SUPERIOR COURT

Councilmember Raben: Okay, thank you, Mr. President. First on the agenda today is Superior Court account 1370-1760-1370 in the amount of $1,278. I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

SUPERIOR COURT                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Councilmember Raben: Okay, next under County Highway, account 2010-2580 Calcium & Chloride in the amount of $50,000. I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

COUNTY HIGHWAY                                              REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

REASSESSMENT/COUNTY ASSESSOR

REASSESSMENT/KNIGHT TWP. ASSESSOR

REASSESSMENT/UNION TWP. ASSESSOR

President Bassemier: Reassessment.

Councilmember Raben: Okay, under Reassessment Funds we have the County Assessor 2490-1090-1910 for $514; Knight Township Assessor account 2490-1130-1910 $135; and Union Township Assessor 2490-1170-1910 $9, and I’ll move approval.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

REASSESSMENT/COUNTY ASSESSOR            REQUESTED       APPROVED

REASSESSMENT/KNIGHT TWP. ASSESSOR    REQUESTED       APPROVED

REASSESSMENT/UNION TWP. ASSESSOR      REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

LOCAL EMERGENCY PLAN COMMISSION

Councilmember Raben: Okay, Mr. President, last week there was some concerns as to the request for LEPC. Is there anyone – oh okay, could you step to the podium please?

Lewis Austin: My name is Lewis Austin, I’m Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Local Emergency Planning Commission or the LEPC. We made an appropriation in the amount of $12,000 to cover funding for reimbursement for hazardous material training, first responder training that’s being conducted at the St. Mary’s Hospital and Deaconess Hospital in conjunction with the new Homeland Security. What happened, after 911, the first responders used to be police, fire and ambulance, and they expanded now to include the Health department, public works, which is a road department, hospital ER staff, and the county emergency management, and that’s why we are conducting training with hospitals and all emergency responders through the county and city are attending. We’re appropriating, we’re looking at approximately 150 to 180 persons will attend the training by the end of May.

Councilmember Raben: Okay.

Councilmember Hoy: We’ll also be reimbursed by the state for this?

Lewis Austin: Every year we do a reimbursement. Last year we funded $12,000 for the city of Evansville Fire Department hazmat team, and then we do a reimbursement back to the state. And so far we have gotten 100% reimbursement for all the requests we have made in the past.

Councilmember Raben: Of those 180 plus, are those all city/county employees?

Lewis Austin: No, we’ll have employees from the emergency rooms of both hospitals. We have members of the airport fire department, county fire department, city fire department, the sheriff’s department, county health, they’ve all been invited to attend, so we’re trying to get all of them. We have them daytime and in the evenings four sessions per week each month. We started last month, be another one in April, another one in May. So its three sessions. The first session was an overview, eight hour class, basically. Then we’re going to do a hands-on practical and then the final exercise will be where we have a mock drill to make sure that everything goes together with our plan and at the hospitals for decon.

Councilmember Hoy: And this workshop is a mandate under the Homeland Security?

Lewis Austin: That’s correct.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, I have no further questions.

President Bassemier: Anybody else have any questions? Is there a motion made yet?

Councilmember Raben: No, I’ll make the motion now. I’ll move that we approve 2861-3310 Training in the amount of $12,000.

Councilmember Hoy: Second.

President Bassemier: And I have a second by Mr. Hoy. Any more discussion on this? Thank you. Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

LEPC                                                                      REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Lewis Austin: Thank you.

President Bassemier: Thank you, Mr. Austin.

COIT WINDFALL

Councilmember Raben: Okay, next under COIT Windfall, account 4131-4265 Miscellaneous Equipment in the amount of $30,000, and everyone recalls that’s to fund the Court Technology for Circuit Court.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: I have a motion and I have a second by Mr. Wortman. Any discussion? No discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

COIT WINDFALL                                                   REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Bassemier: Now move into the transfers.

SUPERIOR COURT

CLERK (LATE)

JAIL(LATE)

Councilmember Raben: Okay, now for the transfers. Mr. President, I’m going to take them together. We have Superior Court in the amount of $1,000; the Jail in the amount of $2,000; and the Circuit Court in the amount of $1,151. I’ll move approval of all three.

Councilmember Wortman: Second. 

President Bassemier: County Clerk, Jim.

Councilmember Raben: County Clerk, I’m sorry.

President Bassemier: We knew what you meant. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Who was the seconder?

President Bassemier: Phil, did you second that?

Councilmember Hoy: Curt did.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

SUPERIOR COURT                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

CLERK                                                                   REQUESTED       APPROVED

JAIL                                                                       REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Raben: Okay, now we have amendments to the Salary Ordinance. First, on Superior Court, I make a motion to amend salary line 1370-1760 Clerical Assistant Secretary as previously adopted. The current employee is a COMOT V Step II, with an annual salary of $27,624. Jail, I’ll move to amend salary line 1051-1850 Union Overtime as previously adopted. County Clerk, salary line 1010-1990 Extra Help as previously adopted. I make that in the form of a motion.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: And a second by Mr. Wortman. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Bassemier: Under old business, County Council board appointment, that’s Burdette Park. Royce, did you –

Councilmember Sutton: No, the person who I thought would, won’t. So we’re still on the search.

President Bassemier: Okay.

President Bassemier: New business. Filing date for the April 7, 2004 meeting will be March 12^th, 2004.

President Bassemier: Moving on, ACS Computer Services update. Please state your name and occupation please.

Tim VanCleave: Good afternoon. Tim VanCleave with Computer Services. The purpose for being here today, I believe inside of your packets with some informational items is a slide presentation that was presented to the Data Processing Review Board last week with regard to the progress in redesigning the city and the county website. We’ve also made this presentation to the County Commissioners as well as the City Council, and are here today to give the same update to this board. With that, as you know, we provide several services for the county, one of which is the web services and we have been asked to redesign the website from its present state into one that is a little more user friendly, that provides the constituency better navigation and the ability for the county to update content more easily. And with that, our project goal is obviously to in essence replace the existing site with a new site that meets those basic outlines. And as you see on page 2 of the handout, you can see the site goals of what we hope to accomplish with this redesign. In order to accomplish this, the Data Processing Review Board selected six individuals from the city and the county to review several proposals of organizations that could provide this type of a project goal as well as meet the site goals. And that subcommittee, if you will, selected Vision Internet to be that partner with ACS. Vision Internet has quite a bit of experience in local government. They have set up over 35 local government sites, which I believe is more than any of the other organizations that had presented to that subcommittee. So they come to us with good experience. And there are some examples, as small as they are, within that to kind of give you an idea of the type of sites that they have produced for other local communities. To accomplish some of those goals very quickly, a certain group of modules that Vision Internet can provide was selected, and those modules are listed there. I’m not going to take the time today to read through those. I’m sure everyone can read those items on there. But it will give a fairly quick turn around, but provide a lot of the items that people have been asking for and making comment with regards to. To accomplish this, Vision Internet has a six stage process that they utilize. The first two phases, the vision and the concept phases are what we are considering part of the planning phase. The remaining four phases, design, development, Q/A and testing, and the actual launch of the new site are all part of what we will be labeling as the implementation phase. On page four you can see a little better breakdown of the different stages as they label them. The vision stage, which we’ve already completed, was to gather information, was the primary reason for that stage and we accomplished that through surveys and a kick off meeting that was held last week. The second stage, which is the final part of the planning stages, is to organize and finalize the planning for the navigation of the site and how the information will be placed into the site so that we have a consistent look and feel across the different city and county pages as we develop those. Stage three is where we begin implementation. They will do a graphic survey to take a look and see what type of graphics, meaning pictures of Evansville, emblems, and those type of items that will be inserted into the different sites for a more down home, if you will, look and feel, because one of the comments that we’ve had about the site is that there are pictures out there that have nothing to do with the city of Evansville or Vanderburgh County. So that will be, I think, an important part to getting something that looks more and reflects more of the city and the county to not just the local community, but to the community outside of Vanderburgh County. Stage four is where they will finish up the final coding and move quickly into stage five which will be the testing and training phase, in which each county office will have the ability, that will be participating in the new website, to identify their content authors. And with this new site, they will be able to control the content so when an elected official is ready for new content to go out there, instead of developing that, sending it to a third party to have that updated and then trying to figure out when that happens, it will be almost real time. As that content author makes that change, it will appear on the site at that point. With that, then we will launch after everyone is trained on how to use that and it is tested, we will then launch the new site. And as you can see on page 7, its kind of small but aggressive time line that we would be launching the new site on Monday, June 28, if we stay on the current schedule. But of course the most important thing that we need is direction from the city and the county. So you are the most important part to making this a successful site for the community, as well as something that reflects positively upon the county government. I know Sandie has let us know that you are very interested in developing a better presence on the site and I’m looking forward to starting to gather all that information and getting it ready to go into the new site as well as something that we can also start to offer possibly even sooner, is localized email addresses so that you can start transacting business. And if that is something that this body is interested in moving towards, we can certainly coordinate that through either Sandie or you can contact our office. But if there are any ideas that you come up with, you can either email me or we’ve also set up an email site called New Site at vanderburghgov.org that you can jot down any ideas, send them, and then we can put those into a common format as we move into the conclusion of the planning stage here over the next couple three weeks. And with that, are there any questions?

President Bassemier: Any questions for Tim? Mr. Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Tim, I agree, we do need to update our site. Sometimes they get a little stale and sometimes they don’t necessarily provide the amount of information that’s available to the citizenry out there. But as we look at the site, most people outside of Vanderburgh County don’t think of Vanderburgh – when they think of this local area, they think of Evansville, so to find the Vanderburgh County sites, what links will this be attached to, the Vanderburgh County end of it?

Tim VanCleave: The URL is vanderburghgov.org and the current design will be a unified city and county. But that is still being discussed as part of the planning phase as to whether the city has their own site as well as the county having their own site. The recommendation that we’ve heard from city and county office representatives is that a lot of the constituency does not necessarily know who is providing their business. As you know, there are some county residents that use city water hookups and waste disposal. And there are some city people that use county to pay property taxes. And a lot of people don’t know where to go to get that information. So that is one thing that we are trying to address through the navigation is trying to help people find the services that they are looking for, not necessarily as our current site is, you have to know that you want the County Treasurer’s office to address tax information. With this new site, we’re hoping that somebody, regardless if they’re looking at the city or the county site, can say I want to pay property taxes and find that they need to be at the County Treasurer’s page.

Councilmember Sutton: And that’s probably even more valuable and useful for the visitors to the site when they can be linked directly to a particular service or an area based upon a topic rather than having to know who does each particular function. Is this site, I mean, I know the Chamber has in the past had links to the government site. Are we intending to link with the Chamber as well for people who are wanting to know about Evansville and they go to the Chamber site first? Would this be an option for them to then navigate over to this way?

Tim VanCleave: If the Chamber would do that, yes. Normally, we do not go out and seek other sites to put a link from their site to ours. We have had some requests such as the Visitors Bureau to place a link on the city and county site to get to them. And then many times, they do link back to that. And with this design process, anybody that is out there that already has a link will not lose that link because the URL and the addressing that the Internet utilizes will stay the same.

Councilmember Sutton: I guess what I’m thinking is from the person that’s outside of Evansville, who wants to know about this city and this county. They may go the Chamber site first, they may find themselves going to the Evansville site, but somehow or another, they key areas like your Chamber, like your schools, somehow or another there needs to be a way in which people are directed maybe to some of those sites. It’d be a good, cooperative way so that people wouldn’t have to try to come up with all these different ideas of what all these website names are, but they’ve got some quick links that readily connect them to the key points about information here in this community. I mean, I don’t know if that’s just me thinking this way, I don’t know what you guys may think along that line?

Tim VanCleave: We can certainly try to contact some of those type of organizations but this is where even this body and their contacts within those organizations can make that recommendation to them, because we cannot force them to utilize this URL but we can certainly make contacts and make those requests.

Councilmember Tornatta: Well, it looks like on here that the city and the county are on this site and, I mean, a drop down list. If you hit that with all the entities that would be under that would be nice, and other than that, if they could do it all on one, and not getting into consolidation now, but you know, saying that they would be both on one would be nice. I think it would help out a lot and just have one site that people could go to and get all of their information as opposed to we have to have a site or the city has to have a site. I’m sure we can work that out.

Councilmember Hoy: Well, the fact is, when it comes to certain items, there is no difference between city and county anyway. We have a unified school system and a unified library system and a unified health system and there’s a long list. That’s why this needs to be, and I think that’s, you know, I’m on the Data Board so this is my second time around on the presentation, and I think you’re on the right track but I think these links are important.

President Bassemier: Any other questions of Tim? Thank you, Tim. Appreciate it.

Tim VanCleave: Thank you for your time.

Councilmember Sutton: Tim, one other that I thought of, Convention & Visitors Bureau would be another one, a good one to add on.

Tim VanCleave: Thank you.

Councilmember Hoy: Well, and then they would be linking to things that people would be interested in automatically, that would be good. So you’d find out how to get there and all that, what the admission cost is.

President Bassemier: Thank you, Tim.

President Bassemier: If I remember, last week Mr. Sutton asked Mr. Wortman to get some information about this here new job study consulting service. Do you have the information for us?

Councilmember Wortman: Yeah, everybody has got it on their desk, on that. I’d like to refer to the state statute that the funds must be in place before the contract is awarded and I am just curious if the funds are in place is what I’m curious about. And then, you know, they’ve got a consultant line of $15,750 but that’s for David Griffith, he performs that. And then we’ve got a contractual service, but there’s only $1,500 in that. So I’m kind of curious about that. And then also, I’m going to refer it to the Department of Labor is now in the process of reviewing exempt and non-exempt status of full-time employees and have issued a statement saying this study will be done by the end of March 2004. So we’ve got duplications here. To me, its strictly just continually wasting taxpayers’ money, and I don’t understand that. That’s beyond belief for me.

President Bassemier: I guess the question I’m going to ask is, I know we’re duplicating services here, we’ve really got a very good, my own personal opinion, we already have a very good, outstanding consultant team already on the job study. I know when I chaired that board for two years in a row, I think we moved right along and we gave a lot of decent upgrades, and I think over the last five years we’ve heard from about or we made changes, we’ve updated or we heard 186 employees in that period of time. Am I correct on that, Mr. Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: That’s right.

President Bassemier: And I’m just thinking, you know, with the new jail and everything, I know we’re not going to cut any of these peoples’ salaries if they come back and tell us that they shouldn’t be paying that much. And another thing, if they come back and tell us that they deserve a different description, which would mean a pay raise, where are we going get this money at? I mean, we’ve got the jail, we’ve got some situations that’s going to face us here in the near future that I don’t know where we’re going to get the money from. And as Mr. Wortman stated, if I understand correctly, we’ve only got what, $1,500 in one of those – what fund was that?

Councilmember Wortman: Contractual services.

President Bassemier: Yeah, so I’m not sure where we’re going to find this money at. Has anybody got an opinion on this? Does anybody know where they’re going to get this money at to pay this consulting team? Curt?

Councilmember Wortman: No, not unless somebody found a money tree somewhere. I haven’t found one.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, I don’t have a clue. I can’t speak for them but I do know that, Troy, was it you that made mention last week that you may have some insight on it? Were you able to get any questions answered?

Councilmember Tornatta: I think that might have been Mr. Sutton, not to throw the burden on him, but I was dealing with the judge’s issue with the court situation –

Councilmember Raben: Had either of you had an opportunity to speak with them?

Councilmember Sutton: I did try to make contact with them and we missed each other, but the information I did get, really along the lines of what we’ve got here today, probably when we talk about our job study process its often probably more reactive to an issue, a concern that arises with a particular employee whether it is step increases, whether its changes in just their status, and I guess as I understand from a very general standpoint, what is occurring here is an overall look to see that the job descriptions that certain offices have, and they are named on the front of this, that they match the specific responsibilities that those people are carrying out at this time. And I guess there’s been quite some time since the jobs have been actually reviewed to see if what their job description is, actually matches with their duties. And this firm is to look at them to see if there is an appropriate match. And if not, make the recommendations, not a decision, but recommendations on what should be done, which will then come to job study on our end on what those recommendations ought to be.

Councilmember Raben: I guess my concern with that is, you’re correct, a large percentage of the time we do deal with step increases and things of that nature, but throughout the entire county and in practically every office or every department, we have gone through and made changes in regards to a person’s responsibilities to their job. Job descriptions are changed in several offices every year. And the job study, while it may not be the lion’s share of what the job study committee’s responsibilities are, it’s a pretty high percentage of them. I know the Clerk’s office, what was it, two or three years ago, maybe around that area, practically that whole office, all the job responsibilities were reviewed and changes were made. So I agree with Councilman Wortman and Councilman Bassemier, this is truly a duplication of services. You know, we do have a team of professionals that are paid a retainer to take care of these responsibilities. And to make a long story short, at the end of the day they’re still going to have to come back through the same committee. Whatever the findings are by Irwin & Scheele still have to come back through the same job study committee. So it is double work and double expense. So I think we do need an explanation and what the true intent is behind this.

Councilmember Sutton: So we’re saying that we want them to I guess we’re talking about 86 employees, 47 positions, are you recommending that they would go in, since the request is to look at these positions, that the firm that we’re working with now, would go in and evaluate these positions?

Councilmember Raben: I would say yes. I think the first steps that need to have taken place is one, I think the Commissioners probably should have came to this body because we’re the real stakeholders in seeing these changes through. Councilman Bassemier addressed pay, you know, whether it be pay reductions or pay increases, again, the buck stops here. We have to make those determinations as to whether or not any of that comes down. So I think what they need to do is put the brakes on whatever the project is and they need to come in here and better explain to us what exactly they want to do. And again, you know, they can go through these exercises and we still have to do it again. The changes still have to be made at our desk.

Councilmember Sutton: Well, they aren’t requesting any – I mean, from what I’ve seen up to this point, there hasn’t been any dollars requested of this body. There haven’t been any changes recommended in any job descriptions, no changes --

Councilmember Raben: There’s $17,000 or $16,000 that is part of this contract.

Councilmember Sutton: But none of that is going directly to a county employee that is a result of a change in their status, something, somewhere or another, whereas when the Clerk went through their process, when they got through evaluating their employees, their positions, we did have some requests and I think that there, ultimately there could be, we don’t know, but there could be some requests along that line.

Councilmember Raben: What I do understand is right now, they’re wanting to spend 16 or $17,000 to do this. I do understand that. And you’re right, we don’t know exactly if they’re going to come to us with a bunch of requests to reduce people’s pay or they’re going to come back to us with a bunch of requests to increase people’s pay. But none the less, that is our responsibility as County Councilmen, and that is the responsibility of our county job study committee. So they still need to come in with us and tell the story. I mean, we need to make that determination as to whether or not any of this takes place. And I think that’s Councilman Wortman’s point and Councilman Bassemier’s point.

Councilmember Sutton: When is the last time job study has met? I mean, I can’t recall a meeting of the job study committee in quite some time. I mean, if this is a request that is coming through, I mean, obviously, these are –

Councilmember Raben: Again, that’s just it. I don’t think they’ve came to anybody with these requests. And I don’t know, Sandie, right now, how many requests do we have?

Sandie Deig: I have two on file and the Commissioners have not made any requests or submitted any applications for review for jobs.

President Bassemier: And you’ve got to remember, I think I mentioned this a while ago, in the last five years, we’ve reviewed 186 different jobs in the last five years. I know that one year I think I had about 11 that one year I was chairman.

Councilmember Sutton: 186 last year?

President Bassemier: No, we’ve heard 186 – we’ve reviewed 186 different jobs in the last five years.

Councilmember Raben: Not 186 meetings.

Councilmember Sutton: I know, I’ve been on that committee and I haven’t been at 186 meetings.

Councilmember Raben: And I’ll tell you, I have chaired that committee, –

President Bassemier: 186 employees we’ve reviewed in the last five years.

Councilmember Raben: I’ve chaired that committee. I haven’t in several years. I couldn’t even tell you how long ago its been, but I know you really, you form meetings as needed. I mean, you know, again, there’s only two requests right now, you know, so there will probably be a need by April or May. There’s probably going to be a need for a meeting and then again probably right prior to budget session, and then probably one in the fall. But I mean, there’s not a need for them to meet unless the requests are there.

Councilmember Sutton: And that’s exactly my point that it’s a reactive committee based upon requests that come through. This here is based upon a proactive approach and evaluating to see if things are – I see a difference here. And if there is a need for a change, then they would go through the job study committee and say hey, this position in so and so department is out of line and needs to be readjusted, not at the right grade, job study, what’s your, you know, this is what we’re recommending, what do you think, what would you like to do with this measure? I don’t think from this here, that there’s going to be one dime allocated to any employee as a result at the end of this until the job study decides otherwise.

Councilmember Raben: Again, let them come in and make their point.

President Bassemier: Mr. Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Well, what Mr. Sutton says is true. I have a notion that the Commissioners probably have this money in their budget someplace, maybe not, because we allocate a good deal of money to them. They may be able to go ahead with this. My questions, and if they can, they can. I may not agree with it and I’m not sure that I do. But my questions have to do with Soil & Water Conservation District, I chair that board, and that board has a mandate from the state and from the federal government to operate. You know, we’re a sworn body. And recently we’ve reviewed and rewritten both job descriptions of those two employees and the second one is Veterans Services, and I don’t know, but I’m wondering if those job descriptions might not well be mandated by the state rather than locally. And I have a notion that Weights & Measures might also be mandated by the state of Indiana since they operate under state regulations and guidelines. So those would all have to be taken into account, all three of those because two of them I’m sure of are not just local, but they have connections to, strong connections to state government.

President Bassemier: Thank you, sir.

Councilmember Wortman: I’m kind of curious here, the Commissioners, I hope we’re not falling into the trap of consolidation, a step forward with that. That kind of bothers me.

Councilmember Sutton: I’m not following you, Councilman Wortman. Can you kind of explain what you mean there? What do you mean?

Councilmember Wortman: Well, they’re just going out and trying to go around everybody here the way it looks, as they’ve done before, and consolidation is the talk of the town now, and I think they might be taking the lead. And, of course, I’m definitely against consolidation regardless, see.

Councilmember Sutton: I haven’t heard the city mentioned in any of this discussion so I’m just trying to draw the connection between what you believe is a consolidation move in evaluating employees. Maybe I’m just a little slow in catching this, but I’m not seeing the connection there.

Councilmember Raben: I think what he’s referring to is last week there was mention made, and I think I’m right on this, I think Councilman Tornatta had mentioned that this could possibly be part of a joint effort with the city on their efficiency study, which the efficiency study, I guess, you know, the bottom line is at some point it will address where areas can be consolidated. And if, in fact, this is part of the efficiency study, I’m not trying to put words in your mouth, but I think that’s –

Councilmember Tornatta: Well, let’s turn this a different direction. Let’s say that it could be the fiscal responsibility of a leader to make sure that their business is running correctly and in this case, if the Commissioners are doing it not to consolidate, but to try to make sure that the people that are on the job are doing it the way its supposed to be done and the mode it’s supposed to be done, and for the most efficiency of the county, then they’d be on the tip of their game. And, I mean, I think that’s, from what I’ve talked to David and Catherine, that’s more or less where they’re going with that. Its not a consolidation effort, its more of an effort to be a leader and come through and show that they are efficient with what they’re doing and stand behind it that way. Its easy to stand behind when you’re making a right decision.

Councilmember Hoy: Did all three Commissioners agree on this or is this a split decision?

President Bassemier: Mr. Hoy, would you –

Councilmember Hoy: Tape change?

(Tape changed)

President Bassemier: Okay, Mr. Hoy, go ahead, I’m sorry.

Councilmember Hoy: No, Mr. Wortman says it was two to one and I wanted to clarify that. What I’m feeling is something that I have felt many times sitting in this seat and that is we have a lack of communication between the two bodies and once again we’re having something laid on our desks which is, I think, our responsibility and there’s been no consultation. And we get it both ways as Councilmen. We’re criticized when we don’t appropriate money, we’re criticized when we’re not on top of things, but we have a lot of things proposed that never come before us first. I wish this had. I think it would have made it run more smoothly if it had been discussed in here.

President Bassemier: You know, if you look at the contract, it kind of says they’re going to contact the same people that serves on the job study, so you know, who knows more than the people who serve on the job study? They’re just going to get it secondhand because you’ve got to remember who is serving on this job study. There’s a departmental head on every department or a rep, so I mean, you know, its –

Councilmember Tornatta: Mr. Wortman, if you would be in charge of getting them in here, you’re their liaison. If you would be in charge of drafting a letter and just asking –

Councilmember Wortman: I can draft a letter because they just don’t want to communicate with me. So maybe I can draft a letter.

Councilmember Tornatta: Well, I mean, I don’t know that that’s true. I’ve heard contrary to that, but they have staff in there that would take your request and respect you in such a manner to get that handled.

Councilmember Hoy: Mr. President, I’ll make a motion that, as a body, we request that they come and discuss this with us, and bring information in so that the invitation is from all of us.

Councilmember Raben: I’ll second that request.

President Bassemier: I have a second. Let’s take a roll call vote on that. I think that’s very important. We’ve got a lot of unanswered questions here.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Sutton: Hold on. What are we voting on here?

Councilmember Hoy: My motion is to, as a body, to follow up on what Mr. Tornatta said, that as a body we invite the Commissioners to come discuss this with us, that’s all.

Councilmember Sutton: And we’ve got to take a vote to do that? I mean, that’s what we’ve got a liaison for, I mean –

Councilmember Hoy: Well, it’s a vote –

Councilmember Sutton: Several department heads were in here for other things. We don’t need a vote to invite them to get in here. Somebody needs to maybe pick up a phone and call or –

Councilmember Tornatta: I think you just need –

Councilmember Hoy: Are you ready for my response or are you just going to keep talking?

President Bassemier: Everybody in favor raise your hand, however you want to do it. I think it’s –

Councilmember Hoy: No, I’d like to respond to Mr. Sutton. The reason I said that is because if it is true or it appears to be that there is some tension between Mr. Wortman and the Commissioners, I would like for the Commissioners to know that all of us would like to have this discussion. That’s the only reason for the motion.

Councilmember Tornatta: And my other thought is if there is tension between the two parties, could we not switch that around? I mean, Mr. President, that’s directed maybe to you, if maybe somebody else then would need to take that role and switch a role. If there is any tension for whatever reason, I mean, we need communication here and if there’s not an easy flow between these two individuals, then we might just switch that around and if somebody else experiences it, well then we know that there’s a truer problem. But there might not be at all.

President Bassemier: Well, right now, I think Mr. Wortman, I’ve known him for years, he does a good job.

Councilmember Wortman: I’ll get hold of them and have them present here.

Councilmember Tornatta: Okay, that’s the answer we need right there.

Councilmember Wortman: I’ll get around it one way or another.

Councilmember Sutton: We had a lot of questions last week –

President Bassemier: We’ve got a motion on the floor, how do you want to do this? Second, Jim, got the second. Okay, now you want to – okay, we still have some discussion. Royce, did you want to say something?

Councilmember Sutton: I was just going to say, we’ve had a lengthy discussion about this last week and then this week. I mean, in between last week and this week, I mean, you’re the liaison, Councilman Wortman, did you make phone calls and they didn’t return your phone calls? Did you go by there and they didn’t respond to you?

Councilmember Wortman: I’ll make a personal appearance.

Councilmember Sutton: No, I mean, in between last week and this week, I mean, did they not return your calls or something?

Councilmember Wortman: I didn’t make any. No, because I just got the information. That’s what you requested, see, or the Council requested and I just got the information.

President Bassemier: I just want to make sure everybody is on the same page here. I’m going to call for a roll call vote on that motion and second.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Tornatta?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Sutton?

Councilmember Sutton: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Hoy?

Councilmember Hoy: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Wortman?

Councilmember Wortman: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Bassemier?

President Bassemier: Yes, so I hope to see them.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

Councilmember Wortman: Are you going to recognize all the young whipper snappers out there?

President Bassemier: Yeah, I’m going to recognize them. Troy?

Councilmember Tornatta: Yeah, I’ve got a few things before we kind of wrap up and recognize people in the audience. I passed around, if anybody didn’t get it, its really a couple of thoughts, but it talks about when you get down to it, some of the things that we deal with every day, tax abatements, the effects that certain companies that come in have on jobs, and just some things to reflect on as Council people. I’ll give it to anybody that wants it, but just read through that. It kind of puts in perspective on sometimes what we think is so grandiose at first, and to get a job or group of jobs in here might actually bite us in the end, so we need to just take a look at that. It’s a short deal. I think Mr. Raben has the longer version of it, but that’s a shortened deal to tell you there. The second thing, we’re going to be getting some figures on what the Building Authority is going to have probably in the next couple of months so brace yourself for what this court cost is going to do and we all need to consider what’s getting ready to come down the pipe. The third thing, I had mentioned last week that really I thought that the Building Authority, we could maybe get them to upgrade this room and look at the ELMO system and really make this very much more user friendly. Today we’ve had two or three issues that the audience should have been a part of but they didn’t have the paperwork in front of them because there wasn’t enough copies made so they could see kind of what we’re going over and the different stuff. So one of the things that Sandie helped me out with, I appreciate this, is a follow up. In a month, Area Plan Commission, Board of Public Safety, Board of Public Works, Board of Zoning Appeals, City Council meets four times, County Council meets two times, EUTS policy committee, Levee Board, Parks Board, and then, of course, the County Council and Personnel & Finance, that’s when we meet twice, PTABOA meets, the Sheriff tax sale, Tax sale surplus property, and then the budget meetings for the County Council. That’s a list of just some of the ones that are scheduled in here on a monthly basis. So all of those actually would utilize that system and really it would be nice that the audience could be a part of that if they had that system working. So just following up on that a little bit. Thanks for your time.

President Bassemier: Royce?

Councilmember Sutton: One more thing, Mr. President, there is something I wanted to get in your hands. But it was a topic of discussion we had a little while back ago, and this is a letter I want to read to you,

“Dear County Councilmembers,

I was before you late last year about a city/county office of disability services. Since that time, I also have Mayor Weinzapfel on board. He, along with the City Council and County Commissioners, have appointed representatives to the exploratory committee examining the ODS idea. I would like to ask if the County Council would also like to appoint a representative to the exploratory committee. Besides myself (who is Rob Kerney) I have three other people with disabilities: a parent of a child with a disability, two service providers and three government representatives. We are searching for a person with a hearing impairment. Once you have an appointment, our representatives for our committee will begin meeting soon.”

So he wanted to be here for the meeting but he’s teaching a class, but that’s from Rob Kerney, and he wanted us to take this under consideration. So I’m going to give this to you.

President Bassemier: Thank you, sir.

Councilmember Raben: Royce, I have a question. Are they looking for a Council person to serve as a representative or are they looking for us to make an appointment for someone?

Councilmember Sutton: They’re looking for an appointment to this particular board.

Councilmember Hoy: Somebody that is hearing impaired, right?

President Bassemier: Curt (Inaudible).

Councilmember Sutton: That’s the preference that they’re looking for. It doesn’t necessarily have to be, but that’s their – that was not me. I didn’t say that.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, you might ask that all of us between now and our next official meeting, anyone that may have someone in mind that would like the opportunity to serve on that. Royce, you may already have somebody in mind, I don’t know.

Councilmember Sutton: I really don’t, that’s why I wanted to make sure that – I really don’t.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, would it be fair to ask that we bring our recommendations in at our next official meeting?

President Bassemier: Yeah, that would be –

Councilmember Raben: Is 30 days enough?

Councilmember Sutton: It should be, yeah.

President Bassemier: Before we adjourn, I’d like to recognize a group out there, high school students. Would you all come forward? Let’s get you on the record (inaudible – microphone not turned on) I think you all are from Central High School’s Government class. I’d like for you to come forward and give your name and what grade you’re in and if you want to say something about yourself.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, while they are coming up, I know some of them were needing copies of our agenda to take back to turn in. Does everyone have a copy?

President Bassemier: We’ll get you some copies. Go ahead and we’ll sign them for you.

Councilmember Raben: Who needs copies?

Sandie Deig: How many do we need?

Councilmember Raben: Just two?

President Bassemier: So you all can say in 2004, March 3^rd, you’re on the record in a County Council meeting. Please come forward please and state your name, your high school and what grade you’re in, sir.

Brady Kell: Brady Kell, I’m a senior at Central.

President Bassemier: And where are you going to college?

Brady Kell: Actually, I’m joining the Army.

Teri Lukeman: Would you mind having them sign their name so that –

President Bassemier: Yeah, that would be fine. Sir, before you leave, sign your name so she can get the correct spelling of your name.

Kyle Asay: Kyle Asay, Central High School senior. I’ll be attending USI in the fall.

President Bassemier: Good, good. Thank you, sir.

Kennedy Rose: Kennedy Rose, I’m also a senior at Central High School and I’m probably going to go to USI.

President Bassemier: Well good, good.

Daniel Robinson: Daniel Robinson, Central senior. I’m not actually sure what I’m going to do after high school, but I’ll probably go to work for my dad.

President Bassemier: Okay. Do you play any sports, Dan?

Daniel Robinson: Yeah, I’m a wrestler.

President Bassemier: Yeah, you look like a wrestler. Okay.

Kyle Sweeney: My name is Kyle Sweeney, I’m a senior at Central and I’m probably going to go to USI.

President Bassemier: Good.

Ryan Titzer: My name is Ryan Titzer, I’m a senior at Central and I’ll probably be going to Purdue.

President Bassemier: Great, great.

Steven Joseph: I’m Steven Joseph, and I’m a senior at Central High School. I’ll probably be attending Vincennes University.

President Bassemier: Okay, good. Thank you, sir.

Hannah Martin: I’m Hannah Martin, I’m a senior at Central High School and I’ll be attending Indiana University.

President Bassemier: Well, thank you, ma’am.

Brittney Ritter: I’m Brittney Ritter, I’m a senior at Central High School. I’ll be attending USI.

President Bassemier: Thank you, ma’am.

Mitch Helfert: My name is Mitch Helfert, I’m a senior at Central and I’ll probably be going to Ivy Tech.

President Bassemier: Ivy Tech, well, good. Thank you.

Ryan Wilhite: Ryan Wilhite, I’m a senior at Central and I’ll be attending USI.

President Bassemier: Thank you. Is that everybody? Thank you very much for coming and we appreciate that.

Councilmember Raben: Mr. President, I guess we’re probably ready to adjourn at this point.

President Bassemier: Okay, do we have a motion to adjourn?

Councilmember Raben: So moved.

Councilmember Wortman: Second.

President Bassemier: Thank you.

(Meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.)

VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

President Ed Bassemier                      Vice President Lloyd Winnecke

Councilmember James Raben             Councilmember Phil Hoy

Councilmember Curt Wortman            Councilmember Royce Sutton

Councilmember Troy Tornatta

Recorded and transcribed by Teri Lukeman.