Carroll County has always sold foreclosed real estate at the county jail each week. The work is done by jail staff and there are no fees attached for the service. Recently, sheriff Tony Burns learned that, by state statute, he is supposed to charge a fee for the service of selling the properties as well as activities associated with the sales, such as paper service to those whose properties are being foreclosed.

The Carroll County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2009-10 at their Monday evening meeting which establishes a fund to accept the fees into an account managed by the sheriff’s department.

Burns told commissioners he intends to contract with Synergistic Resource Integration (SRI), a company already employed by the county to manage tax sales, to provide the same service for his department. He said the cost to hire the company will be taken from the fees charged. Burns said surplus fees will be used to supplement the police pension fund.

It is expected that, beginning in January, sales will be held once each month as opposed to weekly, which is the current schedule, Burns said. Interested parties can visit the SRI Web site, www.sri-sheriffsale.com, to find out which properties are to be sold and the sale schedule.

Foreign trade zone

Commissioners, in an effort to support current and future local manufacturers who conduct foreign trade relations, will engage the county as a partner with the Greater Indianapolis Foreign Trade Zone.

According to Carroll County Economic Development Executive Director Daryl Smith, membership in the group will cost the county nothing. Any business that joins the group will save duty fees for overseas trade. All costs associated with the trade zone will be borne by the participating manufacturers. The county must be a partner for any local business, either current or potential, to join.

“Businesses would have to apply to participate or affiliate with a sub-group of the foreign exchange zone group,” Smith explained.

“I can’t see why we wouldn’t do this,” commissioner Bill Brown told the other commissioners.

For further information about the Greater Indianapolis Foreign Trade Zone visit the Web site at www.inzone.org.

Highway department

Highway engineer Paul Couts reported that the truck “Ol’ Whitey” and all of the other equipment determined to be no longer of any use to the county were sold. He said seven sealed bids were received and the department realized $4,050 from the sale.

Other business

Commissioners president Loren Hylton will serve on a committee to guide the transition of Carroll Manor funding from the general fund to a separate line item in the commissioners budget. Committee members will also determine the exact definition of “indigent” for resident fee assessment purposes.

Delphi Community 2010 Junior-Senior Prom will be held in the courthouse rotunda April 24 from 7 to 11 p.m. According to a letter written by junior class president Grace Mears, the decision to request use of the rotunda was an effort to promote appreciation of the building and the community as well as to keep money spent for the event in the county rather than out-of-county.

The next meeting will be Nov. 2 at 9 a.m.