VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

APRIL 25, 2006

The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners met in session this 25^th day of April, 2006 at 3:30 p.m. in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex with President Cheryl Musgrave presiding.

President Musgrave: Good afternoon. I would like to call to order the April 26, 2006 meeting of the Board of Commissioners. We will begin with introductions.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Ted Ziemer, County Attorney.

Commissioner Nix: Bill Nix, County Commissioner.

President Musgrave: Cheryl Musgrave, County Commissioner.

Commissioner Shetler: Tom Shetler, County Commissioner.

Madelyn Grayson: Madelyn Grayson, Recording Secretary.

Bill Fluty: Bill Fluty, County Auditor.

President Musgrave: If you would please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

(The Pledge of Allegiance was given.)

President Musgrave: Do I hear a motion to approve the April 18, 2006 minutes?

Commissioner Nix: So moved.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

All Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

President Musgrave: Action items, we have Norma Duckworth from Soil and Water Conservation District here today to read a proclamation for the National Soil and Water Stewardship Week.

Norma Duckworth: Yes, thank you for having me. National Soil and Water Stewardship is coming up, and we would like to recognize it both in the abundance of water and good soils we have here, and also in the need to use those resources wisely. So;

“Whereas, fertile soil and clean water provide us with our daily sustenance; and, Whereas, effective conservation practices have helped us provide a rich standard of living; and, Whereas, our security depends upon healthy soil and clean water; and, Whereas, soil and water stewardship calls for each person to help conserve these precious resources. Therefore, I do ask you to proclaim April 30-May 7, 2006 as Soil and Water Stewardship Week.”

President Musgrave: Is there a motion?

Commissioner Nix: I move approval.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

Norma Duckworth: Thank you very much.

Commissioner Nix: Thank you, Norma.

Commissioner Shetler: Thank you, Norma.

President Musgrave: Now, Mr. Mike Duckworth and Matt Arvay, the CIO, will make a presentation on our new tracking system for County Highway vehicles. It’s called an AVL system. Mr. Duckworth?

Mike Duckworth: Yes, Commissioner Musgrave, Shetler and Nix, Mike Duckworth, County Highway Department. I’m here today to briefly explain a program that we’re implementing at the County Highway Department. It basically enables not only the administration, but also the public to view where and the locations and the times that our equipment will be doing the county’s work within the Vanderburgh County right-of-ways and lines. As you can see on the map here, it gives you a little idea of what we’re discussing. This came out of a situation in the 2004 snow storm when, of course, with 22 inches of snow we had vehicles stranded in ditches and roadways, and people were wondering, you know, when snow plows were going to be coming into their area. Now, this enables, during those kinds of times and other types of critical incidents for people to pull up the website, and to actually see where the work’s being done and how close it is to their proximity. It will monitor approximately 20 vehicles to start out, and everything from dump trucks to gradalls, which are heavy equipment to do ditching and digging and heavy lifting, as well as tree crews that will be removing trees that have fallen across roadways and into right-of-ways. I would just say to you that this tool enables us to, again, monitor the progress, the location of the vehicles, as well as react to any emergency situations that may take place. For instance, if there’s an immediate need on one side of town, I can go on this site and figure out which vehicles are close in proximity, and dispatch those vehicles to that area. This will not only save fuel, but it will get our crews to the location in a much quicker, expedient way. So, there’s a number of advantages to it, and to be frank and quite honest with you, this is a work in progress, and I think the longer we have it, the more we’ll be able to utilize the equipment and the information that we’re receiving. So, Matt is here, he may want to go into a little bit more of the technical side of it, but to explain about how the map can be utilized by the general public. But, as I said, it’s more of a window for them to be able to pull up the site and see where we’re doing our work.

President Musgrave: Mr. Arvay, do you just want to make a couple of explanations about what you see here on the map?

Matt Arvay: Sure. What you see, basically, is two technologies coming together. GIS technology and GPS technology. Where you’re seeing is the various trucks on our GIS base map. On the upper left hand corner you have some basic mapping tools that allow you to zoom in and out of the map, do some basic measuring, and, basically, just identifying the locations. You can get to that by Vanderburghgis.com/countyhighway.

President Musgrave: Alright. If you’ll get the lights for me again? Either one of you can get the lights. Thank you very much. Years ago when I was working to bring GIS to Vanderburgh County, I recall having made several presentations to City and County Council saying that this GIS system would be useful for many, many things, and tax mapping was just a start. I’m glad today to be able to deliver on that. While I was not Commissioner during that snow storm of 22 inches, I was one of the frustrated people wondering when our roads were going to be cleared. Soon after getting in office I sat down with Matt Arvay and Mike Duckworth saying, “Can we do this?” Now it has taken a few months to bring this to fruition, and I know that Mr. Arvay and his staff have worked very hard to do this. Mr. Duckworth’s staff has been so excited to know that their vehicles will be able to be tracked. So, I thank everyone for the work that they’ve put in on this. I look forward to it’s further development. Especially, I want to be able to track those snow plows on the web, as a member of the public next winter. So, I give you that challenge. Mr. Nix?

Commissioner Nix: Just on behalf of myself and the rest of the community, I think this is a great, great tool that we can use to, not only during snow season, but as Mike can attest to, sometimes there’s a need for him just to look and see where vehicles are at to move them around different places. I think it’s great. Congratulations on your hard work on this. I know that this is something that you’ve had on the radar screen for awhile, and it looks like now it’s come to pass.

Commissioner Shetler: Yeah, Cheryl, my congratulations as well. You know, I think more than anything it is, county government is to deliver services to the public, and it allows us to do that. So, it’s a great management tool to be able to see if we have a truck in a specific area, when a tree falls into a road, then we can get that crew there quickly, and which crews most, you know, able to do that and stuff. So, I do think that this is a real management tool that we can utilize. I see it as a real marketing tool for, you know, as we watch the storms as they go across the radar scope so often with the various different television stations that we’re watching, they go into Holland, Indiana; Jasper, Indiana, and we’re watching it creep along and stuff on that line, I can see us kind of following the snow plows and knowing that Darmstadt Road is cleared all the way up to First Avenue as you come into town and stuff. So, I can see where eventually this could be something that could be very helpful as far as routing traffic into emergency situations and knowing what’s been cleared and what hasn’t been cleared, etcetera.

Mike Duckworth: You know, I think the last point that I would like to make about this is the fact that with new technology and studying how we can be more effective and more efficient with the equipment that the taxpayers have spent their good dollars on, it not only enables us to be more efficient, but it also enables us to cut down on other costs, like fuel. Everybody knows that we’re all going to be, you know, stretched to the limit in regards to fuel. So, if I can look on this screen and direct a closer vehicle to an area, and not just get on the radio and call until I find one, it’s going to be faster to get the equipment out there, and more efficient, and, hopefully, save on fuel and other costs. So, I think it’s a win-win situation. We’re trying very hard to work smarter. Not only that, but to enable our crews to understand and acclimate themselves to technology. You would have never thought ten or 15 years ago that you would have highway workers working formulas for beet juice and salt brine and these kinds of things to pre-treat roads so that they don’t have to be out there all night removing the snow from the roads. So, it’s those kinds of things that I think that enable us to work smarter. Thank you.

President Musgrave: Thank you. Speaking of tax dollars, we have Vanderburgh County Treasurer, Z. Tuley to remind everyone that it’s time to send us your tax dollars.

Z. Tuley: Howdy. I love saying howdy. I love to say that even more to the folks in the north. I love doing that.

Commissioner Shetler: I barely noticed that you were here.

Commissioner Nix: How far north?

Commissioner Shetler: I barely noticed you were even here, it’s the orange suit.

Z. Tuley: I know. This is the hacienda outfit.

Commissioner Shetler: I tried to (Inaudible).

Z. Tuley: It’s the bright orange and so forth. Today is a cheery day. The tax bills went in the mail. People will be receiving them in the Vanderburgh County mailboxes this week. They are going to be due May 10 and November 10, and I’m sorry I don’t have a display for you, but I did not have time to get one prepared, or to get the information on it. The perforations should be a little easier to tear this year, and, so, therefore, we won’t have the ripping like we did last year, where people were tearing the tax bills in the fold. The fold happens to run across the November tax deadline, where it’s printed November 10. So, that caused some problems last year. So, we’ve got all of that cleaned up, and it’s all corrected. I think that it’s going to be good. We picked U of E purple this year for the tax bills. I want to let everybody know this is the last legal deadline day to get them out, and I made it again. That’s the way I feel. I made it again. I do want to remind the public that we do have limited parking out front, and that we do have 16 bank locations with Integra Bank. Any of those who are struggling with disabilities and so forth, they don’t feel the need to come down here, they’re more than welcome to go through the Integra Bank drive thru. They’re not required to go inside to pay. They can pay in the drive thru, they won’t have to get out of their vehicles. I strongly urge the taxpayers to take advantage of Integra Bank accepting the payments, because I do think it is more convenient than getting downtown. Payments are also acceptable on line. There is a fee for using your credit card, but through the website, www.vanderburghtreasurer.org they can go down to official payments and pay. If no one has access to a computer, they can call 1-800 the number two and then the words pay tax, and Vanderburgh County has a jurisdiction code of 2405. All of this information is on the tax bill, every bank location, how to go onto the website is on there, and the jurisdiction code for Vanderburgh County is also on the tax bill itself. Tax bills, their payments must be post marked on or before May 10. Every year we have a slew of tax bills that are post marked May the 11^th, and, I’m sorry, but you just handed me a smoking gun that said that you were late. By law, Indiana Code, it’s 6-1-1-37-10 says that I am to apply a ten percent penalty. I know it sound harsh, but it’s intended to be harsh so that everyone pays on time, so that the county can meet their budgetary obligations as the other taxing entities, so that Bill and I can make a settlement on time. As always though, the taxpayers can pay in person in my office between 8:00 and 4:30 Monday through Friday. If the taxpayers did not receive their bill, please call me at 435-5248, because every year I have trays and trays of returned mail. I do need your new address if you have moved. I believe that pretty much covers the tax bills themselves.

Commissioner Nix: I have a question.

Z. Tuley: Sure.

Commissioner Nix: If someone is paying their taxes through an escrow or through the bank as part of the payment and they receive a tax bill and it’s for just a small amount, they still owe that tax? Is that correct? Because I’ve had some people ask me that.

Z. Tuley: Yes.

Commissioner Nix: Explain how or why that happens.

Z. Tuley: Okay, if they got a bill for a very small amount, more than likely it’s their personal property bill. This does get confusing for some of the taxpayers. If it’s a personal property bill, it will state personal property on the coupon.

Commissioner Nix: Okay.

Z. Tuley: It will be right dead in the center, it will say personal property. Also, it will indicate that with the lead in letter of the tax duplicate number. It should say “P”, that will be an RV, a four wheeler, a boat trailer, something to that effect. The “R”’s are for real estate, and that is your land and your home, and things of this nature. If your or their escrow company has informed me that they would like to have that tax bill to pay, then you will see it stamped on the bill in big, bold black ink it says, duplicate sent to mortgage company. For those that have signed up for our debit option, which is another way of paying, to let you know, and to remind you not to send me a check, that we do have you signed up for your debit option, that is also stamped right on the coupon. However, if you have duplicate sent to mortgage company, you could have recently paid off your mortgage, so, the bank will not turn down that payment, and neither will I. Because I don’t know that, and that’s your personal business.

Commissioner Nix: You’ll take the money, huh?

Z. Tuley: I’ll take the money.

Commissioner Nix: Okay.

Z. Tuley: So, we do enter into some duplicate payments in error.

President Musgrave: Mr. Fluty?

Bill Fluty: Z., you might mention the ditch bill. I think that’s what Bill might have been referring to. It’s a small amount.

Z. Tuley: Well, it could have been a ditch bill. That would lead in with a “D” for ditch. Most of them are five bucks. But, we do have some, and it’s usually five dollars for the whole year, due and payable May 10. However, we do have some that might be $24 for each installment, and things of this nature. That could be it also.

Commissioner Nix: Thank you.

Z. Tuley: Uh-huh.

President Musgrave: I want to congratulate you, and Bill, for getting the tax bills out on time, again. I believe we’re probably still one of the only counties, if not the only county–

Z. Tuley: Few.

President Musgrave: –to bill three years in a row on time. I know that this year’s delay was not of your choosing or doing, that the state legislature enacted tax legislation on, was it the last day of their session? It was the last day of their session.

Z. Tuley: Eleventh hour.

President Musgrave: Exactly. The middle of the night, just to make the calculations have to be redone. We’re pleased that they did that, because it does save homeowners tax dollars.

Z. Tuley: It truly was a benefit to owner occupied homes.

President Musgrave: Yes.

Z. Tuley: It truly was. Bill and I felt every hour of that.

President Musgrave: Yes, I know you did, which is why I’m congratulating you–

Z. Tuley: Thank you.

President Musgrave: –for going the extra mile to get them out there on time. I do appreciate the tax bills continuing to be on-line, because I went on-line and just didn’t even wait for your mailing and went ahead and paid mine. So, I encourage other people to do that. So, if members of the public are watching this show, I think our last showing of this session will be Sunday night at around 11:00, they still have until Wednesday to make it into the office, or to Integra to pay, but the can also just go right on-line and pay a small fee, but know that it’s done.

Z. Tuley: That is the advantage of paying on-line. If you did forget, on the evening of Wednesday, May the 10^th, you have until midnight. Because as long as it’s, I get the confirmation that’s dated, or timed before midnight, you’re good.

President Musgrave: Okay.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: What is the fee for paying on-line?

Z. Tuley: It’s varying depending on how much you’re spending, but I can assure you, it’s a lot cheaper than a ten percent penalty.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, I’m sure of that, but, I mean, is it a percentage of the amount of tax? Or how’s that computed?

Z. Tuley: I don’t believe that it is a percentage. I do have a chart in my office. I need to double check and make sure that that chart is out there on-line, but before the payment is accepted, you are notified of how much that fee will be. There is also an insert, if you pay with a Discover card. Discover card is the only one I can do this with, the fee chart is on the insert in your tax bill.

President Musgrave: Mr. Fluty, I know that the homestead filing, there’s an important deadline to file for your homestead if you haven’t already done so. Would you like to take a moment and explain?

Bill Fluty: Yes, the homestead normally was due, the deadline was May 10^th, and that has changed to June 12^th this year. This gives the homeowner an extra month for all exemptions, being it mortgage, or veterans or age. So, they have until June 12^th.

Commissioner Nix: Is there a way that a person can go on-line and tell whether they’ve filed an exemption? Is that available out there?

Bill Fluty: You can go on-line and actually access your tax bill, and you’ll see the exemption, a homestead would be $35,000, and the mortgage exemption would be $3,000. So, if you’ve lived in that home for some time, and you know you’ve filed, but you should have the receipts at home knowing that you’ve filed.

Z. Tuley: If you have filed recently, that would not be available, except through his office.

President Musgrave: It never hurts to call to check, right?

Bill Fluty: That’s right. You can call. We’re fielding those calls. We had a, there was an article in the paper, in the business section this week, it’s a way to cut your taxes with exemptions.

President Musgrave: What’s that number to call?

Bill Fluty: Let’s see, I don’t know my own number.

Z. Tuley: 435-5293.

Commissioner Nix: And your home number is?

President Musgrave: Well, thank you both very much.

Z. Tuley: You’re welcome.

President Musgrave: Congratulations, hope all goes well.

President Musgrave: Next is Burdette Park. We have several items for Burdette Park, permission to award two different bids. Do you want to go into detail, Mr. Craig?

Steve Craig: Good afternoon. Steve Craig, I’m the manager of Burdette Park. I would like permission to award VC-05-006, the aquatic center parking lot and landscaping bids. These bids were broken down into eight different phases, and I’m requesting that the County Commissioners award phase one through seven to ECI, Inc. Phase one was for the amount of $30,335, flat work at the walls at the pool; phase two was $10,728, flat work and walls at lower parking lot; phase three was $16,700 for flat work and office parking lot; phase four was for steps was for $6,500; phase five was $14,700 and that was for ramps and walls at the median lot; phase six is $11,650 for ramps and walls in the stroller ramp; and phase seven was $14,200 for flat work and curbs at the main office. ECI, Inc. was low bidder on phases one through seven. At this time I’m not going to award phase eight, it was planning and island curbs, and if we do do this, we will do it in house.

Commissioner Nix: Move approval.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

All Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

Steve Craig: I would also like permission to award VC9903-2006, the food bids, as presented on the tabulated spreadsheet.

President Musgrave: Is there a motion to approve?

Commissioner Nix: So moved.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

All Commissioners: Aye.

Steve Craig: Okay, at this time, I would like to ask for permission to post signs on the new, proposed Riding the Riverbottoms bike trail, and permission to work with the County Attorney about the language to be used explaining the parameters and the liabilities of this approximately 40 mile bike trail. At this time, Dave Stensaas, from the Metropolitan Planning Organization, will have a short Power Point showing the route, and answering some of the questions if you have any at this time on it.

Dave Stensaas: Greetings all. I’m pleased to be here, and I think I’m the first employee from my organization to present to this body since our name was changed from the Evansville Urban Transportation Study. I have three handouts here for the Commissioners.

President Musgrave: You’re now known as the Evansville MPO.

Dave Stensaas: Yes, Metropolitan Planning Organization. This is the bike route that Steve is referring to, and my computer is kind of fluky here, so, I don’t think the Power Point is going to work.

President Musgrave: In that case, could you turn the lights back on, Mr. Craig?

Dave Stensaas: Sorry about that. The packet I gave you is exactly what’s in the power point. As Steve said, this is, we’ve got a system of routes that consist of four looped trails, two connectors, one being the main connector from Burdette Park down to the first loop on Bayou Creek Road. The loops consist of, or have mileages from four miles up to 17.7 miles. The big loop that goes around the peninsula in Union Township. We have a system of three signs. All we’re going to use on that route is the three signs that you see there. The next sheet will show you a signage plan that we’ve developed at the MPO for this route system, with those, with basically three signs. The scheme we’ve come up with has this route system being signed on one side of the road with route numbers, and then on the other side of the road there would just be generic bike route signs and warning signs in strategic places. So, we’ve got, you know, a list here, as you can see, of the numbers of signs that we think we’re going to need, at a minimum, for the routes. It’s, basically, just an awareness thing, and we want to make this a safe bicycle system for the avid bicyclist. It won’t be a really a system for people that are just going out, especially kids, that would just be going out from the park to ride their bikes. This is going to be, we feel like this needs to be signed for safety. It’s pretty simple, and I hope you’ll find that a good proposal.

President Musgrave: Well, Mr. Craig, I know that you and Mr. Stensaas worked with a citizens advisory group, and if you would like to name your members. I know that one of them includes my husband who’s very excited about bicycling. He even bought me a bike rack for my car for my birthday. It was a very nice gift.

Steve Craig: Well, Bob Musgrave and John Stoll and Greg Meyer and Craig Luebke from MPO, and, of course, Dave and I. This is really exciting. It’s the new trail that we are going to have between USI and Burdette. You’ll be able to get on a bike at USI and drive, you know, ride 41 miles, you know, 50 miles by the time you get back.

President Musgrave: But, you don’t have to ride 41 or 50 miles, right?

Steve Craig: No, there’s short loops, there’s long loops, but, I mean, there’s the possibility of it. It will tie all of these in together. I just think it’s a really big asset for, you know, the west side and Vanderburgh County in general. I just love to see us, you know, advancing with these trails and that. Like if, I think we’re going to have a release on this, but we hope to have it done this summer. As soon as we can get the signs made up and that. We’ll get them up, and then we’ll go from there. But, this was just the first step in the USI to Burdette bike trail.

Commissioner Nix: Good.

President Musgrave: Any comments?

Commissioner Shetler: Is there a rating system to, like the stress levels or anything like that? Or to let you know the difficulty?

Dave Stensaas: Yes. Actually, the routes, the one through four are, the numbers signify the difficulty.

Commissioner Shetler: So, one being the less–

Dave Stensaas: One is the easiest, the shortest route.

Commissioner Shetler: Okay.

Dave Stensaas: While, number three isn’t much longer than number two, it is substantially more difficult, because it involves a lot of hill climbing.

Commissioner Shetler: Then, do you have some kind of a brochure anticipated that might illustrate what the difficulties might, you may encounter along the way in that route?

Steve Craig: Well, we’re going to have signs at the two trail heads that will have the route on it and have the levels of difficulty on there. But, that is a suggestion that we hadn’t talked about yet, about having brochures available. We could put a box there, people could take them, and then they could pick out the route that they wanted to, you know, ride that day.

President Musgrave: You could put all of this on website too, right?

Steve Craig: Oh, yes, Ma’am.

Commissioner Shetler: Go ahead.

Commissioner Nix: No, go ahead.

Commissioner Shetler: Well, I don’t mean to commercialize this or anything, but it’s a possibility, I guess, of going to the bike distributors here in town and stuff, and see if perhaps they would want to do a brochure like that, and, you know, put their tag on it somewhere. It wouldn’t cost us anything then. You know, maybe that’s something that we need to seek proposals, I don’t know, but anyway, it seems to me that that might be a worthwhile project for them, and it would be advantageous to us to have it as well.

Steve Craig: We will be out soliciting.

Commissioner Nix: One other thing too, I was just curious, has there been any discussion about putting some kind of mile markers, or tenths of a mile, or something like that? Just for the sake of how far I’ve gone, or how far I’m going to be before I get to the other end.

Commissioner Shetler: You see, Bill and I are over 50. That’s why we’re working on this stress level thing. We want to know how much further I’ve got till the end.

Commissioner Nix: Or can I really make it all? Pardon me?

Steve Craig: The whole route will have mile markers.

Commissioner Nix: Good, okay. Tenths, or halves or something like that?

Dave Stensaas: Well, we talked about having a mark every mile either on the pavement or with signage. It’s pretty costly. So, I don’t know how that’s going to shape up.

Steve Craig: It will probably be mile markers. We had talked about putting some kind of stencil on the–

Commissioner Nix: Pavement?

Steve Craig: Yeah. Maybe painting it, but they do sell some kind of plastic ones that I think attach too.

Commissioner Nix: A lot of these I’ve seen they’ve just got a has mark and then just a number, you know, just painted right on the road. Just a suggestion.

Steve Craig: We will mark it so you know when it’s time to turn around and go back home.

Commissioner Shetler: Yeah, thank you.

Commissioner Nix: Or know that I need to keep going because it’s farther going back the other way.

Commissioner Shetler: Yeah, that’s right.

Steve Craig: The point of no return.

President Musgrave: Well, Mr. Craig, I know that this was a brain child of yours, and grew out of some of the meetings for the Greenway and the grant that the Commissioners applied for, and that this network of bike routes will be supportive for our grant applications, because being, the bike path between USI and Burdette they said had a better chance of receiving grant funds if it was part of a larger network. That started Mr. Craig thinking well how can I make a larger network spending almost no money? And, here it is. We’ve spent almost no money. We’re using city-county sign department and workers to get this going. The County Attorney will have to, we’re going to have him test all the routes, along with approving the warning language.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I can do that.

Steve Craig: Bill and I had attended a meeting where Ray Irwin, he is the, I guess you would call him the bike and trail guru of Indiana now. He was just appointed.

Commissioner Nix: He’s part of INDOT too.

Steve Craig: Yes. He came up with some excellent suggestions. One of them was that, and we ran with it. I think for minimal dollars we will have, you know, miles and miles of bike trails for the people in the tri-state to enjoy.

President Musgrave: Congratulations. I think we have to have a motion to approve his two requests.

Commissioner Shetler: So moved.

Commissioner Nix: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

Madelyn Grayson: Dave, do you have an extra brochure for the record?

Dave Stensaas: Yes.

President Musgrave: Okay, moving on to department head reports. Mr. John Stoll, County Engineer.

John Stoll: I’ve got two items. The first is to request approval for a notice to bidders for the concrete street repair contract. This is for work in Green River Estates, Old State Subdivision, Oglesby Estates, and Shady Hills Subdivision. This will be requesting approval to advertise, and then we would open bids on May 16^th.

Commissioner Nix: So moved.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

All Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

John Stoll: Right now, the estimates on the repairs we’re looking at in that contract is several hundred thousand dollars. Depending on what those bids come back at will dictate whether or not we can do a second follow up contract later in the summer. But, if there is sufficient money, we might be able to do that.

Commissioner Nix: And we’ve got some areas prioritized that we need to get on first. I mean, we’ll work it that way, is that correct?

John Stoll: Yes.

Commissioner Nix: Okay.

John Stoll: A lot of this work carries forward from last year, plus it’s also picking up the worst parts that we’ve seen this year.

Commissioner Shetler: Are we noticing any real significant increases in prices like asphalt? I know that asphalt’s more tied to the fuel, but I didn’t know if concrete is kind of lagging with that or not.

John Stoll: Since we haven’t taken the bids yet, I’m not sure. I think we pay in the neighborhood of $200 a cubic yard for the concrete patching last year. But, as far as what kind of trend that is, I’m not sure off the top of my head.

Commissioner Nix: And that’s placed. That’s not purchased concrete.

John Stoll: Yeah. The other item that I have is a street plan approval request for Cayman Ridge Subdivision. This is section two of that subdivision. This subdivision is located on Kansas Road west of Highway 57. Section two only involves a small several hundred foot segment of the roads in that sub. Basically, they did a replat of several lots, and what once was two dead end streets is now being connected to make a continuous road. On the preliminary plans it was identified as road ten. I’ve reviewed the plans and request approval of the plan.

Commissioner Nix: So moved.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

All Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

John Stoll: That’s all I have unless you’ve got any questions about anything.

President Musgrave: No.

John Stoll: Thanks.

Commissioner Nix: Thank you.

President Musgrave: Does the County Highway garage have anything further? I do not see them.

President Musgrave: Mr. Craig, do you have anything further? He appears to have also left.

President Musgrave: Mr. Ziemer, do you have any report?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I do have. We have been negotiating and advertising and so forth with Mr. and Mrs. James Riger, at their request, to purchase property at 5000 Bayou Creek Road, which is owned by the county. We have a closing statement, a quit claim deed, and a sales disclosure form that need to be executed in order to have the closing on that sale, which will be for $2,682.20.

President Musgrave: Is there a motion to approve?

Commissioner Shetler: So moved.

Commissioner Nix: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries. Anything further, Mr. Ziemer?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: No, are you going to cover the economic development funds as a separate item?

President Musgrave: That’s next. Let me make sure that I have not missed any department head who had a report. Then we move now to new business.

President Musgrave: I have been working closely with Councilman Lloyd Winnecke, and economic development members in our community about relocating an existing business within Vanderburgh County. Brake Supply is needing to move it’s current location at Fulton and the Lloyd because the state has decided to expand the highway right through their building. They began looking at locations in Henderson and Warrick County and Vanderburgh County. I would like to ask the Commission’s approval to make an incentive grant to Brake Supply for up to $60,000. I’ve been informed that the Indiana Economic Development Commission has approved a $59,000 grant to Brake Supply, and both of these sets of grants are to make infrastructure changes to the lots in the Vanderburgh Industrial Park that Brake Supply needs in order to locate their new headquarters there. It consists of moving a ditch, lowering a berm, relocating the entryway, the curb cuts for the entryway, also reconfiguring the drainage pond. This is what those grants would cover. Brake Supply has not made a final decision yet, but this offer from the Commissioners would be in the form of an incentive to make that decision to keep all of those couple hundred jobs here in Vanderburgh County. So, I would like to open that up for discussion, or a motion.

Commissioner Shetler: Do we have it in the budget, I guess, first of all?

President Musgrave: Yes, we do, sir. Economic Development money in a line item, that number of which I cannot recite to you.

Commissioner Shetler: Do you know how much money is in that account, and how much money has been set aside for doing economic development?

President Musgrave: It’s riverboat development funds. Mr. Fluty, can you assist me in that?

Bill Fluty: I believe, $500,000 is put in there normally every year.

Commissioner Shetler: Have we used any of that money to date?

Bill Fluty: I would have to look back to see what you have used?

President Musgrave: Not that I’m aware of.

Commissioner Nix: I was going to say, if we have, it hasn’t been much. This is for improvements of the infrastructure on the property itself?

President Musgrave: That’s correct.

Commissioner Nix: It’s not actually improvements to their facility and all?

President Musgrave: It is making it possible for the company to locate there. Vanderburgh County suffers in comparison, for example, to Warrick County as a possible location site, because all of Vanderburgh County tax rates, I believe, are higher than Warrick County. So, for us to be able to attract someone from Warrick County, we really need to push. So, it’s not a given that someone would locate here, versus somewhere else. Economic incentives are part of the package of tools that we have to try to make those good things happen for our community.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Madam President, I think, for the record, if you approve this, it would be, the logistics would be the establishment of a subset of the economic development funds for up to $60,000 for this improvement, and as the improvements are made, claims would be submitted against that fund.

President Musgrave: Right. So, authorizing the monies today just moves it into a location where it could be spent for this purpose.

Commissioner Shetler: Have we done this before? Do we have any history of action?

President Musgrave: My understanding is yes, but this Commission has not. This will be our first action. Is there a motion?

Commissioner Shetler: County Council’s feeling on this?

President Musgrave: I worked very closely with President Winnecke. He was present with me at all the discussions, and he is very supportive.

Commissioner Shetler: And has he been in tune with other members of Council on that?

President Musgrave: It’s my understanding, but you’ll have to inquire from him.

Commissioner Shetler: Okay. Well, I mean, Brake Supply has been around for a long, long time. They once were located on the east side, moved to the west side where they are now, several years ago. It’s a very successful company. I know they have operations in the west and Wyoming and have done a great service to our community. I don’t know exactly how many they employ, but it’s got to be 150 to 200 people. A fairly large tax base. And the request is up to $60,000, and it’s to go towards infrastructure projects, that’s actually part of that Vanderburgh County Industrial Foundation site?

President Musgrave: That’s correct.

Commissioner Shetler: So, it’s properties there and stuff that we’ve had several other businesses go into in the past.

President Musgrave: Not enough. We have plenty of lots for sale, and we would really like to move them. I’m very encouraged that someone is trying to buy some.

Commissioner Shetler: I would make the motion that we submit up to $60,000 towards enticing Brake Supply to stay in Vanderburgh County and keep those jobs here.

President Musgrave: And I understand that you’re going to abstain, as you are an employee of one of the contractors who submitted some of the site alteration bids.

Commissioner Nix: That’s right.

President Musgrave: So, I will second the motion. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor?

Commissioner Shetler: Aye.

President Musgrave: Aye. Abstain?

Commissioner Nix: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries.

Madelyn Grayson: May we make a quick tape change?

President Musgrave: We can make a quick tape change.

(Tape change)

Madelyn Grayson: Thank you.

President Musgrave: For the record, you did wonder how many employees that they have, they have 165 full time employees, and that’s their estimated number for 2007. Their sales in 2005 were $30 million. I will submit for the packet this information that gives more detail about Brake Supply and what they were doing. Commissioners, I had hoped that we would have ready for vote today the awarding of the Baseline Bridge, but it looks like we need to have a little bit further inquiry into that. So, I would like to have a special meeting on May 3^rd at noon here in these chambers to award, for the sole purpose of awarding the bid for Baseline Road.

Commissioner Nix: That bid is just for the engineering phase?

President Musgrave: Just for the engineering.

Commissioner Nix: You say it’s 12:00 noon on the 3^rd of May?

President Musgrave: That’s right.

Madelyn Grayson: Does that require legal advertising?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: It doesn’t require legal advertising, but notice has to be given 48 hours, not including weekends.

President Musgrave: Do we need to vote on that, Mr. Ziemer?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Yes.

Commissioner Shetler: So moved.

Commissioner Nix: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: The motion carries. Thank you. Go ahead. Before we move to that, the Baseline Bridge project, for those that don’t know, I think this is very exciting, even though I don’t think this is in my district, isn’t this in your district?

Commissioner Shetler: I think it sounds familiar to me.

Commissioner Nix: Again.

President Musgrave: Yeah, this is an overpass over the CSX railroad tracks at Azteca on Baseline Road. I know that the folks who live out there have wanted this for a long time, because there are trains that park on those tracks, and you can’t use the road at all. I personally did that one evening, and then I thought I could, you know, I got to the train tracks and there’s a train and it was just stopped, wouldn’t go anywhere, and I decided that I would just go north to find....well, I ended up in some other county on a gravel road, and I’m sure that they still laugh at the 911 call tape that I made trying to get my way out of there. We finally had to use the moon and the position and the wind of it I needed to turn. So, I can hardly wait for a bridge over Baseline Road CSX tracks. Although, I would prefer that CSX not park their trains on them. Commissioner Shetler, you have some other new business.

Commissioner Shetler: I do. This is tentative, because I’ve not actually heard back from City Council to see if they’ve gotten it all approved with their members, but tentatively, and if the Commissioners can make it, we’re setting up a joint City Council-County Commissioner public hearing with regard to the smoking ban ordinance. That first meeting is scheduled for May 18^th at 5:00 p.m. right in these chambers. I believe that meeting will be conducted more underneath the City Council’s framework, so, they’ll be providing the recording secretary, etcetera. There will be another follow up public hearing on—

Commissioner Nix: Excuse me, before you get, what time is that?

Commissioner Shetler: I’m sorry, 5:00. Five to seven is what that’s scheduled, on the 18^th in this chamber. Then on the 23^rd, that is a, Tuesday the 18^th being, is that a Wednesday, Thursday?

President Musgrave: It’s a Tuesday.

Madelyn Grayson: May 18^th is a Thursday.

Commissioner Shetler: May 18^th is a Thursday, and May 23^rd is a–

Madelyn Grayson: Tuesday.

Commissioner Shetler: –Tuesday. The May 23^rd is going to be scheduled at 6:00 to accommodate our schedules a little better. That will be conducted by the County Commissioners, and the City Council will be joining us at that time. That meeting will be held at the 4-H Center. That facility has been cleared and taken care of, and we will need a recording secretary, someone there for since it’s going to be held in the county.

President Musgrave: Will it be at the 4-H Center or in the roller skating rink?

Commissioner Shetler: This will be at, I believe it’s at the place at the top of the hill, from what I understood.

Commissioner Nix: As you come in on the right then?

Commissioner Shetler: When you come in up on the right, yes?

President Musgrave: Okay, we’ll say for sure on our....because I know that they’ve gone back and forth. There are better acoustics at the roller arena than at the other place. You don’t have any problem–

Commissioner Shetler: I don’t have a problem with either one.

President Musgrave: Okay, so, we’ll check and see.

Commissioner Shetler: Okay.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: The only comment that I would have, I have received copy of the proposed form of the ordinance from the City Attorney, and I know that, Commissioner Shetler, you’ve been sitting in those meetings, our belief, I mean, what my plan is going to be is to prepare an ordinance which trails the city ordinance, unless I receive instructions from any Commissioner that any part of the city ordinance is not satisfactory to them. So, you might be taking a look at that and let me know. I mean, so, I’ll be looking at it from a legal perspective, and if any substantive provisions you have thoughts on, you need to let me know.

Commissioner Shetler: Along those lines, I would like to see us have it entered for first reading anyway, I think, on the 16^th, or is it the 17^th?

President Musgrave: The 16^th, yeah.

Commissioner Shetler: The 16^th is a?

Madelyn Grayson: Tuesday.

Commissioner Shetler: Okay.

President Musgrave: That’s our next meeting.

Commissioner Shetler: Yeah, the next meeting. Okay, the 16^th then, that we, if we could have that prepared and ready for at least first reading at that time.

President Musgrave: Okay.

Commissioner Nix: With the understanding that the second reading may not take place until some time in June, or whenever we get the wrinkles worked out.

Commissioner Shetler: Yeah, what we’re thinking right now is that have the two public hearings, if it looks like there is a need for additional public hearings and input from the public, then that may happen in the early part of June. Then, of course, we may be making some changes to that original first reading or draft that we have, and be making amendments to that at that point. You know, that may be expected.

President Musgrave: I have just a technical question, because we’ll be meeting as a body, Mr. Ziemer, do we need to have full minutes taken for the Commissioners?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Yes.

President Musgrave: So, at both meetings we will have to have full minutes taken.

Commissioner Shetler: So, we should have recording at both?

President Musgrave: Yeah, if that’s–

Commissioner Nix: Okay, now, it’s my, but you said though that the city was going to take care of the first one?

Commissioner Shetler: The city was going to take care of the first.

Commissioner Nix: And that’s acceptable?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: That’s acceptable.

Commissioner Shetler: That is? Okay.

Madelyn Grayson: We may need to get with the IT Department or something to kind of go and check out that facility and see what’s available or what could be set up.

President Musgrave: I do know that the acoustics in the smaller facility out there, the roller rink are better, but I’m not sure about the recording equipment in either place. There is no problem with us televising our meetings, especially the one that will be held in this chamber on May 18^th, is there?

Commissioner Shetler: I brought that up, and there didn’t seem to be. There was no one that objected to that.

President Musgrave: Alright, and, I guess, since it’s our policy, we’ll pay for that televising. That would come out of our budget. No issue with that? How exciting.

Commissioner Shetler: Maybe we could get that split.

Commissioner Nix: Why don’t you work on that, Commissioner.

Commissioner Shetler: There’s three of us and nine of them. So, that would be 25 percent. I think that’s fair.

Commissioner Nix: They’ve got a lot more money than we do, right?

President Musgrave: Yeah, I’m sure. Okay, so, I don’t think we need a motion on any of those. So, at this time we’re looking at May 18^th at 5:00 p.m. , that’s a Thursday in these chambers. May 23^rd, a Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m. at the 4-H Center, and we’re still working out whether it’s at the building at the top of the hill, or at the roller arena. That will be in, I guess, the press releases that come out.

Commissioner Shetler: Yes.

President Musgrave: Both those sessions are expected to last, is it two hours?

Commissioner Shetler: Two hours, that’s correct. 6:00 to 8:00 on the 23^rd, and 5:00 to 7:00 on the 18^th.

President Musgrave: Does anyone need to do anything other than show up and sign up on a list in order to speak?

Commissioner Shetler: No, I don’t think so.

President Musgrave: Okay. Will there be a time limit? Has that been determined?

Commissioner Shetler: That hasn’t been determined.

President Musgrave: Okay.

Commissioner Shetler: I would say we probably will. I’m not sure what the city would do, but I think it would probably be wise for us to put something in the five minute vicinity. Or whatever.

President Musgrave: Okay. At our first reading on the 16^th, is it customary to have public comment at that time? Or is it just read into the record?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: You may, that’s your choice.

Commissioner Shetler: I think we wait till, I guess, to see, to feel it out.

President Musgrave: Okay.

Commissioner Shetler: Let’s see what happens.

President Musgrave: Okay. Then on the 16^th, our meetings are as usual at 3:30. Is there any other new business?

President Musgrave: Or old business?

President Musgrave: We’ve come to the moment in our agenda when it’s time for public comment. Is there any member of the public here who wishes to make a comment about Commission business this evening? I see Mr. Kincaid. Welcome.

Johnny Kincaid: You will be happy to know this isn’t about the smoking ordinance, okay?

Commissioner Nix: Sure.

Johnny Kincaid: I’m wearing a different hat today. My name is Johnny Kincaid, and I am here representing the EVSC and their school community council and Healthier Evansville, which that week kicks off this Sunday. We just wanted to make sure that you’re aware of Healthier Evansville Week. We have a website, which is www.healthierevansville.org where people can go and register. There are activities, the whole idea is to help educate the community more on the issues of diet and nutrition, physical activity, as well as healthier choices. So, there are just an abundance of different activities that are taking place, including walks downtown at lunch time every day next week, and so we want to encourage people. That’s sponsored by the Vanderburgh County Health Department and Welborn Clinic. One of those walks, next Wednesday, will be led by Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. On Thursday, for anybody who wants to hang out with me, I will be leading the walk on Thursday. So, just wanted to make you aware of it. The kick off is at Washington Square Mall from 12:00 till 5:00 this Sunday. It ends on Sunday, May 7^th with a two mile fun walk/run and activities for the whole family at Garvin Park. The walk starts at 1:00.

President Musgrave: Thank you.

Johnny Kincaid: I also have Healthier Evansville buttons for all of you.

President Musgrave: I would love to have one.

Commissioner Shetler: I might suggest that next Tuesday, May the 2^nd, they could be healthy and do their civic duty by go walking to the polls and voting for their favorite candidate too. So, I’ll point that out.

President Musgrave: I did just come from an economic development press conference where they were noting that the health of Indiana was one of the economic development issues that we face. That companies wanting to locate in Indiana were concerned about our high health care costs. So, get out and walk, and as you said, to the polls.

President Musgrave: I’m glad you brought up the election. The election will occur May 2^nd, which is between now and our next meeting, and the County Clerk did ask us to encourage people to bring their government issued photo I.D. with an expiration date to the polls. Your drivers license is the best example of this government issued photo I.D. with an expiration date, but a passport will also do. You can call the Clerk for other examples. But, I’m going to urge you, just on my own, go vote absentee at the Civic Center now. There is no line, if you forgot your I.D. you have time to go home and get it, if you don’t have one, you have time to go acquire one. This is a good thing to do, to vote here in the Civic Center. It’s kind of the hand holding way to vote, and the parking is pretty accessible out front, now that they’ve redesigned it. So, she did want me to let everybody know that the election is on May 2^nd, to bring your I.D.

Commissioner Shetler: Of course, my reminder could have been construed as a little self serving, but that’s alright.

President Musgrave: That’s right.

Commissioner Shetler: They can go with that.

President Musgrave: We have a number of items on the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve?

Commissioner Nix: I need to have that amended to, on the second sheet it says jail construction pay applications. There are none. There is one performance bond that we want to release to ARC Construction on the Community Corrections facility. I will get with Mr. Lawrence on that. So, if we could have that amended. Yes, that is a motion.

Commissioner Shetler: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: Is there a motion to approve the amended consent items?

Commissioner Shetler: So moved.

Commissioner Nix: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

President Musgrave: I believe that concludes this evening’s meeting, if there’s a motion to adjourn.

Commissioner Shetler: So moved.

Commissioner Nix: Second.

President Musgrave: All those in favor?

Commissioners: Aye.

(The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m.)

CONSENT ITEMS:

Employment Changes:

Circuit Court (1)                                  Auditor (1)                       County Clerk (1)

Prosecutor (1)                                     Knight Assessor (1)        Surveyor (1)

Burdette Park (6)                                Health Department (2)

Travel Requests: Commissioners (1)

Burdette Park:

Surplus letter: computers, copier.

Hiring permission request.

Circuit Court: Surplus letter: chair.

Auditor: Financial statement: April 2006.

Commissioners:

Taxpayer comments on smoking ordinance.

Curran Miller auction letter.

Cinergy phone service installation and materials agreement. (County Engineer)

Evansville Police Department: Use of Centre-waiver of fees, not overtime

Jail Construction: Performance Bond Release: ARC Construction: VCCC

Department Head Meeting notes: 4/18/06.

County Clerk: Monthly reports: October through December 2005.

Treasurer: Monthly report: March 2006.

Weights and Measures: Monthly report: March 2006.

Department Head Reports:

Burdette Park                           County Engineer                       County Highway

Ozone Officer                           Supt. Of Bldgs.                         Veterans Service

CIO

Those in Attendance:

Cheryl Musgrave                      Bill Nix                                      Tom Shetler, Jr.

Bill Fluty                                    Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.          Madelyn Grayson

Norma Duckworth                     Mike Duckworth                        Matt Arvay

Z. Tuley                                    Steve Craig                               Dave Stensaas

John Stoll                                  Johnny Kincaid                         Others Unidentified

Members of Media

VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS