Commissioners grapple with gravel roads
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Carroll County Commissioners became concerned about which hard-surface roads were planned to be ground to gravel per the proposed 2008 road plan at their Monday morning meeting. When it was learned CR500S between Prince William Rd. and SR39 was scheduled to become gravel, and noting that there were 14 houses on the road, it was determined a special meeting was needed to discuss county road issues and solutions in-depth.

Commissioner Bill Brown said roads in housing growth areas should be preserved as much as the county could afford in order to encourage additional new home growth.

Commissioner George Mears suggested commissioners develop "creative financing" for residents which would help the county with the cost of maintaining more hard-surfaced roads.

Highway superintendent Ron Francis said the county receives enough from gas tax to maintain approximately 20 percent of the roads in the county.

"I see us in a downhill spiral," Brown said.

A special meeting to address county road needs for 2008 was scheduled for May 12 at 8 a.m.

Dust control

Francis reported county council requested he transfer money back into dust control due to the expected FEMA reimbursement for flood damage-related costs. Commissioners advised Francis to apply dust control 300 feet in length in front of each house on gravel roads. Previously it was decided to reduce the area covered by dust control from 300 to 150 feet due to financial concerns.

However, Hylton noted that if there were more roads ground to gravel, there would be additional dust control expenses if houses were on the road. Francis said hard surfaces are not ground in front of houses to add to dust control measures.

Materials bids

All bids received for material costs were accepted. Francis distributed a bid-tabulation and cost comparison chart.

"We didn't fare as bad as I thought we would," he said.

Francis said the increase for materials was at about one percent, less than expected. He said each bid contained an escalation clause.

FEMA reimbursement

Francis said the expectation was for the county to receive approximately 75 percent of approved flood-related repair and debris removal costs from FEMA. He said he was working with FEMA officials about using reimbursement for road improvement costs rather than repairing some roads and structures to pre-flood conditions.

Building fees

Commissioners did not approve a recommendation by Carroll County Area Plan Commission for increased building fees. APC attorney Cindy Harmon presented the fee schedule, which she said had not changed since the first time it was presented and not approved by the county leaders.

Harmon explained how APC arrived at costs for each service, with a clarification about how farm buildings are to be classified. She said the fees would be based on square footage rather than the builder-reported cost of the structure. She called the new method "a much easier and much cleaner way to charge."

Commissioners requested clarification from APC how grain bins and pole buildings/non-agricultural sheds would be assessed for fees as compared to commercial buildings. Brown used the example that a permit for the new bowling alley under construction on the south side of Delphi would cost the same as a pole building because of the similar size of each structure. The use would not be considered in the APC fee proposal.

"I'm concerned this (fee schedule) is anti-growth," Brown said.

The next APC meeting will be May 27. The matter is expected to be discussed at that time.

Other business

Commissioners' attorney Barry Emerson reported per Indiana Code the Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District was exempt from paying right-ofway permit fees for construction of the sewer district in Jefferson Township.

"In my opinion, the courts would not support charging fees," he said.

However, he advised the sewer district should go through the permitting process without paying fees.

Francis reported the sewer district did not notify the county of where they would be digging or when.

"The courts would support the control or use of the right-ofways," Emerson said.

Emerson was directed to write a letter to TLRSD explaining the county permitting policy, detailing expectations for any governmental or quasi-governmental agency.

The 2008 County Extension contract with Purdue University was endorsed.

"It says the same thing it's always said," extension agent Joanne Lytton told commissioners.

A three-year contract with Maximus, a firm that evaluates and requests county reimbursement costs due from state and federal programs, was approved for no more than $2,900/year.

Mears placed the topic of central dispatch on the agenda for the May 19 meeting. Emerson said the process would require an inter-local cooperation agreement after all parties meet and agree on terms and costs to each entity.

An application to Carroll Manor for Aldo V. Zandy from Lafayette was approved.

Commissioners rejected a request by council members to reduce the number of paid holidays for county employees. Brown suggested county leaders consider requiring employees to work nine hours each day and close the courthouse one day each week (Monday) to save employee fuel and courthouse energy costs.

Commissioners commented that information given at the last meeting about confined dairy operations was incorrect. They questioned if the erroneous information should be entered into the permanent record via the minutes of the meeting or if it should be corrected. It was decided they would make the statement that the information was not correct and approve the minutes as written.

The next meeting will be May 19 at 9 a.m.

Drainage board

County surveyor Wayne Chapman reported the office received 10 work orders in April. Work was needed in Monroe, Democrat, Jackson/Monroe, Washington, Liberty/Jackson and Jefferson townships.

Chapman said he has heard nothing about the progress of the three dairies planned for the county.

Drainage board members will participate in a joint meeting with Cass County officials May 7 at 7:30 p.m.

The next Carroll County Drainage Board meeting will be June 2 at 8:30 a.m.