VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

TAXING UNIT

BUDGET REVIEW

OCTOBER 6 , 2010

The Vanderburgh County Council met in session this 6^th day of October, 2010 in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex. The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m. by County Council President Russell Lloyd, Jr.

President Lloyd: I would like to call to order the meeting of the Vanderburgh County Council review of civil taxing unit budgets, October 6, 2010, and this will be the township budgets. Attendance roll call please.

President Lloyd: For the Pledge of Allegiance I would like to ask Councilwoman Terry to lead us. Please stand.

(The Pledge of Allegiance was given.)

President Lloyd: Thank you. We’ll move on to our agenda to item number four, consideration of civil taxing unit budgets. This is somewhat of a new procedure, although we’ve done it for several years now, but the state legislature asked County Councils to review township budgets. The townships are an entity of the state and they report their budgets to the state. Their, obviously, their meetings are public meetings, but the feeling was, for greater transparency in government, that the townships could come to the County Council. The County Council reviews the budget, can make a recommendation to accept it as submitted, or recommend a change, but what we do is not binding, and that just goes to the Department of Local Government Finance and then they will make the final determination. Does that sound right? Our attorney is Ryan Schulz, does that sound right, Mr. Schulz?

Ryan Schulz: That sounds right.

President Lloyd: Great, thank you. Okay, first up would be 4A, Armstrong Township Trustee.

President Lloyd: Please state your name and any highlights of your budget.

Joyce Kron: I’m Joyce Kron. I’m the deputy of Armstrong Township. Really there’s not much change in my budget. We put in a one and a half percent pay increase, which comes for the Trustee, the deputy and the three advisory board members. It’s a total of $127. We put in an increase of $24 in our repairs and maintenance, and the additional increase is in our fire service. Those are our only changes. Any questions?

President Lloyd: Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes, thank you for mentioning your pay increase recommendation. Maybe each of the township trustees can preface their statements with if there is a pay increase and at what percentage it is, because that is important to us. Other than that, it looks real good.

President Lloyd: Other questions for Ms. Kron? I just have a couple. What was your township cash balances as of January 1?

Joyce Kron: Well, hang on, I’ve got to find that paper.

President Lloyd: Okay.

Joyce Kron: For the township fund?

President Lloyd: Just total.

Joyce Kron: Oh, okay, I don’t have a total, I’m sorry.

President Lloyd: Or you can go through the funds if you would like.

Joyce Kron: Okay, on our, oh, shoot, I have, okay, alright, the Township Assistance Fund at June 30^th has $11,700.

President Lloyd: Okay.

Joyce Kron: My Fire Fund had $10,000, I’m sorry, $110,719, but I, that did not include our payment to the fire department at the first of July. So right now, it probably has about $50,000, roughly. I just noticed, as I pulled my papers, I have two of my township assistance funds copied here and not my actual township fund.

President Lloyd: General?

Joyce Kron: That is probably, off the top of my head, I probably have $40,000 in it.

President Lloyd: Okay, and I think some of the state newspapers did a survey of townships, and there was a feeling that some townships were sitting on large amounts of cash reserves while still levying tax rates on their citizens. The feeling was those tax rates could be lowered if they used some of that excess cash. But anyway, it doesn’t sound like you have that situation.

Joyce Kron: Well, we haven’t, for several years, had a township rate, because we’re trying to work down that money. We have only had a fire rate in the past several years.

President Lloyd: Well, that’s good news for Armstrong Township citizens. Any questions on this? Mr. Fluty?

Bill Fluty: I’ve just got a statement on cash balances. All townships and even county government would actually, we settle on June 30^th or a day before June 30^th, or settled on the last days of December, so their cash balances would be inflated as of January 1 or as of July 1^st. Now, immediately after they receive their tax settlement checks, they’re actually paying down to everybody that they owe. That’s just a reminder that those, at that particular time that will be the highest time you’ll see their cash balances.

Joyce Kron: June 30^th balances can be deceiving.

Bill Fluty: Yes.

President Lloyd: Then, how many employees do you have for the township?

Joyce Kron: The trustee, the clerk, which is myself, and then three advisory board members. That’s all.

President Lloyd: Okay.

Joyce Kron: We have no additional employees.

President Lloyd: Then, I guess, what I would ask Council to do, if you have any changes, we would vote on any recommended change. Otherwise, we would vote on accepting their budget as submitted. So is there a motion for that? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: One question real quick. Did I see that, for what, relief, $6,100, is that right? Did I see that? Yeah, Poor Relief.

Joyce Kron: Oh, our township assistance? Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: Is there a standard or a criteria that you go by that you can give so much to an individual? Is it based on income? Is there any kind of rules?

Joyce Kron: There are rules. Each township has their own. We have guidelines from the state that we have to follow, but then, within your own township, you can fine tune those. Actually, I’m probably not the best one to ask that, because we are so small–

Councilmember Shetler: Right.

Joyce Kron: –and I have very little township assistance. One of your larger townships could probably address that better.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, thank you.

Joyce Kron: Okay.

President Lloyd: Okay, is there a motion to approve the Armstrong Township budget?

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Shetler, second Mr. Goebel. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: It will be submitted to the state as submitted by you. Appreciate your patience. Sorry we ran long.

Joyce Kron: No problem.

President Lloyd: Next township would be Center Township Trustee and their representative.

James Ritter: I’m Tiger Ritter, I’m the Township Trustee, and Barbara Isaac, she’s my chief investigator. I thought there might be some questions she might answer.

President Lloyd: Okay, thank you for coming, Mr. Ritter. Any questions from Council of the Center Township budget? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Let me go ahead and ask that question to you as well, Mr. Ritter. That is, on the, what kind of criteria do you all use on the poor relief?

James Ritter: What kind of criteria?

Councilmember Shetler: Right, I mean, is it income, based on their income? Is it based on the size of the family? What kind of guide-

James Ritter: I’m going to ask Barbara to answer that. It’s her department.

Barbara Isaac: Yes, the county has guidelines that we use for income, and it’s based on how many people is in the household. We help them a certain amount of time each year, but it is based on income at first. Like, for one person in the household, it starts out, if they make over $800 an hour, then they would be over income. Then it goes up based on how many people–

President Lloyd: Do you mean $800 a week?

Barbara Isaac: A month.

President Lloyd: Oh, a month? I’m sorry.

Barbara Isaac: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, $800 a month. Then, it’s kind of, then it’s pro-rated?

Barbara Isaac: Yeah, then it goes up, like another $50 for each additional person in the household.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay.

James Ritter: Also, they have to be on food stamps before we help them.

Councilmember Shetler: Is that a criteria you’ve established, or is that kind of universal policy?

Barbara Isaac: Universal.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay.

Barbara Isaac: We all have income (Inaudible).

Councilmember Shetler: That’s statute by state, that they have to be on food stamps?

Barbara Isaac: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, alright, thank you.

President Lloyd: Other questions for Center Township? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Did you offer a pay increase to the employees of Center Township? Pay increase, is there any percentage increase?

James Ritter: Well, last time we did that, the one we’ve got in there now was the one we put in a year ago that we refused. You all recommended we not have it. We sent it in to the Department of Local Government Finance and they approved it.

Councilmember Goebel: We’re aware of that. We got that information back.

James Ritter: We all voted not to take it, it was 100 percent.

President Lloyd: Okay.

Councilmember Goebel: So there is no pay increase?

James Ritter: No, this will be the same one that we did–

Councilmember Goebel: Last year?

James Ritter: Yeah.

Councilmember Goebel: Okay.

President Lloyd: Well, we appreciate that. That’s very thoughtful. Other questions for Center Township? I guess, one question I would have, are you seeing quite a bit of additional people looking for assistance?

James Ritter: Absolutely.

President Lloyd: And that budget looks like that has gone up.

James Ritter: Yeah, I think we had the biggest last month that we’ve ever had.

Barbara Isaac: If I might say something.

President Lloyd: Yes.

Barbara Isaac: Just in Vectren alone, and I know Pigeon does a lot more than Center, but just in Vectren alone, we did $15,000 in one month to help these people to stay on and to get turned back on. Our assistance with rent and everything else is up a lot more than in years past.

President Lloyd: Okay. Then, I guess, I asked the other townships, what was your cash balance as of June 30^th? Roughly what were your cash balances in your accounts?

James Ritter: Do you mean the different accounts?

President Lloyd: Or, if you can give me the total, that’s fine.

James Ritter: Well, I think I checked that, about $260,000.

President Lloyd: Okay. Then, did your tax rate go up or down?

James Ritter: Did we go up or down?

President Lloyd: Yeah, the tax rate.

James Ritter: It would go up.

President Lloyd: Okay, any other questions? Any recommendations on any changes for Center Township?

Councilmember Terry: I just have a question.

President Lloyd: Ms. Terry?

Councilmember Terry: On the assistance, how often can they come back for assistance?

Barbara Isaac: Well, we have, a lot of our families come back once a month, and that’s for a non-food voucher, where they can get laundry detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, that sort of thing. But with Vectren or rent, they can get help three times a year.

Councilmember Terry: Okay.

Barbara Isaac: There’s a guideline that we go by for that.

Councilmember Terry: Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: Other questions? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Maybe you spelled it out, but you do show a sizeable increase in Fire?

James Ritter: Yes, that’s the, in the regular fire, you mean? Yes, that’s for the hiring of more regulars, instead of volunteers. Volunteers are very hard to get, they tell me. I’m not involved in that real closely, but that’s what...I have a meeting with them before I do the budget. That was one place where they said they need two more people, and that’s about $50,000 a year for each one when you include everything.

President Lloyd: For fire protection, do you guys contract with Scott, or do you have your own?

James Ritter: No, we have our own.

President Lloyd: Oh, that’s right.

James Ritter: Oh, yeah, McCutchanville Fire Department.

President Lloyd: Oh, that’s right, McCutchanville, I’m sorry. Okay. Any other questions?

Councilmember Shetler: Do they have two houses? Is that right? They have two–

James Ritter: Two fire departments?

Councilmember Shetler: Two fire stations?

James Ritter: Yes, one on St. Joe and then the one in McCutchanville.

Councilmember Shetler: Right.

President Lloyd: My mistake. I’m sorry. Any other questions? Is there a motion to approve Center Township as submitted?

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Bassemier: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Shetler, second Mr. Bassemier. Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: Thank you, Tiger, for coming in. Thank you, Barbara.

James Ritter: Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: It will be sent, the Council approved as submitted.

President Lloyd: Item number 4C, German Township Trustee.

Fred Happe: I’m Fred Happe, German Township Trustee.

President Lloyd: Any highlights on your budget?

Fred Happe: Except we’re in a big hole with the fire department and EMS to the tune of about $80,000 short on our, which we’re trying to put through an extra appropriation in. I do have an outstanding loan with the bank. Hopefully, we’ll dig out of this hole. The rest of the accounts, the general fund, you know, we have about $33,000, June balances, township assistance is well off and cumulative fire is well off, pretty well.

President Lloyd: It looks like you don’t have a lot of township assistance.

Fred Happe: That’s true.

President Lloyd: Has that gone up?

Fred Happe: It’s going up some now, because we have, not to point a finger, but like Whirlpool employees and their families are going to be, in our area we have quite a few of them in our area.

President Lloyd: Was that fire deficit done over time, or is that just recent?

Fred Happe: Well, what they tell me, it’s not, our tax rate increase hasn’t kept up with the budget we’ve been supplying for fire protection and the EMS.

President Lloyd: Okay. Any other questions for German? Then, did you, how many employees do you guys have?

Fred Happe: Well, there’s three, advisory board, my wife is clerk, and I’m Trustee. There’s five total.

President Lloyd: Okay, and did you guys receive a pay increase?

Fred Happe: Well, they put a pay increase in it, but as of right now they’re going to not accept it.

President Lloyd: Okay, so you’re going to accept zero at this time?

Fred Happe: Accept zero on the increase.

President Lloyd: Oh, okay.

Fred Happe: I mean, my salary. I’m sorry.

President Lloyd: Oh, okay. Okay, any other questions for German? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Well, Mr. Happe, you offered not to accept your pay increase? Do we amend this at all, or put a little tag on it? Or will you send in something different?

Fred Happe: Well, what will probably happen, which we do, if they do put it in, we’ll transfer the funds to the Rainy Day Fund, and then that will help make up part of my shortfall on my fire. So we’ll leave it in as is, but I’ll amend it in my minutes that I won’t accept the pay increase.

Councilmember Goebel: Okay, sounds good to me.

President Lloyd: Other questions? So is there a motion to approve German Township as submitted?

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Shetler, second Mr. Goebel. Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: We’ll submit as submitted by you, six/zero, that was approved. Thanks, Fred.

Fred Happe: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Okay.

President Lloyd: Item 4D is Knight Township Trustee.

Kathryn Martin: Good morning.

President Lloyd: Good morning.

Kathryn Martin: Kathryn Martin, Knight Township Trustee. Paula Hurt, my chief deputy. I have chose to decrease our budget by $200,000. I have also done away with one of the positions in my office and that person made $25,000 a year. So no pay raises.

President Lloyd: How many employees are you down to?

Kathryn Martin: It will be four.

President Lloyd: Okay, so you and chief deputy and two case workers?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay. Questions for Knight Township? I’ll throw one out there, I guess. What’s the status on the tax warrant, the loan from the Evansville Bond Bank?

Kathryn Martin: We should be getting it on the 18^th.

President Lloyd: Okay, so that was like published and there’s a waiting period of a number of days?

Kathryn Martin: Correct.

President Lloyd: So that would be October 18^th?

Kathryn Martin: Correct.

President Lloyd: Okay, and the office can survive until then?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay. Mr. Goebel first.

Councilmember Goebel: Kathryn, we all know you came into a pretty volatile situation. Concerning expenditures, not just your township, but all townships, you have an advisory board, how closely does that board scrutinize? Do they look over all of the papers, and how often do they meet, just in general?

Kathryn Martin: Well, I would prefer if we met once a month. We decided yesterday that we would do that. At the end of the month I will show them, you know, the month end report, and let them know and be a part of everything so they know what’s going on.

Councilmember Goebel: That is their purpose, is it not?

Kathryn Martin: Yeah.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: At those monthly meetings, is the attorney required to be there?

Kathryn Martin: No. These are just between my advisory board and myself.

Councilmember Shetler: Underneath professional services, legal services, it says $10,000, is that what the attorney is being paid?

Kathryn Martin: That’s correct. In light of what had gone on before I got there. We still–

Councilmember Shetler: The attorney that’s there–

Kathryn Martin: Can I finish?

Councilmember Shetler: Yeah, please.

Kathryn Martin: The attorney, because we are still fighting the unemployment, we are still fighting all of these other legal battles, and I am not going to sell my township short and put us in a position to where we could fall into something because we can’t pay our attorney.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, and that attorney, is that the same attorney that represented–

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: –before, Knight Township, and then represented her personally?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

President Lloyd: For the record, represented Linda Durham.

Councilmember Shetler: Right.

President Lloyd: The former Trustee, now under arrest.

Councilmember Shetler: And that same attorney is the one that represented her to retain her job–

Kathryn Martin: Correct, we are fulfilling a contract between the township and that attorney right now. There will have to be a new contract made at a later date.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay. Just kind of thumbing through this, on other budgets and stuff, I’m not seeing any place, and I might be incorrect on this, where an attorney for a township is being paid quite so much.

Kathryn Martin: Well, I don’t believe that any other township has gone through the struggles that we have, and we’re defending the money that we’re trying to keep, and also, going forward, we’re fighting unemployment, we’re fighting possible more litigation with Ms. Durham. Like I said, I don’t want to say that we’re not going to be able to have enough money to defend ourselves. It makes no sense. If anything, that’s, to me, really important.

Councilmember Shetler: Well, I don’t disagree that it’s critical, I’m just questioning whether or not the guy that kept her there, that created the problem–

Kathryn Martin: As I said–

Councilmember Shetler: –and he’s the highest paid attorney out of all of the townships in this county.

Kathryn Martin: We are fulfilling a contract that was written prior to me getting there. We will sign a contract at the beginning of next year. It may be less than this, but I’m not going to sell my township short.

Councilmember Shetler: This is for the budget for next year?

Kathryn Martin: Correct.

Paula Hurt: He has a retainer fee, but he also gets paid hourly for anything extra he does.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay.

Councilmember Terry: So have there been other bids? I’m sorry, have there been other bids for a new contract?

Kathryn Martin: Not yet. We are going to implement it though, that’s kind of what I’m trying to say.

Councilmember Bassemier: Mr. President?

President Lloyd: Mr. Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Then, Ms. Martin, your attorney does not see this as a conflict of interest since he represented the other side before you took office?

Kathryn Martin: No.

Councilmember Bassemier: He does not see any conflict at all?

Kathryn Martin: No.

Councilmember Shetler: Let me just give you an example. Center Township has legal representation, $2,000 a year. Center Township, I mean, Knight Township we’re talking $10,000, five times, 500 percent increase. Again, the question that I have is, that this is the very person who personally represented her so that she could have that seat to begin with, and then we got into some serious problems, so it was his actions that helped create the fiasco that we’re in. Then, we’re retaining him further–

Kathryn Martin: Because I have a contract with him.

Councilmember Shetler: I understand, but–

Kathryn Martin: (Inaudible) obligated to keep him until the contract is up. Once that contract is up, it is open to other people to come in and be able to offer their services. But because of everything that’s gone on in Knight Township, I don’t feel comfortable putting $500 in there, or $1,000 or $2,000.

President Lloyd: Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Maybe Mr. Schulz could shed a little light. Would this be considered a conflict, from a legal standpoint? I’m not talking about the contract right now. I’m talking about down the road.

President Lloyd: He represented her personally to become Knight Township Trustee in a lawsuit, but then he became Township Trustee attorney.

Ryan Schulz: That would be something that we would review and then get back to you on. Certainly, it sounds interesting. So we’ll review that and get back to you.

Kathryn Martin: I definitely agree with you. That’s why I’m stressing, I am finishing my contract with him.

Councilmember Goebel: You are open then, in the future?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Mr. Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Kathryn, thank you for doing the work of, you know, it looks like you’re streamlining, you know, cut out employees and things like that, and I appreciate that. Perhaps, as a suggestion, you know, maybe you can review that contract. There might be some loophole in the contract that allows you some flexibility. Also, you know, I know some of the big things that you’ve bee confronted with has been past actions of, you know, the previous Trustee, maybe you might want to shed some light on some of the safeguards you’ve put in place since you’ve taken office. I know some of the other townships expressed how they give poor relief and how there’s a formula there and a system, maybe you might want to just shed some light on that, too.

Kathryn Martin: Well, basically, because of where we stand, and we are so far in the hole, we go by our guidelines. We are very strict with it. Unfortunately, unless there is an extenuating circumstance and somebody is over income, we have to deny them. If somebody loses everything in a fire, and the Red Cross comes in and helps and they still need a little bit of help, that to me is an extenuating circumstance. That’s why my office exists. So I will not turn somebody down in that situation. But before, and I think a lot of the other townships do, you know, a one time if they’re a little over or something, we just can’t. We can’t. We’ve dropped our poor relief down half of what it was, and that’s the purpose of doing away with one of the positions.

Councilmember Kiefer: Can you give a brief update, I know it’s been in the headlines about the fire department–

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Kiefer: –can you give a brief update on what the status is with all of that work?

Kathryn Martin: We will be contracting with Evansville Fire. With the annexation in the wings and everything else, it’s the right thing to do. So the Knight Township Fire Department will be closing. We’ll be contracting with Evansville.

Councilmember Kiefer: What will happen to their facility and their equipment and supplies and all of that stuff? Is that something the–

Kathryn Martin: We do not own it, so that will be something that they take care of on their own.

Councilmember Kiefer: Okay. Alrighty. Thank you.

Councilmember Goebel: Can we surplus? Can we surplus some of those engines and things to the other townships?

Kathryn Martin: They’re not mine.

Councilmember Goebel: I know. I’m just kidding.

President Lloyd: I think they’re like a non-profit corporation of their own. So I guess, they’re going to liquidate, which is a pretty sad thing really. They’ve even contacted a realtor about selling their property. Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yeah, I’m kind of thinking about that new building they put out there on, what, Pollack?

Kathryn Martin: The south building–

Councilmember Shetler: Right.

Kathryn Martin: –uh-huh.

Councilmember Shetler: Because, I know the County Commissioners were involved with some grant money that came through on that, state grant money and stuff, and there may be some more strings attached to it. You know, I don’t know that the township necessarily would be.

Kathryn Martin: The township is not involved in that. We have been to the meetings and I am fully aware of what’s going on. I’ll leave it to Chief Wathen and Chief Jarboe to enlighten everybody on what the plan is.

Councilmember Shetler: I guess, the question that I have, I know that you guys have, and you have been placed in a very difficult situation and a real challenge that faces you personally as well as the township in general, the, were you successful in borrowing the money from the Bond Bank?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: To get you through. I’m assuming that money is going to have to be paid back, and I know that you’ll be getting your tax receipts in in December and be able to pay that back temporarily, but then you’re going to be in the same boat, I would think. What kind of financial plan do you have to get that $200,000, is it roughly $200,000?

Kathryn Martin: It’s about $172,000.

Councilmember Shetler: To get that paid back–

Kathryn Martin: It’s 80 percent of what our tax draw will be in December.

Councilmember Shetler: So next year, will that, I mean, next, you’re going to get into some kind of a problem again next May, June, I would think.

Kathryn Martin: Right, and I have a plan for that if I’m still here. I’ve spoke with my opponent, and, of course, I’m not going to lock him into anything should I not be here.

Councilmember Shetler: I guess, the question, in your plan then–

Kathryn Martin: Uh-huh.

Councilmember Shetler: – how long do you think until you would be back on sound footing–

Kathryn Martin: About two years.

Councilmember Shetler: – through the township?

Kathryn Martin: About two years.

Councilmember Shetler: About two years? Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: You know, one thing I was going to ask some of the other townships, would it be beneficial to have State Board of Accounts come in and audit every year instead of every two years? For townships? Had you ever thought about that?

Kathryn Martin: Why don’t we just think about getting people in that are honest and trustworthy, instead of spending more money to make sure people aren’t?

President Lloyd: Okay. We’ve got another township official here.

Kathryn Martin: Mary.

Mary Hart: Mary Hart, Pigeon Township. No, it would not be beneficial. First of all, the State Board of Accounts does not have the staff to audit township government every year. They audit every two years, and the recommendations are, any changes are made every two years. So first of all, they don’t have the staff to audit us every year.

President Lloyd: How much do they charge you? Roughly.

Mary Hart: Well, my township is $340 every time they audit. So I don’t know what the other townships pay, but it’s rather expensive.

Kathryn Martin: Mine was around $4,000.

President Lloyd: Well, compared to a private CPA firm that’s an extreme bargain. I think a private CPA firm, you’re talking about $8,000 on up. But they don’t, they do what the governmental audit requires.

Mary Hart: But the $340 that they just charged, the last one was just a partial audit, they didn’t do a full audit. Doing a full audit, an audit can cost me up to $1,000.

President Lloyd: Well, that’s still a bargain for what you’re getting. Other questions for Knight? One more question I had, and we had talked a little bit about township assistance, and that was where Ms. Durham really took the township, I guess, down the wrong track by overspending that account.

Kathryn Martin: Correct.

President Lloyd: Did you have to increase your requirements to, I guess, not give as many people assistance because those funds are depleted?

Kathryn Martin: Well, I did, one thing I didn’t mention is, I did away with the non-food program for next year as well. I ended it, this August was the end, and we have, usually we would pay upwards of $100 on a Vectren bill, now we pay $50. We are scrutinizing a lot more. I was just in for an appeal the other day. So we’re buckling down because we don’t have a choice.

President Lloyd: Right, and it’s tough because these times are not easy.

Kathryn Martin: Right.

President Lloyd: So there’s a lot of requests, and you’re having to scale that back.

Kathryn Martin: Uh-huh.

President Lloyd: Okay. Mr. Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Kathryn, was there any success of getting any monies from the bonding companies?

Kathryn Martin: The Attorney General right now is going after the bond company. There’s no reason why we should not receive that back. I did request from the Evansville Bond Bank $172,000, because I didn’t want to sell the township short, counting on the $60,000 from the bonds from Linda.

Councilmember Kiefer: Sure.

Kathryn Martin: So hopefully, that’s something we are counting on is getting the $60,000.

Councilmember Kiefer: When do you think you might hear back?

Kathryn Martin: We don’t know.

Councilmember Kiefer: Okay.

Kathryn Martin: I’ve made contact with the Attorney General’s office, and they’re in litigation with the bond company right now.

Councilmember Kiefer: Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: There’s more litigation over this township. It’s unbelievable.

Kathryn Martin: I’m telling ya’.

President Lloyd: Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: I would like, at this time, to make a motion for, a recommendation much like we did last week on a couple of the other ones that I made motions on. In light of the fact that we do have other people around who are willing to aid and assist in the legal issues and problems, I would recommend that since we’re talking, particularly for next year, 2011, and not the current year, that the legal services line item be reduced from $10,000 down to $4,000. That’s twice what we are paying, that any other township is paying out in their legal funds that I can see.

Councilmember Kiefer: Tom, I would like to–

Councilmember Shetler: I haven’t gotten to Pigeon Township yet, so maybe I’m incorrect on that.

Mary Hart: You are incorrect. My township, I have a $5,000 attorney retainer fee.

Councilmember Shetler: Okay, I’ll make that five. We’ll make it $5,000 then on that.

Councilmember Kiefer: I would like to explore that a little bit further, if you don’t mind. Now, go ahead and just reiterate to me again why you had $10,000.

Kathryn Martin: Well, I didn’t put that in the budget, but now I’m thankful it was there because of everything that’s gone on.

Councilmember Kiefer: So you’re thinking there is going to be continuing litigation next year–

Kathryn Martin: There may be.

Councilmember Kiefer: – that would result in the need for that fund?

Kathryn Martin: Correct.

Councilmember Shetler: Are you, did I understand that in the 2010 budget there was $10,000 in it?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: So before any legal problems came up, he was being paid $10,000? Okay, I mean, so obviously, we had some problems here that dealt with someone’s bad behavior and someone’s ineptness of paying, perhaps, out too much on poor relief, but we also were overspending in some other areas, like legal services, for example, may be a perfect example, and I’m not sure Pigeon is a good one to give an example with Knight. Knight and Center are more of the same kind of size, same kind of demographics, in terms of legal issue. I’m not sure, I would have to go back three, four, five years, but I’m thinking that the retainer that they had for legal services back then was around $2,000 at Knight Township. Suddenly, its jumped up to $10,000, and, again, my motion is that we would cap that at $5,000 for legal services next year.

Mary Hart: What happened with her attorney fees though, there was two years in a row, they didn’t have $10,000 in and in ‘08 and there was some legal issues there that, with the fire contract and additional things, that they ran over their $5,000 retainer because they started charging $275 an hour for the remainder of the hourly that they were doing, over and above that $5,000 retainer. So that’s the reason $10,000 was put in to cover the excess that was being used at the hourly rate.

Councilmember Shetler: $275 an hour?

Kathryn Martin: I’m with ya’.

Councilmember Shetler: That’s lucrative. Okay, thank you. I make a motion for $5,000, a recommendation to cap–

Councilmember Goebel: Kathryn, can you live with the $5,000?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Okay, there’s a motion to change an amendment to the Knight Township budget recommendation by County Council, $5,000 for legal services. Is there a second?

Councilmember Kiefer: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, I guess, one point of information, what you called bad behavior, I would call alleged criminal behavior and mismanagement.

Councilmember Shetler: I was sugar coating it there a little bit.

President Lloyd: Yeah.

Councilmember Shetler: But $275 an hour, I will tell you that that is the rate that high level partners, managing partners get paid in Evansville, and we’re talking a couple of years ago. I mean, that’s a lot of darn money for legal services. I think you’re going to be hard pressed to find very many in Evansville getting paid that kind of money.

Councilmember Kiefer: I mean, Russ, in, like the city, isn’t it a negotiated rate of like $125-$150 an hour or something like that?

President Lloyd: I believe so.

Councilmember Kiefer: Yeah.

President Lloyd: I’m not going to defend this, but I suspect that attorney had to do more work that he wasn’t paid for in this, when you talk about the mountain of legal problems for this township. Anyway, there’s a motion and a second. Any other discussion? Let’s vote on this motion. Mr. Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: I would just like to say, Ms. Martin, I think your board, your township board ought to check in with the attorney and see if that’s a conflict of interest. I feel that it is since he represented her before you got there. So that would be my recommendation.

President Lloyd: I think Mr. Schulz said that he would look into it, if we asked him to.

Councilmember Bassemier: Okay.

President Lloyd: Okay. Any other discussion? We’re voting on this motion to amend Knight Township budget, recommendation $5,000 professional services. Any other discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: Any other questions for Knight Township? I guess, my only other question would be, did the tax rate go up or down?

Kathryn Martin: The tax rate?

President Lloyd: The property tax rate. It went up a little bit?

Kathryn Martin: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay. Other than the amendment that we just voted on, is there a motion to approve Knight Township as submitted?

Councilmember Terry: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Bassemier: Second.

President Lloyd: Motion Ms. Terry, second Mr. Bassemier. Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: It will be approved as submitted, six/zero, except for the change in professional services. If, after the townships are finished, if there’s any public comments we’ll accept those after all of the townships. Thank you.

President Lloyd: Go to 4E, Perry Township Trustee.

David Mosby: Good afternoon. David Mosby, Perry Township Trustee. Trying to think of all of the questions you asked. No, we don’t have a pay raise in our budget. Yes, we do have some balances, around $325,000 at the end of June, so we’ll be paying out some of that. Yes, we do have guidelines that we follow, and they are based on income, based on the amount of the household, and then sometimes on circumstances that might occur that you go back and look at, too.

Councilmember Shetler: What about your legal?

David Mosby: My legal is $2,000 for the whole year. We keep John Hamilton on retainer.

President Lloyd: Are you having any problem with the fire funds, as far as running a deficit?

David Mosby: No, my fire department pretty much knows what we have and what we can get, and they are very good about that. We have an excellent fire department. Nobody’s paid, they’re all volunteers. So and a great chief and some good people.

President Lloyd: Other questions for Mr. Mosby? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Your fire department is all volunteer?

David Mosby: Uh-huh.

Councilmember Goebel: Interesting. Thank you.

President Lloyd: Any other questions? Township assistance, obviously, are you seeing an increase in requests?

David Mosby: Very much so.

President Lloyd: Yeah.

David Mosby: That’s what me and the chief deputy who’s with me, Darlene Schweikhart, were talking about, and there’s a good chance that we’ll be next out of funds by the first of December or so, but we’re working on that.

President Lloyd: Did you have to raise requirements?

David Mosby: No, we haven’t raised the requirements yet. You know, hopefully, there will be some areas that we can scale back here and maybe transfer out of prescriptions or something like that to carry over to. It’s more in non-food and utilities, is the big thing.

President Lloyd: Okay, other questions for Mr. Mosby?

Councilmember Bassemier: Motion to approve.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion to approve as submitted, with no change by Mr. Bassemier.

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Lloyd: Second, Mr. Shetler. Any other discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: I would also like to say, David, thank you for all of your service.

David Mosby: You’re welcome.

President Lloyd: Appreciate it.

David Mosby: Thank you all.

President Lloyd: We’ll move on to 4F, Pigeon Township Trustee.

Mary Hart: Good morning, Mary Hart–

President Lloyd: Good morning.

Mary Hart: –Pigeon Township Trustee. Yes, there is a two percent pay increase in my budget. Fire department was decreased from $20,000 to $12,000. That was because of the annexation into the city, and my city contract was lowered because of the annexation.

President Lloyd: You guys contract with the City of Evansville, because Pigeon is totally within the city, other than that one piece?

Mary Hart: There’s several areas that’s outside of the city limits, but the biggest majority of it, down around Marina Pointe, was annexed in, but there’s still some areas outside the city limits, and that’s the reason that contract was lowered.

President Lloyd: Okay, and you listed here, number of employees, it looks like, eight, or seven, plus you?

Mary Hart: Seven employees, and myself makes eight.

President Lloyd: Okay. Then, did you guys have a pay increase last year?

Mary Hart: No.

President Lloyd: Okay, so you’re following the city guideline, two percent?

Mary Hart: Two percent pay increase.

President Lloyd: Okay.

Mary Hart: That’s the only changes in my budget.

President Lloyd: Okay. Any other questions for Ms. Hart? Then, also, you’re, are you president of the township association?

Mary Hart: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay, Indiana Township Association?

Mary Hart: Yes, and our guidelines are based on poverty guidelines. There are extenuating circumstances, but the cases are reviewed case by case to determine eligibility, not just by guidelines, but by the situation that the family is in. They may be a little over our income guidelines, but they’ve had a major catastrophe. They may still qualify for our services for Vectren, or rental assistance, or medications. It just depends on the situation that our families are in.

President Lloyd: Do you guys give food assistance?

Mary Hart: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay. Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Mary, maybe you could, since you are an expert, give a little light as far as the volunteer fire departments. Do most of them come up with actual volunteers? Or do we have a lot that are paid? Or is it apples to oranges based on the location of the township?

Mary Hart: It really depends on the location of the township. Across the State of Indiana you have some in the rural areas that are all total volunteers. In the larger, urban areas they have volunteer fire departments that have paid staff. So it just depends on the area that they’re in.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Other questions for Ms. Hart? Mr. Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yeah, let me just go ahead and ask you a little bit on the legal, and, again, noticing on a couple of the others they either have really very little or nothing in their legal, or else it might be $2,000. Yours being $5,000, what’s, I mean, do you guys, do you have to occasionally file suits or get involved with folks?

Mary Hart: We do. My attorney is David Shaw and he’s on a retainer, and we have, in the last couple of years, caught fraud in the assistance that we have given and we have asked him to prosecute to retrieve the money. So we do have to have him a little more frequently than the others, because our case load is so much higher than the other townships.

Councilmember Shetler: Would that, and, again, I’m just asking the question, not, would that be a service that would be generally provided by the Prosecutor’s office then, if it’s a criminal fraud?

Mary Hart: No. He would have to file the charges, because it’s actually welfare fraud. He would have to file the charges, the Prosecutor wouldn’t pick them up.

Councilmember Shetler: So then it’s a civil–

Mary Hart: Yes.

Councilmember Shetler: –as opposed to being a criminal?

Mary Hart: Right.

Councilmember Shetler: Alright, thank you.

President Lloyd: Well, and you’re not talking about huge amounts of dollars, but it’s, I mean, you probably have several of these types every once in a while.

Mary Hart: Yes.

President Lloyd: Okay. Other questions for Ms. Hart? I mean, I’ve asked the other ones, but obviously, you’ve seen, over the last two years, a large increase in requests for assistance?

Mary Hart: Yes. Much worse this year than it has been in the past.

President Lloyd: Okay. Has your tax rate gone up?

Mary Hart: No.

President Lloyd: About the same? Okay, well, that’s good news for property tax payers. Any other questions for Ms. Hart? Does anyone make a motion to approve?

Councilmember Bassemier: Motion to approve.

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion to approve Pigeon Township budget as submitted, Mr. Bassemier, second Mr. Shetler. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: Passes six/zero. Will be approved as submitted. Thank you, Ms. Hart.

President Lloyd: Item 4G, Scott Township Trustee.

Bob Harris: Bob Harris, Scott Township Trustee.

President Lloyd: Good morning.

Bob Harris: Hi.

President Lloyd: Any highlights of your budget?

Bob Harris: When I prepared this budget, I put a three percent raise in for the wages. That amounts to a total of $1,080. I will reduce that if it’s the pleasure of the Council. Everything else is about the same. We’re talking about fire departments, Scott Township is the only township in Vanderburgh County where the township owns all of the equipment, owns all of the buildings. I just contract with the fire department for their services. They use the township equipment.

President Lloyd: How many employees?

Bob Harris: In the township?

President Lloyd: Yeah.

Bob Harris: Five, myself, a clerk, and three board members.

President Lloyd: Okay. Any questions for Scott? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: So Bob, you will amend back to 1.5 percent?

Bob Harris: I will amend it to 1.5 percent.

Councilmember Goebel: That’s great. I don’t know if there’s any across the board situation, like you own the fire equipment, others we lease, or rent, I think that would be generally a good thing if we had a uniform policy on those, on the fire departments.

Bob Harris: I think you’ll find that’s the way Indiana State code says it should be.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you, Bob.

President Lloyd: Well, and you have other, some of these other townships, or the fire departments somehow became these separate non-profits. Then, they have borrowing authority.

Bob Harris: If they put themselves at risk for the loans, when I buy the equipment, you know, it’s paid for by tax monies. When that loan is paid off, it drops off the tax rate.

President Lloyd: Well, and you also have ambulance service.

Bob Harris: We run the only ambulance service outside of Evansville. We take care of Armstrong and Scott Township. We run a 24/7 paramedic unit.

President Lloyd: Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Has the Baseline Road overpass–

Bob Harris: It’s helped tremendously.

Councilmember Goebel: So it has been something you needed?

Bob Harris: Oh, for years.

Councilmember Goebel: Thank you.

President Lloyd: No, that’s a good thing that the county did. Other questions for Mr. Harris?

Councilmember Shetler: Move approval.

President Lloyd: Okay, move approval as submitted by Mr. Shetler. Is there a second?

Councilmember Goebel: How do we work the amending back to 1.5?

President Lloyd: Oh, we need to do an amendment on the pay.

Councilmember Shetler: Move approval with the amendment of one and a half percent cap on the salaries.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Shetler, second Mr. Goebel.

Councilmember Shetler: I was incorporating in my motion.

President Lloyd: Right, the motion is the budget as submitted, other than a pay increase for township employees 1.5 percent, instead of three. Is there any other discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: It will be, with that one change on the pay, approved as submitted.

Bob Harris: Thank you.

President Lloyd: Thank you, Mr. Harris. Thank you, Barbara Harris as well, and thank you for your work on the reorganization committee.

Barbara Harris: You’re welcome.

President Lloyd: Item 4H, Union Township Trustee. The letter U is last.

Joe Steinkamp: Saved the best for last. Joe Steinkamp, Union Township Trustee. There’s myself as Trustee, my wife the deputy, and three advisory board members. There was no pay raise. I didn’t even bring the account balances with me. I figured you all had those. My wife brought 12 copies up here and didn’t leave me one. We contract out our fire service from Perry Township. A couple of years ago I got approval from the state, built a fire garage in our township above the ‘37 flood level, and that’s bumped up the tax rate a little bit in our township, but we have the guy that stored the truck for the last 15 years decided that he didn’t want to store the truck anymore. So we have a fire garage, a dandy little building. That’s about all there is interesting to know. We haven’t really seen an increase. We run about the same amount of assistance. We have guidelines, we follow them, and that’s about it.

President Lloyd: What’s the population of Union Township?

Joe Steinkamp: I don’t know what the population is. The census just got done, so maybe we’ll find out.

President Lloyd: Right.

Joe Steinkamp: But there was 162 people who voted the last time, when I was first elected.

President Lloyd: And not all of them vote, so there’s a few others.

Joe Steinkamp: There’s less than a thousand.

President Lloyd: Right, you’ve got some children as well. Questions for Union Township? So did the fire garage, is that land that the township purchased?

Joe Steinkamp: Yeah, the previous Trustee had bought it back in the early 90's and built the mound, and put rip rap on it, because it’s in a flood plain, and then that sat there–

President Lloyd: Okay.

Joe Steinkamp: –for the last, sometime in the last four years.

President Lloyd: Right, so it was good planning. Okay. Questions? Mr. Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: This is totally, I think your budget proposal is great, but totally off this subject, does Union Township still own section 16?

Joe Steinkamp: Yeah, one of the, for the benefit of the board, section 16 in every township in the State of Indiana was set up for the benefit of education. Our, Union Township, I think Orange County has a township that has their section 16 yet, but Union Township is one of the only townships in the State of Indiana that still owns section 16 for the benefit of education. It’s all farmland in a flood plain, and we only, a section of land is 640 acres, and we only have about 300 tillable, because the rest of ours has fell in the river, because of it’s on the outside of Old Henderson Road. So part of my job as Trustee is to administer the funds of that land, and so the students of the township get a small stipend to help pay for books and supplies, and as children go to college they get a small stipend from that. Then, at the same time, a certain portion of the funds, long before my time, but when EVSC became, took over all of the township schools, part of the negotiated rate was “x” amount of the annual rent goes back to the county to reduce the tax rate for the benefit of all of the taxpayers in the township.

Councilmember Goebel: Well, I bring that up because I think it’s really interesting. Historically, this township situation was by the land ordinance of 1785 that section 16 would be set aside. Long before we even had our Constitution, and we’re still living that history. I think it’s really interesting, and good.

President Lloyd: That’s, I learned some things today. That’s pretty interesting. Any other questions for Union Township? If not, we’ll ask for a motion to approve as submitted.

Councilmember Goebel: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Goebel, second Mr. Shetler. Any other discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes.

(Motion unanimously approved 6-0)

President Lloyd: Thank you for coming in, Mr. Steinkamp.

President Lloyd: Okay, before we adjourn, any public comments on the township budgets?

Bob Harris: May I say one more thing?

President Lloyd: Sure.

Bob Harris: The poor relief guidelines are filed with the Commissioners every year. So if anybody would like to review the township poor relief guidelines, they can go to the Commissioners office, and they’re on file there.

President Lloyd: On the state, or the county? The County Commissioners?

Bob Harris: Each township–

President Lloyd: Oh.

Bob Harris: –all of their guidelines are filed in the Commissioners office.

President Lloyd: The County Commissioners?

Bob Harris: The County Commissioners.

Councilmember Kiefer: Question.

President Lloyd: Mr. Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Are, does each township have, is it possible that they all have different guidelines? Or, is it a standardized–

Bob Harris: My last time I reviewed, we will review our guidelines yearly–

President Lloyd: Yeah.

Bob Harris: –and I try to check with the other townships, and they’re pretty much the same.

Councilmember Kiefer: Pretty much, but they don’t have to be, but they’re pretty close?

Mary Hart: Can I answer that?

President Lloyd: Go ahead.

Councilmember Kiefer: Sure, thanks.

Mary Hart: Our actual guidelines have to be at poverty level. Now, as far as the assistance that we issue, it may vary a little bit township to township as far as the dollar amount for Vectren that we assist with may vary from township to township, rental assistance will vary dollar amount township to township, but the actual guidelines are based on federal poverty levels.

Councilmember Kiefer: Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: Well, and the Commissioners, we know they get a lot of paper.

Mary Hart: They all have them.

President Lloyd: I’ve not heard from a Commissioner that they receive these, but I’m sure they do. Any other public comments on the township budgets? Is there a motion to adjourn?

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Goebel: Second.

President Lloyd: All in favor signify by saying aye.

(All Councilmembers voted aye)

President Lloyd: We are adjourned. Thank you.

(There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 10:42 a.m.)

VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

Recorded and transcribed by Teri Lukeman.