County Commissioners Wrap Up Business For Year
December 20, 2024
- Shirley May was hired as the county’s new Veteran Service Officer.
- The commissioners appointed citizens to various boards.
The county commissioners met on December 20 to wrap up business for the year. They awarded contracts for 2024, but held off action on storm water control again. They made appointments to various boards, but delayed selections for the county health board.
New Veteran Service Officer
The commissioners hired Shirley May as the county’s new Veteran Service Officer. She was rated as “very qualified” by the selection committee. Ms. May will start in mid-January. She replaces Sam Wyatt, who retired.
2024 Appointments
The commissioners said there was “a poor response” to the ads they placed for citizens to volunteer to serve on various boards. The commissioners made the following appointments for 2024:
- Library Board - Vincent Cregar
- Franklin County Economic Development Commission - Greg Orschell and John Palmer
- Regional Economic Development Commission - Bill Schirmer
- Southeast Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (SEI READI) - Bill Schirmer
- Franklin County Economic Redevelopment Commission - Tim George, John Palmer and Bill Schirmer. The commissioners reappointed Sara Duffy to represent the Franklin County School Board.
The health board and some other positions will be filled in January 2024.
EagleView Aerial Images Of The County
The commissioners awarded a three-year contract to EagleView Pictometry to provide aerial five-sided views of buildings. The photos will be used by the county assessor to evaluate properties and will assist first responders with information about terrain. The cost of $35,550 per year will be paid from the new $1.6 million bond recently approved by county council. According to County Assessor Debbie Schoettelkotte, EagleView will perform flights over Franklin County in the spring of 2024. The exact date when the data will be available is unknown. This new service will supplement, but not replace, the mapping system currently available online from WTH Technology. Seventy-two Indiana counties already use EagleView’s aerial imagery and software.
Contracts
The commissioners opted to go ahead with only one bid for the Bessler Road culvert project, which was for $31,268 from OLCO, Inc., The commissioners wanted to get a contract signed and the money committed before the end of the year. They said that the price could jump to $37,000, if footers are necessary.
The commissioners awarded a $1 million contract to low bidder Dave O’Mara for paving to be done in 2024 on Duck Creek Road and Old State Road 1. Paul Rohe bid $1.3 million and OLCO, Inc., bid $2.3 million. An Indiana Community Crossing Grant provided the bulk of the paving money.
The commissioners said that they would continue their existing contract with USI Consultants for emergencies in 2024. They took no vote.
The commissioners opened bids for highway department equipment and materials from a dozen companies. They read very few prices aloud. After a review by Highway Department Supervisor Justin Ball, the commissioners accepted all bids and will use the companies that are available when the projects are scheduled in 2024.
- St. Regis - culvert pipes
- E&H Bridge - prefabricated steel bridges
- Klump Trucking and Simmermeyer Trucking - trucking and equipment rental
- Ballenger Stone, New Point Stone, Harrison Sand & Gravel, IMI and Rush County Stone - stone & gravel
- Dave O’Mara, Paul Rohe, Terry Asphalt, Asphalt Materials and Hot Mix, Inc. – paving materials
Storm Water Regulations Delayed Again
Final action on a storm water ordinance was delayed again. The commissioners have been considering adopting regulations prepared by Purdue University and already in use in other counties. The commissioners directed attorney Grant Reeves to delete optional regulations designated “in green” and to rely on the state of Indiana to handle those items. A 170-page technical specifications section will need some revisions after the optional items are removed.
Mr. Reeves said that the Area Planning Commission will oversee storm water drainage and issue permits. However, the county commissioners, acting as the drainage board, will handle complaints about not getting a permit as well as complaints about enforcement.
Local Developer Wants Drainage Plan Waived
Commissioner Wilson invited real estate developer Brian Bauman to the podium to voice his complaints about the Area Planning Commission (APC) and to talk about the drainage plan for his project. He will build 40 self-storage units in four buildings on an undeveloped 3.6-acre parcel.
Since July 2023, Mr. Bauman has done excavating work and built a pond on the property. He has not submitted a drainage plan and does not have an improvement location permit. He is now asking the commissioner to waive the requirement to do a drainage plan for the project.
Commissioner Wilson also called Area Planning Commission (APC) Executive Director Kaitlin Sterwerf to come to the meeting room to answer Mr. Bauman. For nearly 30 minutes, Mr. Bauman and Ms. Sterwerf went back and forth about issues that occurred from July 2023 to the present. Click to read more.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Wilson said that the commissioners would convene as the county’s drainage board and would decide about Mr. Bauman’s requests at their next meeting.
The next regular commissioners meeting will be January 10 at 10 am. Zoom access is available to watch from home or work. Go to the county’s website at https://www.franklincounty.in.gov.
Reported by Sara Duffy
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