MIAMI COUNTY COUNCIL
25 NORTH BROADWAY
PERU, INDIANA 46970
REGULAR MEETING AND ADOPTION HEARING
SEPTEMBER 18, 2007
Council President Click called the meeting to order.
Councilman Duckwall led us all in prayer.
All recited the pledge to the flag.
AUGUST MINUTES
A motion was made by Councilman Wiles to approve the August minutes. The motion
was 2nd by Councilperson Mull and passed 7-0.
BUDGET HEARING MINUTES 9-4-07
A motion to approve the minutes from the first day of budget hearings was made
by Councilman Duckwall. The motion was 2nd by Councilman Hunt and passed 7-0.
BUDGET HEARING MINUTES 9-5-07
A motion was made by Councilman Hunt to approve the 2nd day of budget hearings
minutes. The motion was 2nd by Councilman Wiles and passed 7-0.
LOIT MINUTES 9-6-07
A motion was made by Councilperson Mull to amend the minutes from the LOIT
meeting. She would like to add that 27 people attended the meeting. The motion
was 2nd by Councilman Duckwall and passed 7-0.
A motion to approve the minutes as amended was made by Councilperson Mull and
2nd by Councilman Hunt. The motion passed 7-0.
MEXICO SEWER FUNDING
A motion to approve the $14,211 for the Mexico Sewer District was made by
Councilman Hunt. The motion was 2nd by Councilman McAuliffe and passed 7-0.
EMA ORDINANCE TO RECOVER FUNDS FOR THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
Commissioner Hawley told the Council that this Ordinance has been studied by the
LEPC for several months. This will reimburse EMA volunteers and cover expenses
if an event occurs. Commissioner Hawley also said this would help relieve the
general fund because it would be reimbursement to where the funds were used to
pay the upfront cost. County Attorney David Grund explained the law concerning
the establishing of the non reverting fund and the use of the money collected
according to the Ordinance. A motion to adopt this Ordinance was made by
Councilman Duckwall and 2nd by Councilman Wiles. The motion passed 7-0.
BUDGET HEARINGS ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS
Councilman Click asked for the adoption of the following Boards.
Election Board members $850
Canvas Board members $500
Chief Registration Officer $1,500
Election Board Assistant $12 per hour
Clerical Assistant $10 per hour
Canvas Board Assistant $12 per hour
Couriers $110
Absent Voter Board Office $85
Absent Voter Board Confined $85
Absent Voter Board Delivery $85
Inspectors $110
Judges $85
Clerks & Assistants $85
A motion was made by Councilperson Mull to adopt the rates. The motion was 2nd
by Councilman Kendall and passed 7-0.
CEDIT CAPITAL PLAN
Councilman Click gave the members of the Council a copy of the County CEDIT
Capital Plan to add to their CEDIT budget.
#57 Commissioners Budget
A motion was made by Councilman Wiles to reduce the amount of the 9-1-1 Contract
in the Commissioners budget from $65,000 to $60,000. The motion was 2nd by
Councilman Duckwall and passed 7-0.
#23 Transport Officer’s budget
This budget is funded by the misdemeanant fund and the amount collected does not
cover the budget amount requested. A motion was made by Councilperson Mull to
remove the amount of the fringe benefits and allow the Commissioners budget to
absorb that amount and to set the amount of the budget to $24,500 and to move
$5,475 to the jail budget (#22) as a supplemental to this budget. The motion was
2nd by Councilman Hunt and passed 7-0.
#36 Prosecutor budget
Due to an oversight the Victims Advocate supplement was omitted from the
Prosecutor’s budget. A motion to allow the increase and to adopt the
Prosecutor’s budget with the additional $14,000 was made by Councilperson Mull.
The motion was 2nd by Councilman Kendall and passed 7-0.
#38 Deferral budget
Councilperson Mull moved to add $17,000 for benefits to this budget to cover two
employees. The motion was 2nd by Councilman Hunt and passed 7-0.
#32 Public Defender Budget
A motion was made by Councilman Duckwall to move $35,000 from the Circuit Court
budget (#26) and $35,000 from the Superior Court Budget (27) to the Public
Defender budget. This is to cover two salaries of $33,000 each and $4,000 for
conflict cases. The motion was 2nd by Councilman McAuliffe and passed 7-0.
RATES, PER DIEM AND MILEAGE
A motion was made by Councilperson Mull to adopt all the rates, per diem and
mileages as approved in the budget hearings. The motion was 2nd by Councilman
Kendall and passed 7-0.
ALL BUDGETS
A motion was made by Councilperson Mull to adopt all budgets as amended and
approved on this 3rd reading. The motion was 2nd by Councilman Kendall and
passed 7-0.
The Council discussed the possibility of a pay raise in 2008 contingent on the
approval of our budgets by the DLGF.
The Council discussed the Innkeepers tax that is going to be requested by
Tourism.
The Council discussed the LOIT tax and Councilman Click did a quick poll of the
Council to see if there is support for this or if they should drop it.
Councilman Duckwall explained the three options and that he would support option
B. He feels it is important to look at giving our citizens some tax relief even
though he is not sure who it will benefit and who it won’t. Councilman Wiles
stated he does not have enough information to make a decision, so he is not sold
on this at this time.
Councilperson Mull also said she is apprehensive to pass something she does not
have enough information on.
Councilman Hunt said he would be in favor of only part B. He also stated that
part A worries him. He questions the freezing of a levy in this uncertain time.
Councilman Kendall said NO he would not vote to support this at this time.
Councilman Kendall also read an article stating that only 9 of the 92 Counties
have chosen to enact LOIT.
Councilman McAuliffe said he would like to pass all parts of it. He said the
only way to get part C is to pass A and B.
This brings the pole to 4 against, 2 for part B only and 1 for entire LOIT.
The Council discussed the procedures to be followed if they continue considering
adopting LOIT.
Councilman Click said if he would vote to adopt it, he would adopt all 3.
Commissioner Craig Boyer told the Council that he believes this is the only
opportunity we will get to adopt something like this. He further stated that
because the wheel tax was not adopted any additional gas tax funding is not
being distributed to Miami County. Our regular gas tax allocation has been cut.
Mr. Boyer said that Oak Hill Schools are 73% of the Jackson township taxes and
he feels the Council should take a long hard look at the LOIT before they
dismiss it.
Commissioner Hawley also said he would like the Council to not shut the door on
LOIT at this time.
Councilman Click said he would like to get a good handle on our financial
situation and where the Legislature is going to go with this before he supports
it. Councilman Click also said there is no time frame for adoption. They could
look at this next year.
A citizen interjected that she is against the wheel tax but wants to know why
the County does not implement a food tax.
Councilman Hunt said there are farmers in his area that supported the wheel tax
and would still like to see it implemented. He stated they would like to have
good roads to haul their grain on.
Councilman Click tabled this issue until next month.
A motion to adjourn was made by Councilperson Mull. The motion was 2nd by
Councilman Hunt and passed 7-0.
Adjourned
Respectfully Submitted,
______________________
Brenda Weaver, Auditor
