Council struggles with tax increase decision

The Carroll County Council must soon make a decision about raising income taxes in the form of the "Local Option Income Tax" or LOIT. There are several different ways in which the additional tax rate could be levied to replace disappearing state income for county general.

Sifting through the information to reach the most logical course of action for Carroll County taxpayers is a decision with which some council members struggle. Different council members have gathered varied amounts of knowledge and understanding of the different components, as well as the ramifications of each, due in part to their attendance, or lack of attendance, at seminars and presentations about LOIT.

The council approved approximately $2,500 to hire legal advisors Barnes and Thornburg LLP to recommend a financial advisor and develop an ordinance for LOIT increase adoption by the end of the year at last Thursday's morning meeting. However, the decision was not without controversy.

Council member Ron Slavens voted against the measure. He said that he attended several LOIT workshops and learned nothing new from the Barnes and Thornburg presentation. He said it cost nothing to learn identical information from Larry DeBoer of Purdue.

The legal advisors will advise about the legal ramifications of a council decision while financial advisors will help the council understand the consequences of each component of the proposed tax levy. Barnes and Thornburg's recommendation will be heard at a special council meeting Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m.

Members voted to pay the legal and financial advisors from the legal line item in the commissioners budget with supplementation from the Rainy Day Fund.

"There is no free lunch," commissioners attorney Barry Emerson said as he recommended Barnes and Thornburg for the work.

EMS ambulance service

Emergency Medical Services Director Mike Durr said his department could only survive an additional $250,000 budget reduction from the amended 2008 budget if the Yeoman and Burlington ambulance garages were closed.

"The only way to survive is to shut down services," he told council members.

Durr then presented a proposal to privatize the service using a new company he would establish. He said the new company would use contracted employees and would lease county equipment for a nominal annual fee. The county would provide the necessary housing to maintain four garages and would provide insurance for the vehicles used in the service.

Durr said the new company would provide the service for $420,000 each year for the next five years and would set the rates and collect fees for providing the service.

Council members considered the savings in overtime wages, em- ployee benefits costs as well as bookkeeping fees for issuing invoices in the discussion.

The matter was continued for further research about the ramifications of the plan.

Highway department

Carroll County Highway Superintendent Ron Francis was given permission to hire a truck driver. He said the department is working with two less drivers. One of the drivers is on shortterm disability and cannot be replaced until the situation is resolved.

DPS grant

A letter of support for a grant from the National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund of the U.S. Department of Interior, administered through the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, to Delphi Preservation Society was approved. Preservation society spokesperson Anita Werling said the group requested $30,000 from the fund for a $60,000 project to replace the roof of the Delphi Opera House.

Werling said grant money could be available for courthouse roof replacement through historic courthouse preservation grants. She said she would research the matter and report the findings to the council.

Additional appropriations

The following were approved:

• $13,000 from the Rainy Day Fund to EMS fuel;

• $14,000 from Rainy Day Fund to EMS billing services;

• $3,000 from Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund to morgue maintenance; and

• $235,000 from Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund to courthouse maintenance (roof replacement and tuck pointing).

The next council meeting is Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. The 2009 budget adoption hearing will be Nov. 24 at 8:30 a.m.