submitted by Parks Operating 127, $970 to 3340 Advertising and $2,000 to 3980 Event Expense. Mr. Burge seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Poparad, He said no; Bill voted no.

Mr. Carmichael, Oh yes.

Mrs. Blaney, It did sound like you said no.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you, Ed.

JAIL 217
Transfer
$5,000 from 1110 Salaries to 1130 Overtime

Mr. Poparad, Jail 217, $5,000 from Salaries to Overtime.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Jail 217, $5,000 from 1110 Salaries to 1130 Overtime. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Chief Deputy Dave Lain, Thank you.

AUDITOR 01.02
Transfer
$6,000 from 1130 Overtime to 1120 Hourly

Mr. Poparad, Auditor, transfer of $6,000 from Overtime to Hourly.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Auditor 01.02, $6,0000 from 1130 Overtime to 1120 Hourly. Mrs. Blaney seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

WESTCHESTER TOWNSHIP 01.12
Transfer
$350 from 3950 Contractual Services to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100

Mr. Poparad, Westchester Township. Come on up, Candy, and say hi. $350 from Contractual Services to Furniture & Fixtures over $100.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Westchester Township 01.12, $350 from 3950 Contractual Services to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Thank you, Candy.

Ms. Crone, Thanks.

Mr. Carmichael, Bye, Candy.

PORTAGE TOWNSHIP 01.11
Transfer
$260 from 2110 Office Supplies to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100

Mr. Poparad, Portage Township transfer, $260 from Office Supplies to Furniture & Fixtures over $100.

Mr. Carmichael moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Portage Township 01.11, $260 from 2110 Office Supplies to 4440 Furniture & Fixtures over $100. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP 01.53
Transfer
$50 from 3130 Training & Education to 2220 Uniforms & Clothing

Mr. Poparad, Liberty Township, $50 from Training & Education to Uniforms & Clothing.

Mrs. Blaney moved to grant the request for transfer of funds submitted by Liberty Township, $50 from 3130 Training & Education to 2220 Uniforms & Clothing. Mr. Carmichael seconded, motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.



RDA LETTER

Mr. Poparad, Hey, do you guys want to talk about this letter? Melissa?

Mrs. Blaney, Carole’s here.

Mr. Poparad, Carole? Do you want to talk about this letter here?

Com. Evans, Sure.

Mr. Poparad, Bring her, and whatever you’ve got.

Com. Evans, It’s a way of showing support, and encouragement at the same time in asking them to judiciously get to work.

Mr. Poparad, Okay. I’ve got a copy here with your signature on it.

Com. Evans, Yes.

Mr. Poparad, Do we have like a master copy?

Ms. Noll, Right here.

Mr. Poparad, You got the official one?

Ms. Noll, Yep, that’s the original.

Com. Evans, You didn’t think she’d let you have that beforehand.

Mr. Poparad, No. Okay, let’s start it down there. I don’t know if anybody has a problem with the letter. Do you? Does anybody? Do you want to read it? Go ahead, Bill.

Mr. Carmichael, The undersigned elected officials in Porter County send off their appointees to the RDA Board with optimism, and hope for a better future for our citizens, and we extend the following recommendations: That as its first step a new board focuses in crafting the values of this new agency, thus organizing the outline for the RDA’s culture. We would hope that the RDA’s treasured values would include the following: That the agency will be non-political; That the agency will embrace efficiency as one of its attributes; That the agency will operate in an environment of transparency--don’t leave, Bob--in order to gain the trust and the confidence of the people of Porter County and Northwest Indiana. D, that the agency will assess its investment in potential projects based on their likelihood of producing quality, desirable jobs for Northwest Indiana. Two, that the agency develops a bold vision for the future, and then it produces a strategic plan with reasonable timelines in order to deliver it. Signed by the undersigned: Robert Harper, John Evans and Carole Knoblock.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Carmichael, What do you want?

Com. Evans, We’d certainly like the Council to have their signature on it.

Mr. Poparad, Well I’m going to.

Mrs. Blaney, Of course.

At this time, Mrs. Blaney, Mr. Carmichael, Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. Burge and Mr. Poparad signed the RDA letter.

Mr. Poparad, Okay, while we are doing that, Mr. Attorney, do you have something to say?

ATTORNEY’S REPORT
Juvenile Debt Bond Issue
Hazmat Building Funding

Mr. Hollenbeck, Very quickly, and on point. As I have reported to you, we have completed the task of closing on the juvenile housing debt bond issue. That money is in the county account, and I have drafted the appropriate amendments to the proposed memorandum of understanding to reflect that we are preserving the right to get our money back should the Marion County litigation be successful. The State has verbally indicated to me that that new language is alright. As soon as I get it signed back from them, then I’ll authorize the Auditor to release what we owe to the state.
The other thing we need to do regarding that bond issue is, the Department of Local Government Finance, in the middle of this whole process, decided that they wanted us to go through what amounts to a mini-budget process to amend the process that you used to build your budget originally to add the debt service to this next year’s budget, so we can pay the first payment on this bond issue.
So I went ahead, and did the notices, and published them, and that’s part of the reason we had to move your meeting to tonight, because all your budgeting has to be done by September 20th under the statute. So I need the Chair to entertain a motion to amend the budget tax rate and levy determinations that you previously made for ’06, to add to it, a debt service component so that we can raise $225,000 next year, which is the payment on the juvenile debt bond issue. That will have a projected impact of about 3/10 of $.01 on the tax rate.
The other thing that we’ve done is, we blended your debt service payments, this new one with your existing ones, so the overall debt service payment will not increase at all during the entire ten years that this bond issue will be paid off.

Mrs. Stevenson, Great.

Mr. Poparad, Okay. I need a motion to adjust our ’06 budget.

Mrs. Stevenson moved to amend the 2006 Porter County budget to include the Juvenile Debt Bond Issue in the amount of $225,000. Mr. Carmichael seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Hollenbeck, Another thing very quickly. To implement the decision you made tonight regarding the Greg Phillips Memorial Building, you’ve now funded that, but we still need to secure the approval to spend that money in the form of an appropriation. So I’ve discussed that with the commissioners, and with the hazmat people. I think the best way to do that, and I think that the chairman has a good point, let’s close out the Greg Phillips fund. I’ll get with the auditor. I’ll get an exact amount of what’s there. We’ll do an additional appropriation notice so at your next meeting you can appropriate that money, and close that account. And the balance of what you need under your decision, we’ll do an additional appropriation from the hazardous substance fund. You can approve that at your next meeting, then we’ll have the two combinations that you always need to spend money, the cash and the validly established appropriation. And we’ll go forward with that, and that will be on your plate for the next meeting.

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Hollenbeck, End of report.

Mr. Poparad, Second reading, Sandy.

Mr. Carmichael, Wait a minute.

Mr. Poparad, Oh, I’m sorry. Go ahead, Bill.

Mr. Carmichael, Didn’t Jim have something.

Mr. Poparad, Well we were going to get to that.

Mr. Burge, Yes, under the next item, yes.

Mr. Carmichael, We’re not doing that before the second reading?

Mr. Poparad, No, we’re doing second reading, then any other thing that comes before the Council.

Mr. Carmichael, Oh, okay.

SECOND READING

Mr. Poparad, Well have second reading, please.

Mr. Carmichael moved to approve the Second Reading. Mrs. Stevenson seconded, motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

BAILOUT LOAN

Mr. Poparad, Anything else. I know Mr. Burge wanted to bring something up.

Mr. Burge, Revisiting the monies we received from ISG, and the payment of the state bailout loan. A number of months ago, we appropriated approximately one-half of that amount to go towards the payment on that debt, and we put the other half to earn a little interest.

Mr. Burge moved to take the remaining amount of ISG monies, and apply it towards the bailout loan debt, thereby eliminating the state bailout by approximately 50% overall.

Mr. Poparad, So you don’t want to wait, that’s your motion?

Mr. Burge, Yes.

Mr. Carmichael seconded.

Mr. Poparad, The whole interest thing is off the table.

Mr. Burge, Yes, use it…

Mr. Poparad, Okay.

Mr. Burge, And pay back the state.

Mr. Poparad, You know how I felt about it.

Mr. Burge, Get the one-half paid off today.

Mr. Poparad, Any more questions?

Mrs. Blaney, I’m probably the only one that still doesn’t get that. Why we wouldn’t keep the interest money, I just, it makes no sense to me. So I’m going to have to disagree on that one.

Mr. Burge, Well it’s…

Mrs. Blaney, I think we are giving thousands of dollars away.

Mr. Burge, The amount of monies that we leave sitting around, I mean there’s temptation to spend those monies, and I think that it was designed to pay back state loan, and we need to repay it. We have the money there to repay our debt, let’s get it taken care of.

Motion carried on the following roll call vote:

Stevenson - Yes Carmichael - Yes
Blaney - No Burge - Yes
Poparad - Yes

Mr. Poparad, Motion carries.

LANDFILL LAWSUIT

Mr. Poparad, Anything else?

Mrs. Blaney, Yes, just one quick thing. We won’t have to probably spend too much more money fighting the landfill, because it’s over. I found out today.

Mr. Poparad, You win?

Mrs. Blaney, We won.

Mr. Burge, Okay.

Mr. Poparad, Is that where Whitten’s at.

Mrs. Blaney, Celebrating.

Mr. Poparad, Anybody else? I need a motion to adjourn.

There being no further business, meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

PORTER COUNTY COUNCIL

PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA

Laura Blaney
Jim Burge
William Carmichael
Robert Poparad
Al Steele
Rita Stevenson
Dan Whitten

Attest: Sandra Vuko, Auditor