I am calling this meeting to order. My first meeting back, yay. So today is Tuesday, November 10th.
The time is now 5.01. And here in the NatU Hill Room, we have counselors, whoa, Hawk, Henry, Decker,
Wilts, and Fiddle. And Councilor Iverson is a few minutes late, so we will go ahead and get started.
But the next step is the Pledge of Allegiance. So all those that are able to stand, please stand.
Next up is the adoption of tonight's agenda.
Council, I move to amend agenda to add a new item 8A, a discussion of finalizing the edit fund plan
for the 2027 budget year and remember the subsequent agenda numbers accordingly. Second. Okay, and looking
at what that would mean here. I actually want to
if it is possible, if I can make a friendly amendment to that, because I know Councilor Hawk would like
or she might leave a little early. I'd like to bump those up ahead of our. Oh, wait, never mind.
Eight eight. That's good, because I'm sorry, I'm looking at
It's been a month, so I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. So consent agenda items, those
things shouldn't take long. I just want to make sure that we are rolling through. So, okay, nevermind.
I rescind what I was about to say. So there is a motion and did we get a second? Okay, Councilor Deckert
second it. Is there any other further questions or comments from Council on that item?
All right. So all those in favor of moving or adding this to the agenda as the new 8A signify by saying
aye. Aye. All those opposed. Aye. All right. Motion carries. Is there another one? Madam President and
Council, I move to amend the agenda to add item 8B, discussion and possible approval to amend the 2027
salary ordinance regarding the Board of Commissioner's salaries.
I'm sorry, I was distracted by a message. No problem. I move to amend the agenda to add an item 8B,
a discussion and possible approval to amend the 2027 salary ordinance regarding the board of commissioners
salaries. I don't support this, but if you want to allow them to discuss, that's fine. Okay, so is that
a second? You second y'all.
I'll second it in the same spirit. Okay, all right. So we got a motion and a second. Again, just seconding
something doesn't necessarily mean that we are in favor of it. So seeing no other further questions
or comments, all those that are in favor of adding item 8B to our agenda signify by saying aye. Aye.
Aye. All those opposed, same sign? Nay. Okay.
Motion carries. All right. So next up is for item number four, which is public comment. So these are
for items that are not on tonight's agenda. So if you would like to speak to those items, and if you're
here present in the Nattie Hill room, you could come to the podium here, state your name for the record.
You'll have up to three minutes. And if you are virtually via Teams, you can also raise your hand, unmute,
and then you'll also have state your name.
and you'll have up to three minutes as well. So are there any takers for items not on tonight's agenda,
whether you are here in person or virtual? All right. Seeing none, I will move on. OK, thank you for that.
So next up is department updates. And so these also are for items that are not on agendas. So if there
is a department that would like to give a brief update, you have up to 10 minutes to do that. And you
can also do that via Teams as well. Looks like we have a taker here in the NetU Hill room. Good evening.
Linnea Amy from the Health Department. So I'm here to give you a status update on measles.
First, very clearly, there are zero confirmed or suspected measles cases in Monroe County at this time.
Statewide, however, the number of measles cases reported by the Indiana Department of Health in 2026
has risen sharply to 153 known cases. That's up from 117 last week.
As of November 3rd, the breakdown of cases by vaccination status was roughly 97% unvaccinated or unknown
and 3% vaccinated. A lot of those cases are in Northeastern Indiana, though in the past week, nearby
Putnam and Davies counties each reported a case. Park County has reported two additional cases and Jennings
County has reported nine new cases.
IDOH reported 10 measles cases in Indiana in 2025, so it's a significant increase this year. And only
four measles cases statewide between 2021 and 2024. The last measles case here in Monroe County was
in 2018. Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, especially in
young children, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems. And the most effective protection
against measles is the MMR.
or the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. An MMR vaccination rate of 95% is believed to be the threshold
for herd immunity. In 2019, the MMR vaccination rate amongst kindergartners in Indiana was 94.4%, so
pretty close. Now that sits at 90.1%. IDOH and regional epidemiology teams are on heightened alert.
our department recently participated in a measles preparedness exercise with IU to ensure our response
plans are up to date and fully functional. And as always, we are strongly encouraging folks to stay
up to date on vaccinations, whether that's through primary care providers or local pharmacies, or scheduling
a vaccination appointment with our partners at the Morgan County Health Department in Martinsville.
They can do that by calling 765-342-6621. Thank you.
Are there any questions or comments from Councils regarding the information? We appreciate you updating
us on these various serious matters. Yes, I'll go to Councilor Fiddle and Wilts. Thank you for this
report. I wonder if you could tell us if there's any place in Monroe County where people can access
this vaccine. Yes.
vaccine. The pharmacies, CVS, Kroger pharmacies carry the MMR vaccine. Our primary care providers,
of course, the IU Health Community Health Clinic on Miller Drive also offers vaccination appointments
as well. Thank you. Yes. When someone receives that vaccine, how long does it take to take effect and
be preventative? So generally speaking, a couple of weeks. The first dose is a two dose series.
And the second dose brings that up to 97 or 98% protective. It is a really, really effective vaccine.
And how far apart of the dose is given? I don't know exactly for sure. OK. But you've got good protection
a couple of weeks after the first dose. That's correct. That's what you're saying. However, if you have
been exposed or contracted, even, measles, this vaccine is not
going to help you at that point? It will, actually. So if you've been exposed, the vaccine can be used
as post-exposure prophylaxis in the three days, I believe, following exposure. Thank you for
that information. Yeah. Thank you very much for bringing this in here. There's nothing more jolting
on a very serious subject that we all hear on the radio podcasts, et cetera, and the news.
but nothing more jolting than seeing the map. How often will the people of this county be able to see
this map updated and to be able to watch this and trying to keep themselves surprised of where these
are located and how big we're talking? Yeah, so we're going to start providing some slightly more regular
updates. Typically we provide them every couple of months so people don't get alert fatigue.
But as it is becoming more pressing and as you can see on your map a little closer to home as well We'll
be offering some more regular updates as well You think you might feature it on the Facebook page by
chance? It will be posted on the Facebook page periodically It will also be posted on our website on
the public health information page that I think that is helpful. We're now
kind of creatures of habit because you all did a remarkable job during covid relaying information to
us that way i think that would be something folks would look for so counselor i percent and then henry
next is they are safe they are effective please get your vaccines
Thank you, Madam President. Linnea, thank you for being in, and Eric, thank you for being in, too, to
have our health leadership team here and carrying the water over the next few months as we get that
department resettled. I'm talking to a preparedness person, so you know what it's like to have change
around you, planned, unplanned, or intentional. But I appreciate the hard work you're doing, and Eric,
hard work you're doing. And I also really welcome this moment here. We don't often get to hear these
facts and figures at this hour of the day.
and I think it's good for the public as well as our edification, so thank you for coming in. Yeah, happy
to do it. All right, seeing no other further questions or comments for you. Again, thank you very much.
Thank you. All right. Are there any other departments either here in the room or virtually via Teams
that would like to provide us with an update considering it's not on the agenda? Seeing none. Okay,
we will move.
public comment. I did. Um. No, you didn't. We did public comment. Yes. Oh, okay. When you're out alone,
you kind of forget all the things. Um, all right. It's like riding a bike. Um, next up is the board
and commissioned update.
I would like to note for the packet, you have seen two names for resignations. And so the council is
in receipt of resignations for two council board appointments. The first one is from Christine Hull
from the Monroe County Public Library with an effective date of December 31st, 2026. And Dr. Lisa Hannah
Robinson from the Board of Health with an effective immediate date.
So I'm looking to my council colleagues to see if anybody has any comments regarding these resignations.
Yes, Councilor Wilts. I would just like to thank both of these people for their service. The Monroe
County Public Library Board and the Board of Health are both very important in terms of the services
that those
institutions provide our community. And there are specific qualifications around the Board of Health
appointment. But I would encourage anyone with an interest in either position to please reach out to
the council office to apply. It's I
remember when we last appointed someone to the Board of Health, I believe it was Dr. Robinson. And it
took a long time to find a person who was willing and able to do this. So especially at this time, we
need great people in leadership around public health. And I just wanna
emphasize as much as I can the importance of considering serving your community in these ways. I also
want to join in thanking the appointees who serve both Library Board and the Board of Health as well
as other members that are no longer with the Board of Health. I want to thank them for their service.
It is hard to get people to apply for these jobs and sometimes people that are eager to apply for the job you
You worry a little bit about that, but qualified people, it's hard to keep them. And I worry about anything
that makes that harder in life, particularly with public service being the nature of what it is in a
difficult time under difficult changing landscapes and what have you. I want to remind everybody out
there that it was kind of going back how how almost symptomatic that that wouldn't be appropriate, but
it would be close to how
ironic that we have the Board of Health or the member of our health team here talking to us with a map
that shows measles cases across our gray state and the thing that I kept flashing back to is 2020 watching
spread of COVID and I'm not trying to say this to alarm people but anymore with public health
if folks out there aren't watching out for themselves you may not be able to trust every government
agency to do that for you what i'd love to see here is government agencies able to fully do that and
able to fully look out for us because gosh knows what this is and i hope it's not bad this measles thing
but i'm worried that others aren't watching these things very closely um and this is a sobering responsible
reminder while hat why having
full citizens appointment for tough times and fully staffed everything in that department is going to
be more important than not. So we will stay on that journey. But for all those who have served,
thank you. Thank you for stepping forward for your community. And particularly, I think back to during
COVID times, a lot of those members of the Board of Health took a lot of grief.
because they were telling us things like what counselor Iverson said get your vaccines they're saying
things like I'm gonna have to ask you to wear a mask and that's about as popular as a tax increase probably
less popular but somebody has to be the adult on those moments because we now have measles outbreaks
so somebody has to say folks we're going to get back to the basics and get to herd immunity etc so anyway
I'll stop there but thanks to these appointees
Here's what I'll say about this. And I think some of my other comments have appeared in the newspaper.
But I think that this is a fantastic opportunity to serve your community by filling this vacancy in
the Board of Health. And I particularly want to point out that our health department right now is fully
operational thanks only to the public health professionals
that are coming to work every single day to make sure that the food that you eat in your restaurant
is safe, to make sure that infectious diseases are under control, and a litany of other things. So my
deep and heartfelt thanks goes out to every single staff member that's working tirelessly in our health
department. Anybody else? Well, again, we want to thank Dr. Lisa Robinson and
for their service. Again, if anybody wants to apply for these positions plus additional positions, you
can go to in.gov slash county slash Monroe and then you can scroll to the left-hand side of the website,
click on boards and commissions and committees and from there you can start your application. The only
other thing that I would say is
I am very disappointed and dismayed at what triggered our council resignation. That was really frustrating
and disappointing to hear. And then that also triggered another resignation as well. So I wish we can
get back to the days where things can go back to normal. But until then, here we are. Yes. I just wanted
to add, I believe this is still the case, that this particular appointment
Has to be a Republican. I think they're supposed to be right just so people exactly right? Yeah, now
I don't know about the library board like that makeup I forget how that is. I don't think you have to
be okay. All right So again, thank you for your service and we will move forward All right. Next up
is item number seven, which is our consent agenda items. I
Council, I move to approve the following consent agenda items for November the 10th. First of all, the
emergency management's request and fund 1000-0361 County General Emergency Management to create account
line 3006 Contractual Services. And the second item, the public defender's request and fund 1000-0271
County General Public Defender to create two account lines.
3 0 0 2 8 training and travel and 4 0 0 0 3 office equipment and simultaneously approve a category transfer
$1000 from the services category to the capital category. Second. All right, we got a motion in a second.
Is there any additional questions or comments on our consent agenda items? All right.
see none and now that we have all seven of us here present we can do this by voice vote all those that
are in favor of approving the consent agenda items as presented signify by saying aye aye all those
opposed same sign okay motion carries next up we will go to the amended portion of our agenda which
is item 8a council i move to open for discussion the finalization of the edit fund planned for the 2027
budget year second
I see commissioners that are there. So commissioners Madeira and Thomas, if you'd like to join us, please.
And while they are doing that, I just want to note for the record, and I'm looking to our staff, maybe
we could, I know in our last September meeting that we were at, we, this council voted to approve the edit.
the commissioners approval. Is there a list of those things that we had in the plan that we had during
that meeting that we can, um, show just in case there might be any type of discrepancies. And while they're
If you all want to talk about the edit plan and what's next again, I guess I was a little confused as
to why this was a request as well. But considering the conversation I had with Commissioner Thomas,
I felt like it was necessary for us to add it because I just want to compare what we did back in September
to anything else before commissioners need to approve this.
that we're going to be looking at at their next meeting. So right. Thank you. Um. And, uh, we have.
Um. The list and we wanted to go over it because there was the miscommunication about the GEO bond,
and we just want to make sure where everybody's on the same page before we move forward with. Our
for the county, we have $7,520,185. Now, that's a slightly different number than before because planning
added a staff member. And so that this is all for self-assurance. So we just added in the $18,038, okay?
That's why that number's different. Okay. Okay. We have
$1.5 million set aside for the Cave Creek drainage plan. Previously, I think things were listed as sort
of airport, economic development, et cetera, but we're being very specific because this is the plan
that is on the table and the consultant has been secured. Commissioner Thomas, I'm so sorry to interrupt.
Is there a list that you have that we can kind of look at because
That plan that you just mentioned is not in what we did for 2027. So do you have what you have under
airport? I don't have anything under airport. I have what I have is there's emergency services and housing,
which was the one million, which I believe was the beacon. Right. That's still there. And then I had
the contractual for the highway of one million. Right. And that's and then the self-insurance that you
just mentioned, I didn't
there's there was nothing else added to that for the budgets. OK, well, there is 200,000 for transit.
And that is called transit expansion, and that relates to both rural transit service. Outside of their
FDA work, this is their shadow service.
for the so-called urbanized area of the county. And also for Bloomington Transit, although we imagine
the number might be lower this year because they're cutting the route a bit already because they don't
have enough drivers. But it's 200,000 total for both. And then 1.5 million for Cave Creek Drainage Program.
That replaced a generic
I think we had 2 million in there originally, and it just said airport economic development, but we're
just being very specific. And then we have the standing 165 million for county building the justice
center. That's been in there every year.
I think that's kind of the audible, huh? Um from people because that's that's kind of mine. I guess.
Have you all had a meeting where you added these things? Because again, I guess I'm confused. Um as
to where we're getting the transit and the 1.5 Cave Creek for this year when we've
what we did in budget. Okay, so the transit line is the same as this year. So that's being continued.
That is we've been doing that. That's how we funded it this year, and we continue it for next year.
And the Cave Creek replaced the generic airport economic development. That's all I can tell you. It
was it was a generic
statement, airport economic development, but we have a specific project, and so we were more specific
than that. I guess when you mentioned earlier about not being on the same page with the GO bonds, this
is kind of that same thing where we all have to be on the same page with that, too. So I just want to
add that. Any questions from folks up here about things? I see faces, but I'm not certain if anybody.
Yes, Councilor Henry. Thank you, Madam President.
if memory serves last year, there's like a two pager that outlined what the edit plan was. Is that that?
Is that what you're staring at right? I have my notes. I don't my computer died, so I do not have the
most. I had to update the list for numbering and I have that we have the previous version on email. OK, so.
Again, last year's process, if I remember, was there was a document and it was sort of redlined back
and forth. I think we made adjustments. And on Tuesday, Thursday mornings, you made adjustments. Then
Tuesday evenings, we made adjustments. But it was a common document we could stare at. Right. And it
was because I maybe I'm looking to the table, Ms. Turner came. Was that not the plan was a document
last year? Right. Do we not have the same iteration of
the plan somewhere that we could be looking at? And I'm looking for it. The plan gets adopted as part
of it as an ordinance. So I'm trying to find the most recent ordinance. Because it strikes me that we
just have two piles of notes past each other right now and not a common document that we're staring
at to say that's red line or this is edited or because if I just take Cave Creek, for example, like
if there's a document says airport somewhere and then we're looking at this, like I just want to see it
in one location like I think we had last year about this time. So Mr. King, you said you're looking
for last year's ordinance right now. And I guess the follow up is, do we have a mock up of the FY 27
ordinance yet? Jeff has it. So I don't. Jeff would have the mock up of the this year's upcoming ordinance.
And I'm looking in the county folder to try to locate last year's.
I wonder, no wonder there's noise here. We're not singing off the same sheet of music right now. Exactly.
Thank you, Madam President. Yes, Councilor Hawk. Yes, I would like to have a report back from the airport
as to what their consideration is of changing how the dollars might go. I know that they're counting
on a certain amount of money, so I certainly couldn't support moving
have to send the airport money to someplace else unless they are in agreement or at least have knowledge
of what the plan is. Yes, counselor. This may be an informational question for Mr King, but I don't
remember how we did this other than we had. A plan that was
resolution we adopt the resolution or do we just go we kind of like your resolution they adopt a resolution
remind me how that works the statue provides that the executive body um adopts the economic it's called
the capital improvement plan but it's solely a commissioner adoption how does the council factor into that
I don't think the council is mentioned in the adoption of the plan. I mean, it's necessary for the council
to do the appropriations for the plan. And I think last year there was collaboration in discussion of
the projects. We kind of looped it in, if I remember right, around the time that we were doing ARPA
discussion. There was a lot going on back then. So they have the resolution plan written out. We have
the appropriation of that.
And that's how the two shall meet. And so in looking back in the history. The first ordinance was adopted
in 2022 and it's spanned from January 1 of 2023 to December 31 of 2025 and then an ordinance 2025 50
was adopted, which then
that we're seeing and we're not even really seeing them. We're just being told this verbally. And I
think like that's the thing because I guess on our end, we did what we needed to do back in
to approve this. That's why, you know, I think folks are scratching their head, at least for me, because
it's like we've not, again, I know I've been gone, but I've also been catching up via cat that I just
want to make sure, like, I'm not missing something, something didn't happen beforehand. And it seems
to be that it's not. Would it be helpful if I print you all a copy of that 2025 50 ordinance? Yes.
Councilor Wilts. Another thing that would be helpful is just a reminder of what did have we already
put in appropriated? So I know which of these things is new appropriation. So what we appropriated and
that was approved at the adoption was there was $1 million
for, and it's the housing services, and that was for the beacon project. If I'm correct, please correct
me. And I'll put beacon right there. The other was the 7,496,413, and that is for the self-insurance.
And then for the highway department, a million dollars in the contractual, and that was for the
by two minutes, the community crossings matching, yes. Or other paving if they don't get the full amount.
And that was all that I noted during the adoption time that was added to the edit plan. Yeah, I found
my notes in the sheet that we had. Yeah, keep them.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
because we know it has to come out of edit, right? And this is an airport project. This Cave Creek drainage
project is an airport project. It's related to the cars features and all of the things that make our
airport special in very difficult ways. So this is, and we would come to you with Bloomington Transit
because we don't know the number right now. We'd have to come to you with that number.
we're going to come to you with the real transit number. Amy is going to send us that information. She
has not yet. She's got a ballpark, but we need the exact number. We're going to have to come to you
for that appropriation. So this is just saying that when those appropriations come before you,
thank you, this is where they're going to come from. And then we've always had the
the justice center. In. Edit it. We and I know we spent design money from the ban. So that this this
all interconnected doesn't mean we're spending it. It just means that's. You know, we have to. We have
to say where it will be spent if it will be spent.
So it sounds like, to me, really the only thing that's unexpected would be the airport, because we didn't
know that was coming. And that seems reasonable. It's economic development. And that's an area that
we've been focusing on for economic development. And the only things we need to appropriate at this
time were the things that you've already dealt with in your budget. And that's it. We're not appropriating.
that's the only thing we brought because that's all that's. We know the appropriations on obviously
the self insurance. We had the wrong amount, but that's what we had. We this the remainder of this is
saying. We will bring to you and if we bring this to you,
and that is because we do need to provide transit services. We do need to provide the BT extension on
West third. We do need to provide rule transit shadow service. We will keep the justice center in there
as it is as it has been. And the Cave Creek is not. Again, we don't have an exact amount. That's just
a ballpark.
And we would come to you with that. And if you all said no, then it doesn't happen, right? But if you
say yes, it can come out of this. Now you could say yes and take it out of County General, right? This
isn't committing you to using the edit. This just says, our plan is money can be used for these things.
So the one line that has to change is the self-insurance line. Oh, okay. Go ahead, sorry.
budget has already been adopted we can't open that back up at this time however what we can do is an
additional appropriation early in the year so it's fine we can make it work okay yeah because we don't
we don't need self-insurance money all at once so exactly yeah thank you yes counselor henry the original
ordinance it might be
And I would offer, maybe it would make sense to see the 27 draft with the same project ties to listing
here, because there are changes. If we are changing, because we don't have that right now. We have kind
of a verbal and we're kind of shorthanding on our own spreadsheet. But my only question is timing, right?
I mean, if we were to say the table is tonight until we saw the draft ordinance with the correct language
that we could look at and
understand and also understand what our new tolls are because some things have shifted here. What does
that do to your timeline to pass an edit plan? We can we can. We just have to do this before the end
of the year and we can do that here in December so we can do it. So yeah, the table is fine and if you'd
like I can ask Mr Laverty who directs the airport to come in.
I don't know when your next meeting is. I'm sorry. I don't have my calendar in front of me, but I can
invite him to attend as well. If you have questions about the drainage project itself. I appreciate
that. I would just say I then Councilor Iverson just reminded me that this is merely a discussion. There's
no need for motion. We can just move from here with an expectation. The next time you see it is the
draft. Yeah, I'll get that to you. I'll have Jeff send it out to you via email.
because we still have to change one number, but I'll have Jeff send that out to you via email. We could
just put a round number in for the additional costs and make it 7,800,000 and we'd be fine because we'll
be under it. As long as we're under it, we're fine. So all this does is say, this is where we're going
to pay for this if we're going to do this.
You all may decide you don't want to do real transit. You may decide you don't want to do BT. You may
decide whatever. But the three things that had to be appropriated were at your budget hearings, and
that's absolutely the way it goes. So I appreciate the discussion. I appreciate you putting it on our
agenda. And although, yes, my face might have been one of the ones going, wah, kind of looking at all
of this and with your explanations, I just
for the sake of discussion, want to say that these seem reasonable to me in terms of what might be in
the plan. And I appreciate you all sharing that because I do recognize that although we have to work
together, this is your bailiwick. So thank you. Yeah. And everything in there, again, you may or may
not choose to make appropriations on.
So in the interest of time, since we got a full agenda here, this is something that we can put on our
next agenda for the 24th, the week of Turkey Day. So we'll discuss that and hopefully finalize things
and get that started. All right. Are we going to have an official motion to table this item? No, it's
just a discussion. Just checking.
All right. Yeah. Item eight B. Council, I move to approve the board of commissioners request and fund
one one nine seven dash zero zero zero zero stormwater management and add the three board of commissioners
position account lines to add a split salary with an additional 15 percent, an increase of twelve thousand
four hundred forty three dollars, which will bring the salary base amount from seventy thousand five
hundred and twelve dollars to eighty two thousand nine hundred fifty five dollars, an effective date
of January the first.
second. All right. We got a motion and a second. Take it away. All right, so, um. This has been a long
process for us as a board, and I've been here for. All of it. Um, and, um, since 2013, um. And, um,
in 2020, we were told that, um, these
the small raise we were given then was a down payment. And of course, it's a different council that's
sitting here now. So I was told that, and what's interesting is all along the way, the commissioners
in the survey are being considered together. And I don't know why that is, but it has been that way.
It was that way then, it was that way in 22, and here we are in 26.
and we want to put this to rest and we want to have this over finally where our salary grid should match
other elected officials. I was told that the surveyor made the case for being moved up to a full elected
salary and the reasons given at that meeting were
employees and three part time people, including an office manager. Well, that made me think because
we don't just manage a few people. We manage multiple departments, including TSD building highway. Etc
all the way down to weights and measures. One one person department. And we do not have an office manager.
We do not even have a receptionist and we've been without one for a couple of years.
and we've not come and asked for that. We figured out how to make it work. And that's what we do. We
work together, we patch, we fill holes, we get things done. And like the surveyor, we serve on a wide
range of boards and commissions, but even more so. And we make a lot of those appointments as well.
And as you noted, those are sometimes really difficult to get enough
you get out in the community and you talk to people and you encourage people and you still have to review
applications and you interview people and that takes time. We also respond in emergencies and we make
vital decisions every day as the executive and legislative branch and there are times as much as we
We have to work together, two or three of us. We have to both be in the room or be in the meeting to
do that. We also have to review packets, claims, payroll, weekly, and we have a deep understanding of
what's going on in Monroe County government as a result. But for some reason, we remain outliers on
the salary grid.
and it's bewildering to me. And it's been bewildering to me. But since this council decided to raise
the surveyor's salary, now is the time to it's because we've been in tandem 22 26. Here we are along
the way. And
it doesn't make sense why we're outliers on that salary grid. We are elected officials, and we are involved
in everything every day that county government does. Did you want to add anything? No. No? No. Okay.
All right. So with that, if the answer is no, we'd like to hear the reasons.
And if you need time to think about it, we're going to be here anyway. So we can come back at the end
of this month or December if you need us to. If you have questions for us, we're happy to answer them.
Councilor Hullock. Yes. Just as a reminder to the public and all of us here, the
The question is, would we be willing to do this at first? And if we are willing to do this, are we willing
to take it from all the people out in the rural areas? Because the city won't be paying into this, nor
will the Ellsville. You understand that the stormwater fees are paid with their utility bills. It's
only outside of the city, outside of Ellsville, the new merged township, that all those folks are paying for this.
I think those of us who represent the rural areas might really have a reason to say, not sure that this
is fair to the entire county. But regardless, I'm not supportive of this. We've already, I wasn't here
due to unavoidable circumstances, but the salary ordinance has already been voted on, already passed.
And so that's not something I would support. But I just want to get those thoughts out there. I don't
know whether you are watching the flow of money. Not everybody understands that the stormwater is not
being charged in the city of Bloomington. They pay theirs with a utility bill. If you live in the city
of Bloomington or your property is in the city of Bloomington. I appreciate the offer.
opportunity to offer some comments on this I uh the last two times this is kind of raised its specter
in here I've kind of sat there and said nothing because I did not want us to move forward on this and
now I'm going to enunciate a little bit more clearly why I'm opposed to this and I'm in a very unique
position on this because in uh God willing and if fate crosses its way on January 1st I will be opposite
of this council
serving with these two leaders on this board of commissioners. And as a person that would be directly
affected by this and is voting on this as a person on this end representing the taxpayers, I do not
do not support this increase. And I want to talk about that just a wee bit more. I appreciate very much.
Council or Commissioner Thomas is remarks for why this is important to her.
But when I look at the history on this job, and I just did some general glancing and I lived and voted
on all of this alongside a few others here, the position in 2020 was at $36,000 a year. It went to 2021
at $246,000. The request at that time was $60,000.
I had heartburns about the move, but I listened to the reason of more experienced counselors on why
we needed to make a move. I also heard people at that time say this should begin to take care of things
and they will feel more respected in this sense. I now look at the salary now. It's moving northward
of 70. And when I look at the role of the commissioner,
which I've studied over the years, both as a member of this board and before and beyond, I see a board
of elected officials who regularly supervise other emergency responders. They supervise department heads.
They supervise other functions of the county and are answerable to the time of when those things happen.
But it's still a board.
that is helping to navigate those decisions, much like this council is a board that's navigating the
fiscal decisions. I think the compensation that we have done has been pretty fair from the taxpayers. I don't
here on the street, anyone saying I'm worried about the commissioner salaries. In fact, every time we
have moved commissioner salaries, I've heard actually the opposite. People point to me the nine million
other problems that we have in the county that grossly need addressing. And this is just not something
that people feel there is a slight upon. So I can't I cannot support it. I will not support it.
If it is passed tonight by this council, which if I had to be a psychic, I would predict is not in the
realm. And I'm not trying to be harsh, but I got to be real because we've had this three times to us
and now I'm talking. I will not accept it because I think the amount that we all signed up to run for
was a decent amount from the community on what they were giving. And it's been adjusted over time. And
there's been coal of things that have affected that. And I think that's enough. I think it's more than enough.
And I say that respectfully. I know everyone's going to disagree on money, but this is the way I ultimately
see this. And one thing is if we have roles in the commissioner's office that need filled that are putting
the burden on the commissioners, that is a discussion to be had in here at budget time, or it's a discussion
to be had with who does those roles or department heads. And I would rather chase some of those kind
of headaches long term to get us functioning better and more evenly together.
And I just we're just going to disagree on this one. And it's it is just yeah. So I'll stop. I'm going
to be. Putting no on this item tonight for the people of Monroe County, particularly the staff of Monroe
County, who saw a 40% increase in their premiums
And if you were like me, and you need to carry your family on your insurance, that was devastating.
For those people of Monroe County who are forced to make choices about which groceries to buy, for those
families and the people of Monroe County who need to have a conversation with folks they're living with
about what number to set the thermostat,
And for those of you like my family who sometimes need to check your bank account before you fill your
gas tank up with gas. In this instance, I'm voting no, because in this county, we need to put Comet
first. We cannot be prioritizing the people at the top. Comet comes first.
I appreciate the arguments that you're making. And I, like Councilor Decker, have sat through several
of these discussions over the years. And I do remember when it was phrased as a down payment by one
council member at least. And I felt that that down payment
which was the $10,000 raise given in 2021 was followed up by the subsequent more than $10,000 that we
did the following few years. And I'm not convinced that the commissioner's salaries for Monroe County
are an outlier when looking across
in similar counties, there are salaries all over the place, and they don't seem to be an outlier with
respect to other counties, and certainly not with respect to elected officials within Monroe County.
If anything, council members are the outlier in the elected official salaries, and I'm not arguing for
us and the coroner, of course.
I am not going to support increasing the commissioner's salaries for the reasons that I think have been
laid out over the years in the past. This is not meant to be a lucrative position by any stretch. As
it stands now, this is still considered a part-time position, and by
nearly any standards being paid 69,000 plus is not. It's much closer to full time salary already than
it is part time. It's more than I get paid in my full time job. So there you have it. I mean, I can't
look at the employees of Monroe County government and say, you know, we had to stop at 2% and put you
all through the ringer, but we can
to dig into our pockets and find an amazing $12,000 plus increase for the commissioners. It just, it
doesn't work. And I understand that you've looked in stormwater to find funding that wouldn't affect
the general fund. That's not it for me either. It's not about where the money's coming from. It is about
equity around
pay for everybody. And I would gladly look at the comment salaries, for instance, before I'll look at
more for commissioners and elected officials at this point. I'm finished with that. Those are really
my reasons. I don't think that it's sound financially and I don't think
it's doing the best service for our constituents. Right, well, I'll go. So, history repeats itself, right?
back in December of 2021. My first meeting was in the HR conference room full of mask because that's
where we were in the county and in the world right then and there. And when I first came on, this was
a heavy contentious conversation. And I had looked at that meeting earlier in December 21 of 2021. Um, and
and then again, just as much as my council colleagues have said, there was a 10% or I'm sorry, 10,000
increase from 36 to 46. And then the amended or the approved salary ordinance for 2022 was 488. 48886.
And then it looks like in 23, there was another bump. But the biggest thing that we also need to think
about too in 2024,
just like we get the cola increase, you all get the cola increase. And that was the year that we did
a substantial cola increase of 8.5%. So that definitely bumped up folks. Also, thanks to staff for putting
this together. But in looking at the fact book of counties that are comparable to Monroe County,
population looks like is 137,974. And this salary is 69,129. When we look at Clark, Delaware, LaPorte,
and Vigo County, those are like one county with comparable population numbers is 24,990 for Commissioner.
33,582. Another county between 42,727 and
And we definitely are exceeding there. So the reason why I say those things and looking at what the
commissioner gets from the fact book that we also have too, they don't get paid in any of these counties. They stay
like you're not paid more than the other electeds that are in these particular counties doing the various
jobs. And so the other thing that I also want to say flat out, and let's just put this out here, is
that this is not an equity pay. So if anybody tries to turn a twist or say anything about that,
This is not an equity pay. I know that was a conversation back in 2021. As we wind down on 2026 and
gearing up for 2027, that wasn't the case then, and that still is not the case now. We are comparing
things and looking at that. This ain't it. The other thing that I wanted to also say, since you mentioned
the surveyor, which actually I really think we should stop doing that because, like,
It puts him in a really weird and awkward situation for that. But in each of the folks that have come
to us, you know, Mr. Randolph has literally come year after year. And I think every year he's made the
case and every year he gets shut down.
And this year, he particularly made that case. You can look at what the plan department did a few weeks
ago, and they also made their case. But in each of the cases that we see here, everybody had facts.
And much like your math teacher, when they say, show me the car facts, show me your work, every single
last one of those folks that came here before us and sat here, just like you all are sitting here in
front of us, showed us the work, provided us with things.
I don't think that I've seen Commissioner Thomas anything that is from your office or from you that
says that here is what we have, this is where we are comparable to other counties and things and to
see where we are versus what we get paid. So again, I guess I asked, show me the car facts, show us
where it is, because right now, again, as I think it was Councilor Wilts that said this, the outliers,
the true outliers is the 700 plus employees that come here every single day that are not elected, that
do their job under some crazy ass situations, and they don't complain, or sometimes maybe they do, but
they deserve so much more. And it behooves me to have politicians literally ask for
what you are looking for when we really should be taking care of those that serve the public and serve
our greater community every single day. We struggle like Councilor Iverson said with the 2% and then
with the premiums that gets eaten up and taken away and so it would be tone deaf and quite frankly wrong
and I could hear
the seeding emails that are slowly would be coming through our inboxes where people would say,
we got this, but they get this. And I think from 2020 to like in 2023, I think in three years, if my
math is correct, it has been about 20 plus thousand dollars over the past three years that
We have taken care of you all and have done it. So it's not that it's an equity issue or anything like
that. It is simply us taking care of another individual who has asked so many times for us to take care
of him. And we have not. And this was his due time for us to do that. Later on in our agenda, there
is a pack pause conversation. There could be a conversation that we look at.
all things next year, including possibly elected official salaries, much like we did before I got here
with the salary studies that were done in 2021. So that was the five year itch. And maybe we're coming
up on that again. But again, it would be a heck no for me because this does not send a clear message
to our employees that we give a damn about them.
and that we care about filling up other people's pockets before them. So that's where I would be.
But again, as I said before earlier in this conversation, show us facts. Show us where you are looking
for us, where it would be comparable. Because again, I mean, I'm also looking at the sheet with populations
over 150 plus. We're still higher than some of those folks.
So again, this is not an equity issue. This is not a retaliation. Oh, the council members are upset
about how things have been happening or anything like that. Nah. And I hope folks would know that who
have been on this side of this dais and also on that other side too, that this is a fiscal matter and
this is what we're looking at. So again, this is not an equity issue because when we look at compare
of what we have,
it's just not a comparison. So that's my thoughts. Anybody else? Yes, Councilor Feidle. So I'm looking
at the same numbers that others have talked about before me. And I think the fact that in the population
range of 100 to 150, Monroe is
almost near the top. There's only one other in that population group that is more than what we're paying
for county commissioner work. And I know it's hard work. I mean, I see it myself in county council work.
So I mean, I just, these positions I think are not supposed to be career, I would call it positions,
right? And so if you're looking for money, I'm not sure
And we've answered this before, I feel like this year already. And so my question might be, what makes
this ask different? It seems like we're hearing the same thing and nothing new to convince us that it
should be any different. So I'm gonna have to be a no. Anybody? All right, seeing no other further questions
or comments from council, we will,
to the public comment if there is public comment to be had on this item you can come forward to the
lectern here in the night you Hill room or you can raise your hand via teams okay we see a couple of
hands I will I see mr. Tron and right Randolph is up first and we got some two hands that are raised
so I'll go to the two hands first so I'll go mr. Randolph and then
Dr. Reiter-Bann has her hand up next and then we'll come back to the NetUnile room. So Mr. Randolph,
you again, just state your name for the record and you'll have up to three minutes. But you also need
to unmute. Can you hear me okay?
You're kind of cutting in and out. We can hear you now. Are you able to hear me a bit better? Yes. Yeah.
OK. I don't really want to get too involved in this conversation except for my name is Tronin Randolph.
I'm the Monroe County Surveyor. I've served in the Surveyor's office since 2005.
so about 21 years of service, 12 years as the chief deputy. At that time, my salary was based off of
the elected surveyor. Essentially, I just want to say that never has my discussion with council reflected
equal pay with the commissioners. My understanding is,
The biggest difference was the two tiers of pay from being a licensed professional surveyor in us or
just the elected surveyor. The only other thing I want to say because these conversations are noticed
by the public and I think I need to take the opportunity to at least address a few things. I have no
outside employment. My sole employment is with Monroe County.
Also that my office manager is a part-time position and always has been. Those are just two things I
just really wanted to make clear. I don't want to get involved in other elected offices requests, but
I felt like I needed to at least make a couple of comments based off of the way that this could be
digest and consumed by the public and our community. And thank you. Thank you. All right. Next up, you
can unmute yourself, state your name for the record, and you'll have up to three minutes. Yes, I assume
that was me. So one, the commissioners
have a unique position as elected officials in that they are really 24-7 officials. They are called
at hours of the night to make sure things are working within the entire county government. They don't
have quite the same defined hours that some of the other elected officials have.
Not only that, but what I see with the county commissioners is that they serve diligently on multiple
committees across the county and also with the city as the administrators for this county. They go above
and beyond what many of the elected officials are expected
to do and therefore I believe as a taxpayer in this county that they should be paid in alignment with
the other elected officials who may not work quite the same number of hours or have nearly the amount
of responsibilities that our county commissioners have. So I am in favor
of their being paid on par with other elected officials in the county. Thank you. Thank you. All right.
Next up here in the NetEgo room.
Good evening, Council. Thank you for taking the time to address this issue. I just want to, oh, my name
is Kayden Smith. Always forget that, Michelle. I just want to preface my comments with the issue of
additional pay for the commissioners is not a question of whether we agree or disagree with their job
and how they are fulfilling their duties, but it's really an issue of
pay equity here. If we're giving all county employees a 2% COLA, elected officials and non-elected officials,
I don't understand why the commissioners feel that they should get more when what we've seen, we've
seen multiple substantial increases within the last few years that the commissioners have gotten. And
I just don't think
like yes we can find the funds I understand that argument but also we could use the funds for so many
other things that you know if we were to have a public vote you know the public would want to send it
to so many other issues like I don't know maybe addressing the jail issue but that's just my opinion
so I'll keep my comments brief tonight I just don't think the public supports this and I quickly want
to address the whole 24 7 issue because I think all elected officials are
24 seven officials as council members. You know, the mayor, city council, you don't clock in at nine
and clock out at five. You can get an email or have a pressing issue any time of the day, any day of
the year. So while I sympathize that, I think the job is in a way 24 seven. I don't know if I agree
that the commissioners are unique to that. I think, you know, the mayor, city council, as well as a
lot of other, you know, non county elected officials have that issue of, you know, something can come up
a road might not be salted, a bridge can collapse, these unprecedented things can happen, and I think
any elected official should have to address that, and I just don't think the commissioners are unique
enough to where they should be given the money, so I just, I can't support this, and I don't think any
of you should. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody here in the Nattie Hill room? All right, we'll go to
We'll go back to Zoom. Screen name Lee. You can come off a mute, state your name for the record, and
you'll have up to three minutes.
person left. Yeah, I saw that. So I hope everything's OK. All right. So are there anybody else? Or is
there anybody else on Teams or here in the NETU Hill room that would like to make public comment on
this item? All right. Seeing none. I hate that they dropped off.
coming back to council for final comment before you make public or before we take our vote. So I think
that the issue of current employees that we have, which are hundreds and hundreds, the fact that they're
only getting the 2% raise and that most of us are taking that 2% increase as well is adequate this year.
And I really don't think that we can
We don't call ourselves advocates for our employees unless we try to make sure that they are taken care
of in a way that's manageable for the county to do so. OK, it looks like. I might pop back to this individual
Lee. I don't know like. We just ended public comment. I wasn't sure if you I want to make sure this
individual gets a chance to speak.
If you want to raise your hand, state your name for the record and you'll have up to three minutes.
Okay. Okay. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you now. Oh, okay. Great. Um, I got a notice that I was
removed from the meeting. So I just logged back in. Um, I, uh, my name's the grunt heifer. I'm a resident
of Monroe County.
Um, I think that one of the things about the commissioner's positions is that we're supposed to have
three operational people and that's been tough over the last years and hopefully we're going to resolve
that situation and, um, you know, the workload will be less going forward because of more people on the job.
That's all I have. Thank you. All right. Seeing no more comments from council and seeing no more public
comment, maybe please have a roll call vote. Councilor Wilts? No. Councilor Henry? No. Councilor Decker?
No. Councilor Crossley? No. Councilor Iverson?
Councillor Feidl? No. And I want to note for the record, Councillor Hock left the meeting. Motion fails
zero to five or zero to six. Thank you very much. Thanks. All right.
Getting back into the original agenda, we will go to our hiring freeze review with the courts. Council,
I move to open for discussion and possible approval the court's request to be exempt from the hiring
freeze and be allowed to hire and fund 1000-0225 County General Courts, a full-time bailiff position.
Second. All right, we got a motion and a second. We are joined by Judge DeKoff and Ms. Chandler. Welcome.
Good evening.
evening we recently had a bailiff position open one of our bailiffs moved to Johnson County and took
a position there so we're requesting that we can get his job filled as soon as possible as you know
they play critical roles in maintaining security within the Monroe County Justice Facility we've been
here a couple times this year requesting to have the same position filled so we're back again thank
you are there any questions or comments from council on this item all right
Seeing, oh. I just wanna say I appreciate the judge coming in here this evening. It's always good to
see you, your honor. Well, thank you. I appreciate you allowing me to be here. Seeing none, we will
move to public comment. If there's public comment on this item, you can raise your hand via Teams or
you can come forward to the lectern here in the room. And seeing none, maybe please have a roll call
vote. Councilor Henry.
Councilor Decker? Yes. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor Iverson? Yes. Councilor Feidl? Yes. Councilor
Wilts? Yes. Motion passes six to zero. Thank you so much. Item number 10 which is from our building
department. Council I move to approve the building department's request
fund one thousand dash zero three one two county general building to create a count line one six eight
zero zero transitional temporary trading and simultaneously amend the twenty twenty seven salary ordinance
to add this account line with an effective date of the last people claim number one for twenty twenty
seven second all right we got a motion and a second and it's always good to see mr. LaRue here in front
of us hello welcome good evening good evening
Thanks for having me here tonight. I appreciate it. Our commercial office manager wanted to retire at
the end of this year and agreed to stay till January if we could find her replacement and allow her
to train the replacement. This is huge for us at this particular time.
I don't want to bore you with building department stuff, but we have scheduling that we have to do.
We have to understand what our inspection schedule is, be able to communicate it to the public. These
folks also need to make sure that the inspectors are running an efficient route through the day whenever
that's possible. We have financial things to take care of. End of year is the best option that we have.
We have end of month, end of year, end of year report to produce.
All of the things can happen between December 14th and January 29th and I'm super excited that Darla
has agreed to stay. What I'd like to do is hire somebody for the first pay in 27 so we don't muck with
anything in 26 salary and then Darla has agreed that she will be here no later.
than the 29th of January, but she is comfortable to retire as soon as we feel like the next person is
comfortable and ready to go. And that's what I got.
Your enthusiasm is so needed right now, so we appreciate that. Thank you. Well, I'm going to tell you
dork stuff. I got really excited. I just heard today that Indiana is finally getting a modern electric
code. Our current electric code's old enough to vote for you all. And almost can buy rounds when you
win. So I'm really excited that we're getting a new electric code.
course, I got to figure out how to buy books and do those things. But that's a next year problem. And
but I'm excited about it. So we appreciate that. Yes, Michelle. And I just want to remind Council that
you did approve at the last meeting for them to move forward with filling that position. So I just wanted
to share. Yeah, Bobby, I've heard you
local events talk about the electric for it so that I just appreciate the humor on that. I think that's
a new one I don't think I've heard that line before. I'm very hopeful again we're going to get some
some modern building and fire code adoption in twenty seven as well. Some really significant changes
have happened like
batteries and storing batteries in buildings and things of that nature. So I'm very excited about electric
code and new codes. Um, but right now I'm super excited for Darla to help make sure we stay running
smoothly. I'll go Decker and then Iverson.
which is your favorite list anyway. Number one, it is good to see you looking happy because that's important
and we want to keep that department greased and moving, which you do every day. I hear this all the
time. I like that the temporary training line, which is something we floated a number of years ago,
is now a normal practice, probably should have been way before, but a normal practice to function in
a organization that's trying to do things the right way.
And what I really want to salute is the fact that Darla is willing to stay until the end of January
29th when everyone and their sister knows in your head it would be easier to say I'm done at the end
of 2026 I'm going to enjoy holidays and then I'm not going to go.
to work and drink my coffee instead. And that is a huge gift to this county. I didn't know how she was
going to take it when I asked and she didn't even hesitate. It's it's amazing. That's awesome.
Super you. I'm not going to miss the opportunity to tell you how fantastic your department is. The people
are amazing and I'm very grateful that I get to work with them every day. And this is a perfect example.
of that. Thank you, Darla, for your service. Councilor Iverson and then Vidal. Well, and the reason
that I'm in favor of this is not only are your folks amazing, but they're also very busy. And if you
just look at the first district, which I represent, whether it's commercial or residential, there's
no signs of slowing. So, you know, it's there's just a lot to do. And I know you all are on top of it.
So this is really important to get that continuity.
Yes, we're super busy. And in the near future, I'd like to talk to you all more about that. But today,
I want to talk about making sure Darla can do the things. And I appreciate the comment. Every day, the
department, the folks in the department work hard to say yes to everybody, to help them accomplish the
buildings that they want to accomplish.
We're very lucky, right? The building code is not a no machine. It's not a no thing. It's a it's a yes
or that depends or could be easy, but it might be kind of hard thing. And we work very hard to help
people navigate that. So again, I'm super proud of the department. So you talked a lot about Darla,
but I'm interested to know how long she's worked in your department and or the county.
Um, well, uh, Darla worked with, um, city Bloomington planning for a number of years. And I think this
is the fourth year, uh, roughly working with the department came in at a, at a time where we really
needed somebody to come in and kind of, uh, stabilize some things and her experience, um, with construction
and with, with city government was very, very helpful.
And I'm sure she's excited about spending time at the lake and doing all of the things we all hope to
get to. But she, again, without hesitation, she agreed to stay and make sure that we could keep moving.
As you all know, Darla and Jennifer are
Are the reason that we keep moving efficiently in there that they're the first contact with everybody
who calls the office every day and so keeping you know keeping this continuity is is hugely important
for us. When you said something earlier, and I just want to give you a little bit of credit, you said that.
You have a good group of people that you work with and good leaders like that starts at the top. And
so that also is with you. So your enthusiasm obviously shows. And I'm sure you take it back to your
team because I can just feel the energy. But yeah, I just wanted to say that that's also a testament
to you, too. I'll be honest. I can I can be grouchy grouchy old dude every now and then. You know, you're
really trying this, right?
For the most part, we just try to work with folks to get things done. And every now and then, you get
a surprise and we just try to enjoy it and make sure we can help people get through the things. That's
my line, Bobby. Don't do that.
Thank you. We'll move on to public comment. If there's public comment on this item, you can come forward
to the lectern here in the room, or you can raise your hand via Teams. And seeing none, maybe please
have a roll call vote. Councilor Decker? Yes. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor Iverson? Yes. Councilor
Feidl? Yes. Councilor Wilts? Yes. Councilor Henry? Yes. Motion passes unanimous.
Thank you all so much. Enjoy the rest of the evening. We'll talk to you soon. Yes, thank you. All right.
Next up is the item from the health department.
Council, I move to approve the Health Department's request and fund 8112-9626 DIS Strengthening Prevention
Grant for an additional appropriation of $104,977.42 in the personnel category and $5,022.58 in the
services category for a total appropriation of $110,000. Second.
We got a motion in a second. We're here joined by our financial manager of the Health Department. Mr.
Goss, welcome. Good evening. The Health Department is requesting approval of the additional appropriations
for $110,000 additional award to the STD Strengthening Prevention Grant. This funding supports three
full-time positions that cover 16 counties and District 7. The Indiana Department of Health also funds one
state employee based out of the health department to help support services within district seven and
occasionally other districts as needed. Services provided by our dedicated staff include STI HIV testing,
partner notification and linkage to care, case follow up to ensure proper treatment and prevention,
retention or reinfection, prevent reinfection and education and outreach to promote
prevention and safe practices. Just to give you a few current items that staff are doing. Staff have
been offering walk-in testing on Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and averaging between 4 to 10 walk-ins each
Thursday. Staff has also been providing outreach testing at Shalom, Indiana Recovery Alliance in the
back door.
testing totals for October in Monroe County. We've had 55 individuals provided with chlamydia gonorrhea
testing, 25 individuals provided with syphilis testing, and six individuals provided with HIV testing.
Indiana Department of Health is also reporting that preliminary data is showing that positive STI rates
are lower in 2026 than in 2025. And that's all I have.
Thank you for that update. Any other questions or comments? I see both Health Department liaison hands
rise up. So I'll go Councilor Iverson and then Henry next. I know we've been talking a lot about these
DIS positions over time. How many vacancies do you have in those positions? Zero. So we're fully staffed
and we're doing all the intervention possible. That's great. That's really wonderful.
Thank you, Madam President, and again, Eric, thanks. As I said to Linnea earlier, thank you. I know
that you're all doing amazing work in the middle of a storm here over there with leadership side. Councilor
Iverson did ask the question I was going to ask about the current staffing. But are there current vacancies
that we can't fill right now in the health department? Is there anything you know of? I know it's somewhat
unrelated, but. We're at a standstill right now as far as as far as hiring any open positions. Yeah.
And I would just take a moment to just explain to the public and my peers here that one of the challenges
we had and this isn't there. I don't expect you to comment on this. One of the challenges we've had with the
kind of ripping apart of the Board of Health in the manner in which people were dismissed and added
was it left us with a continuity of government problem. We don't have the ability to hire or fire people
through a temporary health officer right now. That was her contract by the board commissioners. And
it also leaves the fact that we I'm not sure what the current state of the Board of Health is right
now with the appointees if they've been starting to get to work. But as somebody who had a preparedness
role once upon a time in this county to to pull
We pull the carpet out from underneath our decision making at a critical moment where we can't hire
remove things around all we can do is maintain and get the grant money in, and we have vacancies sitting
there every single day is a day where something can happen in the county where we may be regretting the.
hazard way by which that Board of Health has been reorganized in the past month. That's not on you.
You guys are doing amazing work. You all are doing great, amazing work to keep the place running. As
Councilor Iverson said, the public is not noticing any real changes there, but we all know it's a challenge.
But again, thank you all for what you're doing. I appreciate your work. Thank you. All right. Seeing no other
further discussion from Council will move to public comment. If there's public comment on this item,
you can raise your hand via Teams and you can come forward to the election here in the room. And seeing
none, may we please have a roll call vote. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor Iverson? Yes. Councilor
Feidl? Yes. Councilor Wilts? Yes. Councilor Henry? Yes. Councilor Decker? Yes.
Motion passes unanimous. Thank you. We have a couple of items from the aviation department. Council,
I move to approve the aviation department's request and fund 1186-0000 rainy day for an additional
appropriation of $150,000 in the capital category. Second.
Okay, we got a motion in a second and the agenda says Mr. Leverty and Kim Schill. Actually, Amy Garst
is online and she can be promoted. Okay, all right. So TSD, if we can promote Ms. Garst. And Ms. Garst,
once you are promoted, you should be able to unmute and take it away. Good evening. So Carlos couldn't make it.
So what we are talking about is I cannot believe it's almost been a year since we got hit by a tornado.
Time goes by fast. So I know counselor Henry Carlos has talked to you about this regarding the $150,000
deductible that we need to help move this along for the insurance. We're getting close. There's still
a lot of items that need to be taken care of, but you know,
the recoverable depreciation we have to prove that we have that deductible and so we're needing your
help with that. Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from council on this item? Yes,
Council Henry. Thank you Madam President and yeah I would say this I too cannot believe it's been almost
a year but
sometimes that's how slow insurance claims and money moves around. And I would just remind the public
that we've been talking about using the rainy day fund to help with these types of issues and to make
sure we can move the insurance money back into the county. I just want to check one more time with the
auditor that this is the way that we've set it up moving forward and all concerned or happy with this
arrangement. But did you want to speak on that? That this is really the last step in a conversation
we've been having since the winter.
at this point. Yes, thank you for the opportunity. I agree. I don't really have much to add, but just
to piggyback on what you were saying, this is one of those unavoidable circumstances that we kind of
set the rainy day fund up for. And this is just that last piece. Just I believe you collectively agreed
to cover that deductible. And so this is just putting that in place. Thank you. All right. We'll
This is going in and out. Seeing no other further questions or comments, we will move to public comment.
Raise your hand via Teams or come forward to the lectern here in the room. Seeing none, may we please
have a roll call vote? Councilor Henry? Yes. Councilor Decker? Yes. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor
Iverson? Yes. Councilor Feidl? Yes. Councilor Wilts? Yes.
This motion passes unanimously. All right. Next up is item D. Council, I move to approve the aviation
department's request and fund 4801-0000 construction fund for an additional appropriation of $133,000
in the services category. Second. All right, we got a motion and a second. Garst is gone.
She said she was disconnected. Hang on. OK. Like the auditor OK, sorry. I know where it's. Working out
there we go. There's my voice. OK, I spoke at a length with Mr. Liberty and Miss Garce about this. This
is what I believe was tabled
was it tabled from the previous meeting? Yes. And I think it was just the incorrect fund. So I think
we moved to this fund, which is the correct fund, and they're asking just for an appropriation here
for the six months. Okay. All right. Thank you very much for that. Is there anybody that has any questions
or comments on this? All right. Seeing
and I don't see Mr. Garst back. We'll move to public comment. If there's public comment on this item,
you can raise your hand via Teams or come forward to the lectern here in the room. And still seeing
none, Mary, please have a roll call vote. Councilor Deckard? Yes. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor
Iverson? Yes. Councilor Feidl? Yes. Councilor Wilts? Yes. Councilor Henry?
motion passes unanimous all right thank you next up is um items from the council office uh yeah council
i moved to open for discussion and possible approval of resolution 2026-40 to temporarily reinstate
PAC meetings for salary study purposes we got a motion and a second mr. narkin so resolution 2026-40
um addresses
on pausing the PAC committee meetings. So in March of 2025, in light of Senate Bill 1, the council had
put a pause on PAC meetings and sending things to WIS. Then in December, and the original resolution
had the pause ending in December of 2025. In December of 2025, the pause was continued until December
the end of this year, unless renewed, repelled, or amended prior to that date. So what this resolution
does is amend basically resolution 2025-14A and lifts the pause on PAC meetings, but the pause is lifted
specifically to allow PAC to meet, to analyze the need for a salary study, evaluate possible firms,
organizations to conduct such, and then make a recommendation to council
the need to maintain fair and competitive wages on a path forward that balances fiscal responsibility
and the need to maintain fair and competitive wage wages. Because this is the understanding that I guess
this was the last meeting in October. Like this was discussed. Um because the idea from watching that meeting
I just kind of want to get the ball rolling now so that salary studies, should we continue forward with
that happens? Okay. Yes, Councilor Iverson. As president of PAC, I clearly support this and I want to
make a couple of points. First of all, the need for a salary study that impacts every single department
in county government has never been more clear as it has been tonight where we have yet another department
coming and asking for a raise.
So what I said in my statement, I think, was pretty forceful, but I think it's true. We do have these
different categories of employees, and some folks are at the bottom there, and we need to be looking
out for every single employee here in county government. And so a countywide salary study, I think,
is the way to go. I will note that work has already begun on collecting requests for proposals
from groups that could do a salary study. For those of you who are frustrated with WIS, those requests
for proposals include WIS, but also go beyond WIS. We're actively looking for other organizations to
do this salary study. So we're going to have the idea here is that should PAC be reinstated with council's
vote tonight, that those deliberations will happen
in front of cameras, in front of microphones to talk about the different options and the possibilities.
Number two is that in this ordinance that while PAC will meet for the specific purpose, council will
continue to temporarily suspend consideration of requests for new positions, reclassifications, and
or job description amendments resulting in increased cost to Monroe County.
While we're looking at this question of salaries, we're also going to be maintaining our fiscal stewardship
of county dollars, which, as we just went through the budget process, is not overly significant
or substantial that we can, I think, lift that. And then, actually, let me pause there because I'll
let other folks talk. But I think those two points I think I wanted to make. Chancellor Henry.
Thank you, Madam President. Thank you.
Councilor Iverson for that walkthrough. Can I just ask, I had a comment, but you said something that
kind of got my attention. Who's we? Who put out the RFP? So let me be clear that the request for folks
to do a salary study from WISC is something that I asked for.
And then other organizations that might be interested has not that hasn't happened yet. So it's not
like there's been a grand like thing that's been gone out from the county. Yeah, I mean, because I hope
there's an opportunity to maybe craft what we're asking for in the RFP. And I'll raise a very specific
item, which is what I may offer an amendment on tonight. So I have found that
Discussing salary in a vacuum probably doesn't get at maybe some root cause problems we're seeing. When
I hear departments come and say, you know, we need, they focus on the salary increase or they focus
on filling FTEs, but it's what's behind those numbers. It's the work hours that that employee does for
the county. And I think for as many employees we will find if we were going into a wage hour study on it,
We would find there are probably workers in the county that are putting in more than an FTE to do their
labor, and we may find there are positions that are not quite reaching an FTE to do their labor. That
is a hard conversation to have, but it is a better basis to then figure out what the salaries or positions
ought to be in a very long-range understanding.
Careful to say this, because I know that once you start naming types of positions, people might hear,
oh my gosh, he's talking about me. But I recall, and I am going to call this one out specifically, we've
had a conversation in the past year or two about office workers that have the role of answering the
phone in the county.
And I've heard a range of how different departments manage that. Aviation was just here, for example,
they use an automated service. Others have said that they need a part-time role to answer the phone
in their office. And that wage labor piece of like, well, if those hours could be done in different
ways, could we free up that time or that FTE to deliver on other services in the county would be,
I think, a critical part of a study.
Um, especially given how rare it is for us to conduct a salary and wage study, but, but it's to get
to the hours and then build from there a little bit and give us that better understanding of, of what
it is we're, we're building it. This is going to be an uncomfortable study regardless, but I would just
offer that as an example, something that may need to be added. And I think that's completely apt that
it has been a long time since we've done one of these things. And you think about the technology that's
changed in the past five years.
you think about the ways that we do our jobs differently. There's just a lot of work that's going to
have to go into this to think about the salaries of Monroe County employees. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. Yes, Councillor Vita. So I understand wage and salary studies and that sort of thing, and I'm
really in favor of it, but I also want to focus on the fact that when we do them, it's really important,
I think, to get the employee who does the work involved. In my opinion, it cannot just be a supervisor,
and I don't mean to demean the supervisors. They're not actually performing the work eight to five or
whatever the hours are every day. So I think it's important that
we get a sign off on the employees who are doing the work to say, yes, this is my job, and I agree with
what's been recorded here. So I would like to advocate for that. So many thoughts in my head right now.
I wasn't aware that we
would be doing a salary and wage study just five years after we did one. I don't necessarily think things
have changed that much. However, I will vote for PAC to check it out for sure. Because that's the way
this seems to be phrased is we're going to discuss it and see what's happening. I'm just not entirely
that we're all talking about the same thing. And because what we had before was a salary study. And
it was it wasn't at all what counselor Henry is talking about. It didn't involve, I don't think, the
employees directly. It did have them
perhaps sign off on revised job descriptions afterwards. I was going to say the first salary study that
we did, I was involved with the department heads and or the elected officials were the ones that were
directing how the job descriptions were to look. Very seldom did the employees
themselves were involved in some of these reviews. Now, with at that time, it was during COVID when
we did this, I believe. And when we started this study, and so, you know, departments were asked to
have their employees, you know, look at these and this kind of things. I don't know because we weren't
meeting, you know, kind of thing. So it was all done either via Teams or
I'm not sure how it was communicated with department heads to their employees, but I do know that the
communications that I and the WIS representatives had was all via the elected official and or the department
head. And are we talking about reviewing job descriptions? I believe we would probably need to because
just like with the planning,
They had not come back during this period of time from 2021. They had certifications that were being
required with some of their updates. We've had some others that also have had, you know, state requirements
stuff has changed. I think it would be a good idea just to make sure. And as Councilor Iverson said,
we've had technology changes where
we're having more automation of stuff where maybe they're no longer doing certain things because now
it's all being done you know differently so it probably wouldn't hurt i mean things can change a lot
in five years mr king well i didn't know when i wanted to add this i would
I wanted to also point out that in the sustainability report from FSG, it says there are significant
financial questions that the county must address. 2027 budget to discuss wage increases in
full implementation of a wage study. So this was also kind of contemplated in the FSG sustainability
report. I did not read that paragraph that way, I have to admit.
I thought full implementation of, and I thought it said the wage study. I think they were referring
to the wage study we did, and we never fully implemented the recommendations of it. Yeah. So that's
exactly how I heard that part of FSG's report. That's really interesting. I might have heard what I
wanted to.
I just say it. Well, again, it might be a good idea for y'all unpack to talk, which is Iris and Wilts
and Fidal to just kind of have a discussion. I think I would recommend if I could, like you all just
really just chatting it out. I know department heads will be looking and watching if this is what we
should do but I think you all really need to get into the meat and potatoes of whatever it is that you
want to do and then bring it back to the council and go forth into the universe because we need it because
we'll read the same thing and come to radically different conclusions so is there anything else that
we need to add oh yes sorry counselor decker the only
And I would say that this is a, if that is the route that is gone, it's a process and an exhaustive
process. And my hope would be for that exhaustive process, particularly for those administering it,
that what was done in 2020 were those incents. Michelle, there were a couple of things that slipped
that and Michelle really rode that horse to the finish line.
and got people where they needed to be. I think there were things that just 2020 was a weird year, but
I will say in 2020 or 2021 when it was done, there was a lot of, oh, I can't believe you've just now
gone to the dentist. Why didn't you brush your teeth and floss all this time? I would have to think
there'd be a little less of that business. We took a lot of finger pointing,
from some of our own people during that time that I would not think come back A because there's different
people, but B because we have worked with departments and I don't think things on particularly on a
job description got to gross negligence. So I think it'll be a much cleaner process with a very capable
administrator who knows the rules of those games. And that's a blessing for this council.
I just want to close and make sure that the public knows that in clause three of the now therefore be
resolved in this resolution is it lays out the next steps that PAC will meet. We will discuss this in
a public meeting. Then it will come back to council for council's full review
and then we'll go forward from there. So there's gonna be many more discussions on what exactly is a
salary study or a wage study? Did FSG recommend it? What's gonna be in an RFP if we do an RFP and that
sort of thing? So there's gonna be a lot more conversations. This is not the end all be all.
Anybody else? All right. So it's a possible discussion.
or discussion and approval. Do we need to make a motion? Okay, so Councilor Iverson. Council, I move
to approve resolution 2026-40. Second. All right, we got a motion and a second. Is there any final discussion
on this item? Madam President, I would like to offer an amendment to just maybe clarify option one there
if we're going to take the vote tonight.
I really hate doing amendments on these things because they're always long and the tooth. Under section
one, after the words competitive workforce period, I would offer this amendment. The scope of this evaluation
shall include consideration of employee compensation, staffing levels, labor hour utilization, department
workloads,
and other potential alternatives or supplemental funding sources for county function. And I'll send
that to Ms. Turner King so we can get it on screen. I would like to second that amendment motion if
that was what that was. Great minds think alike, thank you. All right, so we'll wait to see that on
the screen here yonder. Trying to throw that too.
the table here. While they're doing that, can I ask a question? Yes, absolutely. So it looks, okay,
question is, we're allowing meetings to discuss the specific thing, but then that is only through the
end of December. Is that correct? So we have one month to meet to discuss this? Oh, no.
It's through the next year. Wrong December came down. Sorry. And wise people might suggest that even
that's not long enough. Yes, may or may not be looking at you cancel final. Rate it and then read it
and then send it. All right, here you go, Molly. I'm sending this via team so we can get
I simply offer the amendment, if we are moving forward with the vote tonight, to just add some language
about expectations. We can go with may instead of shall in terms of the language, but just to clarify,
it's a little more than just redoing a salary setting five years ago. We're looking for some other detail
here. That's all that I offer at this point. So is there a way we can just
we hear what it is that number one is going to be? I think Ms. Turner-King. Ms. Turner-King, yeah, whenever
you have it, yeah. OK, thank you. And again, if the prose is ugly, we can always change a verb. So do
we have any thoughts on when PAC will meet then? Oh, did Peter just label? Sorry. What was that? I was
just wondering when PAC may meet, right? That's between y'all.
We will pull out to the current members. Okay. That would be great, because the existing schedule.
Not exist. Pretty much. So we would probably like to, with the intent of doing it as soon as possible,
I would think, right? Yeah, thank you. Peter, your intent was to meet as soon as possible. When I reached
out to Wagner, Irwin, and Shealy and said,
we're thinking about doing this. The very first thing out of their mouth was there's neither nine other
counties ahead of you. And we have no idea when you know, so. So there's there is a little bit of a.
So does it have to be with no, but to Mr. Henry's point, we need to think about what we're putting out
there and who we want. And I think I can do that purpose for us. That's right. And
And that meets, I think, some of the language that Mr. Henry just read. But we need to we need to be
have this conversation. I think surely somewhere there's some best rated firms that do this,
I would think. We have a short list in mind that I should say the council office. I don't have it. There
are there are some there are some ideas, but there are more out there and there are more out there.
So I think I have the amendment up on the screen, but first I want to check with Councilmember Henry.
Is that where you envisioned that sentence going? Yeah, right after there. And again, I'm staring at
it on screen now and I'm open to script or grammatical changes here. This was a little fast moving because
we're doing it. So I'm not even sure I'm sold on how long it's.
but I would just say everything up to departmental workloads I'm good with, and maybe if I, can I offer
a friendly amendment, Councilor Wilts, to fix my own grammar? Okay. So the scope of this evaluation
shall include, but not be limited to, and then let's remove everything after departmental workloads,
just period.
because all that stuff about funding is probably outside the scope of this. So let's just drop it at
departmental workloads. Would Councilor Wilts be okay with my amendment? I am okay with that. Awesome.
Thank you. I have a question though. Shocking. You can ask it. The scope of this evaluation. So the topic of
of this paragraph is that we are going to hold meetings to discuss evaluating possible firms to do stuff.
Is that the evaluation we're talking about? And that's fine. It's just, we're not talking, I think you're
thinking that what we ask the firms to do should include that. And the way it's reading,
I just maybe it should say consideration should be given to the following deliverables within that discussion
or something because we haven't really gotten there. If I may, I would suggest just making this its
own standalone paragraph and then if my computer cooperates and then indicate
if pack chooses to or. Some considerations to be incorporated within a salary study shall be. Or something
along those effects. I accept your process as my friendly amendment back, however, but the point is
to call out some activity here that I want to see before to guide pack. Yeah, and
Sorry, Jen's, Jen. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Files flagging. Oh, sorry. Bueller. Bueller. So like I said before,
I'd be very interested in having somewhere, I don't know whether it happens in the committee or in the
resolution or whatever, about having the fact that the employees should be involved in the actual job
descriptions or whatever it is we're going to be looking at. Well, to me, that's going to be whoever
we contract
This is just to get packed. The way I'm thinking, this is just to get packed together so that we can
come up with a plan. You're unpacked. Yes, I understand that. I trust you to hang on to that thought.
We'll be able to shake it. So if we don't need it in the resolution, I'm fine. But if it further helps
explain what the resolution is for, then I would like it put in.
I think that's fine. Just the way that it is. All right. Any other further questions or comments? Okay.
We have a motion on the floor for the amendment. So all those in favor of council member Henry's amendment
signify by saying aye. All those opposed, same song. All right, motion carries. So we go back to the overall.
resolution. Does anybody else have any final questions or comments? Seeing none, we can move to public
comment. If there's public comment on this item, entertain us by coming forward to the lectern here
in the room or raise your hand via Teams. Hey, look at that. Somebody is, are you not entertained?
All right, so you can, I know you missed me. So you, Mr. Randolph can,
Unmute yourself and state your name for the record. You'll have again up to three minutes. Thank you
so much. Just wanted to make sure I'm coming in a bit clearer than early. Yes, so much better. When
I first read the agenda, this is one main reason I wanted to be here tonight.
comment earlier, so I'm sorry if there was difficulty hearing me. I support this because I think it's
a great first step, but I also mentioned that we need to be a little proactive on these discussions,
so we're not in the same place that planning themselves where we're being reactive to
uh, pay, especially in a government body. I'll say it as it is, um, the city's one, a lot of overlap
of what our employees do as a whole where, uh, I don't think that this particular
motion covers what we can do now to make sure that we're not reacting. I've heard Council reopen PACs
as a whole, but I'm very supportive of it and I'm very supportive of the amendment and Councilmember
Feidl's point about including the employees to get a better
understanding of exactly what a day-to-day looks like for the entire employee school of Monroe County
and I think this would also negate what kind of experience over the last several months where you hear
people advocating on a case-by-case basis. I'm fortunate enough to be able to do that
laterally, but not all folks are. So I agree with the comprehensive employee study, but I also think
we need to have a place where we can have these discussions so we're not just reactive to the point
where we're losing institutional knowledge and have an issue with employee attraction and retention.
the council will bring this up and having this discussion. So thank you. Thank you. All right. Are there
any other public commenters wishing to speak on this item? All right. Seeing none, maybe please have
a roll call vote. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Councilor Iverson? Yes. Councilor Feidl? Yes.
Councilor Henry? Yes. Councilor Deckard? Yes. Motion passes unanimous. I was so enthusiastic. Okay.
All right. So next up is item F. Council, I move to open for discussion and possible approval of resolution
2026-41, the use of overtime budget reporting for the 2027 budgetary year. Second.
We got a motion and a second, and we'll go back to Mr. McCain. So this resolution is in its exact form
the last time it was amended by council. It was getting confusing to keep going back to resolution 2025,
41A, BC, whatever version. And so this would extend the overtime restrictions for the 2027 budgetary
year in exactly the same fashion that they exist currently, except
it does extend the expiration date of the resolution to December 31st of 2027 unless renewed rescinded
or amended prior to that date. Any questions or comments on this item?
So there's none. Okay. So there's none. And so we need a motion. Council, I move to adopt resolution
2026-41. Second. All right, we got a motion and a second. Is there any other further questions or comments
on this item?
Okay. All good. It's okay. It's all right. Public comment. It is your time to speak. So if you have
a particular comment on this item, you can raise your hand via Teams or come forward to the lectern
here in the room. All right. And seeing none, maybe please have a roll call vote. Councilor Iverson?
Yes. Councilor Feidl? Yes. Councilor Wilts? Yes.
Councilor Henry? Yes. Councilor Deckard? Yes. Councilor Crossley? Yes. Motion passes unanimous.
All right, thank you. Next up is item G. Council, I move to open for discussion the possible approval
of resolution 2026-42 suspending recognition of the knowledge skills and abilities often referred to
as KSA practice for the 2027 budgetary year. Second. All right, we got motion and a second Mr. Turner-King.
So this resolution goes through the history of the KSA pause that began in May of 2025 and then was
renewed to extend through December 31st of 2026. The only major, the only real change to the resolution
is that it would extend the expiration date to the end of 2027 unless renewed rescinded or amended prior
to that date. All right. Any questions or comments from council on this item?
Sorry. Yes, I saw a hand and I looked over and it was Councilmember Henry. Thank you, Madam President.
Do we have, I mean, I know this has been going on a bit, but it does relate to the salary study now
in terms of a question. I mean, the use of the KSA is I mean, we're, you know, the point of having them
is to recognize when we've
put something on the market where we're bringing somebody in at, in terms of where to bring them on
salary, mid, high level, whatever. Do we have any long range data on the impact of not doing versus
doing this? And if we don't, that's fine. But I'm going to maybe throw that on the pile of this study
to say, with their KSAs at this point.
if we've suspended so long. I mean, does anyone know? I mean, I was asking into the air. I don't know
if anyone has a thought on this. Do we have good data on the impact of this? I was going to say I'm
unaware of any data, but then Miss Shell started shaking her head. So perhaps you'd like to add something.
I was just going to say we've heard from the prosecutor's office several times where they as well as
the public defender's office where they're having trouble recruiting people.
Because the ones that they really, really want are coming with experience from other counties, and they
don't want to start at that base rate. So since we have put these on pause, they are not getting what
they feel like people that are ready to just jump into those positions where they have to be trained.
But as far as the actual data, no.
But I recall this is but it's been a while since we've had a request from like the prosecutor's office
to waive that right. So they could bring in a case. And I don't like camera. It's been a bit. I mean,
we've we've been on pause. Yeah, they can't request it. They can't request it. OK, so that's where we've
been. OK, maybe that's where why it's been so long. OK. OK. Now, I think that's it for thank you, Madam
President. OK. Any other further questions or comments?
I will save it for PAC. Okay, all right. And now we would need to have a motion. Council, I move to
approve resolution 2026-42. Second. All right, we got a motion and a second. I'm freezing. Is there
any other final questions or comments on this item? All right, seeing none.
We will move to public comment. If there's public comment on this item, you can raise your hand via
Teams or come forward to the lectern here in the room. And seeing none, maybe please have a roll call
vote. Councilor Wilts? Yes. Councilor Henry? Yes. Councilor Deckard? Yes. Councilor Crosley? Yes. Councilor
Iverson? Yes. And I'll move to the record that Councilor Feidl stepped away.
So the motion passes unanimous five to zero. Thank you very much. And the last item of our agenda is
the, it is already that time of year where we started talking about our 2027 calendar. And so I'm gonna
look to Michelle and she will take it away. Okay, so in the packet, I provided a calendar
that I'm proposing for council to consider, and I'll put it on the screen. This calendar, and you all
also have copies of it in front of you. This calendar is what I call the calendar with deviations. And
this mimics what I've heard from you guys with regards to
how we were meeting. So in June, we took a summer break. So I removed or there's no meeting scheduled
for the first meeting of June. During the budget
So during the budget sessions in September, we had two weeks of three meetings each. And so there was
a mention that maybe the first meeting of September during our budget sessions that we would not meet.
So that's why the 14th half is being removed. And then Christmas, typically we have always
canceled that meeting, but so I'm just asking to, you know, go ahead and schedule it as a canceled meeting.
Did you have anything else to add?
I'm going. Yes, sorry, I'm like I I know I updated this and the wrong calendar got put in so the one
that you really need to look at is right here on the screen and the reason for that is. If we do the.
the public here, you have to have so many days in between your budget sessions, your advertising of
those, you know, the and then so the public hearing and then you got to have so many days between the
public hearing and the adoption. So actually, this is the one that I really want is we're going to start
the budget sessions September 1st. Because
in order to have a public hearing at the first of October, you've got to have 10 days between the here
and being able to advertise. So we would have to advertise this week right here of September to give
us that amount of days in order to do that. So we would have to start September 1st, um,
And then we'd have three days in that first week following the Labor Day, and then no meeting on the
14th within the two days following September. That's why I was kind of having a brain fog there going,
this doesn't look right. But this is the calendar I really am presenting to you.
what we did this year was we went and had all of we scheduled all of the meetings up front, canceled
as we went. But this way, if we go ahead and just schedule them as canceled, departments know ahead
of time what's going on. So but it's whatever you guys want is really. And the other reason too is like
not to have meetings until the end of September is simply because like
It's a lot to do budget hearings and have a meeting as well. And I know I'm thinking of all of us, but
I think with respect to all staff that have to be here and their teams have to be here, this just gives
people one less meeting that they have to prepare and go through as well. And then the June,
earlier this like in June we did that this year and I tend to think that that was that was good because
it gave people a break again it's not so much that we're giving ourselves as council members a break
even though it's really good but in the end just like we've talked about you know and this evening is
trying to make sure that we're looking out for staff because they also have to be here too so whatever
we set staff
whether it's auditor's office and our council staff office, are impacted by what we do. So I just think
that this would be helpful. I see your hand, Councilor. Thank you, Madam President. We have a unique
variable here, which I'm not sure we'll know until after January 1st as to whether or not the Board
of Commissioners are going to move their meetings to the evening, which would impact the Thursday's
schedule. So if that happens, what's our flexibility to move around on our Thursdays during budget?
is we would probably have, we'll both be sitting here. I mean, that's a big yes. I mean, we're setting
the schedule now. Our schedule's first. There's more of us. Sure is. It's just a thought. I mean, it
may happen. I would hope that Coolerheads would prevail and we would be able to work that out with
the commissioners I Tend to think that that would be something as I look to the commissioner like Yeah,
I think that would be something that we can all talk about once that happens There's a couple other
things that's to like about this I think one of the the concerns I think we have every single year of
budget time is whether or not there's enough time for the council and auditor staff to get their work done and
and get this thing submitted into Gateway. So I think there's enough time in this calendar that you
all can do your work, right? I'm comfortable with it. If things need to change, we'll have to reassess.
But it looks good to me. The other thing I'll point out is the orange squares are potential PAC meetings.
But depending on where we're at and what PAC is doing, those can change. Councilor Feige?
So not that I didn't enjoy the extra time off in June of this year. I'm just concerned. I think I remember
correctly that when we came back and did that next meeting after having been off for four weeks, it
just seemed like that was an inordinate amount of long meeting time when we came back. It was
an extraordinarily long agenda. So I'm concerned about that. Well, I think that would be next to your
next income
leadership to set the tone for the agendas and not make those meetings long. I think your meeting before
that potential break in the meeting after that break could be broken up where it's not. If that could
happen, I think I can support it fully. Listen, you heard it first. It ain't me.
in 2027, the seat will not be taken by Council President Grosling. I'm gonna sit in one of these other
seats. So I'm just saying, but I know you'll miss me, but yeah. So with that being said, I think that
I've done it long enough. Yeah, I think council leadership could work that out so that we don't,
cause that, I mean, that's a valid concern, you know? So, but again, we make the agendas.
and so we just have to be mindful of what we put on there. Because I remember we didn't know we were
gonna do that in advance this last time, right? So maybe we couldn't, we might've been able to adjust
that had we known that in advance. Correct. Okay. I think that was on the fly because there is a lot
that was happening towards the end of May and it just seemed like that was a time for everybody to take
a brain break. Councilor Woods. In a similar vein,
This past year, we had the regular first meeting in September. Yes, we did. And the reason I thought
we did that was because previously we haven't done that. We've canceled that first meeting because of
the budget sessions. And it has made reentry from budget really difficult.
And so I actually thought it was, it was a slog, don't get me, but it's always a slog in September.
And I'll vote for whatever calendar we do, but I just thought I'd point out that we didn't have super
long, late meetings. And I'm not talking about just the budget sessions, which were lovely. Thank you
for doing that. But that meeting I think helped
keep us doing some of that regular business. And it's a long time to go. We will have just caught up
from our June break, practically. I mean, just knowing how they count on some of the regular stuff,
just a thought. Well, Mike, I would like to be able to get your feedback on a resolution that I can
have presented
at the next council meeting so that we can get this out to the departments and to everyone, because
we've got people waiting on us to make their schedules, especially around the month of September. So
I would like, if at all possible, yeas, nays, what you want me to present to you come the next meeting.
So with Councilor Wilts' concern of having that meeting, so you would bump, we could scratch the 20,
would you be willing to scratch the 28th and replace that with the 14th? I'm willing to do anything.
I just wanted to point it out. I really, yeah, any of it, or maybe we just do a 21st.
I don't know. I just know it's tough in September every year, except this past year it seemed. It's
been tough to get our regular business done. And I think if we were to have two regular meetings in
September, it would
it would take some effort to keep that agenda short, you know, attention to the fact that we're all
gonna be bleary, but at the same time, you know, there are other options, like, I just felt like,
you know, my perspective. Yeah, Councilor Henry. I'm not, I seem to recall that we had an awful lot
of hiring.
considerations, and if we don't have the hiring freeze, that should probably change the agenda a bit.
Also, we could probably bundle, if we still have the hiring freeze by next budget, we could probably
think about what meeting that we would entertain those hiring, but there were a number on there. I mean,
yeah, it's just something to think about. That's what's making those agendas longer, too. Which,
by the way, stay tuned, because the next meeting, I want to be able to have a discussion with you all
related to
the higher increase. So maybe that's something that we could talk in tandem with with the schedule.
So maybe what we could do is maybe put like a purple for the 14th as a maybe
And then that's something that we can kind of ponder on and talk about and discuss. Because yes, I would
agree. One of the biggest things that has been eaten up our meetings is the fact that we've been under
the hiring freeze. And I remember Councilor Hawke said this in one of the October meetings about,
you know, maybe we should do away with it. So if that could be the case, we can definitely free up the
disk space.
um for council meetings and and do that but yes um i do recall councilor hawk also mentioned she would
like to be able to maybe see us bundle like additional appropriations you know like bundling some things
you know like other counties do they do it as all in one motion and then if you want something separated
you would just ask for that particular maybe you know that would might free up
how council meetings go, and then rather than you're gonna meet each and every one, it's just a bundle
of here's the appropriations, blah, blah. I don't know. I mean, we could revamp the way the agenda works
for regular council meetings. Which again, I think that's a thought that future council leadership could
look to as well.
But yeah, so she already did it. She already put purple because purple is one of my favorite colors.
So that is a potential. And then that's something that we could think about for our next meeting, which
is the 24th. So any other further questions or comments on this? Okey dokey. All right. So that is it.
That concludes all of the business of county council.
and we move on to our beloved end of the meeting. So I'm going to look to Councilor Feidl first and
we're just going to move on down these days quickly. So I did several things in the past couple of weeks.
One of the most
enjoyable things that I did was I got to be a part of Meet the Funders, where I got to talk about the
Sophia Travis Grant Committee to the nonprofits that attended there that day. It was a pleasure to talk
about it. I had my little card and gave my little spiel and each six minute thing. And so it was very
well received. And there were people who would receive money there before as agencies. And it was nice
to touch base, but also meet agencies that didn't know anything about it. So that was good.
Did the fab tech meeting that's on cats if people want to see that I am meeting with At least two state
legislators coming up this Friday to talk about the fab tech authority whether or not they are just
advisory because I think in the beginning it was not that way and
and thanks to Molly Turner King for doing the research and the legwork to provide me all the information
that was useful to those legislators to begin a discussion about that. I thank you for that. Been working
with the BEDC also on their executive committee as usual, met the new leadership there, continued to
meet her. I'm excited to see how that progresses during her tenure.
I do want to say something about the Bloomington Rotary Toast that's been I think the 12th this year
and it is such a great thing to honor people who do things in the community who don't get a lot of fanfare
sometimes and
This year, we honored Laurie Burns McRobbie, who was very heavily involved in Meadoway House. And that
was her agency that she wanted the money, her part of the money that was garnered that evening to go
to. So there were several thousands of dollars that were raised for that. It was a great turnout, lovely
event. And I also met with the Who's Your Action housing group. And that was a real
privilege to hear again those concerns that real people have with housing in this community. I am very
interested in working on something where we might be able to follow the model of the Human Rights Committee
where the city and the county came together and made one joint
And I'm very interested in that because right now the county residents don't have protections in the
county for their concerns and it's troubling. I had worked on an issue with a wage theft victim years
ago and we have found the same problem then. So it hasn't been addressed and I'm very interested in
that. So I'll just leave it at that. I appreciate that. Sure. First, I
attended the Hoosier Action Forum with several other folks here. And I agree, I think it would be great
to look at a model where we could maybe have an MOU with the city to make efficiencies around being
able to support everyone in the county with protections on
their safety and rights around housing. So that was the start I think of some good discussion and I
appreciated it. Another housing related thing is if you all have probably seen the heading home organizations
streets disability program has been continuing to work in its second phase.
Um, and they're doing some incredible work. Um, people are being housed and it's a, it's a lot, it's
a heavy lift and it's not perfect. Um, but it's, it's some real, it's some real progress, uh, for some
really vulnerable members of our community. So, um, I just want to make sure to amplify.
the fact that that work is being done and really appreciate the fact that that organization is there.
And then finally, we had an election. And we did. We had an election. And as much as I sort of ignored
a lot of the campaign aspects of that election,
I did want to just express my sincere appreciation for returning me to be able to be here because I've
really learned a lot and I really enjoy working with you all. So I'm excited to be here for another
term and really excited about all of the other elections in the state and
country that were a little bit more blue than they had been. That's it. Thank you very much. I'm also
grateful to all the election workers who frantically made a big election happen in this county, and
they served a lot of folks both in early voting and on Election Day. And we had returns, I think,
And that is always beautiful to see a free and fair election happen here. And then there was just tremendous
excitement. I heard a lot of things in the last week or so that have reminded me that there's still
a place for good government and people doing good in government and that the word government doesn't
have to be a bad word. And if you're in elected office, you certainly
to do anything to make it worse. And so hopefully we can all live up to that. I had the pleasure beyond
being around for the election last week. I've had the pleasure to do a couple of the things that folks
had mentioned. But also to yesterday morning be out at SEMTRA for a ribbon cutting for section H of
their new facility and to see that launch. And it was kind of a celebration there and also to get a tour
And to see some of the facilities as it begins to to roll out and, as I always will say, may that be
prosperous and bringing us high paying good jobs for the community that support the community and their
needs, we need as much of that as we can get.
So if there's other folks looking to come here, please, please do that. Hire our folks and take good
care of them. I also want to point out that we are on the eve of Veterans Day. Tomorrow is Veterans
Day. And this is a sacred reminder for all of us because this community has sent so many people off
with happy waves and cheerful hearts to service in our armed services. And we've had
Many of those individuals just do remarkably big things in service to this country. So tomorrow we want
to thank veterans. There's many events going on. One in particular that's always very special is out
at the American Legion post 18 at 1030. They have a Veterans Day presentation.
and a 21-gun salute that goes off at 11-11, and it never fails to hit right at 11-11, marking the occasion.
They will have laying of wreaths and other great things, as well as VFW, of course, is doing their open
to the public chicken and noodles lunch for everyone out there. So a big thank
big things on that Veterans Day. I also want to remind you that beyond Veterans Day, we have two tremendous
gentlemen that are constantly assisting veterans in this community. And anyone that's ever done outreach
knows the more you do, the more work you get. And truly, Stephen Miller, Andrew Blake with our Veterans
Service Office are always doing that. They will send relays off to us on big cases that they get for
veterans who are in this jurisdiction, whether they're
in one stage of life and life's going decently, but they need this for their services or sometimes veterans
that find themselves homeless. We have veterans in every state of life in this community and we have
a lot of them.
And they work on them and they're always looking for more. So if you know of a veteran that might need
some assistance with something related to their service, these are two smart guys with big hearts and
really open ears and nice faces down at the Curry building. And you could call them at 812-349-2537.
Just give them a call.
They're very great to work with and nice, very polite. And sometimes they'll offer you a cup of coffee
if you come in there. And if they don't, I'll buy it for you. But send someone their way. They do big
things, even for those cases that sometimes seem just completely lost in either some issue with the
VA or whatever. They'll do it for you. Thank you. Thank you. Without a reminder. All right.
I want to first of all start on the elections and thank everyone for returning me to this seat. I am
deeply honored that you put your trust in me and I hope that in the next four years I can earn that
trust by serving you. I want to also thank all of you who showed up to the polls. There was a great
amount of folks who did so.
And for those who voted to restore balance to Indiana government, we in the county councils across the
states hope that this increased balance will help to ensure that revenues will be protected for the
residents of Indiana so that we can continue to provide the public services that you rely on.
Next, huge congratulations to the IU men's soccer team, who won the Big Ten regular season title recently.
This is just another notch in the belt of a winning IU men's soccer team. So let's get out there and
support those folks as we get into the postseason. So that's exciting news. I want to also welcome our
Echo Council Deckard's
Thanks for our veterans and I want to point out that with the National Association of Counties and the
National Association of County Veterans Services officers, Monroe County has been participating in Operation
Green Light. So since November the 4th, we have been lighting up our courthouse with the color green
Our veteran service officers have been lighting up their offices with green and we do that because we
shine a green light. We let veterans know that our residents here in Monroe County know that our veterans
are seen, that our veterans are appreciated and that they're supported. So thank you for your service
and look forward to joining the festivities tomorrow.
I will note two really exciting things that kind of make Bloomington Bloomington or Monroe County, Monroe
County. The first is that the turkey trot is coming up and that's going to be a really fun. It's always
a fun little 5k race. And I think my wife and I are going to be Mr. And Mrs. Claus. We don't know yet,
but that's going to be a really fun little race for for that. So sign up if you can.
And then the last thing I want to mention is that I participated in a bucket list item recently, which
was a bike bus on Smith Road in Bloomington, where youth that go to school, not on the school bus, but
in a caravan of bicycles. You see this a lot in Portland. You see this a lot in Europe.
And I think one of the first times that it's happened, particularly for university elementary, is just
like a dozen kids, elementary school kids, toddling on their bike to school surrounded by a whole bunch
of adults wearing bright yellow. It was this really cool way to say not only, you know, being active
and being outdoors is a great way to get to school, but also when you're driving near a school, slow down.
We want kids to be out there riding their bikes and walk into school. So it was just a great way to
build awareness and to encourage activity with those students. So bike buses, mall forum. Thank you,
Madam President. You're welcome. Interested to see your costume on Turkey Charm Day. Council Henry.
Thank you, Madam President. I decided since you have been gone for six weeks, I just saved all my comments
for tonight. We can just we can just, you know,
. . . . . . . . .
who I got to know years ago as chief deputy clerk working that space, the county's in good hands with
Tree coming back. And I want to thank the outgoing elected officials who have given years of service
to the county. They still have a few weeks left, but I just wanted to get that in as we round out our
elections. I will say I had a call with a colleague of mine in Allen County today that had indicated
that Allen County had seen a tremendous turnover in their county leadership. And I think the next time
those of us that go to AIC are going to see a lot of new faces in the room, some of them might have
blue lapel pins instead of red ones, and they may need a little help from those of us on that side of
the aisle. As a few years ago, being a Democrat in county government was a rare bird, and there's a
whole lot more of them that we may see in the years to come at those conferences. I look forward to
working with those partners and showing the ropes that we know. So there's that. I will say, maybe Councilor
Iverson left me one to talk about. He and I had the opportunity and Councilor Feidl to attend Beacon's
Bash, their fundraiser on October 30.
And I will tell you it's amazing what a mood change can come by putting a costume on I
I had an alter ego for that evening in a jack-o'-lantern suit that was a lot of fun, and I've really
come to enjoy that event. There are some David Pumpkins for County Council pins still available for
those who are interested. And lastly, I had the good opportunity to join our Fire Protection District
at their Chili Cook Off this past weekend at Van Buren's Community Center, which has become a great
event at the new Van Buren Community Center.
being able to sample all the great cooking of our fire department and their families as they compete
to raise money for charity for the fire protection district. It's always a fun day and seeing the chief
and others at that event. But thank you, Madam President. Appreciate it. All right. I'll keep it brief because
I haven't been here since September. So I just want to say thank you all and for all of my colleagues
to fill in and do whatever needed to be done in my absence and for running meetings the best that you know how.
And I really appreciate it. Thank you all for your well wishes. I am back. So you can't get rid of me.
And I'm also back because I got voted back in last week. So, yes, four more years. So I appreciate that.
And again,
I'm thankful for the colleagues that are returning, and thankful for the colleague that is going to
be leaving soon. We still got a few more weeks, so you can continue with your trendisms. And we're looking
forward to all of those. So yeah, so again, not much to say because there's just a lot to catch back
up on. Man, emails are interesting.
in more ways than one. And so with that being said, I just appreciate everybody. And I don't know much
else to say except for it's good to be back in the seat and it's good to be back in this house serving.
I missed you all and couldn't stay away for too long. And I'm back and ready to continue to work. So
with that being said, we are adjourned. Thank you.