Highway department allowed to circumvent rule
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

In a unanimous vote during the Carroll County Commissioners' Monday evening meeting, the county highway department was granted an exemption to the county nepotism policy. The move will enable highway department supervisor Ramzi Awwad to hire the brother of a current employee to fill a truck driver position.

Calling the move "in the best interest of the county," Awwad cited a clause in the county personnel handbook which gave commissioners discretion to make an exemption in the rule designed to prohibit department heads from hiring those closely related by blood or marriage.

Awwad said he received between ten and twelve applications for the position. According to Awwad, two other applicants interviewed were qualified for the position, but he determined the brother of the current employee was the best overall candidate.

Highway superintendent Ron Francis said there has never been a problem with employed family members who were grand-fathered into highway department positions. He suggested the "intent" of the policy was not as black and white as some might interpret it.

"I like the direction these two men have taken the highway department," commissioner George Mears said in favor of the exemption.

"I find nothing wrong with our two heads of the highway department," commissioner Bill Brown said. "I tend to side with them."

However, one county resident cautioned county leaders about granting the request.

"I hate to see you make exceptions like this because it will open a can of worms," Darrell Routh said.

"With the leadership that's been shown and upon their request," commissioners' president Loren Hylton said in a follow-up interview, "this exemption was considered and granted."

In other highway department business, Awwad reported approximately 25 mailboxes were damaged or destroyed by the department's snow removal efforts after last week's storm.

Francis and Awwad were directed to develop a fair and equitable replacement policy. Awwad said the current policy states if a county resident's damaged mailbox was at least three feet from the edge of the road and approved by the postal service, the department would purchase a like-replacement box or repair the original one. The cost to replace a plastic mailbox, which is unable to withstand the force of snow thrown on it from a plow in freezing temperatures, is approximately $75 each.

Awwad said a meeting between the highway department and Vreba Hoff, developers of the proposed dairy, was set for "early next week." The meeting is to discuss road usage and the impact of increased traffic in the surrounding area. Concerned Citizens: Proposed dairy

Opponents and proponents of the proposed confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) dairy to be built in Democrat Township filled the meeting room and clashed during an hour-long discussion.

Opponent Jerry Carter began the discussion by reading a prepared document which began, "We are here tonight as concerned neighbors of Carroll County asking that you set a date for a public hearing, advertised in the local newspaper, to address our concerns on the Boerman Carroll Dairy. We are not here to stop economic progress in Carroll County, but to help protect the health, safety and welfare of all citizens of Carroll County."

The document listed 18 requests by the opponents. The last page included a comparison between a concentrated animal feeding operation and a landfill. Carter said a landfill is not allowed by county zoning ordinance and would require the granting of a special exception, which would include an opportunity for community members to weigh in on the matter before a permit would be issued.

However, county resident Miriam Robeson said she was "offended" by the comparison. She said there were no new concerns listed in the document.

"These issues have been addressed and addressed," Robeson said. "I think we have had enough."

Other CAFO proponents expressed similar views.

Carroll County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Daryl Smith said a 3,500-head dairy would generate over $45 million of economic activity annually and the county would realize more than $250,000 in property taxes each year.

"We're all good people here," he said. "We just have different points of views."

Hylton said commissioners' meetings were public meetings and dairy representatives have visited in the past. No additional public meeting was set.

TLRSD

Carroll County representative to the Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District Board of Directors, Wayne Garrison, provided an oral report about the district's recent activities.

He noted the board members adopted a policy to clarify a state statute about the requirement to connect to a sewer if the property is within 300 feet of the sewer line. A property owner would only qualify for an exemption if and when the county health department designated the septic system to be in good working order.

Garrison said he plans to schedule a meeting with county sanitarian Chris Jones to discuss the health department's role in the new policy.

Garrison reported the sewer district will "most likely help fund a feasibility study" to determine the extent of the sewer district's involvement with the BioTown project in White County.

"It's a good idea and we can probably utilize it one way or another," Garrison said.

Jefferson Township resident Gregory Smith suggested building a fail-safe dam on the White and Carroll county line in the event the Rattle Snake Waste Water Treatment Plant experiences a spill.

He further suggested the sewer district develop baseline water sampling at the Rattle Snake Creek in Carroll County to be able to adequately measure any increase in runoff water contamination.

Other business

County prosecutor Tricia Thompson was granted permission to use the courthouse lounge March 14 from noon until 3 p.m. She will host a luncheon and training for area law enforcement personnel. The meeting was rescheduled from February due to inclimate weather.

Delphi Chamber of Commerce will use the courthouse lounge March 22 to host a seminar.

Doris McLeland and Jane Smith were appointed to the 2007 Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA).

The amount donated from the annual state recycling grant to Carroll Community Recycling Cooperative was $15,000.

The next meeting will be March 5 at 9 a.m. The drainage board will meet the same day at 8:30 a.m.