VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners met in session this 15^th day of September, 2009 at 5:02 p.m. in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex with President Troy Tornatta presiding.

President Tornatta: Alright, we’re going to start the September 15, 2009 Board of Commissioners meeting in room 301. Attendance roll call, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Here.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Here.

President Tornatta: Alright, Kay Johnson, Girls in Bloom. How are you? Before you start, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

(The Pledge of Allegiance was given.)

President Tornatta: Good evening.

Kay Johnson: Hello. It’s good to be here with you again. On behalf of our organization, I would like to acknowledge the support given to Girls in Bloom by the County Commissioners over the last six years, now in our seventh year. Thank you for supporting our signature event, the Girls in Bloom Expo, where over 600 fifth through eighth grade girls, parents, presenters and volunteers assemble on the last Saturday of February to explore the world and experiences of young girls in the tri-state area to create opportunities for girls to develop self esteem through education, self exploration and creative expression so they will become independent individuals, and, thirdly, to increase the awareness of issues of importance to girls in our community. Your continued support has allowed Girls in Bloom to establish a Girls in Bloom reading collection at the Willard Library that celebrates a one year anniversary on October 12^th of this year. Through the expo event and the reading collection, girls attempt new experiences, such as art, music, physical movement, drama, science, finance, and career choices without peer pressure or competition. They learn about cyber bullying, relational aggression, body image issues and a healthy lifestyle. Thank you, County Commissioners, for making this possible through your continued commitment and your support, in particular, by providing the Centre as the venue for the 2010 Girls in Bloom Expo.

President Tornatta: That’s, I believe, February 27^th?

Kay Johnson: The 27^th this year, yes.

President Tornatta: And when does it start?

Kay Johnson: It will begin probably around 8:30 with registration. The venue for the day, the processes for the day have not been determined. That’s when we’ve started in the past. Then the first workshop usually begins at 9:00. The day continues through usually 2:00 or 2:30.

President Tornatta: Super. I know you had a packed house last year. How many do you think you had?

Kay Johnson: We did. I think counting everybody we probably had a little over 600, maybe 635. That’s counting parents, presenters and the volunteers that were there. We had several counties in Southern Indiana represented, a group from Owensboro in Kentucky, a group from Illinois. So, I think people are beginning to hear even greater things from us, and they’re coming from longer distances. We’re providing more workshops each year, keeping the ones that are most popular and changing that so that we can provide girls with these new experiences.

President Tornatta: Can you give me the ages one more time?

Kay Johnson: It’s fifth through eighth grade girls.

President Tornatta: Fifth through eighth grade.

Kay Johnson: Their age varies, you know, depending on when they started school.

President Tornatta: Well, super. Like I said, it really seemed like the girls were having a great time last year, and just kind of standing back and watching it, which anybody that’s interested at all, I would have you go do that. It’s really neat just to see the interactions, whether it’s 12 girls at a table, or whatever the case they’re having a good time. Thank you very much. Anything else? Questions, Steve?

Commissioner Melcher: No.

President Tornatta: Thank you for coming.

Kay Johnson: Thank you.

President Tornatta: Alright. By the way, you do have our support on the Centre. Thank you.

President Tornatta: Alright, permission to open quotes for VC09-09-01, Bridgeview Drive culvert number 410 sliplining. I need a motion.

Commissioner Melcher: So moved.

President Tornatta: Second.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Now we need the quotes.

Commissioner Melcher: Yeah, I was going to say, I didn’t see the quotes.

President Tornatta: Okay, any quotes?

Madelyn Grayson: I don’t know if John Stoll has them.

Commissioner Melcher: That’s why I looked over here because I didn’t see them.

President Tornatta: Alright. We do have a motion to open quotes and a second. If there’s no questions, roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: While we’re waiting on the quotes to get here we’ll go ahead and move on to action items.

President Tornatta: We have a proclamation for Vanderburgh County Library Day. Kathy Solecki is here with the Vanderburgh County Library.

Kathy Solecki: Thank you. I am not only here to make a request, but also to invite you to a birthday party. As amazing that it might seem, Central Library opened their new building five years ago this Friday, on September 18, 2004. So, we’re planning a big celebration, and you’re all invited. The celebration will actually be a week from Sunday, November....September 27^th. We’re having a full day of activities at Central Library. So, I hope you all will come. Meanwhile I am here to ask you to offer a county proclamation of Vanderburgh County Library Day. There are some things that you may not know about our library system. One is that last year the public library system checked out over three million items, more than 54,000 people attended programs at the public libraries, a total of a million and a half people visited all eight branches of the public libraries, and the library returns $322 in services per person in Vanderburgh County. So, it’s a wonderful facility, it’s a wonderful treasure for our community. We can all take great pride in our libraries. You have a copy of the proclamation in front of you.

President Tornatta: Kathy, I do, and if you don’t mind, I’ll go ahead and read that into the record, and then we’ll approve it, sign it and get it to you so that you can take it and frame it up.

Kathy Solecki: That would be wonderful. Okay.

President Tornatta: Okay.

“Whereas, the Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library’s mission is to inspire the residents of Vanderburgh County through education, information and entertainment; and, Whereas, the Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library provides $322 in services per person in Vanderburgh County; and, Whereas, in five years of serving the community in this building total visits to Central Library in 2008 approached nearly 500,000; and, Whereas, total collections in the Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library system number over 900,000 items; and, Whereas, more than 50,000 area residents attended library programs last year; Therefore, be it resolved that we, the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim September 18, 2009 as “Vanderburgh County Library Day”.

Congratulations.

Kathy Solecki: Great, thank you very much.

President Tornatta: And, can I have a motion?

Commissioner Melcher: So moved.

President Tornatta: A motion and a second. If there is no discussion, roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: We will sign this right away–

Kathy Solecki: Okay.

President Tornatta: –and you can have a copy.

Kathy Solecki: Okay, great.

President Tornatta: The next action item, road race request, See Bob Run 5K Race. Tony Maier? Is Tony here?

Tony Maier: Basically, we’re just asking for permission for a parade permit. I think that’s typically what we’ve done in the past, for October 24^th 9:00 a.m. at our north side location. I’m just here to answer any kind of questions. I think you have the road race route.

President Tornatta: Right.

Tony Maier: And the certificate of liability.

President Tornatta: And we do.

Tony Maier: Okay, basically, it’s a charity race. It’s, the proceeds benefit the Evansville’s Boys and Girls Club.

President Tornatta: That’s great.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I think the only question we might have is what have you done to arrange for stopping traffic on those thoroughfares?

Tony Maier: Okay, we have REACT, which is a volunteer service, who’ve done the race with us in the past. We also have a nice group of volunteers who, there’s only basically three intersections that we really have to worry about. We also put out a mailer to all of the residents on that race route for the day. They are kind of aware of it happening on an annual basis.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: But, there will be someone to stop traffic at the intersections?

Tony Maier: Yes, we have the REACT team, and then all of our people will be in vests and then we have cones out for it. It’s only about 45 minutes that the actual roads will be even closed. We don’t, I mean, if a resident needs to get out, we, you know, flag them through. We just make sure that it’s clear.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Sheriff Williams, you had indicated that you didn’t know anything about traffic control, does that sound satisfactory to you?

Eric Williams: Yes.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Okay, thank you.

Tony Maier: Any other questions?

Commissioner Melcher: I’ll move for approval.

President Tornatta: And a second. A motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Good luck.

Tony Maier: Thank you very much.

President Tornatta: Alright, sure.

President Tornatta: First reading of CO.09-09-016, an ordinance amending chapter 9.04, Fair Housing Ordinance. An ordinance amending the Fair Housing ordinance according to the HUD requests.

Commissioner Melcher: So moved.

President Tornatta: Second. A motion and a second. Discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Dave Rector, request to use surplus tiles for the Fire Department. You brought somebody with you, a special guest?

Dave Rector: I did.

President Tornatta: Fireman Sam?

Dave Rector: I thought I might need some help here. Good afternoon, Dave Rector, Building Authority. Last meeting you surplused some tile that we had left over from a job at the Centre that’s brand new and we have a use for. Chief Jarboe would like to address that need, and, hopefully, we’ll get an affirmative decision that can help the City Fire Department out.

President Tornatta: Okay.

Keith Jarboe: Thank you, Commissioners. It’s a pleasure to be here today. It was brought to my attention by Dave that there was some surplus tile that would be available, and we are, at this time, going through our administration building and doing some renovations. It really hasn’t had anything done since the building, when it was purchased by the city, at that time it went through a total renovation. We know that we have some things to do on the building. Once this was brought to my attention, we were looking at the front entry to our office at the administration building we’re going to tile the front entry and the wear areas, basically from door to door, and then we also have some carpet that we’re going to have installed in the administration building. It is our front door, it’s the first thing that the community sees when they come into our office, and we want to put our best foot forward. We believe that this would be a true enhancement of our facility.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Generally when we’re exchanging from one government entity to another, material like this, we have a resolution of the donor, which in this case would be the County Commissioners, and then a resolution by the receiving authority, and I’m not sure whether that would be the City Council or the Board of Works, or the Board of Public Safety.

Dave Rector: Would that apply, Ted, if it was surplused? See, it’s surplused material now. It’s not material that was, that is county to city. It’s surplused for what I understand now any purpose.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, surplused for any purpose that the Commissioners want to make of it.

Dave Rector: Right.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I guess, I would like to see the Board of Public Safety, I think, is actually the board that works with the Fire Department, is it not?

Keith Jarboe: Yes, sir.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: If the Commissioners approve this, I think the Board of Public Safety ought to adopt a resolution to receive the tiles from the County Commissioners. That’s all, I think that would take care of it.

Dave Rector: Okay. They’ve done that in the past?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Well, yeah, we’ve done that in many instances of exchange of equipment.

Dave Rector: Okay, we’ll get it taken care of.

President Tornatta: I was going to say, that should be–

Dave Rector: Then after their motion, then we go to Safety Board and have them do the resolution, and then we can use the tile after that?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Absolutely.

Dave Rector: Then I have some old, old, old surplus carpet, that we surplused three or four years ago that we’re going to let the Fire Department use to try to clean that area up.

President Tornatta: Sounds great.

Commissioner Melcher: So, I’ll just approve the motion of the tile and the carpet with the Safety Board approving it in a resolution.

President Tornatta: I’ll second that. A motion and a second. Discussion? Seeing none, roll call vote.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Dave Rector: Thank you, gentlemen.

President Tornatta: Thank you now.

President Tornatta: Contracts, agreements and leases, Cooperative Purchasing Organization approval of custodial supplies agreements. Anybody? Okay. There was an e-mail–

Commissioner Melcher: Is Jim Harris here?

President Tornatta: An e-mail was sent to us–

Commissioner Melcher: Let’s just put it on the next agenda.

President Tornatta: Okay. Alright, let’s go ahead and make a motion to defer.

Commissioner Melcher: To defer to the next?

President Tornatta: Yes.

Commissioner Melcher: I make the motion that since nobody’s here from the School Corporation that we’ll move it to our next meeting.

President Tornatta: I’ll second that. Discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Alright, EMA 2007 LETPP CI protection training and equipment grant agreements. This grant is for an amount not to exceed $215,000 for the law enforcement/terrorism prevention program for critical infrastructure program training, and for critical infrastructure protection equipment. Sherman?

Sherman Greer: Good evening.

President Tornatta: Good evening.

Sherman Greer: This grant is something that we just discussed today in our disaster planning council. What we are going to plan to do is hire a contracting company to do the infrastructure assessments of all 12 counties. Also hire two people, we’ve got $15,000, we’re supposed to hire two people to do the data entry and also the management of this project. What we’re going to do is put that $15,000 together, make $30,000 and hire one person to do the data entry and to do the management of the critical infrastructure–

President Tornatta: Okay.

Sherman Greer: –information that we need. Once we get all of that put together and we get some templates from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security on what type of contracts and everything like that, we’ll have to run those by Mr. Ziemer to see whether or not those are appropriate for, to be signed by the County Commissioners and by–

President Tornatta: Okay.

Sherman Greer: –the company that we choose. So, that’s where we’re going with this $215,000.

President Tornatta: Alright.

Commissioner Melcher: Is this the one that we talked about Saturday at “Family Day in the Park”? Didn’t we talk about this one?

Sherman Greer: No, sir.

Commissioner Melcher: Okay.

Sherman Greer: That was another one.

Commissioner Melcher: Okay, I’ll move for approval.

President Tornatta: And, second. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Thank you.

Sherman Greer: That’s all we’ve got.

President Tornatta: Okay. Thanks,

Sherman Greer: Thank you.

President Tornatta: Great to see you.

Sherman Greer: Alright.

President Tornatta: Commissioners, Purdue Co-Op Extension lease agreement. Ted, some information on that?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: We have been in the process since last month–

Madelyn Grayson: Ted, can you see if your microphone is on?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: I’m sorry. Our firm has been in the process for the last month of drafting a new lease for the lease by the county on behalf of the Purdue extension agent of space from Steve Kahre for offices for the Purdue extension agent. We have come to terms and provided the Commissioners with copies of a proposed form of lease, which would be acceptable to Mr. Kahre, and is acceptable from a legal perspective so far as the County Attorney is concerned. You have copies of that. It’s satisfactory for approval, as I say, from a legal perspective.

President Tornatta: Okay. This actually is in agreement with Purdue extension at this time?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: It is, it is, absolutely.

President Tornatta: Both groups came together and worked out an agreement, and I thought that it served both sides very well. So, if we could get a motion on that.

Commissioner Melcher: So moved.

President Tornatta: And a second. A motion and a second. Further discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Alright–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Mr. President?

President Tornatta: Sorry.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Mr. President, I showed on the agenda a Cooperative Purchasing Organization agreement, approval of custodial supplies agreements which you–

President Tornatta: Right.

Commissioner Melcher: There’s nobody here, so we made the motion–

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Oh, that was the one that you, okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that’s who you were talking about.

Commissioner Melcher: I’ll help you out on that.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Okay. Appreciate it.

President Tornatta: Alright, department head reports. John Stoll, County Engineer?

John Stoll: I just have one issue and that was in regard to the Green River Road project. There are two culvert crossings of Green River that need to be installed, and in talking to the contractor they would like to close the road on Thursday and get those culverts installed, rather than trying to flag traffic through and get the culverts installed in half the time. I think, given the circumstances and the traffic volumes, I think it’s a good idea. So, we’ll need your approval to go ahead and close the road Thursday, September 17^th, and we would close the road after 8:30 so that all of the morning traffic can get into work and to school. They would re-open the road as soon as the work was completed, but there’s no guarantee that it would be done in time for the evening traffic. So, just requesting approval for Blankenberger Brothers to close that road, it would be between Heckel and Millersburg. We would provide a signed detour route of Heckel Road, Oak Hill Road and Millersburg Road to go around the construction.

President Tornatta: Right, and you and I both talked to Jim Jesse today with Blankenberger, and he assured me that this would be something that they could get started in the day, get done in that day, and, you know, I know there’s always those issues, but the one thing that we did not want to see is that road to continue to be closed. In talking to him, if we did this in a phased process there would be issue with safety, and not only to his employees, but to our county residents. So, you know, I hate to close that road, but I would do it in an act of safety. So, it looks like we might only have to have the road closed for eight or nine hours to pull out that pipe. They would put it, essentially, back together and have it ready for whatever phase was up on the Green River Road process.

John Stoll: Right, they said they would hope to get it done by the evening traffic, but there was no guarantee. As soon as it is complete and ready for traffic they will get it re-opened.

President Tornatta: Okay, and that would be Thursday from all estimations 8:30–

John Stoll: 8:30 will be the start.

President Tornatta: –and their goal would be, we gave them a goal of 3:00, but that might be unattainable. So, they’re going to try to be as close to that to make sure that the kids can get back home and everyone else. We need a motion to approve.

Commissioner Melcher: Okay, so moved.

President Tornatta: And a second. A motion and a second. Discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

John Stoll: That’s all I have.

President Tornatta: Thank you.

John Stoll: Thanks.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Mr. President, I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but getting back to these custodial agreements, just a comment. I know that the documents you have in front of you for the meeting today shows that Mr. Harris would be here. I wish he were, but I’m not sure it’s necessary, and I don’t know what the urgency is for the going ahead with purchases under this document. The Commissioners approved the purchase of custodial supplies from four vendors at the August 11^th meeting of the Commissioners, and what these documents do is now memorialize, it’s a contract with each of those four vendors to supply the custodial supplies that we need. We have reviewed the documents and the bid proposal forms and we do find them satisfactory and in accord with the understanding that the Commissioners at the August 11^th meeting. So, all I want to suggest is that I think you could approve these today–

President Tornatta: Okay.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: –if you wish. If you don’t wish, of course, that’s up to the Commissioners.

President Tornatta: That was more in line of, I wasn’t quite clear if we were approving new vendors, or new products.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: No, no, actually, the vendors have been approved at a prior meeting, what we’re now doing is signing contracts with those vendors.

President Tornatta: Okay.

Madelyn Grayson: Jim Harris physically has the contracts. I don’t know if that makes any difference or not. I do not have them with me tonight.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Oh, now that, you mean, he was to bring the contracts to the meeting to sign? Well, I didn’t know that. So, if we don’t have contracts here we can’t go forward.

President Tornatta: Moving on, alright.

President Tornatta: New business? Seeing none. Old business? I do have, go ahead.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Yes, I do have one item, just under my report, and I’m sorry I got this to you late this afternoon, because I received it late this afternoon, but it’s an agreement between the Red Cross and Vanderburgh County on behalf of the Health Department for certain Health Department employees to receive CPR and AED, AED is automatic electronic defibrulator, training, which may be necessary as we go forward with immunization of all of Vanderburgh County for H1N1 flu and so forth. The training classes are scheduled to start on Monday, and I did not want the Health Department to go forward with training classes on Monday on an agreement that had not been approved. So, I did e-mail you this, but you may not have had time to receive that, but I believe we have the copies signed by the Red Cross here, do we not, Gary? Madelyn, you have them? So, if you wish to approve that, it’s satisfactory for approval.

Commissioner Melcher: Can I see it?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: While you’re looking at that, Commissioner, I’ll just summarize for you that the agreement provides for CPR and AED training for Health Department employees. There’s a minimum of eight employees required to have a training course. There are two courses set, one on September 21^st, which would be next Monday, and one for September the 25^th. The cost for the training is $65 per person. That cost would be paid out of grant funds, which the Health Department has available for this purpose.

President Tornatta: Okay, and, Gary–

Gary Heck: We just received them today as well. That’s the reason, sorry for the lateness.

President Tornatta: Gary, on the training, do you know, is that to, does that go beyond the Health Department? Or, who could be involved in this type of training?

Gary Heck: This will just be Health Department staff. This wouldn’t be for anybody that’s not employed by the Health Department.

President Tornatta: Okay. That’s, and read what exactly, tell me what exactly the training would involve?

Gary Heck: It’s going to be training in CPR and electronic, or the automatic electronic defibrulation. So, if somebody’s heart were to stop, it would give you the ability to use the equipment to jump start that. Then, if somebody needed CPR, they would also give them the ability to try to save a life that way.

President Tornatta: And, that’s only specific to the Health Department?

Gary Heck: Well, all of our medical professionals have it, but they would be the ones that will be doing the vaccinations. So, this would be the support staff and the data entry people. Dr. Nicholson thought it would be a great idea to have them trained as well just in case. More than half of our staff already have CPR certification and AED certification. This would be just to get the folks who normally aren’t in that position to be in that position should they have to be.

President Tornatta: Would we need anybody over here certified in any of those areas?

Gary Heck: It’s certainly not a bad idea. We would certainly be able to include them in this class. We can have up to a certain number. We have to have a minimum.

President Tornatta: Right.

Gary Heck: So, if anybody would be interested, we would be more than happy to let them join our class.

President Tornatta: Okay, alright. Maybe what we’ll do is get a list or send something out and if anybody is interested they could get with your staff.

Gary Heck: That will be fine.

President Tornatta: Okay? Alright.

Commissioner Melcher: I’ll move for approval.

President Tornatta: Second. A motion and a second. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Gary Heck: Thank you.

President Tornatta: Thank you. Any other new business?

President Tornatta: Moving to old business. I did have something, there was a, somebody came in talking about some Countywide Guides. This is done in several other counties, and it looked like an opportunity for Vanderburgh County to be represented and have these guides represented, and at this point I would put that back out on the table. We haven’t voted on it, but we did kind of mull it around. So, if there is interest, I would like to go ahead and act on it now.

Commissioner Melcher: So, this is the report from when the two gentlemen were here?

President Tornatta: Exactly.

Commissioner Melcher: About doing advertising and stuff like that?

President Tornatta: Warren Dissler, I think–

Commissioner Melcher: Was one of them.

President Tornatta: –was one of them. He’s actually running the program.

Commissioner Melcher: And we’re not out any funds?

President Tornatta: It won’t cost us a dime. It just, we just give them information so they can put it in a booklet and get it out to people throughout the community.

Commissioner Melcher: Move for approval.

President Tornatta: And second. A motion and a second on the Countywide Guides. Any discussion? Seeing none, roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: Mr. President, I have the bid.

President Tornatta: Okay.

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: There’s only one bid. This is for Bridgeview Drive culvert number 410 for sliplining. The bid is from Deig Brothers, and the amount of the bid is $15,460.

Commissioner Melcher: So, you need a motion for to give it to the attorney?

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.: To take it under advisement.

Commissioner Melcher: Take it under advisement? So, I’ll make the motion that we take it under advisement.

President Tornatta: And a second. A motion and second. Discussion? Roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Alright, public comment? Come on up.

Roberta Heiman: Commissioners, good evening.

President Tornatta: Good evening.

Commissioner Melcher: Good evening.

Roberta Heiman: I’m Roberta Heiman, President of the League of Women Voters of Southwestern Indiana. We are a non-partisan, grass roots organization. We work to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through education and advocacy. I’m here tonight to give you a heads up on something we’re going to do, or rather that we’re going to ask you to do.

President Tornatta: Okay.

Roberta Heiman: Okay, as you know, in 2006 the Indiana legislature enacted public law 1326, which allows our elected officials to consider a merger of city and county governments, subject to final approval by citizens in a referendum vote. The law promulgated as Indiana Code 36...oh, may I introduce Kathy Solecki?

President Tornatta: Sure.

Roberta Heiman: She is also with the League of Women Voters. The law promulgated as Indiana Code 36-1.5 provided two ways to initiate this process. Either by resolution by you, our elected officials–

President Tornatta: Uh-huh.

Roberta Heiman:–or by a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters in Vanderburgh County who voted in the last general election for Secretary of State. Well, three years have gone by and you, the elected officials, have not initiated the process. Now, if you would like to adopt a resolution tonight to do that–

President Tornatta: Okay.

Roberta Heiman: –I’ll go home, otherwise, the League of Women Voters this week is beginning to circulate a petition to begin that process. We are not currently either endorsing or opposing the concept of a merger of city and county governments, but we believe that the worsening financial problems facing our city and county government require consideration of all possible ways to increase the efficiency, eliminate duplication in administration and delivery of services, and make local government more accessible, understandable and responsible to citizens, including potential new corporate citizens who might want to come here and provide jobs. Our goal in this petition process is to obtain the required number of signatures, which is 2,632, and present it to the County Clerk for verification by October 15. We then would present that petition to you. By State law you would then have 30 days to adopt a resolution to either decline to move this process forward, or to propose a resolution for reorganization of local government. Then, if you propose the resolution it would go to the City Council, which would have the same, they could either decline to move forward on it, or adopt a similar resolution. If both of you do that adopting, then you would jointly appoint a citizens committee to develop a local government reorganization plan, which then would be submitted for a referendum vote. It would no longer have to go to the legislature for approval as it did in 2006. They blocked it then. The legislature, our proposal is to get the referendum on the ballot for the 2010 election. The legislature did not make this an easy process for a citizens group. If our elected officials decline to move forward, then we, or another group of citizens would have to go and get 10 percent of the registered voters to sign the petition, which would override your decision and automatically move it to a referendum vote. It’s a long, and you’ve got several opportunities along the way to say, this is it. Okay, we believe now is the time to do it. We know, for one thing, that change is inevitably coming in local government structure. Some of it already has. When was it, last year the voters throughout the State voted, in almost every case, to eliminate the position of County, of Township Assessors. Our Governor and legislature in the coming session are going to consider more proposals for more change, one of them might be to eliminate two of you and just have one County Commissioner. We believe that public law 36-1.5 provides an opportunity for Evansville and Vanderburgh County to prepare a plan, a local plan that addresses the local community. Few things can be applied really to meet the needs of every community. Gary is very different from Evansville, Indianapolis is very different from Evansville, so this gives us an opportunity to develop a plan. So, that’s why I came tonight. We hope you will agree to move forward on this. We would hope that the League would have representation on whatever citizens study committee is appointed, as well as people who might oppose government reorganization, so that everybody’s voice can be heard. I have brought with me a packet of information for each of you and for Commissioner Winnecke. If I could present this to you?

President Tornatta: Sure. Alright.

Roberta Heiman: Kathy and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

President Tornatta: Any questions?

Commissioner Melcher: These were already being passed around at the “Family Day in the Park” Saturday.

Roberta Heiman: I know that. Some of our members just couldn’t–

Commissioner Melcher: They couldn’t hold back.

Roberta Heiman: Some of our members just could not wait, Steve.

Commissioner Melcher: So, I tell you where I stand on this, pretty much, and I said this, the Mayor already has, we already have a committee that’s done a lot of research on this. Have you talked to John Dunn and that group of what they proposed?

Roberta Heiman: That group no longer exists, Steve.

Commissioner Melcher: Well, I thought it still existed, it was just hanging in. I didn’t know it dis, not dis–

Roberta Heiman: That group no longer exists. It prepared its plan and presented it, and the State legislators declined to let there be a referendum vote on it. So, that organization does not exist, but, no, I have not talked with Mr. Dunn. This is a decision and action by the League of Women Voters of Southwestern Indiana.

Commissioner Melcher: Because–

Roberta Heiman: We believe that it’s time for serious consideration of all possible things that might improve the efficiency of local governments. This, whatever plan is developed might be one that we don’t agree with, but we thing it’s time that it be considered, and we think, most of all, that it’s time for the citizens to be allowed to vote on whether to do this. It should be a citizens decision. That’s what we really believe.

Commissioner Melcher: And I’ve said that from the beginning. I’ve said from the very beginning that we ought to be voting on something that we all know what it is. We know the timelines, it’s not going to be thrown like the Assessors. The Assessors, when they did that to the Assessors here locally, I mean, we had Assessors that were renting buildings, and it was just chaos as far as I was concerned. I would like to see a timeline before I approve anything. I would like to see some kind of a savings. This is all that I explained to that citizens committee two or three times.

Roberta Heiman: Okay, we–

Commissioner Melcher: I want the people to vote on a referendum.

Roberta Heiman: We’re not asking you tonight whether you approve or disapprove of the merger. We’re asking you to agree to let this process move forward so that a plan can be developed, and that citizens can decide on whether to approve it.

Commissioner Melcher: Do you have anything?

President Tornatta: No, I mean, I think it’s kind of in your court right now, if you’re taking the lead on it, to get your vote, your voters–

Roberta Heiman: Right.

President Tornatta: –lined up, your 2,632 petitions ready to go.

Roberta Heiman: I have some petitions, if you would like to sign and circulate them.

President Tornatta: I appreciate that, but what I would like to do is let whoever is running with that go ahead and get that handled.

Roberta Heiman: Okay.

President Tornatta: And then bring it to us, and then we’ll–

Roberta Heiman: Okay, I just wanted to–

President Tornatta: –move the process from–

Roberta Heiman: –let you know that this is what we’re going to do.

President Tornatta: –do one thing–

Roberta Heiman: Sure.

President Tornatta: –and say that I am available anytime that the League of Women Voters would like to talk about real change and talk about how some of the effects of a consolidated government would affect both positively and negatively, and just get a fruitful discussion going, because I think that maybe there’s some points that I would like to learn from the knowledge that you have, and maybe I can give another thought to some of the places where you might not have some knowledge.

Roberta Heiman: Okay. Yes, we will be, well, we hope that if this process moves forward and a plan, a citizens committee is, there will be a lot of public hearings on it, a lot of public discussions, and that we definitely will invite you two to comment on it. Definitely.

President Tornatta: That sounds great.

Roberta Heiman: Okay.

President Tornatta: Okay.

Roberta Heiman: Thank you so much.

President Tornatta: At this time, we don’t need a vote to move on–

Roberta Heiman: No.

President Tornatta: –but we do encourage you to get all of your petitions.

Roberta Heiman: Okay, thank you.

President Tornatta: Any other public comment? Seeing none.

President Tornatta: Madelyn, first, I need a motion for the consents.

Commissioner Melcher: I make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

President Tornatta: And second it. Madelyn?

Madelyn Grayson: The consent items for the September 15^th meeting are as follows; approval of the September 1, 2009 Commission meeting minutes and department head meeting notes; employment changes from the various offices; travel requests, there’s one from the County Treasurer, four from the Health Department, three for the County Assessor, and one for the County Auditor; Area Plan Commission has a request for signature for participation in the 2010 census new construction program; the Treasurer has year-to-date reports for July 31^st and August 31, 2009; Burdette Park has a yearly comparison through August 2008 to 2009; the County Clerk has the July 2009 monthly report; the County Assessor is asking request to surplus various electronic equipment; the County Auditor is requesting to surplus fax machines, a laptop and office chairs; the Commissioners have a waiver of fees/not OT for use of the Centre on 9/16/09 for Hunt Construction pre-bid meeting; the Commissioners have a J.E. Shekell proposal for additional Old Courthouse chiller repairs; the County Engineer has an approval for pay request number 87 for the Burkhardt-Green River TIF projects in the amount of $8,420.17; the Commissioners have appropriation and transfer requests; the Commissioners have a request to redeem 205 and 207 East Virginia Street; the Commissioners have a citizen letter regarding the Majestic Place development; and there are department head reports from the County Engineer, the County Ozone Officer and Burdette Park.

President Tornatta: Alright, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Then, we’ll have a roll call vote, please.

Madelyn Grayson: Commissioner Melcher?

Commissioner Melcher: Yes.

Madelyn Grayson: President Tornatta?

President Tornatta: Yes.

(Motion approved 2-0)

President Tornatta: Alright. Okay, with that being said, we’ll need a motion for adjournment.

Commissioner Melcher: So moved.

President Tornatta: Second.

(The meeting was adjourned at 5:47 p.m.)

CONSENT ITEMS:

Commissioners:

Approval of the September 1, 2009 Commission Meeting Minutes.

Approval of the September 1, 2009 Department Head Meeting Notes.

Waiver of Fees/Not OT for Centre: Hunt Construction Pre-Bid Meeting 9/16/09

J.E. Shekell Proposal for Additional OCH Chiller Repairs.

Transfer: From SW IN Mental Health to Telephone Line Item.

Appropriation: Utilities at the OCH.

Letter from USI President: Majestic Place Development.

Employment Changes:

Sheriff (3)                                  Treasurer (1)                            Circuit Court (1)

VCCC (2)                                  Co-Op Ext. (1)

Travel Requests:

Treasurer (1)                            Health Dept. (4)                        Auditor (1)

County Assessor (3)

Area Plan Commission: Approval of 2010 Census New Construction Program.

Treasurer: Year-to-Date Reports through 7/31/2009 & 8/31/2009

Burdette Park: Yearly Comparison: January-August 2008 to 2009.

County Clerk: July 2009 Monthly Report.

Surplus Requests:

County Assessor: Sony Mavica camera, Lexmark printer, Acer monitor, (2) Trinitron monitors, plotter, HP laserjet 4550

Auditor: (2) fax machines, laptop, (7) office chairs

County Engineer: Pay Request No. 87: Green River-Burkhardt TIF Projects.

Department Head Reports:

County Engineer                       Burdette Park                           Ozone Officer

Those in Attendance:

Troy Tornatta                            Stephen Melcher                      Bill Fluty 

Ted C. Ziemer, Jr.          Madelyn Grayson                     Kay Johnson

Kathy Solecki                            Tony Maier                               Eric Williams

Dave Rector                             Keith Jarboe                             Sherman Greer

John Stoll                                  Gary Heck                                Roberta Heiman

Others Unidentified                   Members of Media

VANDERBURGH COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Troy Tornatta, President

Stephen Melcher, Vice President

(Recorded and transcribed by Madelyn Grayson.)