March 9th, 2026, meeting of the Russell County Council. Chief, prayer? I have to follow just one more
time. We've come before you, and again, thank you so much for the big blessings you just showed on this
little town, the families represented here. We ask you to be with us, that we serve this community better.
We ask the same to you, saying amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands, one nation,
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Scott Oldham. Here. Dan Swofford.
William Ellis. Here. Trevor Sager. Hannah Sample. Here. Approval of the minutes for 223 of 2026.
So moved. Second. Motion to second. All those in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed or any abstaining? Next is motion for action to pay accounts, payable vouchers and payroll
vouchers. Sorry. So moved. Second. Motion second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstaining.
Resolutions this evening is one resolution 05, 2026 surplus of equipment for Department of Public Works.
This is a slide in type unit.
that slides into the back of a bed of a pickup truck and makes a regular pickup truck into a normal
dump truck per se. And we don't use it anymore and we're getting smaller, the smaller type built dump
trucks. So I'm asking to surplus this by gov deals. Okay. Questions from council?
Motions from Council. I make a motion to accept resolution 05-2026, surplus of equipment, DPW. Second.
Motion second. You ready, please? Yes. William Ellis? Yes. Pam Samples? Yes.
passes. There are no ordinances on first reading or second reading. Under old business is election of
a citizen member to serve on RDC. I might have one, but it will be next meeting before I know for sure.
Heritage Center. I think I'll talk about it. So we would like to read and pause dealing with
insurance instead of a $500 deposit. We think trying to deal with insurance coverage to rent a heritage
center is cumbersome. It's hard to decide if it's valid or it covers what we need covered. And at the
end, if there's a, if the people that have the insurance have a
High deductible. Thank you, high deductible that we're not sure how to operate if the insurance doesn't
pay the high deductible and then how do we go after the people. The $500 seems to be adequate for almost
all things that we would like to use a deposit to cover and so I just don't see
that the insurance clause needs to be in there and we'd like to remove it. Okay. Anything from your
side of the house? One thing we also discussed was what if we do go to make a claim and the insurance
denies it. And so far, everybody's been paying the deposit. We've been renting it pretty well. Have
we had an event there already?
We're getting a lot of requests probably get dozen Yeah, we've been reading now I think up through maybe
June July graduations busy So far nothing in the evenings during the week But it's been on Saturdays
and in this weekend was the first time we had Saturday and Sunday both were in it
Just again, I'll ask the question to be sure there is a clause in there that the marshal or the fire
chief can end whatever is going on there instantly if they judge it to be a danger, correct?
I don't know. I think that goes for anything in town, right? I want to be very clear in the rental fee
that if there's too many people and or if it becomes too big of a problem, either the marshal or the
chief can end it.
Yeah, I thought we had something to and if that happened, they would no longer be allowed to rent. The
Heritage Center for future. Yeah, shut it down. We can double check the verbiage, but certainly change
it. Mr President, our board met tonight and agreed with removing the. The insurance from the from the
application.
And originally I pushed for the insurance because I wasn't clear if that was covered in the town insurance,
but it is if something big happened. But unfortunately, insurance won't cover somebody who leaves in
a mess. I mean, you can't do an insurance claim for that. The deposit obviously could. But I agree that
we need to have stipulations in there. And I mean, Darla, do we need to outline that if they do damage,
we have the right to sue them?
Let's add to paragraph 29, disorderly, unsafe or illegal behavior is grounds for immediate termination
of the event without refund, period, and add the sentence, police and fire personnel may terminate an
event for disruptive behavior and no refunds will be given.
Let's also add a paragraph at the end, 32. Damages not covered by the damage deposit are the responsibility
of the renter, and that gives you an out to sue them in small claims if you really want to. Is that okay?
Discussion from council on this? Yeah, I do have one question. So on the disruptive, is that also, should
something be put in like, like let's say it holds 50, but they try to sneak and cram in 75? Wouldn't
that be a problem? Yeah, that's where I was intending is that if there's something that's disruptive,
if it's not what they represented to begin with, if they're representing a small card party and a thousand
people show up,
Yeah, I mean, but we get into that. Well, it'll hold 50, but you got 51. You're done. We're not going
to go count. I mean, but if it's obvious from going down 46, there's 500 people there when you said
there's going to be 10. Exactly. So that language would cover Pam's concern too, correct? I think so.
And as Mike Farmer pointed out, I think under the police and fire
powers. I think they can shut it down even without the language in there, but that just gives the renters
an extra right now. Reminder that rule 30 kind of covers it too. Our personnel like to stand on where
they can point to in the contract going right there. It says you might have someone arguing with you,
right? The paragraph you did was police and fire. Was that police and fire or police or fire and fire
personnel? How about or?
Okay. That way, if Jimmy takes care of it, he can take care of it. He doesn't need fire to, you know,
oversee it too. Or if it's a major occupancy issue, that would probably be you guys that would, whoever
gets there first. If it's real bad, I'll call him anyway. Okay. Is there a motion if there's no discussion?
How should the motion read, approve the Heritage Center updated agreement as amended? As amended, and
is the council inclined to take out the language about the certificate of liability insurance as well?
Removing the certificate of liability insurance. And adding the language suggested. And adding the language
suggested. For paragraphs 29 and 32. And paragraphs 29 and 32. We did good now. Thank you.
Motion to second. Motion to second when you're ready, please. Scott Oldham? Yes. William Ellis? Yes.
Pam Samples? Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. The next under new business is the Full Motomy MOU between
BPD and EPD. Again, we find ourselves lacking the necessary quorum, since I'm going to set this one
out. Or are you comfortable with just two people voting for it? Actually, I think two people can vote
because it's not an ordinance.
You have a quorum, so if a majority of the quorum approves it, I think that's fine. I would say, though,
that this is not what you have before you. It's not the most recent version of the phlebotomy agreement.
And I'm sorry you don't have the updated one, but if you take out paragraph two, the command structure,
move all the other paragraphs up, and put two T's in Ellitsville, you got it. So you could pass this
one as amended, too. As amended, and I would request that it go with the vice president or
another councilmember's signature, not mine.
The town manager's fine as well. So under new business. You wanna talk about this, Jimmy? The phlebotomy?
If everyone's comfortable, if not, then we'll wait. We've used it quite a bit. I mean, we were probably
once or twice, maybe a week, but at least four or five times a month we're using it. Can I make a motion
to accept the phlebotomy?
MOU between BPD and EPD. Should I say as amended, since you're taking that? Yes, please. Thank you.
As amended. Second. Scott. Upstain. Yes. Pay him samples. Yes. Motion passes. First business is mass
gathering permit discussion. I don't think we need to talk about that after the department had meeting today.
We had some concerns about whether we should run this by the board when we have a mass gathering request.
And we've decided that from past discussions that you left that to the police and fire. Actually, your
ordinance says that the town employees first look at it and then it comes before the council for a vote
on the permit. Within 30 days of the application date.
We could block, we could okay the blocking of the road without council approval. Yeah, it's more of
a notification and approval than it is a permission and approval. Okay. All right, so we'll move on
from there as long as that satisfies Ms. Brown. I do just have a question. It's kind of related to spin-off,
but the fall festival, somebody's asked, with the construction, are we not gonna be able to do a parade? We are.
Yeah, I actually was down during some flooding issues. I talked to their superintendent and they do
realize that they have the date and they're gonna try to make it but it's gonna be close and right now,
you know, they had to take a couple steps back because they had to take their check dam out and so they
was putting it back in today and it's maybe rain again tomorrow night, but they are going to try
to be out of there before the parade. And I think they tried the last time when it was eastbound and
they made it happen. I told them there's a lot of pressure this year because the Wienermobile may be
in the parade, so there's a lot of pressure. It's also the 250th anniversary of the country. Well, that
is true. At some time, not just us, but I don't... Is that the theme this year? I don't see a lot of
people talking about that. That should be a big friggin' deal. Yeah, I don't even know if... If any
of you were around during 1976,
But most of the people here. That was major and I don't I mean it just seems to be lost in the noise.
Well it would be hard to have the parade if they're still working on. It'll be close. It'll be something
we'll know a lot better by August. Route.
Go up to the green. Union Valley and down they've broken out and the other lane come through. Down if
they have one lane open. I think we held the semis on the highway. We'll let it pass and we'll see what
we did with them. Just held the semis up. You can't do the semis out. Make that turn and make it grow.
We can be creative later if we need to. We can be creative. Yep. All right.
Moving on now to septic dumping rate discussion. Oh, exciting. So the current rate is $4 per thousand
gallons. We have two types of trucks that dump there, 2,500 gallon tanker trucks and 5,000 gallon tanker
trucks. Obviously, I guess we also have 4,000 gallon tanker trucks. So you can do the math. It's $12
or $10 currently for
2,500 gallon tank or truck. The bottom is the math, it's real simple. We spend almost $2.3 million a
year to treat that many gallons. And if you do the math, it comes out to about 0.006 cents per thousand
gallons, which comes out to $6 per thousand gallons. And I propose that we raise it from four to six.
which means a 2,500 gallon truck goes from 10 to 15, and a 5,000 goes from 25 to, am I doing it right?
Or 30, I'll have to do better than that. 20 to $30. And it also proposed that we raise the sludge that
we dispose there from 30 to $35.
The money that we make up all the dumping is usually between $75,000 to $100,000 a year, and it pays
for all of our slugs to be landfill for the tipping fees. So basically, everybody in town, that sludge
gets dumped for free. It kind of neutralizes that expense. Okay, discussion? So yeah, I don't know if
this is not a rate ordinance for
customers per se, it's just tipping fees for septic colors. Do we need to do anything special with this?
I don't think so. I think when we discussed this before, I don't think we put it in ordinance form,
did we? No. I think it was just the council approving the rates. I have a question. Yeah. Who all dumps
there? I mean, do we have like surrounding counties? I mean, no, we have currently we have allow for
Entities to dump there and I can tell you that we don't need to take on anymore We've taken in as much
as I think we should be taken in So those people can they Some of its local and but the majority of
I mean not the majority of but I'd say 50% of it Comes from out of County and that is they have to they
have to put down Where it can't originated from every load has to be?
itemized on their sheet they send to me. And then I turn it into the office and they turn around and
bill them back. So we don't be a few has no don't touch any of the money. This money all goes straight
to Eltsville. So yeah, some of it does come from out of county. Here's the unique thing. Unfortunately,
I put a lifesaver in my mouth for my turn to talk. Us and Bloomington are probably
two of the only entities. I know Bedford accepts some, they're limited as well, kind of like us. And
then I don't know of any other, I think you'll have to go all the way to Washington to know. So Green
County Regional Sewer District is currently building a brand new wastewater plant to probably be online
in a year or so, a year and a half. I've encouraged them to start accepting it because
If they can't find a place to dump it, unfortunately some of these people dump it where they're not
supposed to. They will find a place to dump it. A lot of times they have to go all the way to Indianapolis
to dump some things. I'm sure Tara Hope takes it in places like that. Sideways for the people who are
having to get pumped. That's correct. So I mean that's pretty simple math.
I mean, that's what it costs per thousand to treat it, and I just kind of used that number. I'm sure
that if we wanted to spend a bunch of money that somebody like Baker Tilly would come up with their
own equation. I don't know if it'd match mine or not, but you get to set the rate, and that's my suggestion.
I would just – does this have to be done tonight, or can we wait until the next meeting? Because I
would just like – because it was advertised as discussion. Nobody knew.
And I did that, yes, and I would like to, I can initiate the rate whenever you pass it, but I was thinking
April 1st. I had a meeting with all the septic haulers and discussed this and they seem to be fine.
Well, yeah, but downstream it affects. Believe it or not, I've had a couple people email me about this
today in Richland Township, so. Well, it will affect the homeowners.
but very minimal. No, I get that. But I'm saying I'd just rather say I'm 100% transparency. Yeah, I'm
comfortable. Yeah, I'm comfortable with these increases. I don't think they're that much. Okay. No,
and I think they barely do what it needs to do. But I would just rather wait two weeks to vote on it.
So that way the public can see. I was gonna be my suggestion. Okay, that that's that gets me to April 1. And if
or good, I'd like to implement them on the 1st of April. That way, I don't have to do multiple mass
in a couple of months. So I don't have reservations about the numbers. I just want to tell you that.
I just. Since this is a discussion, are you comfortable with us just moving on? That's fine. Thank you.
Other questions or discussion on this? No, we'll move the privilege of the floor. Anyone having business
for the council, not part of our normal agenda?
Seeing no one rising in chambers, no one online, we'll now move to supervisor comments with the town
manager. I have a comment, actually. So I had sent around to the council on Saturday, I think, a revised
MOU between Rogers Group, the township and the town for the construction of the new fire station, or
it's the sublease, and Katie Stenberg counseled for Rogers Group after she received our
signed copy said she wasn't sure we could do a 99-year lease. She says, I think we can only do a 50.
So since it's been before council before, you've approved it. I have no problem with going off agenda.
But that is the only change to that contract is, I think it was in paragraph two, from 99-year lease
to a 50-year lease. OK. Can we do an auto renewal without objection? Evergreen? I can't remember what
the language says. I don't know, Scott. Maybe not. OK. Well, if we can't begin, it's still 50-year.
I don't think anybody in this room will be present to deal with it. I plan to be robotic. It may just
be a couple of lights that flash by that time, but hey. I think it's just a flat 50 years, Scott. Okay.
Do you need us to vote on it? Yes, please, if you would.
comments chief. Any motions. I make a motion to approve the updated. An amended. Lease from.
Rogers group and. And the township of Richland in the town of Ellisville. Second. Scott. Pam samples.
Yes. William Ellis yes motion carries.
Well, I was just going to say we have a reorganization meeting Wednesday. I think from now on, we're
going to have them every Wednesday until we finalize our plan. People should come to the meetings, get
involved, find out what's going on. The simple idea is that we
take Richland Township in the town of Ellisville and reorganize into one entity. There's a lot of reasons
why we think it's a good idea. There's a lot of moving parts. There's gotta be 100 questions you could
ask about it and I think we have most of the answers. We're moving towards a complete plan and it would
be good for people to come and be interested. After the meeting at six o'clock,
We have another meeting at seven o'clock for fire territory hearing. And so they could stay and get
involved in that as well. So people need to come out and start asking questions and get involved. And
hopefully they'll be excited about what we're trying to do. That's all I got. Chief. It's my understanding
fire territory meeting will be the same as it was the last time. Yeah. Okay. No, I have nothing else.
Thank you. Except that what I would like
to happen is for the boards to discuss the resolution to be signed by the township, the ordinance to
be signed by the town, the agreement, and the prospective equipment replacement fund ordinance so that
we can pretty much get it lined out at Wednesday's meeting because I will be zooming in for the last
meeting on the 25th. So I'd like to get the agreements pretty well lined out before I leave for vacation.
Last Saturday, Seven Oaks hosted the Battle of the Badges basketball game again, and the Fire actually
pulled this one out and won it. So I'm not sure that the proceeds all went to Pantry 279. I've not heard
how much they brought, but the auditorium was full and everybody was good game. It was close back and
forth the whole time. So it was a lot of fun. It was intense.
One with the oxygen tank So I myself as well as a couple of the foreman with the DPW we've been Talking
with Mike We are needing a vehicle for the fleet manager to be able to run parts and and
and such, so under, and I got with Darla, and under the ordinance that we have, or not the ordinance,
resolution, I guess, it's less than 50,000, so we got three quotes, and I just wanted to let you all
know that we was gonna get a 2025 Ford Ranger, it's a crew cab XL, just a plain XL model is what we're
gonna get.
and the lowest quote came from Capital City Ford up on Washington Street in Indianapolis. I don't know,
I guess that's all I need to do is just let them know what we're doing. I just add that Cody being the
fleet manager for the whole town is really working out well with that and the new DPW building and the
facility, it's just working out even better than we thought it would. Cody is kind of,
funny in a way, but if I'm out in the garage and he goes to get in a truck, somebody's running out there
going, no, no, no, no, I gotta go to this job, I need that truck, and Cody will go to another truck,
and so that's what it is. He just don't have something to be able to run parts, so now Cody can say,
that's my truck, stay out of it, so. Back for council comments. I just wanted to say, if on
the reorganization that Mike mentioned,
If you go to ellitsfillrichlandinfo.com, there's all the information we have on it in one place with
links to every place that has it. We have all the subcommittee reports that have details with the exception
of roads and streets. Okay, and sewer. So, and utilities, sewer, stormwater, whatever we phrased it.
And this Wednesday, we also have a presentation on the new districts for voting.
with maps that people will be able to, that public and the reorganization committee can actually visualize
where the new voting districts will be. Probably some of the best information or the most important
information to date that we have is how people will be able to be represented in the future.
I think there's just a generic thing that says subcommittee reports. And if not, that won't be that
shouldn't be a problem. But I keep it short and sweet because we have a hard stop at 10 till 7. We'll
stand adjourned.