- Good afternoon. I'm gonna call to order this meeting of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. It
- is Thursday, September 11th, 2025. This is the meeting that was recessed from 10 a.m.
- this morning. We will begin with our public statement. We, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners,
- renew our commitment to welcome and protect the rights of all people, regardless of age, race, color,
- creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, economic status, and
- national origin. And we affirm the right of every person to live peacefully and without fear. And we
- will fight and resist at every step discrimination and harmful policies, whatever their source. We believe
- in diversity, equity,
- school system. We stand in support of inclusion and belonging. We also stand in support of our county
- public school systems. Both RBB and MCC SC and with that, I will know for the record that I am present
- here. Commissioner Thomas with Commissioner Madeira. And, um. Commissioner Jones is absent today. Um
- the next item on our
- Proclamation Lake Monroe Day.
- where is Lake Monroe has been used as a drinking water source to residents of Monroe County since 1967,
- and currently provides drinking water to over 130,000 people. And where is Monroe County depends on
- Lake Monroe as its primary significant water source. And where is Lake Monroe generates over 40 million
- in economic impact annually in our region from recreational tourism. And where is Lake Monroe and its
- adjacent wetlands provide critical habitat for wildlife, including the bald eagle. And where is Monroe
- County has taken
- in an active role in protecting the health of the watershed and the water quality of Lake Monroe and
- whereas Lake Monroe and its tributaries provide recreational and scenic opportunities that improve the
- quality of life for those who visit or live nearby and whereas Monroe County continues to support community
- action related to watershed planning and the watershed plan implementation and whereas we recognize
- the importance of Lake Monroe and make a commitment as a community to protect and preserve the lake
- and its tributaries now therefore we
- the Monroe County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim September 14th, 2025 as Lake Monroe Day.
- Proclaimed this 11th day of September, 2025. Great. Thank you so much. Next, we have department updates
- and we'll have public comment after that. Morning. Good afternoon, commissioners. Sorry, good afternoon.
- It does feel a little odd. As of September 10th, emergency department visits for COVID-like illness
- have remained steady and wastewater concentrations are trending upwards.
- According to a regional representative of CVS, CVS Minute Clinic locations now have the 2025-2026 COVID-19
- vaccine available for those 12 and older. So individuals can inquire about this in person or you can
- schedule an appointment online. The Health Department still has free COVID tests available. Individuals
- can walk in Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to receive free tests.
- and our public health clinic has vaccines available. You can call 812-353-3244 for an appointment. Thank
- you so much. Comments, questions? No, thank you so very much. Thank you. Any other department updates?
- Right. Is there any public comment for items not on our agenda? Come up to the podium. We do have your
- proclamation here, Ms. Sullivan.
- Angie, would you pass that forward please? Thank you so much. Thank you for being here. Please come
- on up to the podium. You'll have three minutes to speak. We'll ask for your name and your county of
- residence before you begin.
- My name is Molly Radecki. I live in Monroe County in the town of Steinsville. I was here in April explaining
- that I was displaced from my home because of flooding. Not because I live in a floodplain, but because
- there was sewage water that came from my shower, probably due to the fact that there wasn't a backflow
- device on the septic slash hybrid system that Binyam Fanyam put in.
- Until this day, I am not back in my home. I am going to lose my temporary housing. I applied for FEMA
- assistance. However, the flood victims between the April 2nd and April 9th somehow got bypassed for
- help. I know there was an appeal. I don't know the verdict of the appeal, but I know that many of you
- have more power than me. If you could write an email
- or pick up the phone and please ask the Department of Homeland Security, the governor, FEMA to please
- release some money because right now Binyam Fanyam wants to put a lien on my house to pay a sewage bill
- for a house I'm not living in. They will not put a backflow device on my septic until there's another
- natural disaster or another
- storm disaster. I can't afford as a single mom to fix up my house, get a new mattress, get new clothing,
- get new bedding, and set up my daughter for us to be out of our house again because there is no backflow
- device. I don't have the energy. I'm already living hand to mouth, and I don't want to traumatize my
- daughter anymore. Monroe County has two vacant seats on the Binyam Fanyam board that are not filled,
- and you have
- a numeral majority to control that board. There's five of 11 seats. So I'm please asking Monroe County,
- please do an audit of Binyam Fanyam and make sure they are helping the constituents. And I can avoid
- a lot of the issues with them if I could just get the funding from FEMA. Thank you. Thank you.
- I just would ask you to please contact the emergency management department and bring your inquiries
- there and then to work with our building department and planning department regarding your situation
- with your house. We can't change the rules. We can't change as much as we might want to for a particular
- situation. We get it. It's terrible. But we have staff members
- in our throughout county government that can help, but you have to. I've engaged them all. I have email
- engagement and we can't make new rules for you as much as we want to. And that's the and that's the
- problem that we have. So but we do appreciate you coming in, but I would recommend you contact emergency.
- I have and I've gotten a lot of grass lighting because they don't treat Steinsville. They treat Steinsville
- residents as second class citizens.
- And I have email verification of that, especially with Jeff, the cocker, the lawyer. I mean, he was
- arguing with me about the board power. You have the power to elect two more board members. You have
- the power to advocate. And I have engaged the planning and development, and I had to
- I would like to remind them that the inner local agreement does say that they have the power of jurisdiction
- for development. I had to read it myself and point that out to them before they treated me as if they
- would help me. They're aware of that. Thank you so much. Appreciate you.
- Seeing none, we'll move on to the next item, please. I would like to move approval of the minutes for
- September 4th, 2025. Second. Any comments, corrections, or edits? I think I've got the minute ready.
- Okay, great. All those in favor of approving the minutes for September 4th, 2025, signify by saying
- aye. Aye. Motion carries, 2-0. Next item, please. I would like to move approval of the claim stock yet
- for counts payable for September 11th, 2025. Second. Ms. Monser.
- Good afternoon. The accounts payable claims docket for September 11th, 2025 totals $8,995,688.60. This
- includes all emergency claims and adjustments. Any comments or questions? I don't either. Any public
- comment on this item? You can raise your hand on Teams or come to the podium.
- All those in favor of approving the claim stock at accounts payable September 11th, 2025 signify by
- saying aye. I motion carries to zero. I will note for the record we have received a report from the
- clerk of the circuit court for July 2025 and we will now move on to new business, please.
- I would like to move approval forward RLH seal coding incorporated the crack ceiling project fund name
- motor vehicle highway restricted fund number 1173 in the amount of a hundred thousand two hundred eighty
- five dollars and twenty cents. Second Ms. Ridge. So we are wanting to we sent quotes for three vendors
- for the crack ceiling on various county roads we've received two
- by highway personnel. The lowest quote was received from RLH seal coding. The department would like
- to accept the quote for crack sealing in 2025. Thank you so much. Comments? Questions? No. I don't have
- any either. This is a really good way to preserve our pavement. Appreciate the work on this. Any public
- comment on this item? You can raise your hand on Teams or come to the podium.
- Seeing none, all those in favor of awarding RLH seal coding ink, the crack ceiling project for motor
- vehicle highway signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries two zero. Next item, please. I'd like to
- move approval for blue sown tree for Rockport road bridge number 308 tree removal fund name Rockport
- road bridge number 308 fund number 1135 in the amount of $65,665. Second, Ms. Ridge.
- We contacted three tree service companies about quotes for the project and received one from Bluestone.
- The tree removal is for the Rockport Road Bridge replacement. The project goes to letting in February
- 2026, so it would be for a construction season of 2026. Alright, comments or questions? No. I don't
- either any public comment.
- on this item raise your hand and teams or come to the podium and that you know. It's being done all
- those in favor of approving the blue stone tree agreement for Rockport road bridge 308 tree removal
- signify by saying aye aye motion carries to 0.
- Next item, please. I would like to move approval for establishing the Ad Maloria Meliora Fund Agreement
- presenter. Sorry. No, you're good. I'm going to second that and we have Ms. Kelly joining us. Tell us
- all about it.
- Yes, this request is for approval of an agreement that has been established between the community foundation
- of Bloomington and Monroe County. So they established fund the add Maloria fund. I think I'm saying
- that right. So the purpose of this fund is to provide additional support to the Monroe County Health
- Department that's outlined in exhibit B under intended uses of this fund agreement. Thank you so much.
- I think this is a really good idea given the
- politics of the day. Comments or questions? No, I agree with you. This is going to provide a source
- of needed funds. All right. And this was already approved by the health board. I believe so. It's been
- a while because I think it's been since this summer that we were working on it. Okay. They will have
- to approve it too if they haven't yet.
- So excellent, thank you. Let's see if there's any public comment on this item. You raise your hand in
- teams or come to the podium. Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the establishment of the Admiral
- Leora Fund Agreement signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries to zero. Thank you.
- All right. Items D and E together, please. I would like to move approval for Items D, Harold
- Fish Incorporated Agreement for Controls Update Phase 3 Hardware, Fund Name 2019 Geobond, Fund Number
- 4812 in the amount of $47,795. And Item E, Harold Fish Incorporated Agreement for Chiller Communication
- Card Replacement, Fund Name 2019 Geobond, Fund Number 4812 in the amount of $7,964.
- I will second that, Mr. Crider. Okay, good afternoon, commissioners. Richard Crider, building and fleet
- manager. We've combined two gender requests by bond. These two are the 2019 GO bond. Do you want the
- grand total of both projects together or individually? No, that's all right. All right, this request
- is accept the proposals submitted by HFI in the amount of $47,795 to provide and install
- new hardware devices to monitor and control HVAC set point commands sent by the new supervisory software
- and the equipment fifth floor mechanical room at the justice center and also the proposal submitted
- by HFI in the amount of $7,964 to remove and replace the failed communication card necessarily to command
- the chiller staging.
- They have two chillers. They don't need to both run at the same time. This card tells each chiller when
- to energize. Thank you so much. Comments or questions, Commissioner Madeira? No. All right. These are
- both for the justice center,
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Chiller communication card replacements also for the Justice Center, correct?
- Correct, right? Thank you. All right. See if there's any public comment on the site and raise your hand
- and teams come to the podium here in the
- The Herald Fish Inc. agreement for the controls update phase three hardware and for the chiller communication
- card replacement signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries to zero. Next item, please. I would like
- to move approval for item F. Herald Fish Incorporated Agreement for Cooling Tower Actuators at the Justice
- Building. Fund name 2023 Geobond. Fund number 4817 in the amount of 19,745.
- and for item G, Harold Fish Incorporated Agreement for Controls Update Phase 3 Software Engineering
- Fund Name 2023 Geobond Fund Number 4817 in the amount of $29,845. Second. Mr. Crider. All right. This
- request is to accept the proposal submitted by HFI in the amount of $19,745 to remove existing butterfly
- valves that are worn and not functioning properly and to replace with new properly sized valves provided
- by the contractor.
- The second request is to accept the proposal submitted by HFI in the amount of $29,845 for software
- engineering to design program applications for new supervisory software that will be used to monitor
- and control HVAC equipment in the fifth floor mechanical area at the Justice Center. Thank you so much.
- Comments, questions, Commissioner Madeira? No. I appreciate your work on this. I know this will help us.
- with keeping the mold at bay in the future. All right, let's see if there's any public comment on this
- item. Can you raise your hand on teams or come to the podium?
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the Herald Fish Inc. agreement for cooling tower actuators
- and for controls update phase three software engineering signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries
- 2-0. Next item, please. I would like to move approval for Steve's Roofing and Sheet Metal Agreement
- for roof replacement for the health building. Fund name 2024 Geobond, fund number 4819 in the amount
- of $201,800. Second. Mr. Crider.
- Okay, on August 28th, we received five bids at the commissioners meeting for the health building roof
- replacement after review. It was recommended that Steve's roofing was awarded the bid. They were the
- most responsive contractor and and the lowest bid. So that said,
- please accept the base bid and alternate to submitted by Steve's Roofing and sheet metal and the amount
- of $201,800 to provide replacement of the roof on both levels and loading dock in accordance to the
- contract specifications at the Monroe County Health Building. Thank you so much. Comments or questions,
- Commissioner Madeira? No, I know that we've needed a new roof on that building for quite a while, so
- this is good to move ahead with that project. Yes, it is.
- even better because we will be solar ready, which is great. Excellent. All right, let's see if there's
- any public comment on this item. You raise your hand in teams or come to the podium. All right,
- seeing none, all those in favor of approving the Steve's Roofing and Chief Metal Agreement for roof
- replacement for the health building signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries to zero.
- Thank you, sir. Thank you. All right. Next item, please. I would like to move approval for resolution
- 2025-38, approval of the issuance of general obligation bond. Fund name and fund number to be determined
- in the amount up to $6 million. Second. Mr. Cockrell's not here. Did you want to manage this one, Angie? Yeah.
- I should manage this one. Ms. Turner King's like, yes, please. All right. Okay, so this is a resolution
- for a proposal of a $6 million bond. And this projects are specifically for, so this bond is to cover
- the following projects and their county public improvement needs. Fees associated with the issuance
- of the bond, design plans for the improvements
- the Monroe County Airport, remodeling of the showers building specifically for our voter registration
- and early voting, and improvements within our Youth Services Bureau, our nature preserve, the courthouse
- ground, and emergency management has a need for additional sirens, and we're looking at cameras and
- other non-lethal force equipment for the sheriff.
- There's some additional need for some furniture, tools, and equipment by our aviation department. So
- these are all related to improvements and the incidental expenses in connection with these improvements
- are part of this proposed bond. The approval is for up to six million. That gives the council the ability
- to determine an actual rate
- an amount for this particular bond. We have received an excess of four million, I believe it is at this
- point in time in projects that are requested. And then this bond is due to recent changes in Indiana
- code must be longer than five years. And so this would be a $6 million bond over
- six years. What we have done in the past has been a 3.1 million dollar bond each year. And so that gets
- paid off that year, the following year. So this kind of drags it out, sounds worse when you hear the
- word six versus 3.1, but the effect to our community is spread over a longer period of time and it's
- smaller. Does that help?
- right yeah no that does help yeah and it would mean an annual bond that would also be more than five
- years long because this is these are capital projects that we have a fund called capital cumulative
- capital development fund that we utilize but so much of that fund becomes
- services department is utilized by the technical services department. It's where our software line is.
- It's where a lot of the personnel is in technical services. We have a lot of sheriff's department vehicles
- and very expensive things there. And so when we do things like put a new roof on the health building,
- of capital development fund money to do it with anymore. And that's why we're continuing to rely on
- general obligation bonds. And it is important to note that this $6 million is a threshold, a peak,
- a height, and it is up to, which was recommended by the auditor. So it is up to the council
- to have that final say, and their meeting is in a couple of weeks, and we will be there to present the
- items we have. We're working through that priority list in terms of what do we really, you know, and
- of course we know it's voter reg, and that fix at the showers building, but we will have
- that priority list ready to go and we can work with the council as we've done every year on figuring
- out what that final list looks like. So anyway, did you have anything you wanted to add? No, I think
- that we have just this bulk of critical renovations we need to do. So it's essential. Absolutely.
- All right. Let's see if there's any public comment on this item. You can raise your hand in teams or
- come to the podium.
- those in favor of approving resolution twenty twenty five dash thirty eight- the approval the issuance
- of a general obligation bond signified by saying I. I motion carries. Two zero- so- we do have a- three
- PM hearing- in this room so I will be quick with-
- living in their homes outside the city of Bloomington who need assistance on required home projects
- like plumbing and electrical and roofs. The Bloomington Foundation is now managing the Rural Repair
- Housing Program so contact your Township Trustee and they will assist you with the application process.
- Just a reminder that we do have
- a resident alert system, which you can find on our home page, in.gov slash county slash Monroe, where
- you can sign up to receive timely information and updates on emergencies, health, highway, etc.
- We are accepting applications for all boards of commissions. Please go to our website, run a search,
- and you will find a list of all of our boards and commissions. The membership list has not been updated
- yet, so don't worry about that part of it, but at least you can see their tasks and the kinds of things
- that they do. But if you're interested in serving on any board or commission, we invite you to apply
- on our website. We can run that search for board
- commission application. We do have six virtual office hours each month via Teams for the commissioners,
- so anyone who wishes to ask a question or share an idea, we invite them to look at the calendar on our
- home page for dates and times and join us via Teams. The next blood drive will be held with Ivy Tech
- on Thursday, October 9th
- from 1 PM to 6 PM and Friday October 10th from 10 AM to 3 PM. Both of these are at Ivy Tech Room C130A
- and B and we invite you to go to redcross.org and book your appointment. This weekend is fall festival,
- so everyone happy festival and be safe. We'll have the parade.
- in Ellisville, so we'll be there. We're looking forward to that. Anything else for the good of the order?
- No, just looks to be shaping up to be a beautiful weekend. Yes, I think it will be for sure. And I know
- there's Lake Monroe Day celebration at the Fields on Sunday. And I don't remember what time. 3, 5, 5
- PM Sunday at the Fields Clubhouse. It's in my calendar. It's not in my head. All right.
- no we appreciate everything everyone does every day to make Monroe County better and we are off next
- week so our next regular meeting is September 25th 10 a.m. here in the NatU Hill Room and with that
- we are adjourned thanks everyone