Council directs auditor to pay all due loans
Hears more money will be needed for payroll this month
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Carroll County Council agreed to honor 2008 financial obligations and repay all inter-fund loans with money currently accumulated in the general fund. They learned however, after the repayment, more money would have to be borrowed to cover expenses the following week.

According to county auditor Beth Myers, who recommended the action, approximately $56,509 would remain in county general after repayment of all inter-fund loans. She said claims to be paid after approval by commissioners at the Monday morning meeting would equal between $81,000 and $82,000. Myers recommended another loan from the Rainy Day fund for $120,000 for short-term expected expenses. She said the county paid $400 interest for the bank line of credit loan in 2008.

Council approved Myers' recommendation in a 4 to 2 split vote. Ron Slavens and Steve Ashby voted against the action.

After the vote, Slavens said he would prefer to have borrowed the funds from another account. He said the Rainy Day fund, which was repaid just prior to the most recent loan approval, was not a day-to-day revolving cash fund for the council to rely upon. Ashby said he would only vote to borrow from the bank and pay interest on the loan thereby forcing council members to take the loan seriously rather than treating it in a casual manner.

Ann Brown said she would not allow the new loan to be treated with anything other than the seriousness it deserved. She said she would "stand up in the middle of the table" to object if that situation were to present itself.

Former county auditor Donna Romien suggested Myers and the council consider an advance draw on property taxes, which have not gone through settlement, rather than borrow from a fund. Myers said she would consider that option later in the year when needed.

Slavens made a motion to direct the auditor to only include general fund receipts and disbursements in the year-end financial report. He said the measure was necessary because the published 2007 year-end balance was not accurate. He said the incorrect information was supplied to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance as well as the consultant hired to advise council members about future financial decisions. He said because of the incorrect information, both of those entities made mistakes when advising the council about how to proceed.

Brown provided the second for the motion, which was approved.

Other business

Deer Creek Township resident Angie Murray was appointed to the Delphi Public Library Board of Directors for four years.

Donation ordinance 2008-13 for the county parks was approved.

Myers was directed to advertise for a second tax anticipation loan.

Outgoing county highway superintendent Ron Francis was granted permission to advertise for a truck driver and a mechanic.

Transfers

• Custodians - $500 and $100 from furniture and fixtures to supplies and to other supplies, respectively;

• Treasurer - $1,300 from deputy to part-time clerical;

• EMS - $781 from radio repair and $600 from postage to telephone;

• Commissioners - $101 from membership dues and $150 from change of venue to examination of records;

• Highway - $2,500 from grader blades and $2,350 from flood damage clean-up to repair parts;

• Reassessment - $10,000 from first clerk to part-time and $5,000 from first clerk to mileage; and

• E-911 - $300 from Teleco to mileage.

The next meeting is Nov. 24 at 8:30 a.m. for 2009 budget adoption.