The Carroll County Council was met with an issue that has come before them in the past and they repeated their decision last Thursday morning. There was not a consensus among members about how to deal with the matter.

The issue was Carroll County Clerk Nancy Mattox’s request for a $6,640 additional appropriation to pay the bookkeeping software support company to either teach her how to use the software to balance the fund accounts with the bank statement, or to do the balancing work.

Council member Scott Ayres advocated making a final decision about the request, but he did not receive support for his opinion from the other members.

“Why don’t we deny the request now if we don’t intend to approve it?” Ayres asked the group. “We can put off the inevitable, but why should we?”

“It is tied to the Aug. 1 deadline we gave her to get her books balanced,” explained Ron Slavens.

Slavens said he will not support a contract to hire a company to do the work.

“She fails to show up for work,” he said. “I won’t vote to fund anything for work that is not being done.”

Council president Ann Brown said that this request for money will not be the only request received from Mattox in the near future. She reported the election board budget does not contain enough money to support the November general election. She said that the council will be forced to provide funding for the election.

“It will have to be funded,” Brown said.

Brown agreed with Slavens that the council gave an Aug. 1 deadline for the clerk to balance her checkbooks with the bank statements. She said she would not be in favor of taking any formal action in the matter until the deadline date arrives.

Mattox, who was not present for the council meeting, sent a written report to the group.

“The child support checking account has been reconciled through January 2010,” the report read. “…The trust account is complete through February 2009.”

Brown noted that Mattox appeared before the county commissioners on July 19 and requested they approve a contract to pay a company to pursue state reimbursement child support payments. Historically, the work has been done internally in the past. Council members directed Brown to compose a letter to the commissioners in order to discourage them from approving the contract.

Mattox said in her report that the company she promoted to pursue child support would charge $650 each month for the service. She said that the cost of the service would then become a component of the claim to the state for a 66 percent reimbursement. She added that the reimbursement would be returned to the clerk’s incentive fund rather than the general fund. She said the matter will be revisited by commissioners at their Aug. 2 meeting.

EDIT

Brown reported that she learned from the Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA) recently that, although it has always been believed in Carroll County that the Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) is the sole responsibility of the commissioners to appropriate, that in fact the council is obligated to approve disbursements per the Indiana Code.

Ayres recommended the council have a discussion with commissioners about the 2010 EDIT spending plan before the council approves it. He said he wanted to discuss at least three appropriations due to potential “accountability” issues.

“Everyone in the county has held hands and struggled to get where we are today,” he explained. “Let’s not revisit those days again. We need to really look at how money is spent.”

Cripe recommended the council proceed with caution in the matter. She said she did not want the council to overstep its bounds.

The matter was tabled until more information can be obtained. It was decided that the council should seek a legal opinion and research how other county councils manage the fund before proceeding.

TIF

Brown reported there have been several articles in the Lafayette newspaper about funding being provided to various groups and services by different tax incremental financing (TIF) boards in Tippecanoe County. She said she spoke with the SBOA and was informed that the attorney for a TIF group interprets the Indiana Code and that interpretation directs decisions in most

cases.

She recommended the council begin to develop a working relationship with the Redevelopment Commission in Carroll County to explore opportunities which may exist for the local area.

Council 2011 budget

The group voted to establish a separate budget from the commissioners’ 2011 budget for the council’s independent use. It was determined that because the commissioners approve all claims, council spending will be subject to checks and balances as are all other budgets.

Auditor’s report

Council member Nancy Cripe presented the highlights of the monthly financial report from the auditor. She noted that the election board has $22,494 out of a $64,215 appropriation for 2010.

Cripe reported that the Riverboat Gambling Fund contains $448,610.18. Brown noted that the money in the fund has few appropriation restrictions. She reminded council members that they committed $75,000 from the fund each year, which nearly equals the annual revenue, to the highway department for replacement equipment.

EMS Flora facility

Ayres reported that Carroll County Emergency Medical Services personnel salvaged contents of the facility at Flora. He said the building contained records and is mold-contaminated. He said storage of the salvaged contents could become an issue for the county. Ayres further reported that there has been no sale interest expressed by anyone.

Tax rate workshop

Brown recommended the council expend funds to bring a tax expert to the county to provide education to all taxing entities about the inter-workings of their units with the county government. Also, the expert will explain the levy freeze established by the county. She said the expert could also provide information about TIF districts and how they affect the local economy.

Brown said a four-hour session will cost $500. The recommendation was approved unanimously. It is expected the workshop will be held Aug. 19 at the regular council meeting. Prosecutor’s Child Support Reimbursement

County prosecutor Tricia Thompson reported that her office has submitted the appropriate claims to the state for 2009 child support reimbursement. She said the forms are usually submitted in January or February of the following year and that did not happen in 2010.

Budget review dates

The council will meet Oct. 12, 14 and 21 to review 2011 budgets and develop the county budget. The public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 8:30 a.m. Department head hearings will be Aug. 31 at 8:30 a.m. and Sept. 2 at 10:30 a.m.

Council members will review all taxing entities for non-binding reviews and comments Sept. 2 at 8:30 a.m.

The council plans to adopt the 2011 spending plan by Oct. 28. The official deadline for adoption is Nov. 1.

Transfers approved

Soil and Water - $98.91 from copier maintenance to office supplies;

Custodian - $4,000 from building repair to equipment repair;

Highway - $1,700 from stone, gravel and sand to road signs; and

Auditor - $1,000 from printing to part-time.

Then next meeting will be Aug.19 at 8:30 a.m.