An advisory committee was appointed last year to develop a revised county personnel policy manual with assistance from the firm of Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele & Associates. Committee members spent many hours meeting with consultant Kent Irwin to bring the new document to fruition. Carroll County Commissioners adopted the policy manual at their Monday morning meeting, effective Monday, although job descriptions have yet to be developed.

Committee members Loren Hylton (commissioners president), Rob Baker (former county council president), Barry Emerson (commissioners attorney) and county auditor Beth Myers recommended adoption. Irwin reported the committee examined the old policies, past practices and existing state laws as they developed the 88-page document.

Chapters include employment policies (recruitment to lay-off and recall), salary administration (normal work week, work hours, compensation and time keeping), employee benefits (vacation, personal leave, etc.), working conditions (safety, use of telephones, county mail, cellular phones), county credit cards, etc.) and personal conduct (attendance and punctuality, personal appearance, confidentiality, etc.). All terms and conditions are defined in detail.

Irwin noted forms are included for use by department heads and elected officials, which include employee acknowledgment forms to signify employees were given a copy of the manual and assume the responsibility for reading it.

It will cost the county more for Irwin's group to develop job descriptions. Deemed an imperative next step, a proposal from Irwin's firm for no less than $11,881, billed hourly, was accepted to provide job descriptions.

Hylton said in a follow-up interview each employee would receive a copy of the new manual as soon as they are printed. He said Irwin would hold training sessions for department heads, elected officials and other employees within the next 30 days to explain each section and to answer questions. Hylton said it was important for employees to have an opportunity to review the new manual and process the information before attending training sessions.

The county leader said employees should take general questions to the auditor for help in policy manual review after training. A meeting of the personnel advisory committee would be called in the event the question could not be answered by consulting the manual. He said the commissioners "were the bottom line" for resolving personnel issues.

EMS

Ron Slavens, speaking as a representative of the Adams Township Advisory Board and county council member, told commissioners his township would not support a contract with the Monticello Fire Department to provide ambulance service in Carroll County. He said advisory board members were not consulted prior to the presentation at the March 9 commissioners meeting when an agreement with Monticello was approved.

"The way it was presented, I thought you were on board with this," commissioner Pat Clawson said.

Slavens said the Monticello call priority and availability of ambulances were concerns. He explained the Monticello ambulance service is "co-mingled" with that county's fire department and suggested Monticello emergencies could receive higher priority than Carroll County emergencies. Slavens said at least one Jefferson Township advisory board member was not aware of the proposed contract before it was signed.

Slavens likened the situation to a similar one several years ago when a Jefferson Township representative and a small group of residents persuaded commissioners to invite the Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District into the county.

"And look what we got into with that," he said.

Yeoman Town Council President Shirley Larson agreed with Slavens. She said the Monticello ambulance service would only take patients to a Monticello hospital, not to Lafayette. She said the only way a patient could then be transported to a Lafayette hospital was by helicopter, for roughly $9,000. She said most Yeoman and surrounding township residents use Lafayette physicians, which would make the helicopter transport mandatory.

Tippecanoe River Clean-Up

Three groups were given extensions to submit necessary paperwork for river debris clearing bids because there is confusion about what documents are required. Commissioners discovered the necessary Indiana Department of Natural Resources permits were not obtained nor were land easements and/or acquisitions, which would include private island use by contractors. The county is responsible for 25 percent of the total cost of the project as match. That amount could exceed $50,000, which has not been secured.

Commissioners tabled the project until all necessary information, including where to obtain match money, and permits are obtained.

"We have to make sure everything is in order before we proceed," Clawson said.

Other business

The county billboard moratorium was extended to July 1. Zoning administrator Kathy Mylet said last fall the area plan commission established a moratorium on issuing outdoor advertising sign permits within 2,000 feet of the proposed right-of-way for the Hoosier Heartland Highway. The action was needed pending adoption of the Carroll County Hoosier Heartland Overlay District by the Area Plan Commission (APC).

Mylet said due to "scheduling difficulties" APC was not able to adopt the overlay by the April 1 moratorium expiration date.

Clawson explained that billboards erected now in areas that will become the right-of-way for the new highway would have to be moved by the state using taxpayer money. He said the extension of the moratorium was a measure to save taxpayer dollars.

Commissioners endorsed a letter to U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly to request additional federal funding for the county road extension of SR75 north of Camden. The letter said the extension, coupled with utilities from the town of Camden, would "set the stage for future industrial/commercial development in the area."

Highway engineer Paul Couts encouraged residents to notify the highway department of potholes.

Emerson was directed to develop an ordinance to prohibit overnight camping and fires around and under county bridges. Clawson reported campers under the Carrollton Bridge last fall built a fire that burned the paint off of the newly renovated structure.

Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District representative Wayne Garrison said "substantial completion" of the sewer district in Phase IIIB in Carroll County is expected by April 13. He said it "would probably take until the end of the year" for all of the 1,600 customers to become connected to the service."

Rattle Snake Creek resident Sherry Long reported the sides of the creek caved after the recent flood. She said an inspection is needed to determine if the creek can handle the effluent from the nearby sewer district treatment plant.

Emergency management agency director Dave Mc- Dowell reported 190 homes suffered either low or moderate damage in the recent flooding on the Tippecanoe River. He said the scope of the disaster is not as severe as last year's floods, however the Indiana Department of Homeland Security is attempting to link other storm damage with recent flood damage to bring FEMA help into the community. He said the Red Cross shelter at the First Assembly of God Church on US421/SR18 was closed Monday.

Clawson will purchase and install two trees for the west side of the courthouse lawn to replace two that were removed last year. The offer was accepted by the other two commissioners "with gratitude." Clawson advised he would consult the Urban Forestry Handbook developed by Delphi to choose the trees.

Three bids to repair the courthouse roof were opened and taken under advisement until the April 6 meeting.

Assessor Doris McLeland, Jane Smith and Arnold Abbott were re-appointed to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA).

The county board of health will use the courthouse lounge April 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. for a board meeting.

Township trustees will use the lounge March 20 at 1 p.m. for a meeting with Senator Brandt Hershman.

Delphi Chamber of Commerce will have a sign on the courthouse lawn April 3-11 to advertise the annual Easter Egg Hunt. The chamber will use the courthouse lawn and lounge April 11 for the event.

Carroll County Garden Club will have a sign on the courthouse lawn April 18-25.

Carroll County Historical Society will use the courthouse lounge March 28.

Commissioners had lunch with Joe Mayfield of U.S. Aggregates after adjournment.

The next meeting will be April 6 at 9 a.m.