VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OCTOBER 12, 2010

The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners met in session this 12^th day of October, 2010 at 5:02 p.m. in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex with President Stephen Melcher presiding.

President Melcher: We’ll go ahead and get started. It’s about two minutes after 5:00. This is the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County. It’s October 12^th in room 301, again, it’s about 5:03. Madelyn, will you call the roll, please?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes. Seeing that we have two of us here, that’s a quorum. So, that makes it an official meeting.

President Melcher: We’re going to have the Pledge of Allegiance, if people will stand. Would Youth Resources start us with the Pledge.

(The Pledge of Allegiance was given.)

President Melcher: Good evening, everyone. I would like to welcome our guests this evening. Youth Resources have these young adults with us a lot. Could you go ahead and start over here, and just state your name and what school and what grade.

Lindsey Moreland: Lindsey Moreland from Harrison High School.

Emily Forkey: Emily Forkey from Castle High School.

Amanda Steinbeck: Amanda Steinbeck, I’m a Junior at Reitz High School.

Maria Hedrick: Maria Hedrick, I’m a Freshman at Memorial.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Go Tigers.

Lana Dippel: I’m Lana Dippel and I’m a Freshman at Memorial.

President Melcher: Alright, nobody from Bosse. I’m by myself.

Madelyn Grayson: Go Bulldogs.

President Melcher: You’re a Bulldog? Alright, there’s two of us.

President Melcher: Alright, we need now permission for the attorney to open up the RFP’s for cash management services for the County Treasurer, and the quotes for VC10-10-01 for Five Oaks Subdivision, concrete ribbon installation.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. All in favor say aye.

Commissioner Tornatta: Aye.

President Melcher: Aye. So, Ted, you could be opening them.

President Melcher: Next, we have action items. The first one on the agenda is the ONB Insurance, employee health insurance benefit renewal. Is Dennis here? You’re going to talk about the Old National Insurance this evening, about what we’re going to save in renewing?

Dennis Woehler: Yes, sir. Also, I’ve brought along some regular renewal packets, just there’s a little extra information in here on claims trends and so forth, and also the renewal on the Spectera Vision plan, and the results of the health fair that we had back in the summer in the back.

President Melcher: Did you only have three?

Dennis Woehler: Of those, yes.

President Melcher: Okay. Go ahead.

Commissioner Tornatta: I think we got this electronically.

Dennis Woehler: Yes. I guess, the largest item on the menu here is the Welborn Health Plan. Welborn Health Plans has put an offer on the table for a contract extension to lower the renewal from 15 percent to 9.9 with a three year extension on the contract. We, with that being correlating to about a $600,000 a year savings, we recommend that you look at that direction.

President Melcher: So, it’s three years, not two years?

Dennis Woehler: It’s adding another three years to the contract.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Excuse me, there are, you’ve got three options.

Dennis Woehler: Yes.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: One, not to extend it all.

President Melcher: Right.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Second, extend it for up to two years and get the first rate reduction which saves about $300,000. Third, extend it for three years, that would be through December 31, 2016, and get a $600,000 reduction in 2011.

President Melcher: Okay, any discussion? Do you want to discuss–

Dennis Woehler: Now, just to preface a little as to the increase, and I know that there are several things involved here, but we’re running at about a 95 and a half percent loss ratio. We actually negotiated on this to not only bring down the contractual maximum that they could have offered you, but also we felt like the extension maybe would make sense. It is a large savings.

Commissioner Tornatta: Dennis, when we look at the plan from last year to this year, what differences do we see?

Dennis Woehler: The plan from last year to this year, there really should be no differences in the plan, other than the fact that as part of our recommendation it may make sense to offer a Health Savings option. The premiums on it are significantly less, and, obviously, it would be the decision of the county as to whether there was seed money to put into the side accounts for the Health Savings Account. But, it is a viable option and certainly a money saving option.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: Can we do that at anytime? Or does that just come once a year?

Dennis Woehler: Actually, you can fund the accounts however, if you decide that you want to fund the accounts, that could be done just about any time. Some employers will put a one time, up front deposit into the accounts, some employers do it monthly. So, it’s, that’s a business decision.

Commissioner Tornatta: However, that should be done during open enrollment.

Dennis Woehler: Actually, it should be announced during open enrollment and the deposit made after January 1–

Commissioner Tornatta: Right.

Dennis Woehler: –or on January 1.

Commissioner Tornatta: Got it.

Dennis Woehler: Around that time.

Commissioner Tornatta: In our case, the County Council has already approved a preliminary number off of the 15....Bill, is that, was it 15 percent that they factored?

Bill Fluty: Yes, it was.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, and that number was already put into the budget. So, we would have an opportunity to see what that, what any number lower than 15 percent would do. Then, if we were to go further–

Dennis Woehler: Absolutely.

Commissioner Tornatta: –lower, then we would look at the Health Savings.

Dennis Woehler: (Inaudible) initiated some action to educate the employees as to what a Health Savings Account is, a high deductible health plan, coupled with a Health Savings Account is. So, and, obviously, it would be incorporated into our open enrollment meetings.

Commissioner Tornatta: Right. Now, in the past, and as I was sitting on this Board when we decided to go with the contract initially with Welborn Health Plans, it was told to us that there would be no change in plans, but what we found is there were some inconsistencies with plans from one period or one vendor to another. Can you explain how quarterly these changes occur? And, how, although, one quarter they might take on a certain prescription or a certain block of prescriptions, and another quarter it might change.

Dennis Woehler: That’s actually a decision made at the level....and, what, it’s not all about money. There are a lot of other issues that are involved in what, in the way a formulary list works, but you will find that the majority of companies adjust their formulary lists occasionally. It’s not just this company, but all companies. Normally they do that because they try to populate the formulary list with the drugs that get the best results for those conditions for the most people. Now, it may not be the best results for everybody, but it’s the drugs that get the best results for the majority of the people with that condition. So, occasionally they adjust the formulary lists to accommodate drugs that are coming off of patent, for drugs that show improved outcome. Now, and they’re not always the cheapest drugs.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Dennis Woehler: Now, I know there has been a change here recently, but that was a change in the pharmacy benefit manager. Anytime you move a large lot of business like that there’s a couple of bumps in the road. I just had a conversation with their CEO today, and they are ironing out the issues that have come with this change. Now, that change really, in the long run, should benefit the county, just as it does all of their other employer groups, because they will actually be getting a better discount on the drugs, which in the long term helps rates.

Commissioner Tornatta: Now, the people that do the formularies and the people that run this program right here, they are local, are they not?

Dennis Woehler: Yes. Now, the pharmacy benefit manager that they use is not a local company. It’s a national company. They buy drugs in huge quantities for discounts.

Commissioner Tornatta: Right.

Dennis Woehler: Then, a company like Meritain or Welborn will contract with them for those discounts. So, but everything else is handled locally here as far as claims management, that sort of thing is all handled here.

Commissioner Tornatta: If there is an employee that has an issue with a premium or a co-pay or some denial of some sort, are they to contact you?

Dennis Woehler: Well, the way I normally do it in your enrollment meetings or anyone else’s, you know, you have a number on your card, call them. If you don’t get the results with the first call, the next one should be to us.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. From what I’ve been able to understand, and I know we’ve had some, as you said, bumps in the road with changing plans and just going to one plan, but, it is to my understanding that all of these pieces are being rectified, monies are given back if it was, the claim was not handled correctly. How many outstanding claims do we have at this point?

Dennis Woehler: You know what, we don’t have a number on it. We haven’t received a ton of calls, but we have received some. That’s why I said, I was on the phone with their CEO today, and we don’t live in a perfect world. So, the people who did the step therapy drugs and things like that there were a couple of mistakes that they made too where they actually had made drugs a better pricing or put them in a different tier than they should have been in. They have actually agreed to, for the next year, to reimburse, or to honor the tier that those drugs were in for another year.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Dennis Woehler: So, as far as the things like step therapy and the drugs that need prior authorization, those things were just a little slower in transferring over that are supposed to be all fixed without any further calls.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. Of the calls I’ve gotten, to be honest with you, if they haven’t been taken care of, I’m not aware of them.

Dennis Woehler: Yeah.

Commissioner Tornatta: Because I’ve passed that on. Even, I get check up calls from their CEO, asking me how the plan’s going and how things are working. Obviously, we want to pay attention to it. The part that we’re most concerned with is the fact that we’re at 95 percent of that rate, which, you know, that’s not necessarily helping our discount, but, at the same time we have a pretty rich plan. We’re still offering that to employees at a time when most companies and municipalities aren’t offering that type of plan, we’re still able to do it at the eight percent, which we’ve held for some period of time. So, I feel pretty confident that you all are doing what you need to do, and Welborn Health Plans is honoring their costs.

Dennis Woehler: And, I might just add that a 95 percent loss ratio with a company that has the best discounts with the providers and the facilities in this entire area, bar none. So, with any other carrier, it would have been worse.

President Melcher: Where do we stand at this 95 percent you’re talking about with other groups? Is it 80 percent? Or, what is supposed to be the number?

Dennis Woehler: Well, as far as the refund arrangement goes, the, it really....most insurance companies set a standard of 85 percent to where they can make any money.

President Melcher: That’s what I thought.

Dennis Woehler: Yeah.

President Melcher: So, we’re ten percent high?

Dennis Woehler: Yes. The reason for the offer of the contract extension, quite frankly, would be they’re hoping that you’ll have a better year and they can make some money.

President Melcher: I’m kind of worried about our employees more than about who makes money.

Dennis Woehler: I understand.

President Melcher: I do get e-mails, and even tonight, walking in the building I was asked by somebody that they’re still having trouble with their prescriptions. So, where do they go?

Dennis Woehler: Well, I’m not sure. They’re not calling us, or we would have gotten it fixed.

President Melcher: Well, maybe we need to get that word out, but–

Dennis Woehler: And–

President Melcher: –because you said something to Troy there’s a number on the card they could call. But, they usually get denied when they’ve got three pills left. Do you know what I mean? They’ve got three pills left, four pills left, including myself, it happened to me, and I was able to make some calls and get it corrected, but, maybe there ought to be some more education about how they could get this handled.

Dennis Woehler: Well, and we endeavor to educate your employees. We actually go to them for open enrollment meetings, the Garage, the Sheriffs, you know, everywhere that’s kind of off campus here, and we try to educate your people. We had our first Q & A last month and I personally, we blasted out the e-mail to everybody, and we had one attendee who showed up. We try to get the information out to them, we try to get, to have a health fair, we try to get our name out there and our phone numbers out there and do the best we can to provide the people an avenue in case they don’t get an answer from that number on their card.

President Melcher: Okay, I would think, maybe during this open enrollment period, when you’re here, and maybe Bill’s got some input on this, somehow if you could have a special card or some kind of something to give some phone numbers so they could go this one, this one and this one.

Dennis Woehler: We’ll make up a flyer–

President Melcher: Because we need something to help them, counting myself again, because it’s going to happen to me again, along with everybody else.

Dennis Woehler: Well–

President Melcher: I mean, they’re the reason why we’re having this. We’re all in this together. It’s about saving money, and the way the climate is and everything, we have to save money.

Dennis Woehler: Sure.

President Melcher: But, when’s the contract expire now, Ted?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: December 31, 2013.

President Melcher: Okay.

Dennis Woehler: So, that’s an excellent idea on the flyer though. We’ll put together a flyer with a list of numbers on it.

President Melcher: The prices aren’t going to go up? Are they going up or not going up?

Dennis Woehler: On–

President Melcher: The insurance premiums.

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, next year is set in at 15 percent to date.

President Melcher: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: If we take action we bring that down to 9.9 or 11.9, depending on what we want to do. Now, as far as, let me clarify something, because I know Dennis didn’t mean this in this way. The money side is for us.

Dennis Woehler: Yes.

Commissioner Tornatta: That is looking at how we can save premium on an insurance policy, and it’s up to us as a county to keep that policy low. There is a grid from 97 percent down to, I think, 64 percent in here that essentially tells us that if our health and what we utilize in the account is lower than an 85 or 80 percent, it’s 85 percent, then we can actually receive monies back. So, you know, the money making thing is for the county’s benefit. The more the county can do to keep those health costs down is strictly to our benefit and our employee’s benefit.

Dennis Woehler: Absolutely.

Commissioner Tornatta: And the taxpayer benefit, because we’re going to see a lower rate. Before, when we started this plan we saved $400,000. In looking at this, if we do essentially half of that plan and save another $600,000, it seems to me like it’s a good business decision, anytime we can save that type of money. But, that’s just looking at the hard numbers.

President Melcher: I’m okay with that, but it still goes back to rates for what. We’ve got to do everything. We’ve got to save it for our employees, we’ve got to save it for the taxpayers, and we’ve got to keep the premiums where our employees can afford it.

Dennis Woehler: Absolutely. I was being facetious awhile ago, because they are a vendor, we are the customer, and I understand, I’m a taxpayer here as well. So, it’s important to all of us. I think the offer that they put on the table is a reasonable offer considering the circumstances.

President Melcher: I’ve also got to ask about life insurance going up or not. I understand it’s not going to go up?

Dennis Woehler: No, sir.

President Melcher: Supposedly there’s a lot of people thinking that life insurance is going to go up in premiums.

Dennis Woehler: Now, your life insurance is age banded. So, some people’s life insurance may go up–

President Melcher: Because of their age, not because of what we’re doing or not doing.

Dennis Woehler: Right. I might add, and this, well, we’ll finish the health insurance first, but the dental and vision benefits are in your packets as well.

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, that was my next thing, if we can, if we can go to dental and vision.

Dennis Woehler: The dental insurance, we got some feedback from some employees, and, obviously, from the survey as well that they didn’t feel like that it was doing what it ought to do. So, after a little digging, what we found is that the $1,000 max on the plan seemed to be an issue for some folks, because, let’s face it, prices for dentists are going up as well. So, our recommendation is, and the options that Health Resources sent, the $1,200, increasing to a $1,200 max is very little increase in premium and would give the people a better benefit, a richer benefit.

President Melcher: Okay.

Dennis Woehler: So, that would be our recommendation on that plan.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I’m just going to say, I know the Commissioners understand this, but if you were, going back to Welborn Health Plans, if you were dissatisfied with the service that you’re getting, or that the employees are getting, then you wouldn’t want to extend the contract for three years just to save $600,000–

Dennis Woehler: No.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: –because you would be extending something that you’re not happy with. If you’re satisfied with the service, and, I guess, you have to look back at what the results of the survey were, and, I had never received that, but I understand you all did receive information on that, and then if you’re satisfied with the service, and I think there are still, I was advised that there are still some issues and you mentioned some today, President Melcher, that still need resolution, and as long as the company is committed to doing that, if you extend it, that’s fine. But, once you extend it, you lose the leverage that you had when it was going to expire in 2013, because after you extend it, it’s not going to expire until 2016, and there is no ready way to terminate the contract, after you extend it, except if they fail to perform in accordance with the terms of the contract, or if it did not get funded by the County Council. So, I just wanted to mention that.

President Melcher: No, I understand that, and I read the surveys. So, that I do understand.

Commissioner Tornatta: And, the surveys were predominantly positive.

Dennis Woehler: Yes, as a matter of fact, I have a copy of what Commissioner Winnecke sent out the other day, and 75 percent of the employees rated Welborn Health Plans medium high to high satisfaction.

Commissioner Tornatta: And, I’ve been in business long enough to know that that’s a pretty good survey.

Dennis Woehler: So, from medium to high, I mean, we’re looking at almost 90 percent of the employees were satisfied.

President Melcher: Well, that’s what I said, I already knew the survey results.

Dennis Woehler: Yeah.

President Melcher: I’m still trying to get the best bang for our buck, and even for the employees.

Commissioner Tornatta: So, okay, so we talked about dental, what about vision?

Dennis Woehler: The vision plan we were able to negotiate a rate pass. They are going to hold their rates and guarantee it for another two years. They will also increase their dependent age to 26 to match the rest of the plans.

Commissioner Tornatta: As you bring that up, that’s across the board on all plans?

Dennis Woehler: Yes.

Commissioner Tornatta: At no extra charge?

Dennis Woehler: Yes.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I don’t have a contract on that. I don’t think we’ve got one here in front of us.

Dennis Woehler: The Spectera?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I know we don’t. I have not seen that.

Dennis Woehler: The renewal, we just, between when the rest of this was sent out to you and today we got their renewal in. It’s in the Commissioners–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Okay, I haven’t seen it. Thank you.

President Melcher: Anything else, Troy?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, I just want to ask a question, like all insurance contracts you can hardly read these things.

President Melcher: That’s why I’m asking some questions myself.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: You’ve got it, do you have it in front of you now?

Dennis Woehler: I just gave you my copy, but that’s alright.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, if you know, where on here does it say what the rate is going to be for 2011 and ‘12? You said they were going to extend it for two years?

Dennis Woehler: Yes, sir. It’s going to be the same that it is this year.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Okay, tell me where it....let’s see, I’ve got 2012–

Commissioner Tornatta: (Inaudible) renewal effective date.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: The effective date is January 20, 2011, okay, for 24 months–

Madelyn Grayson: Current and proposed.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: –current and proposed are the same. Okay, alright, I’m satisfied. Yeah.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: I was going to get to that before it was over anyway. Anything else, Troy?

Commissioner Tornatta: No.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Thank you.

President Melcher: I think it’s time maybe, Dennis, are you done presenting?

Dennis Woehler: Yes, sir, unless you have further questions.

President Melcher: No, I think we can open it up to the audience now. There might be some employees that might want to say something. Is there any employees that would like to say something or any taxpayers that would like to say something?

Connie Carrier: Hello, Connie Carrier, Voter Registration. Dennis, how many employees was in that survey?

Gary Heck: 262 total.

Connie Carrier: And we have over 700 employees, so, I don’t think that’s a fair survey.

President Melcher: They all had the same chance. I mean, it’s similar to where I work at–

Connie Carrier: I understand too that a lot of folks were going in and just voting over and over and over and over again.

Commissioner Tornatta: No, those are unique.

Connie Carrier: (Inaudible) survey.

Commissioner Tornatta: We already checked that. Those were unique.

Connie Carrier: Okay, then how come these aren’t out for bid? Our health insurance, shouldn’t it go out for bid?

Commissioner Tornatta: It’s a service.

Connie Carrier: Shouldn’t you try to find the best bang for your buck during the bid process?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, we did.

Connie Carrier: Not if you’re wanting to extend it.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, Connie–

Connie Carrier: Why can’t you, how long is the contract for right now?

Commissioner Tornatta: It’s running through 2013.

Connie Carrier: Well, shouldn’t you go out for bids after that?

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, Connie, we have a proposal on the floor that is allowing us to save money. Now, are you, or do you, are you not up for saving money?

Connie Carrier: How do you know unless you go out for bids with other insurance companies?

Commissioner Tornatta: We do check with other insurance companies. There’s no one that beat their price, but are you not wanting to save money?

Connie Carrier: I’m in favor or saving money, but you asked if I have an opinion, I do.

Commissioner Tornatta: Sure.

Connie Carrier: Shouldn’t this go out for bids?

Commissioner Tornatta: We’re 2013, we have an opportunity to extend this bid and save $600,000.

Connie Carrier: When is the deadline to give him an answer?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: It’s the, currently the beginning of open enrollment and I don’t know what that date is, but it’s very soon.

President Melcher: It’s in November isn’t it?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: It’s before the next meeting of the Commissioners if we don’t push back the time for open enrollment, Connie.

Connie Carrier: If we’re talking about a lot of money, I don’t understand why it’s not up for bids. The contract for services is not that great, not just prescriptions, but other issues.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I would let the Old National Bank Insurance representative who is the county’s insurance agent of record speak to this. Their job is to, their job was, at the time that the county decided to contract with Welborn Health Plans to review insurance companies that were available to provide this service to Vanderburgh County, and then to recommend the best plan, on the most economical basis for the employees to the Commissioners. They did that, and the answer, at that time, was Welborn Health Plans.

Connie Carrier: At that time, that’s what I’m saying, why can’t it go out for bids?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I think, that’s what I said, excuse me, I think that Dennis can further address that , they keep aware of what’s going on. Dennis, I think she’s suggesting that there may be a company, even with the $600,000 savings we’re talking about, there may be a company available who starting at the end of this contract, on January 1, 2014, might provide similar benefits for substantially less money to Vanderburgh County.

Dennis Woehler: That’s highly unlikely. There are, most insurance companies will base, I mean, they’re going to look at your loss ratio. They’re going to look at your claims data, and running at a 95 percent loss ratio, if you have $12 million worth of claims this year, for example, they’re going to set your maximum liability at 125 percent of that next year, plus administration. So, and, in a market where you’re a fully insured product and over 50 employees, in the State of Indiana they do not have to accept you at all. So, at the time the contract was written it was the best for the money for Vanderburgh County. That has not changed.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: In your opinion?

Dennis Woehler: It’s not all just in the price, but it’s in the discounts at the facilities and with the providers.

Commissioner Tornatta: But, I mean, the fact of the matter is we didn’t get this, we didn’t just dream up that we had to keep health insurance, we had to do things with health insurance, I check it, I check with other providers. I see other providers in the field. I ask them those questions. I was also alerted that a year to a year and a half ago after we saved the $400,000, that Anthem, who we did have who we dropped, went up 37 percent in a year. We didn’t get to realize that. So, you know, had that happened to us we would have saved whatever difference it was between 37 percent and what we paid, which I believe was 11 percent. So, the county has made good moves, because we’re very informed, and it’s not just the fact that Old National keeps us highly informed, it’s the fact that we’ve got to do our own homework to make sure that we’re getting the best bang for our buck, because, obviously, that’s the position we’re in. That’s what we do. We are to monitor and maintain how the county does business. So, that’s what I do, I know that’s what these other two Commissioners do, and in other areas as well, but this one deals with health care.

Dennis Woehler: I congratulate you on your monetary prudence. It’s, I feel like that, you know, that moves have been good moves as well. If you look at the claims information, that’s all HIPPA compliant, the Vanderburgh County, in most of your major categories, are running ahead of Welborn’s book of business. You’ll find that there is a comparison in there on everything; heart surgeries, doctors visits, RX, all of your major categories, the county is running ahead. Now, part of that reason is because the county has a very, very good plan.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah.

Dennis Woehler: You can have a $100,000 heart surgery and it’s going to cost you a hundred dollars.

Commissioner Tornatta: In other plans you might end up in a situation where you will have more co-pay, which is going to lower that rate to an 85 percent because you have more personal out-of-pocket costs.

Dennis Woehler: True.

Commissioner Tornatta: Is that correct?

Dennis Woehler: That is correct. If the Commissioners decided that you needed an 80 percent plan instead of a 100 percent plan, then the employee would be responsible for the other 20 percent to whatever maximum you set.

Commissioner Tornatta: But, it’s this Commission–

Dennis Woehler: That’s two thousand or five thousand.

Commissioner Tornatta: –and the Council’s view that we still want to offer the eight percent premium to the employee–

Dennis Woehler: Sure.

Commissioner Tornatta: – and still keep the plan that we have to a point–

Dennis Woehler: Right.

Commissioner Tornatta: – to where we have to make a change. If we’re able to pull, in this case, over the contract, if we were to extend it, a million dollars off the table that is savings year over year.

Dennis Woehler: Yes, it is.

President Melcher: So, Ted, right now you’re satisfied with the language?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, I’m only, I’m satisfied with the legality of the contract.

President Melcher: That’s what counts.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I don’t express any opinion on the substantive nature of it.

President Melcher: That’s what I was counting on. Anybody else that would like to say anything? Troy, you got anything else? I need a motion.

Commissioner Tornatta: I would like to make a motion to extend the contract with Welborn Health Plans for three additional years, ending in 2016, to reduce the premium down to 9.9 percent.

President Melcher: I’ll second it. Any further? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Dennis. Any information you can continue to move along with our employees is obviously of benefit.

Dennis Woehler: Absolutely.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Excuse me, were you going to wait until later in the agenda for the dental contract and the eye contract?

Commissioner Tornatta: We can go ahead. I would like to accept the eye and dental contracts that were recommended by ONB Insurance.

President Melcher: Okay, I’ll second that also.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Okay, thank you.

Dennis Woehler: Thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thanks, Dennis.

President Melcher: Next–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I have the bids, if you want me to do that, only to allow the, John Stoll wants to review these and maybe have a decision made today.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: It will only take a second. Thank you. For the Five Oaks Subdivision concrete ribbon installation. We have a bid from Jack Hahn Excavating for $6.900, and a bid from Allen Relleke Excavating for $6,045. For the cash management system for the Vanderburgh County Treasurer, I’ll say that we only have two bidders, Fifth Third Bank and Old National Bank. They each bid various services that they’re willing to provide for the Treasurer in response to the Treasurer’s specifications. Whether or not they each bid every specification I’ll leave it to the Treasurer to advise us after he reviews the bids. Each did provide that they would give, for an interest rate on funds held by the banks, Fifth Third would provide the Federal Funds Rate minus 25 percent compensation for the bank, or a minimum of point, I said 25 percent, it’s .25 percent for the bank, or a minimum of .25 percent. Old National Bank is going to use the Bloomberg Rate, because they don’t always have federal funds investments, and under the Bloomberg Rate they would use that rate less .25 percent for bank compensation and a minimum of .25 percent just as in the case of Fifth Third. The Treasurer would like to have these.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to take both of these under advisement.

President Melcher: Contracts for both? I’ll second it. All in favor say aye.

Commissioner Tornatta: Aye.

President Melcher: Aye.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Thank you.

President Melcher: Next we have permission to award. I think Mike Raisor is going to be here. The copy paper bid to River City Industrial and Alpha Laser Services and also the dump truck and snow plow. Go ahead.

Mike Raisor: Good evening. I represent the Cooperative Purchasing Organization of the City, County and Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation. Tonight I have one item for your consideration, a recommendation for awarding contracts for various styles of copy paper. Requests for bids were sent to vendors and published in the Evansville Courier & Press on both September 1^st and September 8, 2010. Bids were received and opened on September 16^th. A copy of the bid tabulations has been provided for you. For 8 ½ X 11 white copy paper, the recommendation is for River City Industrial of Owensboro, Kentucky, and for all other paper the recommendation is for Alpha Laser Services of Evansville. Also, document shredding has been provided at no additional cost by River City Industrial, which allows us to entertain the lower, without shredding price, that was provided by Alpha Laser. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, who had this last year, was it River City?

Mike Raisor: River City had everything besides the computer greenbar paper.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, and at that point were there some issues with delivery? Or were we okay?

Mike Raisor: We were okay with delivery. They do desktop delivery up to, in some cases, one ream actually.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, and the, I’m just making sure that the note in the back of my head was saying that there was an issue with either the quality of the paper or delivery. Delivery, no, quality of paper’s okay?

Mike Raisor: Recently there was an issue with the quality of the paper, and the information that I received is some of the paper was slashed or in the middle of the ream was wrinkled, but they replaced all of that upon request.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, so, we have no outstanding issue with–

Mike Raisor: No.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Mike Raisor: They’ve remedied the situation.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you.

President Melcher: I guess, I missed your name again.

Mike Raisor: Mike Raisor.

President Melcher: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, so, at this point we’ve reviewed all of the bidders as far as taking them under advisement, this is your recommendation as we speak?

Mike Raisor: Yes, and the Board of Public Works and the EVSC Board of Trustees also passed this.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. Mr. President, I would recommend the River City Industrial and Alpha Laser Services for paper products following the recommendation of the Purchasing Organization.

President Melcher: I’ll second that. Any further discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Mike Raisor: I do not have the dump truck with the snow plow.

President Melcher: Yeah, I know. I figured you didn’t.

Mike Raisor: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: That’s fine.

Madelyn Grayson: Debbie did provide the documents.

President Melcher: I’m sure somebody is going to jump up here.

Mike Raisor: Sure.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, thank you, Mike.

Mike Raisor: You’re welcome.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright, Chris?

President Melcher: I didn’t think he would do the dump truck.

Chris Walsh: Chris Walsh, the Vanderburgh County Highway Department. I would just like to make just a brief statement. After we reviewed both of the bids that we had received, one from Sternberg and one from Freightliner, we compared them to the specifications that we had sent out. We found that Freightliner had no exceptions to the specs that we had put out, however, Sternberg had a couple, and for those reasons, I think there was a 75, 76 dollar difference in pricing, we would like to recommend Freightliner for the bid.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright, Ted, you’ve reviewed?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I have. There’s another, I think, fairly major discrepancy between the two bids. Freightliner promises delivery in 130 days and Sternberg in 120-240 days, which could mean that delivery might occur after the snowfall is over with. So, that would be another reason to be considered, and, in giving the, if you wish, award to the lowest and best bid, you would be within your reasonable bounds to find that Freightliner was that bidder.

Commissioner Tornatta: The difference, if I’m not mistaken, might be $75?

Chris Walsh: I believe it’s $76.

Commissioner Tornatta: $76?

President Melcher: So, that’s your recommendation?

Chris Walsh: Our recommendation, yes, is for Freightliner.

President Melcher: Okay.

Chris Walsh: The two other exceptions were major in what we had put forward as far as specs.

President Melcher: Is your recommendation–

Commissioner Tornatta: That causes some issue with maintenance?

Chris Walsh: Correct, in the long term I think we’ll save.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yep, yep.

President Melcher: Do you want to make a motion?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, I’ll make a motion to approve the dump truck and snow plow from Freightliner.

President Melcher: I’ll second that. Any further discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Chris Walsh: Thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Chris.

President Melcher: Next is EMA, award mitigation plan update proposal quoted to AMEC.

Commissioner Tornatta: Sherman, I know we’ve talked about this. Is there any updates, anything else we need to know?

Sherman Greer: No, we talked to Mr. Ziemer and everything. We would just like that the company, this AMEC, that we want to go with is the one that we would prefer.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright, I would like to make a motion to approve the update quote proposal from AMEC.

President Melcher: I’ll second it. Any further discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Thank you.

Sherman Greer: Thank you, gentlemen.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Sherman.

President Melcher: Next is County Engineer’s, award VC10-09-01, Hillview Road culvert replacement to Deig Brothers Lumber and Construction for $38,360. John, do you have anything that you want to add to that? Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next is permission to advertise the 2010 General Election polling locations. The change we made earlier is the first one, it’s the P-8 that’s been moved from West Terrace Elementary to USI Residential Center, and at the same time 5-8 and 5-9 is not really moving but they changed the name of the school from Harwood Middle School to the Academy of Innovative Studies. So, we have to vote on advertising that.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright, and just an FYI it’s the USI Residence Life Center just for those who are keeping track of that. USI Residence Life Center.

President Melcher: Then, also, and I think we’ve done this in the past, it says if we want it in Our Times, which is the other newspaper, it runs probably about $500 for the 15^th and the 29^th.

Commissioner Tornatta: Alright, motion to approve.

President Melcher: I’ll second it.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Are you saying that you’re going to advertise in both? Is that what you’re saying?

President Melcher: Yes.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, and that’s been consistent.

President Melcher: Yeah, that’s been consistent.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: No, I thought maybe you were thinking of Our Times in place of the Courier & Press.

President Melcher: No.

Commissioner Tornatta: No, no, no.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: It would be advertising in both. The Our Times proposal was to publish full page legal ads on October 15^th and October 29^th, $250 per page.

President Melcher: We’re going to advertise in the Courier and them.

Commissioner Tornatta: Right. Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have the moving of election equipment. Ted?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: The, in the spring the Commissioners awarded PD&S the contract for moving the election equipment. The County Clerk is recommending that for the fall election we use Kinder Moving Company, which has long time experience in moving election equipment. Since this is a service, you may select, and the difference in the bids for the fall election is $1,500, so you may select any of the movers that you wish. The County Clerk recommends Kinder Moving and Storage Company.

President Melcher: Are you going to make a motion?

Commissioner Tornatta: Oh, yeah. Motion to approve.

President Melcher: I’ll second the motion for Kinder, per the County Clerk’s suggestion. Any further discussion? Anybody else in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have permission to hold a road race at Bob’s Gym 5K Race, I guess it is. It’s a race held on October 23^rd and will follow the same format as last year. Lexie Jones with Bob’s Gym, I guess, has been in touch with the Sheriff and is here to discuss it.

Lexie Jones: Okay, it’s, we’ve had this race several years in a row, and, basically, it’s going to be the same as far as security. Then we have Sargent Jack Spencer in charge of coordinating the road security, and several REACT people coming out to help us out.

President Melcher: Okay, I think we came up with a plan, right, for all of these races?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, and I think they’re compliant with everything at this point.

President Melcher: It’s probably something new that maybe you did or didn’t do, since you’ve done it in the past.

Commissioner Tornatta: She’s submitted everything.

President Melcher: She got everything?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yep.

President Melcher: We just try to make it easier for us and you and everybody, and I didn’t know if you did.

Commissioner Tornatta: What time does, tell a little bit about the race and when it starts.

Lexie Jones: Okay, it starts at 9:00 a.m. and all of the proceeds are going to the Evansville Boys and Girls Club. We are shooting for around 200 participants.

Commissioner Tornatta: And registration is?

Lexie Jones: The cost?

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, tell us about registration?

Lexie Jones: Okay, well, from here, you can register up until right before the race. It’s $18 to run the race, and then we also have a kids dash on our, in our parking lot area, and that one is free.

Madelyn Grayson: Lexie, can you confirm the date of the event?

Lexie Jones: It’s October 23^rd.

Commissioner Tornatta: Saturday. Okay, Mr. President, motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Lexie.

President Melcher: Thank you.

President Melcher: Next, I guess, we have a sale of the county owned property, notice to abutting property owners at 1018 Adams and 1042 Adams. The County Attorney has been contacted by the interested buyer for both properties. This notifies abutting property owners and allows eligible abutting property owners to bid on these properties.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any discussion? Ted, do you have any–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: No, that’s it.

President Melcher: I understand. Okay. Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have contracts, agreements and leases. The Engineer is up first, it’s the extension of the maintenance agreement of the office Xerox machine. The P.O. for the maintenance agreement showing the cost will be $288 for a period of November 1, 2010 till October 31, 2010 . This is 24 more dollars than it cost from the last prior maintenance agreement.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have one for the Sheriff, it’s an ICJI grant agreement. It’s identical to the grant agreement approved by the Commissioners in 2009. It provides a new grant amount in the sum of $32,248 and extends the grant term from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have the Markham Security Courier Service agreement for the County Clerk, County Treasurer and County Recorder. It’s identical to last year’s agreement except for the appropriate date changes.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Discussion? Audience, anybody? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: We’re going to skip over the lease of the Old Courthouse, it’s not ready this evening, the first one for suite 107. We’ve got another one for the Old Courthouse agreement with the Cultural Resources Analysts to include additional space . The company has a current lease in suite 204 in the courthouse which runs through October 31, 2010. Then it would be terminated. The new lease will add suites 2009, 2009A. It will be a one year lease with optional two, one year renewals at a monthly rate of $1,096.

Commissioner Tornatta: That would be suite 209 and 209A.

Lisa Daugherty: Correct.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: I’m Lisa Daugherty with F.C. Tucker Commercial. 209 and 209A have to be leased together. This is the tenant that I talked to you about, about taking 202.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Lisa Daugherty: I convinced them to move across the hall.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: Because it’s ready to go.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, since you’re here, do we, are we cleaned up, do we have everything cleaned up, moved out? Not yet?

Lisa Daugherty: No, we do not. I have another issue to discuss once we approve this lease.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further, anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: You have another item?

Lisa Daugherty: I have one quick little thing to discuss. This is....I’ll wait until I get back here...so you would have this to look at. This is the suite that we leased last week. You’re looking at the door jam. I was not aware that it was in this condition. It cannot be locked. The tenant has asked me to ask you to have it repaired so that he can lock his suite that he just leased last month.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: Yeah, that’s not–

Lisa Daugherty: I’m sorry?

President Melcher: Go ahead.

Lisa Daugherty: I talked to Chris, he said that he has someone that in their spare time could go over there quickly and remedy that.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: With your permission.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, and–

Lisa Daugherty: I feel like we should provide them with a door that locks.

President Melcher: No, if we lease it to them, they should have....especially now.

Commissioner Tornatta: Have you also told Phil Wolter to go look at that?

Lisa Daugherty: I have not. Otis–

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: –told him that he had to take care of it himself.

Commissioner Tornatta: Had to what now?

Lisa Daugherty: Otis told the tenant that he had to fix it himself.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, no, no, no. That’s fine. One of the things that, you know, if Chris could look into that, but, I think, Phil Wolter knows a lot about that woodwork.

Lisa Daugherty: I don’t know Phil.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, we can get in touch with him.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Or, we’ll get somebody out there.

Lisa Daugherty: And, I mean–

Commissioner Tornatta: That will be taken care of.

Lisa Daugherty: –there’s an inexpensive way to fix it without repairing the door jam. If we move the deadbolt–

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah.

Lisa Daugherty: –that’s there, because the deadbolt, there’s a deadbolt in the door.

Commissioner Tornatta: Got it.

Lisa Daugherty: It goes into that hole–

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: –and all you have to do is pull and it’s–

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, we’ll get a handle.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: So, tell them it should be handled by next week.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay, so, how do I go about....you’re going to talk to Phil, or I need to talk to Phil?

Commissioner Tornatta: We’ll take care of it.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, and we’ll have a temporary solution until it’s fixed–

Lisa Daugherty: Well, he’s fine for now.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: Very, he’s very nice, he’s perfectly fine.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. We will, we’ll handle it. It will be done before the end of next week.

Lisa Daugherty: Wonderful.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay? Thanks.

Lisa Daugherty: And, then–

Commissioner Tornatta: The only reason I’m saying that is because I don’t know with the woodwork, I mean, we’ll have the deadbolt moved immediately.

Lisa Daugherty: I’m surprised that anyone allowed the previous tenant to do that to the door jam.

Commissioner Tornatta: Right.

Lisa Daugherty: That’s... I guess, they had a card slider and they took it with them when they left.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. Well, we’ll–

Lisa Daugherty: They left that.

Commissioner Tornatta: –address that.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay, I appreciate it. We’ll have that other lease, hopefully, next month.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: When was that?

Lisa Daugherty: I don’t know, that was prior to me, because this particular suite has been used for storage as long as I’ve been representing the county. So, I’m not sure who used to be there.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah, this probably pre-dated us.

Lisa Daugherty: It did.

President Melcher: Okay.

Lisa Daugherty: I’m sure it did.

President Melcher: The only thing we have to do is fix it now.

Lisa Daugherty: Yeah.

President Melcher: We leased it, we fix it.

Lisa Daugherty: To some form or fashion.

President Melcher: I agree.

Commissioner Tornatta: We’ll get it fixed.

Lisa Daugherty: You know, it’s pretty–

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, you know, it has to look right. That’s fine.

Lisa Daugherty: Yeah.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I just wondered if I needed to sue them.

Lisa Daugherty: Yeah, ask Marissa, maybe we should, because that is pretty bad.

President Melcher: I have a conflict of interest there.

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, we’ll get a handle.

Lisa Daugherty: Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Lisa.

Lisa Daugherty: Have a good evening.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, you too.

President Melcher: Okay, the next one we’ve already done earlier, under the dental contract option. Then, the next one is another one where it’s not ready, we’re going to discuss it on the 26^th is the 2011 Humana Medicaid contract.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: So, we’ll move down to Superior Court, professional service agreement between Indiana University Board of Trustees and the Vanderburgh County treatment court for consulting services for the IU pilot forensic problem gambling project. The term of the agreement is from October 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. The county treatment center will receive $2,475 payable at the rate of $275 per month.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have the independent contractor agreement with Christen Kelley, Troy Weimer–

Commissioner Tornatta: Toy. Toy Widmer.

President Melcher: Widmer? He’s got two of them.

Commissioner Tornatta: She.

President Melcher: She? She’s got two of them. Independent contractor agreements to be entered between the county on behalf of the juvenile division of Vanderburgh Superior Court and the indicated private individuals for circus court, Circuit Court. To fees provided by the private individuals are as stated in the agreement and will be paid through the use of the grant funds available to the court.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next is a few from the Health Department.

Commissioner Tornatta: If we could take those all at the same time, that would be great.

President Melcher: I think we can. The first one is a Red Cross agreement for the CPR and AED training. The agreement provides that the space for the classes on January 6^th and 7^th, 2011 be provided by the Health Department with the instructor to be provided by the Red Cross. The cost of the course is $60 a person, minimum eight students. The Health Department has a grant fund to use to defray the cost of training. The next one is the 2011 Emerson Network Power agreement. This is to provide battery backup power service for the freezers, refrigerators and the Health Department lab. It’s identical to last year’s agreement except for a price increase from $5,506 to $5,570 per year. The next one is an AcuTemp quote for Varipack Vaseline carrying case. The coolant packs quote and agreement for the carrying case for vaccines and two coolant packs for a total cost of $1,002. The Health Department has grant funds to use for the payment of this one. Next is bioterrorism grant from the State of Indiana, Department of Health, for $10,000 in support of the required public health emergency preparedness activities. The grant for this period is August 10, 2010 through August 9. 2011. Next, is Lieberman Technologies grease trap proposal for the FLIP database. The cost of the agreement is $1,875.50, and the Health Department has appropriate funds to cover it. Next, is the GSA federal supply schedule purchase order/Verizon phone cards and equipment. The purchase order for the MiFi cards and unlimited broadband access for up to ten lines at $299.90 per line for the ten lines. The total access equipment fee of $3,598.80. We’ve approved a similar purchase last year when the per line charge was $515.80 for up to 12 lines, with a total of $6,190.56. So, this represents a considerable savings. The Health Department also grants to cover this cost. I guess, that’s it. Anything you want to say, Gary.

Gary Heck: I appreciate your support of these projects.

Commissioner Tornatta: I would make a motion on all of the aforementioned in the Health Department.

President Melcher: I’ll second it. Any further discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Gary Heck: Thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: Thank you, Gary.

President Melcher: Department head reports. County Engineer.

John Stoll: The first item I have is a request for approval on a change order on the Fickas Road culvert project. This is the culvert that was replaced on Fickas Road west of Green River. The increase is $12,085.93. We had overruns in asphalt due to the change in the road profile, trying to give it a smoother ride. We added a couple of gabion baskets due to the steep slopes on the embankments out there. We had some additional excavation associated with some poor soil conditions, which that pumped up the rock backfill quantities, and then we just flat out omitted the rip rap that was in the bottom of the, that was supposed to be in the bottom of the box culvert based on the DNR permit. So, all total that is the increase, and I would request your approval on the change order.

Commissioner Tornatta: Before I make a motion, John, is this the road that was left a little wavy?

John Stoll: Yes.

Commissioner Tornatta: And, were the costs picked up?

John Stoll: These, this change order does not include any costs for any resurfacing. That’s all excluded.

Commissioner Tornatta: That’s being done as we speak by the provider?

John Stoll: The contractor took care of it.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

John Stoll: They did an asphalt overlay, and those extra costs for asphalt and striping are not included in this.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, so, once again, clarification, they fixed their problem?

John Stoll: Correct.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, thank you very much.

John Stoll: At no cost to the county.

Commissioner Tornatta: I make a motion to approve.

President Melcher: I’ll second it. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: Next I have a street acceptance request for sections two and three of Wynnfield Subdivision. For section two it would be 131 feet of Preston Drive and 755 feet of Hedgewood Court. Then on phase three it’s 457 feet of Hartwell Drive, 100 feet of Tacoma Drive, and 610 of Windham Drive.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: Next I have a change order on the Winstead Way pipe repair project. This is for an increase of $490. This change resulted from us changing the inlet box that was called on that project to a catch basin, and changing out the associated casting with that. This would all be paid for out of the storm sewer maintenance fund where we collect the two dollar per foot fee for storm sewers off the county right-of-way. I would request your approval on that change order.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: Then, next, I would like to request approval to go to County Council to transfer $11,000 from the Neu Road culvert account, $15,000 from the Fickas Road culvert account, and $40,000 from Broadway Avenue bridge number 270 account. All of those would be moved to the Bridge Contractual account in order to accumulate enough money to replace a metal pipe up on Frontage Road.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: Next I have a change order on the Burdette Park-USI bike path project. This change order does two things, one it adds 15 days to the contract, which would make the final completion date October 27^th. This was necessitated by needing to make some changes to the connections to the phone lines up on the USI campus end of the project. Then, also, there are some minor changes to various quantities that result in a net decrease of $2,419.97. So, I would request approval of that change order as well.

Commissioner Tornatta: Now, John, I’ve got a list here that says the completion date was supposed to be October 25^th. So, you said 15 days, that’s, we’re only talking two days there. I mean, do we, were they ahead of schedule and then we’re giving them 15 days, which would only put them two days past schedule.

John Stoll: The issue was delivery time on the new phone cable that they had to provide. I may have a typo on my dates. I would have to look at the change order again to make sure I have the right date down there.

Commissioner Tornatta: Well, I guess, what I’m asking, is the 15 days from October 25^th, or 15 days from now?

John Stoll: It would be 15 days from now.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay. Which, the original completion date was supposed to be October 25^th. So, this is two days. This is peanuts. Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second.

Commissioner Tornatta: Any further? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: From what they are telling me too, when it’s all said and done, they’re estimating that the overall net decrease to the project will be about $20,000 under the bid price. So, we’ll see a net savings when the whole job is done. The final item that I have is the bids that were opened this evening on the Five Oaks II project, I would like to request your approval to award that to Allen Relleke excavating for the amount of $6,045. I went through the bids, and all of the numbers check out, and the paperwork was in order.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Anybody in the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: Just for clarification, that will be paid for through a letter of credit that was called in when the developer didn’t finish out some of the subdivision work. So, it wouldn’t be county funds.

Commissioner Tornatta: While you’re here, good news, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, we requested that they look back through their projects and see how their money flow was. They, we kind of stood in line, we did have a project drop out of the, because it was not totally ready, one of their projects dropped out. We were able to insert our project for Burdette Park to University of Southern Indiana, and in doing so we’ll complete phase three of that project, which is all four phases will be done and we will have a direct link from USI to Burdette Park and back. So, that was actually an additional $317,000, almost $318,000 that was added to the $780,000 almost $781,000 that we were awarded. So, a little perseverance got us that, and we will start on a bid letting in January 2011. We anticipate by the end of the year we’ll have that mile built and it will complete a spectacular trail from USI to Burdette Park.

John Stoll: As it stands now, I think we’re down to this one issue in regard to some paperwork with INDOT. So, we should be ready to go.

Commissioner Tornatta: So, we think, thanks to the MPO and Brad Mills and the like for believing in this project, the state for giving us their funds. If, as we have it, we received the transportation enhancement funds, which we received on stage two, if I’m not mistaken, we had them down here and we had them out there and they bought into our project. They’ve delivered us almost a million dollars in that step, and then this $781,000, and then we got the state transportation–

John Stoll: Surface transportation.

Commissioner Tornatta: –surface transportation, which is another federal grant, for the three hundred and almost eighteen thousand, all at the same time. We’re able to leverage that $1.1 million with just $275,000 of ours. So, good work for you.

John Stoll: I was going to say that it’s looking great. Everything that’s been done so far looks fantastic.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah. Steve Craig is a major contributor to all of the success that we’ve had. He’s put numbers in front of us and really a great cheerleader. So, we do appreciate that.

Madelyn Grayson: John, do you have a document from the Five Oaks?

John Stoll: Yes.

President Melcher: Alright, next we have a board appointment. We only have one it’s for an opening for the Human Relations Commission, which is joint city-county, and we’re going to, we have William VanHooks, Jr. He lives here in Evansville. He’s over the Central ROTC. If you’ve ever seen him out there doing a lot of public awareness, and he’s also an Army veteran. I know he’s a member of Otis Stone Post 354.

Commissioner Tornatta: I make a motion to approve Mr. VanHooks, Jr.

President Melcher: I’ll second it. Any further discussion? Anybody from the audience? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Commissioner Tornatta: Mr. President, I would recommend, at this time, because I did hear back from some of the people on the Greenway Passage Commission, that they were interested in making sure that they had their appointees, if they were going to get those appointees, they were going to be on board. So, to not delay this, I think we’re going to reassure that we’re still committed to the Pigeon Creek Commission, Greenway Commission, and we would re-appoint all members; Ann Ennis, Lester Steinmetz, Steve Craig, Fred Padget, and Blaine Oliver to that position. They actually expire 10/31. So, we’ll–

President Melcher: I know Fred’s already asked about it.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, so, we would re-appoint all of our, all those members.

President Melcher: And, Blaine Oliver is from the Area Plan.

Commissioner Tornatta: Yeah.

President Melcher: Okay. Is that a motion?

Commissioner Tornatta: That was in the form of a motion.

President Melcher: Second. Any further discussion? Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Next we have new business. Any new business for the–

President Melcher: Old business?

President Melcher: Okay, then we have public comment. Is there anybody in the audience that has anything to say? Just, state your name for our records.

Bill McKeon: Yes, good evening, gentlemen. My name is Bill McKeon, 2611 Deerfield Drive, Evansville. I think you all know me. I’ve been here before. Tonight I have just one request, and that is that the County Commissioners institute an ordinance on noise decibels within the county. The reason I ask this is because the EPA states that this is a local authority issue. I have appeared before the County Council, and I’ve requested the same, and they’ve referred me to the County Commissioners. I appeared before the City Council, and they said that they had no jurisdiction, because the airport’s within the city, I live within the county, therefore, they have no jurisdiction. I’ve spoke to the Mayor, who was going to get back to me two months ago, I’m still waiting for his call. But, material-wise, right now there is no noise ordinance in either Evansville or in Vanderburgh County. Now, you could refer to one particular ordinance affecting the noise, and that is 10.40, that the City Council approved, and you, as a county, I believe passed it in March or April of this year, but that refers to automobile noises, radios. I believe it is within 50 feet, or 75 feet, if a police officer or somebody hears a noise that is bothering their ears they can be issued a ticket. Other than that there is no ordinance whatsoever, noise ordinance. So, I’m requesting tonight gentlemen, for my sake, and for the sake of everyone in Evansville, and just to solidify exactly what I’m saying, last night between 7:00 and 8:45 some aircraft came into Evansville Region Airport, and I’m assuming it was the same plane that departed between 7:15 and 8:45, it must have been three to five minutes of the most terrible noise that you want to hear.

Commissioner Tornatta: Uh-huh.

Bill McKeon: I don’t know what, but in Europe, American airplanes were refused to land years ago unless they had a hush kit, which is a muffler. I was wondering are the planes landing here in Evansville required the same thing. It’s called a hush kit. It’s mandatory in Europe. Most of, if you go on the internet you can find hundreds of municipalities who have ordinances on this noise decibel thing, 65 is the decibel required in the airport by FAA. We, as I spoke here before, the two tests that EPA made both exceeded that requirement. So, I was wondering, for the welfare of myself, my neighbors, the community, and Evansville would you pass such an ordinance? I think it’s in the welfare of the community and the county. If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay.

President Melcher: Do you have any?

Commissioner Tornatta: I did hear the noise that you heard last night. I was outside and it was very loud.

Bill McKeon: Yeah.

Commissioner Tornatta: I would just direct our attorney to check and see what jurisdiction we have with the FAA, and what recourse we would have with the FAA to move forward with an ordinance of that request.

Bill McKeon: Well, there’s a town in New Hampshire called Newington where, again, the FAA, the airport there, and I think it’s Peace, I’m not sure of the airport name, I did have it, but 65 is required. Of course, they as a community requested 60 dld, dnl’s. Like I said, I’m protecting myself. I know a lot of people in this community, whether it’s the east side, west side, north side of Evansville, or in the county in itself, we have a lot of people, and some people, as one told me today about motorcycles, they roar and bother people. Well, this would be a good example. How many people complain about radio noises? Not many. Where we live I don’t have that problem, so it don’t affect me. But, that’s it....and, gentlemen, if I just may make one comment? I see Chris is still here. He got that new snow plow by, was it Peterbilt? No, not Peterbilt.

Commissioner Tornatta: Freightliner.

Bill McKeon: Freightliner. There was a county road department out at my development today for the first time now. I’ve been there for 23 years and I’ve never seen a county worker there. Could I ask to have my streets plowed in the future? Because they’ve never been plowed. So, just a little point that I bring up while here.

Commissioner Tornatta: Bill, we have an opportunity, anytime that you feel the need you may call one of the Commissioners or call out to the Highway Department and inquire about a road if it’s not been serviced. We will be glad to go out there and take a look at it and look at putting it on a plow list.

Bill McKeon: I appreciate that.

Commissioner Tornatta: Sure.

Bill McKeon: Because, like I said, where we are we don’t cause any trouble. We’re in a good area, a good subdivision, everybody’s peaceful, everyone gets along. Outside of, and I’m being honest here, I think you’ve heard me before, outside of like that plane last night and a few others occasionally, hey, we live with the noise of the airport, and it don’t bother us, it’s part of our life.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: What time, what time was that? Because I’m going to check with the airport.

Bill McKeon: It was a little after 7:00, and I believe the departure was around 8:45.

Commissioner Tornatta: Um–

Bill McKeon: But, I don’t know what it was–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Excuse me, the departure was....they came in at seven something–

Bill McKeon: I’m assuming it was the same plane departing.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: –and then there was a departure about what time?

Bill McKeon: Around 8:45.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Anyway, it made a noise similar to the first one?

Bill McKeon: I heard that thing coming. I’m sitting outside on my screened in porch, listening or watching t.v., and that thing, I heard it before it came within my area, and then after it passed me, it just roared. Now, I don’t know if it just stayed on the runway with that engine roaring, I have no idea.

Commissioner Tornatta: It flew over my house too. I mean, it was loud, it was loud.

Bill McKeon: Right, and that’s what I’ve been arguing about all the time.

Commissioner Tornatta: What I don’t know, and this is the thing that’s difficult, and we’ll ask Ted to check on, if a plane lands in an emergency or, I mean, I guess it would be an emergency situation, we’ve had jet fighters come in, we’ve had planes that are not necessarily frequent flyers in our airport.

Bill McKeon: Right.

Commissioner Tornatta: So, to me it seemed like that, we might have been hit with something of that nature last night, because I don’t ever hear that as well, and I’m kind of over the flight plan.

Bill McKeon: Again, then, that’s one of the points I was stressing, the fact is did it have that hush kit on it, and if it was an emergency, okay, but, the point is many communities...I believe it’s St. Louis in Lambert Airfield, they gave the people three options; buy their property, which we don’t want to sell, insulate our homes to cut the noise down, or to buy the property, or you’re going to have mufflers. All planes had to have mufflers arriving at a certain decibel that they had to maintain. Again, that’s what we’re asking that, you know, if they say 65, great, let it be 65, and I’ll be satisfied, no problem.

Commissioner Tornatta: And, we’ll get a rating back from the airport as well.

Bill McKeon: Thank you.

Commissioner Tornatta: Okay, thank you, Bill.

Bill McKeon: Appreciate it, gentlemen, thank you, and young ladies, thank you.

President Melcher: I will say that being a City Councilman for a lot of years, and now a Commissioner for a few years, the county does a hundred percent better job than the city on snow removal. The city only does the main roads, they’ve got like A, B, C and maybe D. They never get to C and they won’t do D and they won’t do others. I noticed with the county we pretty much do them all plus ones that call in. So, that’s not a problem for us. All you’ve got to do is if you feel like it needs it, you call it and when we get the time we’ll get there. We do have to take care of all of the main ones first, and then what I think we do, we do all the subdivisions towards the end that’s got more people in them. Yours is probably just a little smaller, and sometimes it’s melted before we get there.

Bill McKeon: Generally that’s true, but there has been sometimes we can’t even get out of our driveway.

President Melcher: And the noise ordinance, I helped write the noise ordinance on the city. So, I knew they’ve had one for a long time.

Bill McKeon: Yeah.

President Melcher: So, I think that’s something we need to look into.

Bill McKeon: Okay, thank you. I appreciate it. Good evening.

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to approve consents.

President Melcher: Second. We’re going to leave one off though, the one for the request for the two parking spaces for the Civic Center. We’ll take that one out for this evening.

Madelyn Grayson: The consent items for the October 12^th meeting are as follows; approval of the prior meeting minutes; there’s our regular Commission meeting on September 21^st, and two special meeting summary minutes, one on September 29^th and one on September 30^th; employment changes for the Commissioners approval; the Health Department there are two, Legal Aid has two, and Burdette Park has four; the Building Authority pay requisition number 92 to be paid from the jail construction fund; the County Auditor has requested to surplus eight file cabinets; the County Engineer has pay request number 114, those are from the TIF projects; the County Treasurer year-to-date report and the August 2010 monthly report; Area Plan has the annual multi-hazard mitigation plan progress report and the Vanderburgh County CRS recertification; the Commissioners have the Hillcrest Washington Youth Home third quarter fees for service; the request to amend approved road paving list to include Little Schmuck Road; the AMR second quarter report; and consent for reassignment of Kinder Records management agreement. I’m sorry, there are department head reports from Burdette Park, the County Engineer and the County Highway.

President Melcher: Any further discussion on that? Okay, Madelyn, do you want to call the roll?

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Tornatta?

Commissioner Tornatta: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Melcher?

President Melcher: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Melcher: Is there any other business to come before the Board of Commissioners this evening?

Commissioner Tornatta: Motion to adjourn.

President Melcher: Second. All in favor say aye.

Commissioner Tornatta: Aye, and there will be no Drainage Board tonight.

(The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.)

CONSENT ITEMS:

Commissioners:

Approval of the September 21, 2010 Commission Meeting Minutes

Approval of the September 29^th & 30, 2010 Special Meeting Summary Minutes.

Building Authority: Pay Requisition No. 92: Jail Construction Fund.

Request to Amend 2010 Paving List to Include Little Schmuck Road.

Hillcrest Washington Youth Home Third Quarter Fees for Services.

AMR Second Quarter Report.

Consent for Reassignment of Kinder Records Management Agreement.

Employment Changes:

Burdette Park (4)                      Legal Aid (2)                             County Clerk (4)

Health Dept (3)                         Sheriff (4)                                  Assessor (1)

Circuit Court (2)

Auditor: Surplus Request Letter: Filing Cabinets.

County Engineer: Pay Request No. 114: Green River-Burkhardt TIF Projects.

Treasurer:

August 31, 2010: Year-to-Date Report.

August 2010 Monthly Report.

Area Plan Commission:

Annual Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Progress Report.

Vanderburgh County CRS Recertification.

Department Head Reports:

County Highway                       County Engineer                       Burdette Park

Those in Attendance:

Stephen Melcher                      Troy Tornatta                            Lloyd Winnecke

Bill Fluty                                    Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.                    Marissa Nichoalds

Madelyn Grayson                     Lyndsey Moreland                    Emily Forkey

Amanda Steinbeck                   Maria Hedrick                           Lana Dippel

Dennis Woehler                        Connie Carrier                          Mike Raisor

Sherman Greer                         John Stoll                                  Lexie Jones

Lisa Daugherty                         Bill McKeon                              Others Unidentified

Members of Media

VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Stephen Melcher, President

Troy Tornatta, Vice President

Lloyd Winnecke, Member

(Recorded and transcribed by Madelyn Grayson.)