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COUNCIL MEETING REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 20, 2004 at 6:30 p.m.
ATTENDANCE: COUNCIL: Mitchell Proctor, President Darrel Thomas, Vice President Lana Schimpf Richard Lyon Larry Parker Nancy Fogle COMMISSIONERS: Gene R. Beck, President Donald K. Walton, Vice President COUNCIL ATTORNEY: Timothy Bookwalter AUDITOR: Kristina Warren AUDIENCE: Fifteen Individuals
AMENDED SALARY ORDINANCE FOR REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT & ADDITIONALDirector Anita Peters explained why she felt the new employee needed the increase in salary. The new field assistant, Nancy Dennis had a lot of hand-on experience and background. Ms. Dennis was a certified level II appraiser and she had required little training.
678-10114-105 $4,900.00 Salary REASON: I am requesting an additional appropriation of $4,900 for pay to the data collector position. The newly hired field assistant has six years experience in the field of reassessment and is State Certified Level II Assessor/Appraiser. Therefore, it is appropriate to offer compensation more comparable for the experience. It was agreed by the Real Estate Department Board of Directors to allow the additional pay. This increase will bring the base pay for this position up to $28,000 if the employee has assessing experience and is State Certified.
Nancy Fogle made the motion to allow; Larry Parker seconded. Darrel Thomas opposed. The motion carried five to one.
UNEMPLOYMENT ISSUE IN REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT Anita Peters, Director gave the Council information concerning an additional that would be before them next month concerning an unemployment claim. Tim Bookwalter stated he had been involved in it. They had reached a settlement, the county would not fight the unemployment and the past employee would drop the EEOC charges.
SOFTWARE FOR REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT Anita Peters informed the Council that her department would need to purchase additional software. The need was due to State requirements. She had appropriated the money for it last year and did not spend it. Ms. Peters had the bill and contract. She wanted to make the Council aware of what the department was doing.
Lana Schimpf asked why it seemed they always went out of county so much for programs. Anita Peters said this software was written industry specific. She was not aware of anyone in county that had the knowledge to write the program.
COUNTY DRUG FREE COMMUNITY ADDITIONALS Steve Fields came to the meeting to request the funding for 2004.
680-30360-142 $15,000.00 Miscellaneous Services and Charges REASON: This annual request is used for grants awarded for the purpose of combating the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Putnam County.
680-20201-142 $15,000.00 Office Supplies REASON: This annual request is the P.I.E. Coalition’s operating budget.
Nancy Fogle made the motion to allow; Larry Parker seconded. The motion carried.
COURT SYSTEM REQUEST AMENDED SALARY ORDINANCES Judge Robert Lowe stated they came to the Council last month regarding the salaries. The Council now had before them amended salary ordinances to formally request it.
Superior Court amended salary ordinance was addressing a person that did not receive a raise since they were part time. He felt this person deserved an increase in pay. It was for the part time Bailiff. He was asking that the individual make $9.85 per hour for a total line item of $10,244.
Alcohol and Drug Program amended salary ordinance was requesting the reinstatement of a part time position in their budget. These monies were non tax dollars. The position would pay $8.50 an hour. The total line item would be $13,260.
Lana Schimpf made the motion to approve the requests from Superior Court and Alcohol and Drug Program. Richard Lyon seconded. Larry Parker asked if they were opening a can of worms. Ms. Schimpf said the Council had asked people to come in during the budget adoption. The departments had until December 31 to present their requests and these two departments had done that. The motion carried.
Auditor Kristina Warren said that Judge Laviolette had called this afternoon. She had asked her to explain to the Council that she recently had knee surgery. Judge Laviolette had said she would try to make the meeting but may not be able to since she had therapy right after work. She asked that the Council table her request if they had any questions regarding her amended salary ordinance.
Teresa Parrish said Judge Laviolette had called her and asked her to represent the salary ordinance request. Ms. Parrish explained that the employee’s duties had changed. The person had received a $1,500 raise but they were requesting an additional $498 to make the court salaries comparable.
Lana Schimpf made the motion to approve to allow for discussion; Richard Lyon seconded. Larry Parker said he needed more information before he could make a decision. Nancy Fogle did not have a comment to make. Larry Parker felt it was very early in the year to start giving raises. This individual already received a $1,500 raise. Mitch Proctor said he was sure this had been discussed at the last meeting but he did not remember it.
Mitch Proctor believed the Council needed to be extremely careful when addressing additionals. The 2004 budgets had not been officially approved yet. The vote for the salary ordinance was Lana Schimpf, Richard Lyon and Darrel Thomas in favor. Mitch Proctor, Larry Parker and Nancy Fogle opposed. The motion failed. The Council asked for Judge Laviolette to come to their next meeting to give further explanation for the request.
Teresa Parrish presented amended salary ordinance for the Adult Probation Department. They were asking for a 50-cent per hour raise for the secretary and a 75-cent per hour raise for the secretary. The money would be coming from the user fees. They were also asking for the Office Manager to have a salary of $25,000 due to added responsibilities. They have 800 people on probation. Darrel Thomas made the motion to approve; Richard Lyon seconded. The motion carried.
HUMANE SOCIETY Joanne Cole came to give an update. She was disappointed to tell them the dispute was still not settled. They had doubled their efforts per the Council’s request. However, they have had no cooperation from the others. So, in light of that and other things happening she can not address things that have happened in the past since they had to file a lawsuit. She would answer any questions she could.
Ms. Cole did have a request. She asked the Council to reconsider unfreezing the money for the animal shelter. This would not show any favoritism toward one board over the other. But, it would help them run the shelter. They were operating on donations only.
Lana Schimpf suggested releasing enough money to enable them to pay their bills. Larry Parker wondered if they released money would this slow the process down on working out the differences. Nancy Fogle asked how they were running the shelter. Ms. Cole said they had a great outpour of donations of food and items from the community. They also had a large increase in adoption rate.
Lana Schimpf asked if the other Council members had received any feedback from people on this issue. Larry Parker stated the people talking to him said they wanted the Council to sit back until the matter was settled.
Mitch Proctor said he was uncomfortable with the position the two parties had put the County Council in on this matter. But, Mr. Proctor hated the thought of the shelter not having money for payroll and to take care of the daily operations. Maybe the bills would have to come before the Council to review and then approve the release of some of the money. He expected the individuals to get this under control.
Barbara Lane said it was going to court like the Council had said. A case had been filed regarding the legality of the board. All accounts have been frozen until a court judgment had been rendered.
Nancy Fogle suggested they go to the Commissioners if they need money. Mitch Proctor said they should go to the Commissioners. If the Commissioners approve the claims then they could come to the Council.
Don Walton said they had heard the same thing at their meeting tonight. The Board of Commissioners felt like the Council, that they needed to get this worked out and come back to them.
Mitch Proctor said the Council had not told the individuals involved to go to court to settle it. They had requested them to get together and work this out. Tim Bookwalter said he had tried to help them work it out. He had spoken to Terry Hall who was the attorney for the “new” board. He had been advised that the matter was going to court.
2004 APPOINTMENTS Mitch Proctor asked if the Council members were all willing to stay on the same boards as last year. Larry Parker made the motion to approve the appointments as submitted which were the same boards as last year. Nancy Fogle seconded. The motion carried.
2004 COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT Lana Schimpf made the motion to appoint Mitch Proctor as President; Richard Lyon seconded. The motion carried.
Nancy Fogle stated she would not like to be Vice President again. She had decided not to run again. Lana Schimpf made the motion to appoint Darrel Thomas as Vice President; Richard Lyon seconded. The motion carried.
WELFARE LOAN EXTENSION AND NEW LOAN Kristina Warren explained that First National Bank needed to have the County Council approve an extension of the $500,000 loan the Welfare Department received last year. They needed an additional ninety days to allow for payment. And, the Welfare Department needed the approval to ask for another $300,000. Larry Parker made the motion to approve; Darrel Thomas seconded. The motion carried.
COUNTY WEB SITE Marilyn Bigelow, Heritage Lake resident said two more proposals came today at the Commissioners meeting. The first proposal was from a gentleman that lives in Putnam County and represented a company called My Tech. The seconded proposal was from a lady that lives in Indianapolis but originally from Putnam County and her parents still live in the county. She owned the company and it was called CSSI.
Don Walton said the Commissioners were just gathering information right now.
E911 AMENDED SALARY ORDINANCE Kristina Warren explained that the Director wanted to start new personnel at a lower salary. Once they were through a probationary period he would increase the salary. Larry Parker made the motion to approve; Darrel Thomas seconded. The motion carried.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT AMENDED SALARY ORDINANCE Kristina Warren explained that they were amending the two environmental sanitarian positions. The reason being that it was two new people and Dr. Heavin wanted the positions to start at $29,000. Larry Parker made the motion to approve; Darrel Thomas seconded. The motion carried.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADDITIONALS Dr. Robert Heavin came to represent the additionals.
009-30385-801 $22,321.26 Tobacco Master Trust REASON: carry over from 2003 tobacco program
010-30384-807 $29,296.18 Tobacco Settlement Grant REASON: Tobacco program and office supplies. Carry over from 2003.
009-30395-801 $27,619.91 Bioterrorism Grant REASON: Carry over from 2003.
Nancy Fogle made the motion to allow the three additionals; Larry Parker seconded. The motion carried.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT NURSE Dr. Robert Heavin wanted to advise the Council that he might be back in the future to discuss the nurse position. He was trying to help Sheriff Mark Frisbie with the health problem he has at the jail and to try and control medical expenses for the inmates.
PMH AMBULANCE AND OPERATION LIFE Larry Parker had received paperwork that showed PMH Ambulance had a balance of around $102,000. He had discussed it with Commissioner Don Walton and Attorney Tim Bookwalter prior to the meeting. Mr. Parker felt PMH Ambulance needed to give the money to the county to reimburse the money given each year for an ambulance and operating expenses. And, they had given them money from the hazardous waste fund to purchase an ambulance a few years back.
Tim Bookwalter said it was a not for profit organization and the money needed to be dealt with. Where were they looking to give the money? Were they planning on giving it to Operation Life?
Larry Parker said Operation Life had received the money they had requested from the Council. He felt they needed to find out where the $102,000 was going. Mitch Proctor asked Tim Bookwalter to find out what would happen with the money. It was questioned if Operation Life would be receiving the money. Nancy Fogle did not think so. She said Operation Life was given $20,000 from PMH Ambulance.
Larry Parker felt if this information had been known, then maybe the people up north would have taken the ambulance service over when PMH Ambulance closed their doors. Mitch Proctor disagreed. He felt it was a people problem, not a money problem. They could not find volunteers.
RECOGNIZITION OF JIM BAUGH Richard Lyon said the Council wanted to recognize Jim Baugh and the 30 years of service he gave to the county.
ADJOURN Nancy Fogle made the motion to adjourn; Larry Parker seconded. The motion carried.
________________________________ ___________________________________ Mitchell Proctor, President Darrel Thomas, Vice President
________________________________ ___________________________________ Lana Schimpf Richard Lyon
________________________________ ___________________________________ Larry Parker Nancy Fogle
________________________________ Attest: Kristina Warren, Auditor
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