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Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners Agenda

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AGENDA

Vanderburgh County

Board of Commissioners

October 17, 2017

3:00 pm, Room 301

  1. Call to Order
  2. Attendance
  3. Pledge of Allegiance
  4. Action Items
    1. Greg Wathen with Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana Update
    2. Resolution CO.R-10-17-020: Stepping Up to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails
    3. Resolution CO.R-10-17-022: Native American Day
    4. Downtown Economic Improvement District
    5. Burdette Park: Main Lake Dredging Project
  5. Department Head Reports
  6. Board Appointment
  7. New Business
    1. Site Review Survey
    2. Building Commission
  8. Old Business
  9. Public Comment
  10. Consent Items
    1. Contracts, Agreements and Leases
      1. County Clerk:
        1. AdGators Contract
        2. Professional Services Agreement with RBM, LLC.
        3. Pollux Business Services Master Agreement
      2. Health Department:
        1. Fetal Infant Mortality Review’s Maternal Interviewer/ Data Abstractor Contract with Bonita Miller
        2. Amendment of Immunization Grant Contract
      3. Superintendent of County Buildings: Old Courthouse Lease Agreement with Steven Wham for Suite 108
      4. County Commissioners:
        1. Bicentennial Marketing & Production Agreement
        2. Hurt Resources Agreement
    2. Approval of October 3, 2017 Meeting Minutes
    3. Employment Changes
    4. Surplus Requests:
      1. County Council a Copier
      2. County Clerk a Storage Cabinet
    5. Travel Request:  Soil and Water Conservation District (2)
    6. Soil and Water Conservation District: September 25, 2017 Meeting Minutes
    7. County Commissioners: 509 Taylor Ave Corrective Quitclaim Deed
    8. County Clerk: September 2017 Monthly Report
    9. City of Evansville: Vanderburgh Homeless Connect 2018 Waiver of ONEP Facility Fees
    10. Superintendent of County Buildings:
      1. Seller’s Masonry Quote for Old Courthouse Concrete Repairs
      2. DeBra-Kuempel Quote for HVAC Repair Quote
    11. County Engineer:
      1. Department Head Report
      2. Waiver of Mineral Interest for Green River Road Phase 6 Parcel 17
  1. Adjournment

Ivy Tech to Host Express Enrollment Day

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Express Enrollment Day is planned at Ivy Tech Community College for individuals interested in enrolling in classes for spring semester 2018. The free event is planned for Wednesday, October 25, from 9-3 p.m., on campus at 3501 N First Avenue. This event is designed to assist interested individuals in completing the enrollment process, potentially, in one day.

At the event individuals will have the opportunity to:

  • Complete the FAFSA or get financial aid questions answered (School Code 009917)
  • Learn more about aid such as grants, scholarships and loans
  • Create a MyIvy account
  • Fulfill the assessment requirement
  • Meet with an Academic Advisor (You must complete your orientation and assessment steps prior to meeting with an advisor)
  • Register for classes

To RSVP go to ivytech.edu/EEStatewide.

Retired Judge Tinder to lead Task Force on Public Defense

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IL for www.theindianalwyer.com

A former 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge is stepping into a new role as chair of an effort designed to assess the current state of Indiana’s public defender system.

Judge John Tinder, who retired from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals two years ago, has accepted the Indiana Public Defender Commission’s invitation to lead the Indiana Task Force on Public Defense, a new group tasked with recommending improvements to the state’s public defender system. Tinder is stepping into the leadership role after U.S. District Judge Larry McKinney, who was initially selected to lead the task force, died last month.

Tinder’s legal career prior to ascending to the 7th Circuit bench included work as a public defender, as well as a state and federal prosecutor and judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, where he served alongside McKinney.

“Judge Larry McKinney was a dear friend and a great colleague of mine,” Tinder said in a statement. “His untimely death was a great loss to the legal community. I am privileged to carry on the work of this important task force.”

The commission created the task force last month after the Sixth Amendment Center released a report last year that was critical of Indiana’s system of public defense and questioned whether the state was meeting its constitutional obligation to provide counsel to indigent criminal defendants. Likewise, public defenders from around the state recently raised concerns to lawmakers about growing caseloads and offered suggestions for ways to infuse their offices with additional funds.

To address the issues found in its report, the Sixth Amendment Center called for greater accountability and oversight of the state’s public defense system and structural changes to ensure sufficient resources and compensation. Under Tinder’s leadership, the 16-person task force will study the current state of the public defender system and make its own recommendations for changes or improvements.

The task force will hold a series of meetings and public hearings throughout the state to elicit ideas from public defenders and other stakeholders. It is also accepting public comment, which can be submitted via email to information@pdcom.in.gov, or through the mail to Indiana Task Force on Public Defense, 309 West Washington St., Suite 501, Indianapolis, 46208. The task force’s next meeting will be from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 27 at the same address.

MATT HOSTETTIER ANNOUNCING CANDIDACY FOR INDIANA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 64

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Good Afternoon. I’m glad to see you all here today. My Name is Matt Hostettler, and today I’m announcing my candidacy for Indiana State Representative of District 64. My wife, Michelle, and I are lifelong residents of southwestern Indiana and we’re glad to call Gibson County home. It’s a wonderful place to raise our son, Gabriel. It’s a wonderful place for us and so many others to live and work.  Southwest Indiana is made up of people who are dedicated to our faith, our families, and working hard to build flourishing communities throughout Gibson, Vanderburgh, Knox, Pike, and Posey Counties.
 
Michelle and I have been truly blessed by the hand of Providence.  Among those blessings has been the knowledge that Rep. Tom Washburne has been guarding our faith, our family, and our checkbooks in the General Assembly.  His character, work ethic, and community involvement exemplify Hoosier values – our values. I intend to pick up where he will leave off, making sure that Indiana continues to be a great place to live and work; and a great place for children to grow and be educated. I will work to make sure that Indiana, specifically our portion of southwestern Indiana, continues to be a great place to raise a family, start and grow a business, and enjoy ALL of the blessings of liberty.
 
Indiana’s Republican-led legislature and Gov. Eric Holcomb have put Hoosiers on a path of economic growth which is being fueled by fiscal responsibility as well as efficient and effective governance. Our commitment to infrastructure improvement will benefit Hoosier families and businesses for generations to come, and I’ll make sure that District 64 is well-represented as these improvements are implemented.
 
I’ll strive every day to make sure the freedoms Hoosiers enjoy are not compromised. I will fight to protect those innocents among us who cannot protect themselves – whether they are in their mother’s womb or on the threshold of entering their final rest – and everywhere in between. I will fight to ensure unity between our communities and the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. And I will fight to make sure that we as individuals will continue to enjoy the natural rights endowed by our Creator as well as the civil rights that those who’ve gone before us have enshrined in our Constitutions and statutes.
 
Thank you all for coming out today to show your support. You make this a worthwhile endeavor. You make this possible. Once again, my name is Matt Hostettler, Republican candidate for Indiana State Representative District 64. I appreciate your support and ask for your vote in the Republican Primary on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Thank you and God Bless.

Hunter Life-Flighted After Fall from Tree Stand (Pike County)

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Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fall from a tree stand that resulted in a hunter being flown by helicopter to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville for treatment.

Paul Moore (77) of Holland Indiana fell approximately fifteen feet from a tree stand causing several broken bones and a collapsed lung.  A hunting partner heard him fall, went back to his location and administered CPR.

First responders were able to get him to an ambulance where he was stabilized and transported to an area he could be transferred to a helicopter.

The incident took place on Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area property around 5:00 pm on Sunday October 15th 2017.

Responding agencies included The Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Lockhart and Spurgeon Fire Departments, Pike County EMS and Indiana Conservation Officers.

Moore was not wearing any type of safety harness when he fell and advised he lost his grip as he was climbing into the stand causing him to fall backwards.

Mallmann leads women’s golf at MVC Preview

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Two out of three rounds complete in Kansas 

NEWTON, Kan. – Giulia Mallmann led the way as the University of Evansville women’s golf team wrapped up day one of the MVC Fall Preview at Sand Creek Station Golf Course.

Mallmann started the day off with an 82, but improved by four shots in the second round as she notched a 6-over 78.  Her 160 is 39th on the individual leaderboard.

Next up for the Purple Aces was freshman Sophia Rohleder.  After an 83 in round one, the Evansville native lowered her score by two strokes to an 81.  Her 164 is tied for 54th.

Third for Evansville was Minka Gill.  The other freshman for UE checked in with scores of 86 and 87.  Madison Chaney scored an 86 in the opening round of play before recording a 90 in the second to sit with a 176.  Lexie Sollman did not see action on Monday.

Leading the individuals in day one was Wichita State’s Taryn Torgerson.  A stellar day on the course saw her follow up a 73 with a 2-under 70 to finish the two rounds with a 1-under 143.  She is three ahead of SIU’s Hanna Netisingha.

The Shockers also enjoy a lead in the team standings.  With scores of 304 and 294, WSU enters Tuesday with a 598, nine ahead of Indiana State.  UNI is third, 11 behind the Shockers.  Evansville ranks 11th.

On Tuesday, the teams play one more round to complete the event.

 

IS IT TRUE OCTOBER 17, 2017

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We hope that todays “IS IT TRUE” will provoke “…honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?”

IS IT TRUE we are hearing that an unnamed Evansville City Council member has requested the Evansville City Controller, Russ Lloyd Jr to provide him with an accounting  breakdown of Invoices and Unrecorded Liabilities for 2015, 2016 and 2017?  … copies of the requested information were also sent to Council President Missy Mosby and 14 others individuals?  …the requested information has to do with: 1) Account Payable Open Items Reports for 2015-2017. 2) Accrued Compensation Hours for Police and Fire Employees as of Aug 16-18, 2017. 3) Accounting Notes reports for 12/31/2016 and for the City of Evansville and other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) as prescribed by GASB 45 actuarial calculation of retired employees health insurance liability. 4) Also provided to city officials were the accounting notes for the City of Evansville concerning the (PERF) Public Employees Retirement Fund of which Evansville participates in? …we are hearing that the above accounting information given to the unnamed Councilman, Council President Missy Mosby and 14 others may reveal some of the unreported deficit spending decisions of the Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that local government don’t have a revenue problem they just have a spending problem?

IS IT TRUE in Councilman Dan McGinn resignation e-mail he sent to GOP party chairman, Wayne Parker stated that; “You have criticized us for exercising our independent judgement (sic) and doing what we feel is best for the people we represent rather that marching lockstep to political doctrine”?  …we wonder why Mr. Parke didn’t take on Councilman McGinn for voting to build a multi-million dollar Penguim exhibit during the time of a serious budget crisis?  …Mr. Parke could have taken on Finance Chairman McGinn for continuing to push council members to take away our Homestead Tax Credits during the last several years?  …Chairman Parke could had taken on McGinn for not pushing council members to address the out of control city employees healthcare deficits? …Mr. Parke could had criticized Mr. McGinn for not cutting over $100,000 worth of city grants out of the city budget to area not-for-profits?  …Mr. Parke could have taken McGinn to task for voting to put back a $100,000 plus city grant in the budget to transport one (1) person to a job site located in the outer area of Highway 41? …Chairman Park could had ask why did Council Finance Chairman McGinn support the $12.5 advance payment (2018) of Tropicana riverboat  money to the city? …most of all Mr. Parke was correct in taking Mr. McGinn to task for voting to increase the County Income Option Tax (CIOT) for 2018?

IS IT TRUE it looks like the days of the “TAX AND SPEND” habits of the Evansville City Council and the Winnecke Administration may be coming to an end?

IS IT TRUE we are hearing that at least two of the three Republican primary candidates for the Vanderburgh County Commission race will be announcing this week?

IS IT TRUE that that the son of former U S Congressman John Hostetter, Matt Hosetttler has announced that he shall be running for to soon to be vacated State House of Representative seat presently held by Thomas Washburne?  …Matt stated in his official announcement that “My family and I are very fortunate to call Indiana home. Our legislative body is a reflection of Hoosier commitment to both fiscal and personal responsibility with limited government interference. District 64 has exemplified these values through Representative Washburne, and it is my goal to pick up where he will leave off. This is a wonderful place for Michelle and me to raise our family, and I intend to ensure that it remains a wonderful place for my son to raise his?”

IS IT TRUE it looks like the President of the Vanderburgh County Commission, Bruce Ungethiem will be facing the biggest challenge in his political career when he takes on Matt Hostetter in the District 64 State Representative Republican primary?  …we are told that when Mr. Ungethiem voted to pass a wheel tax in Vanderburgh County it costs him a lot of conservative votes?

IS IT TRUE that the performance of the Indiana public schools was recently released and the news for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is both good and bad?…the good news is that there are now 5 EVSC schools that earned an A after years of having only 2 schools that earn the highest marks?… Scott and Oak Hill which serve the more affluent northern part of Vanderburgh County were the only two schools to earn the top grade for as long as most of us can remember were joined this year by Central and North high schools and Stockwell Elementary?…these three additions brings the A count to 5 and they are the northern most 5 schools in the county?…there are 35 schools in the EVSC so that means that only 14% of our schools are making an A?

IS IT TRUE that nine EVSC schools got an F, which constitutes 26% of the schools in the EVSC?…those schools getting an F are: Academy for Innovative Studies, Caze, Cedar Hall, Delaware, Dexter, Evans, Glenwood Leadership Academy, Lodge and McGary?…these failing schools are located in the south and southeast parts of Evansville where minorities and economically challenged people tend to live?…that it seems like economic performance of the neighborhood is the biggest contributor to failing schools?…we suspect that if the teachers were traded that the results would not change a bit?…the real problem with student performance can usually be traced to active and supporting parents?…it is often the case that poor people have to choose between making a living and spending time with their children?…this is a vicious cycle that perpetuates itself into adulthood?

IS IT TRUE 11 schools were given a B over last year’s 15; 7 schools got a C over the previous year of 8; and three schools were given a D, half of last year’s six?…this means that 46% of our schools were essentially A-B schools with the other 54% at or below C level?…there is still much room for improvement?…the three private/charter schools all got an A?…the Signature School in downtown Evansville has routinely been ranked the #1 public school in Indiana and among the top 10 public high schools in the country for over a decade now?…the success of the Signature School proves that there is nothing in the water that is making our students perform poorly?…what the EVSC should be doing is replicating the way that Signature does things as they blow the other 35 school including the five that made an A right out of the water?

IS IT TRUE the Catholic schools seem to be performing very well with 18 As, 5 Bs and only 3 Cs?…the schools in the counties directly around Vanderburgh for the most part all performed better as a group than the  EVSC schools did?

IS IT TRUE that Sears has just announced that the half century old anchor store at the Oxmoor Mall in Louisville will be closing in January?…rather than reposition the inventory, Sears will be having a blow out sale to get rid of it all?…one has to wonder how long Sears will be able to hold onto the anchor outpost at the Washington Square Mall on Evansville’s Eastside?…Sears is apparently the only original tenant of what was the first indoor mall in the State of Indiana?…this Christmas season will be another year when big box retail either makes a comeback or another round of stores gets Amazoned out of business?

Todays READERS POLL question is: Do you support local GOP Party Chairmen Wayne Parke call for Councilman Dan McGinn to resign from City Council?

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EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City County Observer or our advertisers