Jefferson Township Advisory Board members met Thursday night at the home of township trustee Harold Erdmann. Members decided to approach Carroll County Commissioners at Monday night's meeting to request permission - for the second time - to contract with Monticello Fire Department to provide ambulance service for the remainder of the year. The same request was denied by county leaders at the April 6 commissioners' meeting. " I ' m back again," Erdmann said as he approached the podium. "We'd like to ask for consideration again."

Erdmann said response time was the most important consideration for township residents. Many who appeared at the meeting in the hope of a different ending demanded county budgetary issues, procedure and protocol be explained. The sole commissioner who supported them in the first attempt to proceed with the contract also supported the action again. Bill Brown said the budget reductions which led to the elimination of the ambulance based at Yeoman was the most difficult reduction to endure. He blamed the county council for not providing the funds for the service to continue at the previous level.

"We need to step up to the plate and pay for four ambulances in this county," he said.

Brown made the motion, which received no second, for the commissioners to support the contract.

"There is not one of us here who doesn't want you to have coverage," Pat Clawson, who is also a volunteer fire fighter, told the crowd. "It's not that we're trying to deny you ambulance service. I'm not so sure the township is going to get better service (with Monticello)."

Clawson noted the township contracts with Monticello for approximately $55,000 for fire protection already. He said ambulance personnel and fire fighters are the same people.

"I hope and believe Monticello will honor the mutual aid agreement," he said. "We all took an oath."

Clawson and Brown told the Jefferson Township residents to attend county council meetings during budget development and demand that council members appropriate enough money for more staffed ambulances in the county.

E-911 coordinator Jay Dee Cree explained the proposed contract would "piecemeal" the county because surrounding counties would expect to be paid to provide mutual aid to Carroll County. He said the arrangement with Monticello could lead to the depletion of income for the Carroll County service.

Jefferson Township resident Beth Rudd, who urged commissioners to allow the township to enter into the contract, questioned the significance of the threat of income loss. She said response time was more important.

"At the end of the day, it's not worth losing one person for $40,000," she said.

According to Erdmann, the Jefferson Township Advisory Board will meet April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Yeoman Golf Course community building to decide how to proceed.

Highway department

Highway engineer Paul Couts explained the cost to the county to rehabilitate and raise the Tioga Bridge would be $36,700, or 40 percent of the cost for the entire project with the City of Monticello. He said Monticello did not seem to have enough money to complete the project. He said the city was "counting on stimulus money" to make up the difference.

"I question in my mind how beneficial the bridge is for Carroll County," he said.

Couts said "speaking frankly" he was not sure how much Carroll County would gain from the project. He suggested gifting the county-owned portion to Monticello to allow that entity to proceed with the project if it chose to do so.

"I think that idea is the best," Clawson said. "We don't have enough money to spend on bridges we drive across. It's a liability instead of an asset."

"I wouldn't vote against giving it to them," Brown said. "The majority of the benefits are for White County."

Couts was directed to pursue the possibility of giving the county-owned portion of the bridge to the City of Monticello. He was further directed to research the cost of demolition.

Couts said because good weather is expected, highway workers would address pot holes "in a big fashion" Wednesday through Friday. He encouraged residents to report pot holes by calling (574) 967-4244.

Courthouse maintenance

Bid acceptance for renovation and repair of the courthouse (roof and tuck pointing) was tabled until the May 4 meeting.

Cumulative capital projects

Council president Ann Brown detailed plans to establish a budget for the cumulative capital projects fund. She said a budget for the use of the money would provide for capital improvement purchases, such as new sheriff's cars on a regular basis, a new roof or repairs for Carroll Manor.

"It permits some planning ahead," she said. "In the long run, we think we can save money."

Brown said the council also proposed to establish a council budget, at least a part-time county manager and a budget for legal counsel for the county council. She said those items, although not nec- essarily affordable in the next budget year, will need to become part of the budget planning process.

Commissioners agreed to meet in joint session with the council to discuss the changes and reach an implementation agreement.

TLRSD

Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District board of directors appointed representative Wayne Garrison said October is the target month for connection to the sewer district for all Phase IIIB customers. Formal notices to connect were mailed April 15 to all customers in Carroll County.

He said water quality tests could be conducted on-site, which is less expensive than sending water samples to an outside lab for testing. He said that although no downstream testing on the Rattle Snake Creek is mandated, he will insist the district perform the tests to determine water quality.

"We don't have to do it, but I want to know," he said.

Residents Don and Sherry Long maintain the creek bed is sometimes dry. They said the state prohibits affluent from a treatment plant to be discharged into a dry creek bed.

Other business

Commissioners took a recommendation by the Carroll County Economic Development Corporation to join the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC) under advisement. EDC director Daryl Smith said the group is appealing for its grant-writing and planning expertise. He said it would cost roughly $8,000 to join.

Smith said although the EDC request is to join KIRPC, a regional transportation and planning group that includes Tippecanoe County, will also be recommended for approximately the same cost.

Commissioners approved ambulance service rate hikes for mileage ($2.50/mile), emergency advanced life support ($70/run) and basic life support ($75/run), non-emergency basic life support ($25/run) and advanced life support two ($39/run) ambulance services. The new rates take effect June 1.

Democrat Township resident Jerry Carter expressed concern about comments made by the county surveyor at the April 6 drainage board meeting as reported in the Comet. Carter, a former opponent of what may be an abandoned dairy in the township, said he was concerned taxpayers might be expected to fund solutions needed to correct problems caused by the partial work done and left undone on the property.

Commissioners' attorney Barry Emerson explained the surveyor's comments "were taken out of context." He said money from ditch assessments, which he referred to as like "user fees," would pay for repairs needed to the county drain that is located on the edge of the dairy property.

Delphi Business Women will use the courthouse lounge April 27.

Delphi Tri-Township Volunteer Fire Department will have a sign on the courthouse lawn in June and November for a week to advertise fundraisers.

Carroll County Historical Society will have a sign on the courthouse lawn for one week in May.

Flora Community Club will use the 4-H Community Building April 25. Brethren Charity Fund used the building March 26 and April 17 and was granted permission to use it May 15, June 26, Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. The building will be used as needed by the Carroll County Health Department for disaster preparedness as it relates to disease prevention and control activities.

The next meeting will be May 4 at 9 a.m.