Carroll County Council did not accept a bid for a $1.2 million bank loan to pay 2009 bills at a meeting March 17 because the measure was unnecessary so far this year. Members received four bids, ranging from a 3.75 per cent interest rate down to a 2.74 rate. Bids were referred to commissioners attorney Barry Emerson for compliance review. Acceptance is expected at the April 21 meeting.

"Having a general fund balance at the beginning of the year sufficient to eliminate the immediate need to use tax anticipation loans for operating allows the council to concentrate on the longterm implications of each and every action taken," council president Ann Brown said Friday. "However, it is unrealistic to expect the money in the general fund to last for more than three months at least. We will most likely be forced to borrow as our income does not come up to meet our expenses for the year."

"Until we receive income from the first property tax settlement and Local Option Income Tax disbursement, we are basically living on what we have in the bank right now," she added.

"The cuts we had to make in 2008 were tremendous," Carl Abbott said. "We got the bejeezus scared out of us last year and we are very cautious about spending now."

"Having a positive balance and operating on our own money is a great feeling after coming through what we did," he added. "I'm proud of the council for doing what we had to do to get to this point."

2010 Budget

Brown appointed council members, with their agreement, to work with departments and leaders to help them understand and prepare 2010 budget requests. Brown directed members to learn the comprehensive scope about each department's financial resources using consultation with department heads and county auditor Beth Myers. She said it was necessary for the county council to know all facets of department funding.

A related chart accompanies this article.

Financial review

Ron Slavens reported no income trends were apparent using information provided by auditor Beth Myers.

"We have no property tax income or county option income tax payments yet this year," he said.

Slavens noted a decrease in interest income from roughly $60,000 last year to $16,000 this year at the same time. He said only $1,200 was received in February and that $14,800 was received in January. Slavens said it could be a matter of timing or it could indicate a significant loss of county income for 2009.

Slavens said salaries in the assessor's office could be deducted from the reassessment fund for 2009, but the approximately $80,000 to $90,000 would have to come from the general fund in 2010.

Slavens said the redevelopment commission, which controls the tax funds received from the tax increment financing district (TIF), had $1.2 million in the account. He stated the county "should be able to link into" that revenue source, citing the county provides services to the occupants of the district with little revenue from the improved industrial site.

Slavens requested Myers provide council members with a timeline for the progress toward sending out tax bills this year. She said she would complete the first portion of her work by April 1 and forward it to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). She said she would provide the timeline at the April 21 meeting.

Slavens explained the county property tax billing process Friday to the Comet.

• The county assessor provides the auditor with assessment information.

• The auditor prepares the information to send to DLGF.

• DLGF reviews the county information and returns it to the auditor.

• The auditor transfers the information to the treasurer.

• The treasurer is the last entity to receive the taxing information and uses it to print tax bills. The treasurer is responsible for mailing the bills.

Ambulance service

Monticello Fire Chief Shane Swaim presented a three-year contract proposal to provide ambulance service to residents in Jefferson and Adams townships, for a flat fee which would increase each year. He said his department would transport patients to Lafayette hospitals in direct conflict with previous reports.

Nancy Cripe noted other outlying areas of the county are served by neighboring county ambulance services for no fee. She said it would not be fair for county taxpayers to pay someone for a service which was provided without pay in other areas of the county.

Emergency Medical Services Director Mike Durr said it was necessary for county money to support a Carroll County ambulance service.

"We have to think about Carroll County residents," he said. "If we're subsidizing other people, it is taking money away from Carroll County's service."

Jerry Hendress urged Durr to organize a county-wide first responders program.

"That's the way we have to attack this," he said. "I want to spend money on people who can get there quicker."

"We have to look at this from a Carroll County point of view," he added.

The issue was tabled until a detailed contract was presented by the Monticello Fire Department.

Other business

Joann Vianco and Lenard Lavin were appointed to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA).

A request from clerk Nancy Mattox for $6,000 funding for an upcoming special election to decide to allow or not allow a Delphi School Corporation building project to proceed was tabled. Council decided by consensus the Riverboat Gambling Fund would be used for the additional appropriation after it was advertised.

Mattox said the additional appropriation was a portion of the funding needed for the public question. The $6,000 would be added to the remainder of the 2009 appropriation line item to fund the special election.

Judge Jeffrey Smith was granted a $5,000 additional appropriation from a restricted alcohol and drug user fund for law books. Smith said the courthouse used to enjoy a "law library" but now has "some law books." He said online resources paid for by the State of Indiana were utilized for additional needed information.

Highway engineer Paul Couts was granted additional appropriations of $43,000 for the Wilson Bridge project and $51,000, although $70,000 was requested, for bridge inspections. Council members noted the bridge inspections line item contained $19,411 which is expected to be utilized before an additional appropriation is requested.

The next meeting will be April 21 at 8:30 a.m.

Council member department budget assignments:

Ann Brown - Clerk, Election Board, IV-D, Prosecutor, Pre-trial Diversion, Drainage Board, Commissioners, EMS, Health Department, Special Tobacco Fund, and Health Maintenance.

Nancy Cripe - Auditor, Jail, Superior Court, Joint Courts, Supervised Juvenile and Adult Probation Programs, and Carroll Manor.

Marion Huffer - Treasurer, Jail, E-911, Coroner, and Circuit Court.

Carl Abbott - Recorder, Surveyor, E-911, Coroner, EMA, Local Emergency Planning, Transfer Station, Carroll Manor and Area Plan.

Jerry Hendress - Sheriff, Law Enforcement User Fee, Assessor, Reassessment, Extension Office, 4-H Building, and Soil and Water.

Scott Ayres - Surveyor, Extension Office, 4-H Building, Drainage Board, Commissioners, Park Board, Highway, Local Roads and Street, and Cumulative Bridge.

Ron Slavens - Assessor, Reassessment, Veterans Affairs, Superior Court, Joint Courts, Supervised Juvenile and Adult Probation Programs, EMS, Highway, Local Roads and Street, and Cumulative Bridge.