VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

MINUTES

AUGUST 6, 2008

The Vanderburgh County Council met in session this 6th day of August in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex. The meeting was called to order at 8:35 a.m. by Council President Marsha Abell.

President Abell: Good morning. Welcome to the August 6^th, 2008 meeting of the Vanderburgh County Council. Attendance roll call, please.

President Abell: Mr. Winnecke, would you lead us in the Pledge?

(Pledge of Allegiance was given)

President Abell: The Finance Chairman isn’t with us this morning. And Mr. Winnecke, will you handle the duties of the Finance Chairman for us, please?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes, ma’am.

President Abell: I’m sorry, I guess we need to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Do I have a motion?

Councilmember Leader: I so move.

President Abell: Do I have a second?

Councilmember Winnecke: Second.

President Abell: Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

TREASURER

President Abell: And now, Mr. Winnecke, would you take over?

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, starting with the appropriation requests, starting with the Treasurer, line 1030-4210 Office Furniture, I’ll move that we set this in at $5,000.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

Councilmember Winnecke: I’ll offer a brief explanation. As we discussed in depth last week about the merits of budgeting $100,000 for the entire renovation of that office, we know that there is going to be a renovation of the old jail sometime in the next year or less. This money, the $5,000 that I made a motion to approve today is for office furniture, some chairs that apparently are needed. So that’s the reason for the $5,000.

Councilmember Sutton: I did want to note, too, on this request, we had some discussion at our meeting last week concerning some other options or alternatives that could be considered for the two tax payment days that – around those periods that cause a great amount of traffic and inflow into the office and oftentimes security is an issue, and the flow of work and privacy, all those things that have been previously discussed. And the suggestion I made last week about the possibility of using the Centre during those two periods or in particular maybe using it for the November installment. We do have a meeting set up for next week to discuss that with Dave Rector, Z Tuley, the Sheriff, as well, that’s going to be involved with that meeting and we’re still trying to coordinate with the CIO. But it looks like something that might be an option for us that may happen but we’ll see what happens, but we’ve got the meeting set for next week.

President Abell: Thank you, Mr. Sutton. When you have that meeting, would you discuss with the Sheriff putting out some orange cones or something? I can envision people walking into this building to pay their taxes, having to walk across the street, and that gets dangerous running back and forth to the Centre because there is only one walkway there.

Councilmember Sutton: We’ll add that to our topics of discussion.

President Abell: Okay, thank you. Any other – Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes, I do have a note from Treasurer, Z Tuley, and she asked me if I would read it in regard to her request.

President Abell: Okay.

Councilmember Goebel: It says, “County Councilmembers, since taking office in 2001, I have listened to the repeated concerns of taxpayers about the length of time spent in line. In early 2003, I explored renovations to address taxpayers’ requests to do something about the lines. Those who need to pay in person deserve to get through as quickly and efficiently as possible. At that time, I was asked to postpone those plans since the county was spending several million building a new jail. I complied with the request to postpone then and will withdraw my request again today. Although I feel there is a strong need to address the current layout for this office, do recognize that the current fiscal situation that not only Vanderburgh County is facing, but all counties here in Indiana are dealing with. President Abell mentioned at the last Council meeting that a building-wide renovation plan was now in the works. This was the first I had heard of the plan. I commend the Council for exploring such a project. As a result of our discussions, I strongly urge that when the Council discovers the financial means to tackle this project, that the Treasurer’s office would be the first to be considered or addressed in this endeavor.” And I think she also recognized that her time as Treasurer is winding down and she wanted to be specific that this was not for her office, its for the general well-being. So I think she did the right thing in withdrawing. I think the point was brought across clearly, so she’s trying to work with us. Thank you.

President Abell: Thank you, Mr. Goebel. Anyone else? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

TREASURER                                                         REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

SHERIFF

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, Sheriff, line 1050-2210 Gas & Oil in the amount of $28,000; line 1050-3200 Utilities in the amount of $12,000, for a total appropriation of $40,000. I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

President Abell: Questions or comments from Council? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

SHERIFF                                                                REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

JAIL

Councilmember Winnecke: Jail, line item 1051-2260 Food, in the amount of $213,000, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

Councilmember Winnecke: And just for the record, as the Sheriff indicated, this would pay us through December.

President Abell: Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

JAIL                                                                       REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

COUNTY ASSESSOR (TWO REQUESTS)

Councilmember Winnecke: County Assessor line 1090-1110-1090 County Assessor in the amount of $23,306; line 1090-1120-1090 Chief Deputy $10,863; line 1090-1140-1090 Inheritance Tax Deputy in the amount of $9,987, for a total appropriation of $44,156, I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second? Mr. Shetler, did you second?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

President Abell: Comments? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COUNTY ASSESSOR                                           REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Winnecke: County Assessor, line 1090-1971 Accrued Payments, the correct figure is $4,952; line 1090-1900 FICA the correct figure is $379; and line 1090-1910 PERF the correct figure is $360, for a total appropriation of $5,691, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COUNTY ASSESSOR                                           REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Winnecke: County Assessor, line 1090-1320-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $2,277; line 1090-1340-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $4,631; line 1090-1350-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $14,662; line 1090-1360-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $12,705; line 1090-1370-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $20,096; line 1090-1380-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $19,564; line 1090-1390-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $14,625; line 1090-1400-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $13,519; line 1090-1410-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $12,191; line item 1090-1420-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $4,551, line 1090-1430-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $17,238; line item 1090-1440-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $13,223; line 1090-1450-1090 Real Estate Deputy in the amount of $2,277; line 1090-1900 FICA $16,869; line 1090-1910 PERF $15,980; line item 1090-1972 Level II Certification $4,376; line item 1090-1990 Extra Help $14,012; for a total appropriation of $202,796. I will move approval.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: I think maybe you could explain again, this is money that was put back into the General Fund with the transfer of Township Assessors back here, so its really not a new allocation, is that correct?

President Abell: That’s correct. This is money that was in a different budget that could not be transferred, so we are repealing that budget and allocating it out of this one.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you.

Councilmember Winnecke: There are repeals later in the meeting.

President Abell: But in case someone turns off their T.V. before we get to the repeals, that was the reason. Thank you. Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COUNTY ASSESSOR                                           REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

ELECTION OFFICE

Councilmember Winnecke: Election Office, line 1210-1120-1210 Election Assistant $15,000; line 1210-1900 FICA $600; for a total appropriation of $15,600, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Is Connie Carrier in the audience? I thought I saw her. Is this for two election deputies? Oh, this is from the Election Office. Sorry. These are from the Election Office, not Voter Registration. I’m sorry. Thank you. Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

ELECTION OFFICE                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

VOTER REGISTRATION

Councilmember Winnecke: Voter Registration line 1220-1990 Extra Help in the amount of $2,720; line 1220-1900 FICA in the amount of $209, for a total appropriation of $2,929, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Winnecke: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Now, Ms. Carrier, is this for two extra people?

Connie Carrier: Yes.

President Abell: Thank you. The answer was yes. As all of us know, Voter Registration is a dual party office. Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

VOTER REGISTRATION                                       REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

Councilmember Winnecke: Cooperative Extension Service line 1230-1990 Extra Help in the amount of $6,038; and line item 1230-1900 FICA in the amount of $462; for a total appropriation of $6,500; I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second?

Councilmember Leader: Second.

President Abell: Comments or questions? Roll call vote.

Councilmember Sutton: I’m sorry, I had a question on this. Is there someone here from Co-Op Extension?

President Abell: There wasn’t anyone here last week to answer our questions. Has anyone had a chance to have any discussions with them on this? This appears to be a new grant that they have received.

President Abell: Ms. Deig, do you know anything about what this is?

Councilmember Sutton: This is matching that they received? This is for a new grant that they received or this an existing –

Councilmember Winnecke: A project with St. Mary’s, apparently.

Sandie Deig: (Inaudible – microphone not turned on)

Councilmember Sutton: I mean, I hate voting on something that they don’t appear before us. I’d like for people to give a response and have some discussion about their requests when we have things that come before us. That shows that there is actually some concern and interest in their requests that they’re making before us.

I’m going to vote no.

President Abell: We’re ready for the roll call vote.

Councilmember Sutton: You’ve got mine.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: No.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion carried 4-2/Councilmembers Sutton & Abell opposed)

PUBLIC DEFENDER (TWO REQUESTS)

Councilmember Winnecke: Public Defender, line 1303-1620-1303 Chief Public Defender $2,530; line 1303-1900 FICA $194; line 1303-1910 PERF $184, for a total appropriation of $2,908, I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second?

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Abell: Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

PUBLIC DEFENDER                                             REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Winnecke: Public Defender, line1303-3948 Death Penalty in the amount of $30,262, I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second?

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Abell: Questions or comments? Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: I asked the Public Defender to answer some questions. I have heard nothing from him and in lieu of the fact that he does not answer my questions, I vote no.

PUBLIC DEFENDER                                             REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion carried 5-1/Councilmember Abell opposed)

SUPERIOR DRUG COURT

Councilmember Winnecke: The appropriation for Superior Court Drug Court has been withdrawn.

SUPERIOR DRUG COURT                                   REQUESTED       APPROVED

BURDETTE PARK

Councilmember Winnecke: I’ll move down to Burdette Park, line 1450-1180-1450 Other Employees, 75,000; and line item 1450-1900 FICA in the amount of $5,738, for a total appropriation of $80,738, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

BURDETTE PARK                                                 REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

REASSESSMENT/COUNTY ASSESSOR

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, moving to the Reassessment Fund, County Assessor, line 2490-1090-1900 FICA $1,183; line 2490-1090-1990 Extra Help $15,432; line 2490-1090-2600 Office Supplies $4,448; line 2490-1090-2700 Other Supplies $2,328; line 2490-1090-2840 Recording Fees $50; line 2490-1090-3130 Travel/Mileage $2,214; line 2490-1090-3200 Utilities $1,328; line 2490-1090-3310 Training $500; line 2490-1090-3410 Printing $1,938; line 2490-1090-3520 Equipment Repair $1,250; line 2490-1090-3530 Contractual Services $112; line 2490-1090-3540 Maintenance Contract $7,448; line 2490-1090-3600 Rent $9,160; line 2490-1090-3700 Dues & Subscriptions $1,715; line 2490-1090-4220 Office Machines $1,750, for a total appropriation of $50,856, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Mr. Shetler, do you have a question?

Councilmember Shetler: I do. Is Mr. Weaver here, by chance or...

Jonathan Weaver: Good morning.

Councilmember Shetler: Good morning. Does this have to do with bringing the township assessors here?

Jonathan Weaver: We have a bunch of different funds we dip into, Reassessment is one of them, the General Fund, so yes, part of the transfer from the townships to my office.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, and then part of the – some of this stuff was in their budgets and I guess we’ll be recouping that later on?

Councilmember Winnecke: There is a series of repeals of over $200,000 later.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay. I’m hoping, and I know its way too early, because this was thrown at you at the last minute, but I’m hoping that we’ll be able to get some efficiencies out of the consolidation in bringing everybody downtown and sharing supplies and equipment and that whole business.

Jonathan Weaver: Oh, this is great. I mean, yeah, next Tuesday is the moving date as you probably heard. Mr. Rector made the announcement yesterday. Yeah, we’re going to have a – looks like we’re going to have a left over copier and Pigeon, I believe, came before you guys a couple of months ago, hopefully, we’ll be able to share that with them to save the county money. So we’re combining all these resources and things are going to be wonderful, and I think the taxpayers are going to see the streamlining and the efficiency of this office, my office.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, thank you.

President Abell: Thank you, Mr. Weaver. I’m sorry, Mr. Goebel, did you have a question?

Councilmember Goebel: Sorry, Jonathan, you’re not getting off that easily. On the Office Machines –

Jonathan Weaver: This was all money budgeted last year, so – it’s there already. Go ahead, sorry.

Councilmember Goebel: The office machines that you’re purchasing, do you have an explanation of exactly what you’re buying or –

Jonathan Weaver: I wasn’t aware that we’re purchasing something, since we’re inheriting everything.

Councilmember Winnecke: We’re just re-appropriating money –

President Abell: He’s just moving that money and its out there and we’ve got to put it somewhere.

Councilmember Goebel: Okay, thank you.

Jonathan Weaver: Thank you.

President Abell: Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COUNTY ASSESSOR                                           REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

REASSESSMENT/PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT BOARD OF APPEALS

Councilmember Winnecke: PTABOA, line 2490-1091-3530 Contractual Services in the amount of $15,000, I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Comments? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

PTABOA                                                                REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

REASSESSMENT/COMMISSIONERS

Councilmember Winnecke: County Commissioners, line 2490-1300-3120 Postage/Freight $2,334; line 2490-1300-3140 Telephone $2,947, for a total appropriation of $5,281, I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second?

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Questions? Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COMMISSIONERS                                                REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

REASSESSMENT/COUNTY COUNCIL

Councilmember Winnecke: County Council, line 2490-1480-3860 Contractual Computer $1,093; line 2490-1480-3372 Computer Software $1,486, for a total appropriation of $2,579, I’ll move approval.

President Abell: Do I hear a second?

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Questions? Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

COUNTY COUNCIL                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Mr. Winnecke, I’m going to interrupt you if you don’t mind. I’ve told Mr. Lehman he could come forward. He has a meeting and he’s last on our agenda and he has to leave. Mr. Lehman, if you’d like to come forward.

Councilmember Winnecke: That’s good. I need a breather anyway.

Roger Lehman: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and President Abell. I’m here today on behalf of the Building Commission. Roger Lehman, Building Commissioner, requesting the County Council ratify and approve the inter-local agreement between the city and the county for the operation of my department. This change, basically, is changing the way the revenue is handled. That was not addressed in previous inter-local agreements, it was kind of left unclear and unstated on how that was to be done and this one restates it and makes it very clear how the revenue is to be handled. And I would request that you approve it and I’m open to any questions anybody has.

President Abell: Does anyone have any questions of Mr. Lehman?

Roger Lehman: This has been approved by the County Commissioners and the City Council.

President Abell: That’s what I thought. We’re the last body to approve this.

Councilmember Leader: Good morning, Mr. Lehman, just for the general public’s information, would you explain just a little bit what we’re talking about before we vote? Thank you.

Roger Lehman: Absolutely. In the past, the revenue that we received from the county for permits and for citations has been returned to the county. The county does provide 50 percent of our operating expenses in addition to the permits and the citation revenue, the county receives half of the license revenue. And in the past what has occurred is, if the county was having a very good year, we would be returning more money to the county than the 50 percent that we were being paid, which left the city paying the difference. And in this year, that trend has kind of reversed and if this had been in place this year, the county probably would be receiving a little bit of revenue. The way it is now, under the current system, you probably won’t be getting anything back, you may actually be paying more expenses than you are getting in revenue. Its going to be very close. So what we were looking at is a method to kind of balance the way that we budget, balance the way that you can predict your income from year to year and keep it from, did the income come from the county or did it come from the city. So now, at the end of the year, we take whatever revenue is in excess of expenses and we split it in half, the county gets half, the city gets half, regardless of where it comes from. And that just makes our job in budgeting a lot easier and it also provides you folks and the city a way of kind of dealing with the revenue a little bit more efficiently than they have in the past. Thank you.

President Abell: Any questions?

Councilmember Winnecke: I would just offer, I think this is really in the spirit of what a jointly funded city/county department is all about. I think it’s a good idea.

President Abell: Thank you. And also, Councilmen, I had several meetings with the city officials and Mr. Lehman, and you know, we should always be aware of the fact that the city also lies in the county, so this is, I’m with Mr. Winnecke, this is a very good agreement. Appreciate all your work on this. Do I have a motion to accept this -– ?

Councilmember Leader: I so move.

President Abell: And do I have a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Abell: Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Thank you, Mr. Lehman.

Roger Lehman: And thank you. I appreciate your consideration on the agenda today. You all have a good day.

President Abell: Mr. Winnecke, I’ll turn the meeting back over to you.

ARMSTRONG ASSESSOR                                   GERMAN ASSESSOR

PERRY ASSESSOR                                              SCOTT ASSESSOR

                                       UNION ASSESSOR

Councilmember Winnecke: Thank you. Since our repeals are lengthy, if it pleases everyone, I think I’ll group these. I would move that we accept the appeals from the General Fund as presented and those total repeals total $239,294.18 and I would make that in the form of a motion.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

President Abell: Any comments or questions? There’s your money back, Mr. Goebel. Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

ARMSTRONG ASSESSOR                                   REQUESTED       APPROVED

GERMAN ASSESSOR                                          REQUESTED       APPROVED

PERRY ASSESSOR                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

SCOTT ASSESSOR                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

UNION ASSESSOR                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

ARMSTRONG ASSESSOR                                   GERMAN ASSESSOR

PERRY ASSESSOR                                              SCOTT ASSESSOR

                                       UNION ASSESSOR

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, now to the Reassessment Fund repeal requests, and I would also move that we accept those repeal requests as presented, the total $57,651.64.

Councilmember Sutton: Second.

President Abell: Questions? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

ARMSTRONG ASSESSOR                                   REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Table continued next page)

GERMAN ASSESSOR                                          REQUESTED       APPROVED

PERRY ASSESSOR                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Table continued next page)

SCOTT ASSESSOR                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

UNION ASSESSOR                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

AUDITOR (TWO REQUESTS)                              SURVEYOR

WEIGHTS & MEASURES                                      HIGHWAY (LATE)

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, we have a few transfer requests and one late transfer. I would also move that we accept the transfers as presented.

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Abell: Questions or comments? Did everyone see the late transfer? Okay, roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

AUDITOR                                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

AUDITOR                                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

SURVEYOR                                                           REQUESTED       APPROVED

WEIGHTS & MEASURES                                      REQUESTED       APPROVED

HIGHWAY                                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, Amendments to the Salary Ordinance, these are rather lengthy and short of doing another dramatic reading, I would propose that we accept the amendments to the salary ordinance that have been presented to each of us.

Councilmember Leader: Second.

President Abell: Questions? Roll call vote, please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Thank you.

President Abell: Under old business, we have someone here to speak to an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of no more than three million one hundred thirty-five thousand dollars economic development revenue funding bond series 2008, the Catholic Diocese of Evansville, Indiana, Inc. of Vanderburgh County, Indiana.

Ted Ziemer: Good morning, Madam President, and members of the Council. I’m Ted Ziemer, Jr., representing Vanderburgh County and the Vanderburgh County Economic Development Commission. You’ll recall at your July 2^nd meeting, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing going forward with the process for the issuance of these bonds. Since then, the Evansville City Council, on September 28^th of this year, met and adopted – that’s because the project is in the city of Evansville – they met, and approved and authorized going forward with the issuance of the bonds. And then the Vanderburgh County Economic Development Commission met on August 1^st of this year to adopt a resolution approving the form of ordinance, which you have before you today and consenting to the adoption of that ordinance by this Council, if this Council wishes. I want to present to the President, a certified original copy of the minutes of the Vanderburgh County Economic Development Commission. So, anyone have any questions?

Councilmember Leader: Mr. Ziemer, I just have a comment. You said September 28^th, I assume you meant July 28.

Ted Ziemer: I’m sorry, if I said that. Yes, July 28^th, 2008.

Councilmember Leader: Thank you. Just for the record.

Ted Ziemer: Yeah, we really move fast but not that fast.

President Abell: Does anyone else have any questions or comments? I understand that this is of absolutely no financial consequence to the county, is that right?

Ted Ziemer: That is correct.

President Abell: Okay.

Ted Ziemer: The county has no financial obligation in approving these refunding bonds.

President Abell: Okay. Before we vote on this, I need a motion from someone and a second that we will accept this as our final vote.

Councilmember Leader: I make that motion.

Councilmember Winnecke: Second.

Jeff Ahlers: You just need to state that the motion is just, the motion would be that if passed unanimously, that this would be a first and final reading. If it’s not unanimous, then there would need to be a second reading. So the motion would be that this would be a first and final reading if passed unanimously.

President Abell: Okay. Will that be your motion then?

Councilmember Leader: That is my motion.

President Abell: And that will be your second?

Councilmember Winnecke: I’ll amend my second, yes.

President Abell: Alright. Roll call vote.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Now we need a motion to pass the ordinance.

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Abell: Do I have a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Abell: Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Thank you, Mr. Ziemer.

Ted Ziemer: Thank you. And just as an aside, Madam President, as a former President of the Evansville Museum, I’d just like to say that I’m in favor of whatever the Museum is in favor of.

President Abell: Mr. Ziemer, my understanding is, they’re going to ask you for a million dollar contribution.

Ted Ziemer: I didn’t get that note.

Councilmember Sutton: Don’t let him leave out the door.

Councilmember Winnecke: They’ll call you for lunch.

President Abell: Under new business, Convention & Visitors Bureau, anticipated grant to the Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science. Is Marilee here? Yes, she is.

Marilee Fowler: Good morning. We are very excited about this. First of all, its been a great week in the fact that we opened Amazonia at the Mesker Park Zoo and that was funds that have come through the Tourism Capital Development resources that we have to do these types of projects. So the next exciting project we’re here to ask for you to support is the expansion at the Evansville Museum with an immersive theater and an expansion of how they’re going to change the look of the facility and what they can offer visitors as well as local residents. At this point in time, before we get into what it is we’re here to ask about, there is a short video they have prepared, so I think this is an opportunity for everyone to see just exactly what this new expansion will be.

(Video presentation)

Marilee Fowler: I think you’ll agree with me, this is a very exciting project for the Evansville Museum, and certainly another way to bring our community to an incredible place, not only for the people that live here, but for the visitors that come. With me today is John Streetman, the director of the Museum and Rita Eykamp, who is the chairperson for this campaign. You should have also received information about this project and how it’s all going to come together and the funding sources that they’ve already captured for this project. But I know the question you have for us is, how is the Convention & Visitor’s funds involved? We’re looking at contributing $750,000 to this project and what we look to do is in 2010, make a payment of $400,000 and then complete that in 2011, with $350,000. As you know, about a year ago, September of last year, we increased the Innkeeper’s Tax by two percent. And that two percent goes directly to the Tourism Capital Development fund, so that fund is growing very rapidly, and we’re very comfortable that money will be there to accomplish this project in those coming years. So I welcome John and Rita to join me. If you have questions regarding the funding or the project, we’d be glad to answer any of them.

President Abell: I think there will be some questions for you if you’d stay after they finish their presentation. Thank you. Mr. Streetman?

John Streetman: Good morning, President Abell and members of the Council, thank you very much, and also Mr. Ziemer in absentia, thank you, too. We appreciate the opportunity to just share with you the museum’s exciting plans for expansion. As you know, this is the most ambitious project in our 104 year history. We feel that it comes at a key moment in the life of the tri-state community with so many wonderful changes already underway that will make our city and county a better place for all of us. To give you a brief history, the concept for a public museum for Evansville was born in the 1870's and it was housed in the then new Willard Library with a rather auspicious name of the Temple of Fine Arts. At the turn of the century, its contents were moved to what once had been a private home on the banks of the Ohio River. In 1959 the present facility was completed on that same site. As I’m sure you know, from 1997 to 2001, the museum moved forward with a series of major facility additions and improvements, not the least of which was the construction of the new Evansville Museum Transportation Center or EMTRAC on the museum’s campus in 1999, principally made possible by a grant from the Evansville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and the County Council. Perhaps the story of our dreams for the future was best explained in the short film that you’ve just seen. In it you saw a plan that will increase the museum’s floor space from 55,000 square feet to 70,500 square feet, bringing the latest technology available in planetarium presentations and importantly, linking us with our neighbors just up the river at the LST 325. We’re presently in the project’s design phase and hope to begin construction early next summer with completion scheduled by the beginning of 2011. Our chairperson for the drive is Rita Eykamp, as I think you know, and she would like to share with you our progress thus far towards the fifteen million dollar goal. Following that, museum staff and trustees who are involved with various aspects of the project will be happy to answer any additional questions that you may have. Thanks so much.

Rita Eykamp: President Abell, members of the Council, its nice to be here today. I am Rita Eykamp, chairman of the Reaching for the Stars capital campaign for the museum, and would like to bring you up to date on where we are in the $15,100,000 goal that we have for this campaign. As of August 4^th, we have signed pledges of $9,300,000 plus. With your approval of the $750,000, we will be over the two/thirds mark as we go to obtain the last five million dollars in the campaign. In addition to that, we have another half million dollars that is pending final approval and calls have been started for our corporate campaign. Very little of the $9,300,000 are from the corporate community at this time. We’re just beginning that campaign. We are also just beginning the leadership campaign to individuals in our community campaign. Both of those have just gotten underway. We all know that the final dollars in raising for any campaign are the most difficult, the most challenging and the most time consuming, and so we are now in the process of the final dollars, the last third of the campaign. We ask you for this approval of the recommendation of the Evansville Visitors and Convention Bureau, and we tell you that we feel the $15,100,000 is reasonable and reachable, and we ask for your consideration, and we, again, are available for any questions that you might have.

President Abell: Councilmen, does anyone have a question of Ms. Eykamp or Mr. Streetman at this time? Ms. Leader?

Councilmember Leader: I have a question for Mr. Streetman, please. Would you mind coming up?

John Streetman: Whatever you think.

Councilmember Leader: Well, we want you on television, John. People actually watch us, believe this or not, middle of the night and Sunday mornings.

John Streetman: It’s a good show.

Councilmember Leader: Isn’t it a good show? No commercials. I have just a general question, I’m, obviously, love the project having been involved with the museum all my life. Today, many members of the general public are able or, I guess, organizationally, able to use the old gallery for special events, and I see this beautiful new board room and I’m trying to envision the rest of it. Will we have access to use your boardroom and the old gallery as we have in the past?

John Streetman: Yes, as a matter of fact, the boardroom will be made available for meetings. Our present plan is to make the seating station as you saw in the pictures so that it really looks like – well, like this. And also the old gallery, in the plans, and I’m not sure that that was thoroughly enough mentioned, but the old gallery is going to be completely renovated and its going to look better than ever. It also will have an anteroom at the Riverside part of the room, of this 5,000 square foot room facing the river, that will be made into a separate room which will also be made available for smaller meetings. So we will have these three alternative spaces, so we’re going to make the old gallery look better than ever and all of this will be made available to the public for use. And we love to have people come to visit the museum because that gets them into the building and gives proper use to our community.

Councilmember Leader: Thank you.

John Streetman: Thank you. Any other questions while I’m here?

President Abell: Any other questions?

Councilmember Sutton: Mr. Streetman, can you talk a little bit more about the parking and obviously, that’s impacted and how you’re realigning that and the ingress and egress issues and how you’re handling that?

John Streetman: Absolutely, we have a committee called the facility planning committee and considerable attention and study is being given to that right now because, obviously, we’re going to reconfigure the building. We’re going to, the immersive theater will be open at nights just as a theater would be. And people will come, so those considerations also will have to work in concert with what’s going on at the Pagoda. But Bill Beard is the chairman of our facility’s planning committee and he can sort of speak to where we are at this point. Bill?

Bill Beard: Good morning. I am Bill Beard and I am working on the business end of the project, trying to get the construction done. And we’re looking very seriously at the parking. What we have today, what we will have after the construction is done, because we will probably lose a few parking spaces, and how it can all best be utilized for both the museum and the visitors and convention center. Where we end up remains to be seen but if it is necessary that we expand the parking, its possible for us to go farther south towards the tennis courts and add parking places if they’re needed. Any other questions?

Councilmember Sutton: How much of that do you guys presently own or is that city property?

Bill Beard: Its all city property. We lease it.

Councilmember Sutton: And have you had discussions with the city about that possibility?

Bill Beard: Not directly as this point. It would require an expansion of the lease. The property line for the lease is right off the end of the current parking lot.

Councilmember Sutton: I mean, obviously, you’re in a land locked situation on the parking, you’ve got the levee on one side and you’ve got Riverside on the other side of you, and further down you’ve got the tennis courts, but there is some green space there. How much are you projecting additional spaces that you would like to have in that green space that you presently do not have?

Bill Beard: We kind of have to squash out to the south, that’s the only direction that we can move.

Councilmember Sutton: And how much parking are you anticipating being able to get out of that?

Bill Beard: Oh, we could easily get twenty or thirty more spaces there without taking up too much of that, of the green space.

Councilmember Leader: How many spaces do you have now? Do you know?

Bill Beard: Just a little over 200 and that’s counting the spaces at the Pagoda.

President Abell: Any other questions? This may be – wouldn’t be directed to you but maybe toward Mr. Streetman and Ms. Eykamp, but I would certainly like to see some signs around town of where they could catch the trolley and park their car away from the museum and ride the trolley down to the museum. In fact, with the gas prices the way they are and pollution as big an issue as it is to this area, I’d certainly like to encourage everyone to park elsewhere and take the trolley to all the local attractions.

John Streetman: President Abell, that’s a very good point, and I think you all know that within the last two or three years we’ve founded something called MADE, the Museum Alliance of Downtown Evansville. And we’ve even been talking about the idea of a possible round robin, where people can get on the trolley and visit all the museums or make their selections of where they’d like to go, particularly on the weekends and in the summer. So that’s very much in our thoughts and that’s a great idea, anything that we can do to kind of decongest that area would be great.

President Abell: We’d like to see public transportation used more.

John Streetman: Absolutely, thank you.

President Abell: Okay, thank you. Any other questions? Ms. Fowler, I think there’s some questions of you.

John Streetman: Thank you so much.

President Abell: Mr. Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Marilee, thanks for the description on the – sort of the expected revenue and outflow for projects over the next few years. I think one of the things that’s kind of curious to me is the whole issue of where this fits in. I’m all in favor of the project and I don’t have any problems with the project. I’m curious about how the sports complex fits into that. It seems to me when we talked about the sports complex many, many months ago, wasn’t that like a ten or twelve million dollar project?

Marilee Fowler: It is. We’re anticipating that sports complex to be a ten or twelve million dollar project.

Councilmember Winnecke: And in your narrative for us, when you say that in 2009, you would like to budget $765,000 to start the sports complex, and then another – I can’t find the – and another several hundred thousand in 2010, how do you see the whole funding of the big project being paid for?

Marilee Fowler: We are looking at doing this big sports complex similar to what we did when we renovated the Pagoda and helped build the transportation center at the museum. We worked with the banks, we took out a loan so the money was there and then over the course of just a few years we paid it back well in advance of the final payment. So that’s what we would do is to have the money up front with bank loans and then pay them back accordingly. But this fund is growing so rapidly, that the resources will be there to do that. That’s what’s so exciting about that, is that we can help that. That’s why we were able to help Amazonia. We’ve added over 200 hotel rooms just this summer. We’ve had two new hotel properties open, so that’s about a total of 230 rooms. Our revenue from Innkeeper’s Tax is as high as it has ever been for the month of July. The payment we’ve just received, it is the second highest payment we have ever had in Vanderburgh County on hotel rooms. So when they talk about a recession and we see these numbers and these figures that are coming in, obviously, Evansville is doing quite well as far as visitors and business for people to come and have meetings and that type of thing. So we’re very optimistic that this is going to grow and happen. We’ve also had conversations that if the arena, downtown arena is committed, they would look for resources from us. We feel very comfortable with the fact that this money has been increased, its growing quite rapidly, that we can accomplish our project with the sports complex and probably help with the city’s arena as well, and help the museum. So the money is there for us to do it.

Councilmember Winnecke: So just for clarification, you anticipate the entire sports complex to be paid for through this fund, and in your discussions with the city, have you kind of earmarked or had any discussions about what percentage annually would be dedicated to an arena if an arena is constructed?

Marilee Fowler: I have not seen any final figures as to what the city is looking. The figure that keeps surfacing is eight million dollars from our resources to help with that project.

Councilmember Winnecke: Over the life of the project?

Marilee Fowler: Over the life of the project.

Councilmember Winnecke: Okay, thank you.

President Abell: Mr. Goebel, did you have a question?

Councilmember Goebel: No, I think you’ve answered. Do you foresee any other major projects that you’re going to be throwing our way or asking...

Marilee Fowler: Last January, the last thing on our radar screen was to help build the welcome and entrance at Mesker Park Zoo. But that happened and we saw that the resources could be there, so it worked. And if we can continue to continue being successful at bringing visitors to Evansville, and if that continues to happen and more hotels are built, obviously, there is resources to do other projects. So I know there is always a waiting line of organizations to see who we can help build and help with projects. So we’re always interested and if the resources can be there, we’ll certainly come back and ask for your assistance to do it. But at this point in time, it’s the museum, it’s the sports complex and probably the arena.

Councilmember Goebel: I would hope that you might put the brakes on a little bit at this point. Those are very worthy considerations, and I think the museum plan, I commend those people who have put all the time and effort in. And I think it’s just going to be great for our generation and all generations coming forward, all the school children and visitors coming in. So, such a worthwhile cause.

Marilee Fowler: I totally agree and I commend them to have that kind of commitment for the funding of this even before they approached us, that they were so far along. So we’re very excited to have that in our neighborhood as the expansion of that. And again, everything we do with the museum, with the LST, with the children’s museum, with the African-American Museum, all of those just enhance what Evansville has and certainly just makes us that much more appealing to bring visitors.

President Abell: Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: With regards to the state’s initiative on trying to take over state and local government and put kind of the brakes on our revenue streams, have that done that to you guys? I mean, is this revenue stream that you have in place look like its going to stay in place?

Marilee Fowler: This was special legislation that was written close to forty years ago, just specifically to set up our organization and make the funds there. And I think it was very visionary when the community leaders at that time earmarked a portion of it to go back to capital development. So at this point in time, because of special legislation, it would require going back to the legislators to change it. So at this point, we’re okay.

Councilmember Shetler: Alright, thank you.

President Abell: We would lobby strongly against that.

Marilee Fowler: Thank you. I have a summary I had prepared when I was here last time about BMX and that funding source that Mr. Winnecke was referring to. If you’d like a copy of it again, I’ll be glad to share these with you.

President Abell: Okay, are there any other questions of Ms. Fowler? I have a comment, not necessarily a question: luckily for me since I took this part-time job, I’m able to travel around some places and see how other communities do things, and I would like to see our community put together a coalition of all of our outstanding features, the zoo, all of the museums, the LST, everything that we have, and people to be able to come to different locations, buy one ticket to ride on one trolley, get in any event. In the other cities that I’ve gone to, I’m sure I didn’t get my money out of what I paid for it, but I got the luxury of getting to go anywhere I wanted to go, and I think that it would get people into areas that they might not would otherwise buy a ticket to go to. And I think that would be an outstanding thing to see all of you work together toward.

Marilee Fowler: As Mr. Streetman said, the MADE, the Museum Alliance of Downtown Evansville, that’s exactly what they want to see done with the trolleys, is that you pay an admission, you can hop on and off that trolley all day. You can see all the attractions and, again, it’s a good way to get a lot more cars off the street, but a way that they probably will visit attractions that they wouldn’t have done, otherwise. So it is something that we do want to see accomplished. I think this new addition will certainly make that even more appealing and it is something that we’re working on.

Councilmember Leader: Good. What I think Ms. Abell is saying, Marilee, a visionary, we need to think about including the zoo, and other venues and being able to take people to the shopping centers, you know, like a tour of the city, as you can do in major cities, and that kind of thing. I think there’s a great opportunity for historical venues, that we have in the community as well, to make that all one opportunity and attraction for people if we have to end up investing in our own mass transit kind of system. I don’t know what that, you know, busses or whatever that might mean, but that’s a great opportunity and although we’re suffering from this gas shortage right now, our mass transit system, our trolleys and all those other venues are not used to capacity, so that would be a great opportunity to investigate.

Marilee Fowler: Well, we will continue to pursue that because we feel the same way.

President Abell: Any other questions or comments? This is not before us for a vote, just saying that for the people who are watching at home, just a presentation, and we thank you. Thank you members of the zoo – yeah, members of the zoo, the museum, whatever. Thank you for coming this morning. We appreciate your time.

President Abell: Prosecutor, letter requesting permission to pay two employees stipends higher than County Council’s salary ordinance allows. Let’s give a few moments for our museum friends to go about their daily chores. Just a moment. Well, that pretty well cleared out the chambers. Alright, it’s your show, Mr. Brown.

Doug Brown: Good morning, Doug Brown, Prosecutor’s office. We’re actually not asking for money, we’re asking you to let us spend our own money on a couple employees. A letter was sent to Sandie on July 1^st. These are two employees: one of them had an, Jonathan Parkhurst, had an increase from the Job Study, and was granted up to a five year. It was kind of an unusual meeting. We were going to have him unclassified, it went back and forth, and ended up settling on the five year increase when he rejoined the office late last year. For Jonathan, we would ask an additional bump of just about $4,600. It would make give him the salary if he worked for ten years. This money would come from our discretionary fund. Jonathan can’t go back in front of the Job Study until 2009, so Stan would ask that you allow us to pay this out of our own money and if the Job Study did not approve it at that time, he would quit funding it. The other request we have is for another employee, Camala Cooley. We did submit a form to the Job Study for last August, and for whatever reason, I don’t know if it didn’t, I don’t know, Sandie kind of knows the history, too. We don’t know what happened, but we’ve only had maybe one Job Study meeting since then, I believe. It didn’t make it on there and through no fault of that employee, its never been reviewed and she’s been here a year. She worked here four years previously. We’re asking for an increase in her salary to the five year level, which we think the Job Study, in the history of the Job Study normally approves that, but she’s been here almost a year without that salary. We would ask that she be raised and then when the Job Study does review it as with Mr. Parkhurst, if it was not approved, Stan would quit funding that. And all this money is coming from our own discretionary funds.

President Abell: Well, I know there are going to be a lot of questions, so who wants to start? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: I guess first of all, just let me, I’d like to point out, not really a question here, but I don’t recall the exact date, but sometime early in the year we had sent out a memo explaining that we were going through an extensive review of the different positions. I think we had hired BKD to do that work, and that there really, we would not be reviewing any individual circumstances because we’ve gotten, over the years, the entire personnel for the county is kind of totally out of whack. And we just didn’t want to get into the middle of something that, a fairly comprehensive plan that we were trying to draw up so that things did get on a more equitable basis, I guess, for all county employees. So that’s the reason why we have not entertained that particular subject at this time. Now if my recollection is – well, I guess where I have a big problem with this, is that, and I don’t mean to keep referring because I know government is not private business, but we in private business don’t have the luxury, you know, that happens to us. We lose a very good employee because the grass is greener. They go off, they decide that grass wasn’t as green as they thought, they recognize the benefits and the things that they were receiving at the prior place and they want to come back. Its happened to me. At that point, I’ve got a decision to make. The person that I put in to replace him, you know, after two or three or four months, do I let him go or is this guy better or how do I work that out? That’s a management decision. Its not always easy, its tough, it’s a tough decision to try to make, to decide whether you want to bring back the old guy and usually at that point in time, I have to do what we really recommended here for Mr. Levco to do, and that is if the guy wants to come back at a lower rate and as a typical employee would, because you no longer have that position available, then that’s the way we’ve had to do it sometimes, in our own private. And my mind has not changed in the last six or seven months since we first discussed this.

Doug Brown: And I understand your argument regarding that employee. The other employee, it was just, the request was made on time, it fell into a black hole somehow, she should have been on our last Job Study meeting, and she – and I can only use history – I don’t know how the Job Study would have voted – but I’ve probably been through five, six, seven, eight, nine years of them, they’ve always been granted in her situation, the bump up to the five years. So we have two different situations here: hers was just an – I don’t want to use the word oversight, it just didn’t make it on the agenda for whatever reason. And again, we’re asking to pay this out of our own money.

Councilmember Shetler: Well, what do you mean, out of your own money?

Doug Brown: Discretionary funds from our office.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay. In this case, I mean, I hate to usurp and assume that any particular body is going to do, take a certain kind of action, and so I have a problem from that standpoint. But –

Doug Brown: And I can’t speak on that, eight, I can only speak from history. I don’t know what exactly would have happened since it didn’t occur.

Councilmember Shetler: Alright, thank you.

President Abell: Other Councilmen? No one else? Well, I do. I have a lot of problems with this. I have a lot of problems with this Council going beyond what the salary committee does because that’s the whole purpose for setting them up is because this Council couldn’t give the attention to it that a committee can. I realize what you say about history, but history was also that we could increase taxes if we needed to, and we can’t any longer, so things change. And this has changed. I don’t know who in you office follows this, but I can tell you that when I was sitting as an officeholder, if I put in a request for Job Study to look at a someone’s job, and I didn’t hear something back in a couple of weeks, I was calling Ms. Deig. And no one followed up, so I don’t think that it is an oversight. I hate that word because I don’t think it was an oversight. And if it was an oversight, it was an oversight on a lot of places.

Doug Brown: Sure.

President Abell: And usually, oversights don’t happen in separate offices all on the same issue.

Doug Brown: Sure. And I sit on the committee myself. So, I mean, I was there and didn’t realize it, either.

President Abell: So I would think that this one needs to go back to the committee. Sorry it didn’t happen when it did, but it still needs to go to the committee. On the other one that we’re discussing, we bought out that gentleman to the tune of $23,460 when he left here. And in less than a year later, he came back, we bumped him up to a Step III, which he really should have stayed at a Step I, and he has gotten more consideration than anyone in this county, and I am certainly not at all – I mean, I will tell you up front right now, I’m going to vote no on both of these issues because this Council has asked officeholders to give up their raises next year, done everything we can to try to make it equitable for all of our employees here. And there are a lot of employees that might think, well, this is a pretty good idea: I’ll quit, they’ll give me my payout, I can pay off my mortgage and then I’ll come back to work in a few months and I can start all over again where I was. It doesn’t work that way. So I have a lot of problems with this. I’m surprised that it came back before this Council, to be honest with you, Mr. Brown. Do we have a motion to consider the request of the County Prosecutor? It looks like you’re not going to get a motion. Would you tell Mr. Levco we got his letter that said he was going to do this anyway, and that’s against state statute, we would certainly advise him not to do that?

Doug Brown: I will.

President Abell: Thank you.

Doug Brown: Thank you for your time.

President Abell: Moving on, preliminary resolution of the Vanderburgh County Council declaring an economic revitalization area for tax phase-in for redevelopment and/or rehabilitation of real property and for acquisition of manufacturing or manufacturing equipment located at 2415 Locust Creek Drive, Berry Plastics OpCo, Inc., a subsidiary of Berry Plastics Corporation. Good morning.

Julie Gorman: Good morning, my name is Julie Gorman, representing the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville. This is the preliminary resolution for Berry Plastics OpCo. The total cost of the real estate improvement is 1.142 million and 1.86 for the manufacturing equipment. Upon completion, the project will employ twenty-five people full-time within the next five years. This real property project scored one hundred points and ten bonus points, that is equivalent to eight years, the personal property scored one hundred and five points, five bonus points. That is equivalent to nine years. I have been also made aware that the project is seventy-five to about eighty percent completed and there are representatives that are here from Berry Plastics if you have any specific questions.

President Abell: Does everyone understand that the project is almost completed? Does anyone have a question about that? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: I don’t have a question, I guess just a statement and that is that whether its on the city’s side or the county’s side, I don’t recall, but I do recall that there is precedence that we have, that it has been approved before for projects that are underway. So with a company like Berry who has been, I think, so vital to our community, I certainly wouldn’t want that to detract from the overall issue, and that is to approve just so that they can have the tax abatement that other companies have enjoyed.

President Abell: Mr. Winnecke, did you have a comment?

Councilmember Winnecke: Isn’t it true that the statement of benefits – I’m trying to ask a question to our legal Council, this application is out of, technically, out of compliance based on the progress of the project, is that correct?

Jeff Ahlers: Based on Indiana Statute, you know, the statement of benefits should be in place before the hearing and –

Councilmember Winnecke: Which it is.

Jeff Ahlers: Correct. And that then, what needs to occur is that, you know, you have your hearing to get your phase-in before you begin your project. In this case they’ve already, you know, begun the project. I think as Mr. Shetler alluded to, there is a procedure under Indiana Statute where a public hearing can be held by this body and there can be a waiver of non-compliance passed and then you can go ahead and proceed with it. But, at best, it would fall in to a gray area. But, you know, I’ve also checked with, because I know we’ve tried to make both the city and the county in terms of tax abatements, we’ve adopted, you know, as much as we can to be consistent on the scoring systems and how these matters are handled. And the way they handle it on the city’s side, they would also consider this to be non-compliant with the statute and have undertaken the same process before if that needs to be done. I mean, the risk is, if you don’t have a waiver of non-compliance, if at somewhere along the line its determined its non-compliant, then you know, the phase-in may be a nullity. So, that would be the recommended course if you want to proceed in that regard. I mean, typically, what needs to happen is, and for the future, and I know I’ve had some discussions with some and if Berry ever does it again, and maybe now they know, but you need to have, you know, your statement of benefits, application and hearing before a project has begun or before new equipment is implemented or put in place.

Councilmember Winnecke: Madam President, maybe it would be good to hear from Berry about why we’re in this position, and the timing, for the record.

President Abell: If someone from Berry Plastics would like to approach the podium?

David Berkman: David Berkman, with Berry Plastics. We understand and it was exactly why we ended up filing late, we did and we apologize to the Council and want to assure you that it will not happen again. And we appreciate your positive consideration.

President Abell: I would think that we should set this for a public hearing at our next Council meeting.

Councilmember Leader: I want to ask Mr. Berkman, if I may, do you feel the answer to your question about why this happened? Do you know why it happened, Mr. Berkman?

David Berkman: I know that they were considering moving the – unfortunately, I was not involved in the preliminary discussions in setting up the project. And that it moved fairly quickly because they had determined that our lease, I believe our lease is up in September at the Chicago, Illinois facility and it just – to find out exactly why or what one certain thing happened, you know, I don’t know.

Councilmember Leader: I’m certain it wasn’t one certain thing, but when we have, if we put this on our agenda, you might talk to others and determine what kind of a statement you might be able to make to us regarding that, if you don’t mind, sir.

David Berkman: I will.

President Abell: Well, I would think that they would have to make a presentation because we could have members from the public here that would want to ask questions also and I don’t think we want to do this at a Personnel & Finance meeting because its not an official meeting, so it would have to be month from today. Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: This is unrelated, but it is, do you know if Berry has any other long-term plans to continue its expansion in Evansville, Indiana with other buildings and business? I know its been rapidly growing and its very important to our local economy.

David Berkman: I’m really not – like I said, I’m not involved in some of the (inaudible) at a very high level, but I would believe that Berry has a strong foothold in Evansville and Vanderburgh County and that it’s going to continue.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you. I just think for future consideration for Berry to remain here because it is obviously a global corporation, and it has other options. This would be a good thing for us to consider. Thank you.

President Abell: Any other comment? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Just because of newspaper articles and stuff, but there is that corporate headquarters that they opted to do at the end of last year, that they’re purchasing property for now where the Boys Club off of Illinois and Indiana, you know, right behind Willard Library. So I think they do have some big plans for Evansville and that’s where I’m coming from. I really don’t want to see us, probably our largest – one of the largest at three billion dollars plus companies, I want to do what we can to help out and keep this on the right track for them.

President Abell: Well, I think having a public hearing doesn’t mean its going to be turned down, it just means that we’re going to be – it will all be done above board, properly, and we’ll all be in compliance. We won’t have to worry about the State Board of Accounts or someone coming down our backs in six or eight months and saying you did something wrong.

Councilmember Shetler: No, I think it’s a good suggestion and I think that’s best for them in the long run, so it doesn’t come back to bite them.

President Abell: Okay. We’ll advertise it, we would ask that you have someone here and you can work with GAGE, and at our September meeting we’ll have you on the agenda and you can make a presentation.

David Berkman: Thank you.

Councilmember Winnecke: Do we need a motion?

President Abell: I guess we should have a motion –

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

Jeff Ahlers: What I would suggest is that you move that we have a resolution for waiver of non-compliance be set for a public hearing at the next scheduled meeting and that the vote on the preliminary resolution for the phase-in be deferred until either that date or another date so that the record is clear that no vote was taken on the preliminary resolution at this meeting and its just being deferred.

President Abell: Okay, is that your motion, Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Councilmember Winnecke: Second.

President Abell: Okay, roll call vote on Mr. Shetler’s motion to put this for a public hearing the first meeting in September.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Leader?

Councilmember Leader: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Winnecke?

Councilmember Winnecke: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Abell?

President Abell: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Abell: Thank you.

Julie Gorman: Does this mean that you are going to vote on the preliminary as well as the waiver of non-compliance at the next meeting?

President Abell: No, we’re going to vote on the preliminary after the public hearing. We’ll have the public hearing and then we’ll either vote on the preliminary at that meeting or even the next meeting after that.

Julie Gorman: Okay, thank you.

President Abell: Ms. Deig is pointing out that that’s going to be a busy day because we have budget hearings that day but, you know, every day is a busy day. I don’t see any reason to change it. Let’s just leave it like it is. Any other business to come before this Council? Did you have something?

Libbie Au: Yes, I have the 2008 tax phase-in compliance information that was submitted in the packets. I believe I emailed all of the Councilmembers with that information. I can look into anything. The figures remained relatively stable. Employment did drop a little bit, but with the economic conditions, that wasn’t too surprising. So if anyone has any questions, I’m here to answer them at this time or at a later date.

President Abell: Libbie, they tell me the Auditor’s office need a copy. They need a copy of everything. Could you make sure they always get copies?

Libbie Au: Sure.

President Abell: Thank you.

Councilmember Sutton: Is there any information that you may have on QTR? They’ve got four years remaining on their agreement and –

Libbie Au: In regards to their employment figures?

Councilmember Sutton: Yeah, they projected sixty-five and they’re at fifty-two.

Libbie Au: I don’t, but I can request a letter explaining why that figure is and have that submitted for all Councilmembers.

Councilmember Sutton: I know from time to time, businesses will have issues that may come up that may not be related to their immediate, it’s not within their immediate control, maybe vendors and that what have you, and we’ve brought in other companies in the past. I’d be interested in hearing what’s going on with the compliance being that there’s only four years remaining on that abatement request.

Libbie Au: I will look into that and have them submit a letter.

Councilmember Goebel: How do you determine compliance as far as employees?

Libbie Au: They submit information on a compliance form, so they could full-time employees, how many they were able to retain and how many they were able to add as a result of the project.

Councilmember Goebel: But how do you verify that? Are you taking their information at their word?

Libbie Au: That is correct. Unfortunately, we’ve looked into other ways to verify that information through Workforce One, but they aren’t able from their – they had to check with the state and they aren’t able to give us that outside information.

Councilmember Goebel: I would think that would be beneficial as far as finding out if people or these companies truly are in compliance, for us to verify their – I don’t know if you verify payroll or whatever, but to make sure they are actually at the levels that they say. That would help us a lot.

Libbie Au: Certainly, and we’ve been talking with the city and we can have the same discussions with the county about our business retention and expansion division going out and having meetings with them to not only verify this information, but possibly help them with other issues that might come up.

Councilmember Leader: Would it be possible if it’s simply notarized? It would be at least one step toward being assured that it – when they send it to you, send it in written, notarized form or something like that?

Libbie Au: That could be another option as well.

Councilmember Goebel: It may be something we want to add to our phase-in schedule, that they have documented proof that they have a certain number of employees.

Libbie Au: And you would, I believe, be within your rights to require that.

Councilmember Goebel: I think it’s an area we should investigate. Thank you.

President Abell: I agree with you, Mr. Goebel. Thank you. Anyone else? Thank you, Libbie.

Libbie Au: Thank you.

President Abell: Anything else to come before the Council?

Councilmember Leader: Mrs. Abell? I just wonder if we could ask Mrs. Deig to email all of us the dates and times of all the upcoming budget hearings since we’ve got about fourteen of them. Would you mind doing that? I know you’ve told us, I’ve seen it here and there, but if we could each get an email from you with kind of a summary of those dates. We begin on the 11^th, right? Would you mind?

Sandie Deig: (Inaudible – microphone not turned on)

President Abell: And for the interest of our viewing public, budget hearings do start on the 11^th at 9 a.m., 12^th and also the 13^th, at 9 a.m. each day, we plan to finish by noon each day. I have a couple little things I just want to – I went to the grand opening of Amazonia, what a fantastic thing. I wish all of you would go see it. It’s really, it’s much, much more than I thought it was, and we did very well with our money, giving that to Amazonia. On a not so nice note, I have been pursuing some questioning and working on that humongous utility bill from the Levee Authority or the proposal for budget, and since this body is now charged with reviewing all budgets, we’re charged with reviewing that one also. And even though we had it in the joint budget hearings the other day, I think its incumbent upon us to make sure that those figures are correct. I understand Mr. Harrison is talking to them about reworking their contract and I will follow up with that. If any of you have any comments or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to call me or send me an email. Email is probably easier, I can read it after midnight and I don’t take phone calls that late. I would tell you that I have gotten numerous phone calls and emails from the general public about everything from buying generators and sinking diesel tanks into the ground to buying power from Big Rivers in Henderson. So, you know, it’s a subject that the general public is very concerned with, so if any of you have any great thoughts, please don’t hesitate to pass them along to me. Is there any other business to come before this Council? We stand adjourned.

(There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 10:02 a.m.)

VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

        President Marsha Abell               Vice President Lloyd Winnecke

       Councilmember Jim Raben           Councilmember Mike Goebel

        Councilmember Tom Shetler         Councilmember Royce Sutton

        Councilmember Donna Leader

Recorded and transcribed by Teri Lukeman.