Carroll County Commissioners addressed issues related to ending 2009 and beginning 2010 at their Monday meeting. However, when a request to use the courthouse rotunda by an out-of-county school group was presented, the county leaders did not understand why the group did not choose to use a facility located nearer to them.

“Because we charge very little,” county auditor Beth Myers explained.

When a motion was made to approve the usage request, Pat Clawson paused. Commissioners learned from Myers that Carroll County charges $50 to out-ofcounty groups for use of the courthouse.

“That’s not very much,” Clawson said.

Bill Brown agreed with his fellow commissioner. It was stated that the cost to the county in utilities to keep the courthouse open for a group was more than was charged.

As a result, commissioners increased the rate to $200 for outof county groups for entertainment events, such as dances, effective Jan. 1.

Carroll Manor

Commissioners also laid the necessary groundwork to no longer fund Carroll Manor out of the general fund. Beginning Jan. 1, the facility’s operation expenditures will no longer be included in the county’s operating budget, as established by ordinance 2009- 14, adopted at the meeting. The ordinance also allows for superintendent Martha Lewis to have a $200 petty cash fund for the year for interim goods which cannot be purchased by a check from the auditor’s office due to time constraints.

Additionally, the ordinance dictates that the board of commissioners is the body to decide when an applicant to the facility is “truly indigent.” That designation will allow deductions from the $50,000 line item in the commissioners’ budget, paid by taxpayers, for that applicant’s expenses.

EMS

In an additional measure to be ready for 2010, commissioners established a non-reverting supplemental donation fund to accommodate financial support for the Carroll County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from townships. According to ordinance 2009-13, funds received will be used only for operating expenses, not for equipment or ambulances.

Commissioners’ attorney Barry Emerson reported EMS director Mike Durr, in the pursuit to sell the ambulance garage near Flora, received an appraisal of value for the property. Indiana law dictates that two compatible appraisals, from two separate appraisers, be received before county property can be sold. Emerson said he would contact Durr to request the second appraisal.

Highway Department

Commissioners approved a contract for a part-time truck driver to work from Dec. 15 to April 11 to assist in maintenance, plow snow and perform additional duties in keeping with the usual services performed by the department. The person who will contract with the county will be paid $14.12 per hour but will not be entitled to “any of the other benefits as a Carroll County employee…”

Highway engineer Paul Couts reported he expects to fill the position soon.

Isom Construction was awarded $314,647.91 to replace bridge #81. Couts said it is expected work will begin before Christmas. Due to funding conditions, the old bridge cannot be destroyed. It will be stored by the Carroll County Canal Association. Couts noted that CR150E. between SR218 and CR450N. will be closed for approximately six months.

Commissioners plan to hold a meeting with area farmers to explain the need for them to observe county road right-of-ways, where they exist, to direct field drainage to ditches rather than to farm to the sides of the road which directs run-off directly onto roads.

Emerson said there is no county ordinance established to regulate how far away from road edges fields are allowed to be planted in some cases. He said commissioners can establish rules for all farmers to follow.

Local attorney Kurtis Fouts said there could be two ways to remedy the situation. He advised that if a road has an easement, there can be legal recourse against a farmer who uses the easement as part of their field. The second remedy is to condemn the farmers’ land along the road to establish an easement.

Brown said he learned at last week’s commissioners conference that many rural counties are experiencing bridge work and funding crises due to lack of funding. He said Carroll County is the exception because the county council and the highway department have worked in conjunction to “aggressively” address bridge issues.

All highway materials bids for 2010, except one for fuel from Co-Alliance which was taken under advisement to compare prices, were accepted.

Historic Landmarks

Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana representatives Tommy Kleckner and Suzanne Stanis requested commissioners partially fund the on-going historic sites and structures survey for $5,000 in the next two years. Kleckner said Carroll County was determined to be a survey priority due to the length of time since the last survey. He said the reason an up-to-date survey is important to a county is that it will save taxpayer dollars when a federallyfunded construction project is underway. He said without a current survey, engineers must do a more extensive field survey, which ultimately costs the county money.

Stanis said survey work began last May and the final report publication date is June 2011. She said local groups, such as the canal association, the county historical society, Delphi Preservation Society and a grant from the Carroll County REMC Operation Round-up contributed to funding the $50,848 project. Another $6,000 will be needed to achieve full funding. She said the historic landmarks group funded 66 percent of the total budget.

2010 holiday schedule

County employees will have 14 days off in 2010 as part of their benefit package. They are: Jan. 1 – New Years Day; April 2 – Good Friday; May 4 – Primary Election Day; May 31 – Memorial Day; July 2 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day; July 5 – Independence Day; Sept. 6 – Labor Day; Oct. 11 – Christopher Columbus Day; Nov. 2 – General Election Day; Nov. 11 – Veterans Day; Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving Day; Nov. 26 – Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday; Dec. 23 – George Washington’s Birthday; Dec. 24 – Christmas.

Other business

Carroll County Soil and Water representative Rhonda Hicks presented a short description of the Indiana Resource Conservation and Development Program in which the county participates along with Benton, Clinton, Howard and Tippecanoe counties. Hicks said the group hosts educational workshops such as “No Till Field Day” and an annual Indiana Master Naturalist Program. She said the group’s goal is to make the best use of resources through public/private partnerships while improving local initiatives with technical support from the USDA and other agencies. For additional information, visit www.inlrdc.org.

White County resident Dr. Monty Moss of the National Pork Board offered a PowerPoint presentation titled “Why Pork Matters to Indiana.”

The courthouse will be closed Dec. 21 from 12-1 p.m. for the annual employee dinner. Myers emphasized no taxpayer funds will be used to support the meal.

Clawson was re-appointed to the Kankakee Iroquois Regional Planning Commission.

Lewis Cass SADD will use the courthouse rotunda for a semiformal dance Jan. 9 from 7-10 p.m. providing there is agreement to a cost increase from $50 to $200 for the usage. The group was given permission to decorate for the dance Jan. 8.

A special meeting to approve year-end claims will be Dec. 29 at 8:30 a.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. with 2010 employment contracts being approved.

Drainage Board

The state drainage plan for the county section of the Hoosier Heartland Highway was approved. The plan affects three bridges and two box culverts.

Chapman reported his office is “still keeping track” of the Boerman Dairy near Cutler. He said work has been done to remediate the drainage situation created by construction, however more work will need to be done next spring. Chapman said the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is also monitoring the situation.

Chapman reported work done on drains in Democrat, Madison and Monroe, Jackson and Liberty and Jefferson townships in November.

The next drainage board meeting will be Jan. 4 at 8:30 a.m.