Commissioners cooperate with funding plan
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Two formal requests made by Carroll County Council President Nancy S. Cripe were met with unanimous approval by Carroll County Commissioners at their Monday morning meeting. Commissioners agreed to cooperate with two funding mechanisms designed by the council to demonstrate enough county income to convince the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) to accept the newest version of the 2008 county budget.

"We request cooperation and hope both bodies of Carroll County government can work together to formulate a legal, workable financial plan," Cripe's prepared statement read.

The first request granted was for commissioners to defer repayment of $350,000 of a $675,000 inter-fund loan from the cumulative bridge account made at the beginning of the year. The $350,000 was deferred for six years and the first payment will be due in June of 2009.

"We have to work together," commissioner Bill Brown said. "We have no choice."

Brown said he decided to become a commissioner to stop needless spending for bridges. He congratulated the governing body for conservative bridge spending which made the money available for the council to utilize.

Brown said he wanted to be commissioner also to improve county roads, however he admitted he had not had as much success in that endeavor as he initially thought possible.

"We can't cut more ambulances," he said in making the motion to grant the council request. George Mears provided the second.

The second request was for the highway department to give $150,000 from its budget to the general fund.

Highway superintendent Ron Francis expressed concern about using money from the operating budget.

"I want to be as supportive as I can," he said. "But I don't want to end up like county general."

Council member Rob Baker said the council gave the highway department $500,000 for personnel in 2003. He said it appeared there was extra money in the county at that time.

"We helped them out when it was theirtime,"hesaid. Auditor Beth Myers added, "We were told we had an extra $8 million in surplus and we did not."

According to Cripe, the funds from the highway department will not be transferred into county general "until legal approval is received."

Carroll Manor

Superintendent Martha Lewis reported her budget was reduced to $261,700 last Wednesday evening and she found out about it at the Thursday morning council meeting. She said although she was on the commissioners agenda to propose a graduated rate per day, she said she was undecided how to proceed.

Lewis said the only way she could make the revised budget work was for all employees' hours to be reduced.

"At that figure, we're probably going to have to go to part-time people," she said.

Although Lewis reported that her population decreased to 20 since last week, she said there were 13 who could pay the council-recommended $56/day, five residents would only be able to pay less and one person was funded by state assistance, bringing the total population to 19. She said there was one adult daycare person who paid approximately $150/month for day services only.

Cripe advised the facility spent at the 2007 level for the first three months of this year and that was taken into account when the current spending limitation was adopted. She reminded commissioners the council urged them to increase fees last November.

Commissioners' attorney Barry Emerson recommended parameters be established before adoption of a graduated rate scale is determined. He said there was a need to "quantify" applicants. He offered assistance to Lewis to develop guidelines.

The matter was tabled until the April 21 meeting.

Flood damage costs

Cost to the county to remove debris and repair roads from the two January floods was increased from approximately $280,000 to $396,334.86 since the last report by Francis. He said he sent a letter to Congressman Joe Donnelly and State Senator Brandt Hershman urging them to support an appeal to FEMA for municipality reimbursement state-wide. He said Carroll County experienced the "lion's share of flood damage."

Francis said although he budgeted $25,000 for stone in 2008, he has spent $74,000 so far.

Francis requested guidance about going forth with the county dust control program this summer. He said the council transferred more than $27,000 from $80,000 in the line item to pay for flood debris removal. He said council members inquired if the county was obligated to provide dust control.

Commissioners tabled the matter until the April 21 meeting when Francis will present a power-point description of the 2008 road plan.

Building permits

Commissioners took no action on a building permit fee schedule recommended by Carroll County Area Plan Commission. Zoning administrator Kathy Mylet said the schedule allowed for more costly permits for accessory buildings than commercial ones.

APC member Pete Wagoner urged commissioners to adopt the fees. He said APC was criticized for not acting sooner to increase fees. He said members were provided fees charged by neighboring counties to consider in making decisions. He said they "digested the information pretty well" before developing recommendations.

The decision was tabled and APC was directed to review the proposed rate changes at the next APC meeting.

Brown blasts Comet editorial

Commissioner Brown said he "took exception" to the recent Comet editorial which stated that he, along with other county leaders, heard for three and four years from the Indiana State Board of Accounts in audit exit interviews the county auditor and treasurer did not balance the books between the two offices. The editorial stated that he and the others did not address the issue with either of the elected officials in a public meeting to require them to adhere to the Indiana Code that mandates they balance monthly.

"I found it very offensive," he said in the commissioners' meeting. "I did not cover anything up."

He said the SBOA said there was a discrepancy between the two offices and called it a "simple posting error in the treasurer's office."

He said the SBOA representative did indicate if the treasurer was not re-elected to the position, she would have to "make that money up" when she left office.

Brown further explained that after receiving the first two SBOA audits he took a copy to the Delphi Comet office.

"How is that covering up?" he said.

Other business

Steve Casper of Communication Consulting Services was granted authority to activate cost saving telecommunication measures for the county. He said examination revealed the firm could save the county $256.36/month. The fee for the service is 50 percent of the savings on a monthly basis.

Dean Scott, president of the newly formed Carroll County Agriculture Association presented the group's first handbook for government officials, supported by Carroll County Farm Bureau, Pork Producers, Purdue University Extension/ Carroll County and the Indiana Farm Bureau.

Scott said the purpose of the handbook was to provide government officials with a single reference source about agriculture in the county, including the effect on the economy and health of county residents.

Burial benefits for veterans were reduced to $100 per death.

The next meeting will be April 21 at 6 p.m.

Drainage Board

County surveyor Wayne Chapman reported seven work orders received in March. He said he expected the number to increase when farmers are able to get back into the fields this spring.

A special drainage board with Howard County representatives will be May 7. Mears and Brown were appointed to represent Carroll County on the board. The meeting is necessary to address issues germane to both counties with a shared drain.

The next meeting will be May 5 at 8:30 a.m.