- Thank you for waiting, everyone. I'm going to call to order this meeting of the Monroe County Board
- of Commissioners. It is Thursday, November 13th, and I will note for the record that all three commissioners
- are here and present in the NatU Hill Room. We will begin with our public statement read by Commissioner
- Madera. Thank you. 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, inclusion, and belonging. We also stand in support of our county public
- school systems, both RBB and MCCSC. Thank you so much. We'll now move on to our department updates.
- We usually have somebody here from the health department. Good morning, commissioners.
- Good morning. Sorry, I don't know why the camera was shutting off. Just a few updates. According to
- the Indiana Department of Health dashboard, since November 11th, emergency department visits for COVID-like
- illness have increased. Wastewater concentrations are high, but lower than levels that we saw back in
- September.
- flu activity across the state is still minimal. The health department does have free COVID tests still
- available. Individuals can walk in Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM for free tests. And we have
- vaccines available. You can call 812-353-3244 for an appointment. Sure, Jones.
- Commissioner Madeira. No, thank you. Thanks for the information. Any other department updates may come
- to the podium or raise your hand on teams. All right, seeing none, we will now move on to public comment. This is
- time reserved for items that are not on our agenda. Folks who wish to make public comment should raise
- their hand on Teams or come up to the podium. We ask that you provide your name and county of residence
- before you begin speaking and we ask you to limit your time to three minutes per person. Okay, seeing none.
- We'll move on to our next agenda item, please. All those in favor of approving the minutes for November
- 6, 2025, signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries three zero.
- next item please move approval of the claim stack it accounts payable november 13th 2025 and payroll
- november 14 2025 i second we have a motion we have a second ms woodruff please tell us all about this
- the accounts payable claim stock it for november 13 2025 totals 12 million 282 thousand nine hundred
- $85.41. This includes all emergency claims and adjustments. And so we have payroll. And we have uncertified
- claims, correct? So I'm sorry I was not clear to clearly both of you. My understanding is that you guys
- could vote on the certified claims that are presented, then the payroll will be presented and you can
- vote on and then the uncertified.
- Okay, thank you so much. Any comments or questions on certified claims? Accounts payable? My colleagues,
- 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 approving the certified claims, accounts payable, November 13th, 2025, signify
- by saying aye. Aye.
- Motion carries 3-0. Now we'll move on to payroll. Thank you, ma'am. The payroll docket for November
- 14, 2025 includes $1,597,384.27. An indirect cost and remaining $680,877.50 for indirect costs for a
- grand total of $2,278,278.
- $25.77. Thank you so much. Comments or questions on payroll from my colleagues? Any public comment on
- the payroll side of claims? Raise your hand on teams or come to the podium. I see none. All those in
- favor of approving the payroll part,
- motion carries three zero. And then we have. Some uncertified claims yes the uncertified claims docket
- for November thirteen twenty twenty five. Totals one hundred eighty four dollars and fifteen cents.
- Uncertified claims are claims that cannot be certified for correctness or compliance with policy or
- regulation.
- Okay thank you so much. So Mr. Cockrell are we supposed to vote on this separately? I think if I'm assuming
- you're meaning you have to vote on each individual item or can you vote on them as all together? I think
- you can vote on them as all together. Okay. If there are things in there that you think are appropriate
- or aren't appropriate. Okay. You can certainly change the amount and highlight which ones you think
- are appropriate or are not appropriate.
- So we have a motion on the table to approve all of the claims, which would also include the uncertified
- claims. So let's see if there's any public comment on this before we take a vote.
- Mr. Cocker I'm going to ask you to do a roll call vote on this one please. But I will just remind my
- colleagues that yes vote means that we will accept the uncertified claims and a no vote means we will
- not accept the uncertified claims. Sorry for the double negative. Mr. Cocker, please. No. No. No. Motion is.
- not approved territory thank you so much technically then i think you need to make a motion to disallow
- disallow i'm going to do that next yes thank you uh so i move that we disallow the uncertified claims
- that were presented today uh for november 13th 2025 second we have a motion and a second um any public
- comment on this item
- Seeing none, all those in favor of not approving the uncertified claims, all the triple negatives, signify
- by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries 3-0. Are we good? All right, thank you. Okay, so we don't have any
- reports for today, but we do have new business.
- If you would, Commissioner Jones. Move to approve the 2025 Sophia Travis Community Service Grant Agreements,
- fund name County General, fund number 1000, in the amount of $163,950. I second. We have a motion and
- we have a second. We have Ms. Turner-King and we have Councilor Feidl joining us. Good morning.
- Okay so what's before you is the 2025 agreements with the social service agencies that would be in receipt
- of Sophia Travis grant funding on October 28th the council approved a distribution of a hundred and
- seventy four thousand dollars for the Sophia Travis grants program the funds are being awarded to 43
- nonprofit organizations and
- that have projects related to one of the eight categories within the Sophia Travis ordinance. And those
- eight categories are food and nutrition, security, shelter and health, transportation assistance, climate
- change, emergency shortages, first responders, veterans assistance, excellence in government and or
- youth enrichment.
- Although the council approved $174,000, there are three agencies whose contracts are not before you
- today because those agencies will be receiving a combination of Sophia Travis funds and funds that were
- donated in memory of Cheryl Munson. So I've deducted that amount from the 174,000 and those contracts
- will come to you later in December. So the contracts before you today total $163,950.
- And I do have a list of the agencies receiving funding if you would like me to read them. Please, if
- you would.
- So Amethyst House is receiving $4,200 for residential food. Beacon is receiving $4,505 for dignity and
- emergency. Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana is receiving $4,100 for a project entitled
- One to One Plus Digital Initiative Advancing Mentoring with Technology in Monroe County. Bloomington
- Food Policy Council is receiving $3,890 for their People's United Garden. Bloomington Mills and Wheels
- is receiving $5,445 for hot boxes for
- rural county expansion boys and girls club of bloomington is receiving six thousand two hundred dollars
- for two replace cameras at the ellisville boys and girls club cancer support community south central
- indiana is receiving three thousand four hundred and eighty dollars for food and transportation assistance
- for cancer patients catholic charities of bloomington counseling services is receiving three thousand
- four hundred and twenty dollars for affordable therapy for low-income children and youth
- Community Culture Inc. is receiving $2,666 for their Bob's Garden project. The Community Kitchen is
- receiving two awards, and one of them is a collaborative project with another nonprofit organization
- in Bloomington. So the first award for Community Kitchen is their collaborative agreement, and it's
- from Community Kitchen slash CPR B-Town. And they're receiving $366 for nonprofit CPR training. Community
- Kitchen is also receiving $5,600 for Essential Foods
- Essential programs food purchase constellations stage and screen is receiving $1,300
- for the Constellation for Schools student matinee program. Courage to Change Sober Living is receiving
- $2,400 for wrap-around move-in and move-out help for residents. Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc. is receiving
- $2,800 for their emergency assistance program. Hands Full of Hope is receiving $800 for a boutique clothing
- stock items. Hoosier Hills Food Bank is receiving $6,400 for fall and holiday food purchasing. Ivy Tech
- Community College is receiving $3,350 for Ivy Tech
- and Harvest Food Pantry. The Middle Way House is receiving $2,000 for their Supporting Survivors by
- providing comprehensive resources and support program. The Monroe County Humane Association is receiving
- $3,350 for critical pet care for vulnerable Monroe County families. My Sister's Closet is receiving
- $3,462 for providing a secure resource for women.
- The new hope for families is receiving $7,800 and this is a change in the what is in the packet. The
- project title changed from making homeless brief for children to preserving food access for low income
- early learners.
- Pantry 279 is, oh, I skipped one, sorry. New Leaf New Life is receiving $3,210 for reentry transportation
- support. Pantry 279 is receiving $13,800 to help with increasing need for food assistance. Pathways
- is receiving $3,500 for supporting nutritional access for Compass Early Learner, campus, I assume that
- means campus, Early Learner's Century of Families. People and Animal Learning Services, so PALS is receiving
- $5,280 for their equine assistant learning for youth
- program. Planned Parenthood is receiving $3,600 for their Bloomington Health Center operations. Protect
- Our People Connect LTD is receiving $2,100 for their Front Door 2026 pop-up events. The Restore Habitat
- for Humanity is receiving $2,236 for feeding their volunteers program. South Central Community Action
- Agency is receiving $6,300 for covering kids and families winter resource fair and community outreach.
- Second Baptist Church is receiving $4,700 for their SBC
- feed the needy program. Seven Oaks is receiving $1,800 for their Seven Oaks student priority needs.
- Sombra, I'm gonna mess it up, Sombra Mesa Foundation Inc. Inc. is receiving $2,700 for increasing access
- to nutritious food. St. Vincent DePaul is receiving $5,200. It's for their program solving a bed frame
- shortage, not storage, which is what was originally reflected in the contract.
- Steinsville Community Library is receiving $1,400 for their community library website and youth program
- expansion. Stone Belt is receiving $2,300 for the milestones play therapy program.
- Tandem Community Birth Center and Postpartum House are receiving $9,640 for essential funding. The Project
- School is receiving $5,400 for emergency shortage for special education services. Wheeler Mission is
- receiving $3,236 for building community within Wheeler Mission Bloomington's Dayroom Program. The Wonder
- Lab is receiving $5,500 for support for social service organization accessibility to the Wonder Lab
- Museum. Writers Guild at Bloomington is receiving $4,200
- for their first Sunday post reading service. And I think that's all of them. No, one more writing for
- a change is receiving $800 for the Friday night rights program. That's good. Thank you so much. Appreciate
- that. Miss Miss Fiddle, counselor Fiddle, did you have anything you wanted to add? Nothing.
- However, I just want to say how much I enjoyed serving on the committee. It was a great committee work.
- We had 46 applications. I don't think that was mentioned. And about I think double what it was we had
- funds to fill.
- So the need was presented itself, and we had good committee deliberations on discussions about the projects,
- and the 501C3 was met on each one, which was a criteria, and I look forward to hearing that we're going
- to fund these. Thank you so much. Any comments or questions for my colleagues, Commissioner Jones?
- I just like to thank the committee for their work on this. I know it's really difficult when you're
- confronted with so many needs and have limited money to give out. But thanks for the work you do. And
- it sounds like a good list here. Commissioner Maduro? Yes, I'd like to echo Commissioner Jones's comments.
- And I also think the need this year is particularly acute.
- funds will actually go to meet critical needs in our community. Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate the work
- and it's difficult work because as wonderful as it is to be working through a list and determining that
- agencies receive money that they sorely need, you do have to make cuts and limit the dollar amounts
- and it's difficult work. And I know you had
- a couple of great community members on your committee as well as council members. So thanks to everyone
- who was part of this. I would like to make a motion though to amend the grant agreement list and this
- would be to remove
- seven oaks from the list, which is $1,800, which would bring the total to $162,150. Second. We have
- a motion and we have a second. Do we have any public comment on this amendment?
- I would just like to know if there's a little further explanation of why this is being recommended?
- For me, this is not only a situation where we have a school that is taking money from public taxpayer
- dollars, but also one that saw fit to sue us during COVID.
- And they did not work well with county health during that crisis. And I didn't appreciate that. But
- mostly it's because of the source of their funding for me. And I don't know if my colleagues want to
- add anything else. I just had a question for the public. What is included in that particular grant,
- that $1,800? Pretty sure.
- as I remember. Yeah, we've got the documentation here. Hold on just a second. But as I remember, with
- the discussions we had with the committee, it was for food for the kids, right? So I know people who
- go there, and their children go there, and some of the people that go there struggle financially themselves.
- So this was to help kids that go to the school with funding for food, as I understand it.
- I think Molly's just verifying that, I hope. And the only requirement, as I remember, on the committee
- serving is that they needed to be a 501C3. So they met that requirement, and we didn't delineate any
- of them because of that. Well, you had a council member who didn't want to fund Planned Parenthood either,
- so. Yes, that's right. Everybody was just fine with that, so. That's right, yes.
- I mean, there are issues everywhere. I mean, we all have our preferences, right? So I try to look at
- this particular one to benefit the kids. So it was about the kids for me. Yeah, I hear you. Regardless.
- And for me, there's a lot of there's like 13,000 going to pantry 279, which is in that area. There are
- other a number of other food security grants that are available. So I'm just not comfortable supporting
- a charter school
- for this purpose. Okay. Any other? Yes, ma'am. I was just going to answer Commissioner Madeira's question.
- Seven Oaks applied for $5,500 in funding. They received $1,800.
- they could use that 1,800 to fund one or two things in their application because they broke it into
- using the funding for two requests. One was AP testing for seniors, and the other was backup blessings
- emergency food. So that is the food program that Council Fidal was referencing. Or they could spend
- it on AP testing.
- Okay. All right. Let's go ahead and take a vote on the motion to exclude. Seven Oaks from the Sophia.
- Travis Community Service Grant agreements. All those in favor of excluding seven Oaks signified by saying I.
- to the full motion here. Is any public comment on the amended motion?
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the amended motion for the Sophia Travis Community Service
- Grant Agreement signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries 3-0. Thank you all so much. Next item please.
- Just for clarification, do you need the recipients to meet you in the council conference room?
- I do. And I told most of the recipients in the hallway to do so. But if I missed any in the meeting
- room, we're just going to meet in the council conference room. Yeah. Contracts have been signed. They're
- there. Thank you. Thanks for reminding me. I just would have had that stack of paper sitting here all
- morning. Thank you. No problem. All right. Next item, please. Move approval of EMB paving hardscape
- improvements for showers building north lot.
- fund name 2022 geo bond fund number 4815 in the amount of $296,000. We have our microphones are not
- doing well today. We have a motion and we have a second. Mr. Carter. Good morning commissioners. Richard
- Crider Monroe County building and fleet. Last week we received
- proposals estimates for the showers hardscape improvements in the parking lot and sidewalks. After careful
- review, the professional services team has provided a letter of recommendation I'd like to read into
- the record. Proposals for the 2025 hardscape improvements for the Monroe County Showers Building North
- parking lot and main entrance were received Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 10 a.m.
- When bids were opened and publicly read aloud, plans and specifications were picked up by five contractors,
- three contractors attended the highly recommended pre-bid meeting, and three contractors submitted proposals
- for concrete and paving improvements. Based upon the solicitation of four proposals, review of the bid
- for completeness and response to the
- specifications and scope of work. It was determined that ENB Paving LLC were the most responsive contractors
- for this project and submitted the lowest bid. We recommend that the following work be awarded to ENB
- Paving LLC for a total contract of $296,000. We're going to decline the two alternates. And with that said,
- this request is to accept the proposal submitted by MB paving LLC in the amount of $296,000 to provide
- concrete asphalt and drainage improvements to the north parking lot and sidewalks at the showers building.
- Alternates one and two will not be accepted. This project will be divided into two phases with the concrete
- and drainage sections completed by April 1st, 2026 and the asphalt work to commence after May 11th, 2026.
- Thank you so much. And if you would explain why those dates are important? Those dates are important.
- Thank you, TSD. If you look at the screen, the areas shaded black and gray are the concrete pieces.
- The gray area especially is our accessible parking and our two-hour parking and right now it's kind
- of a mess. With early voting happening it's going to be busy, it needs to be safe and clean and that
- concrete work can actually happen during the cold weather months. The asphalt plants shut down here
- soon and it makes more sense to tackle the the asphalt parking lot after the primary.
- Okay, so it's pre-primary and post-primary elections that you are focused on with the dates that you
- provided. Correct. Excellent. Comments or questions? Commissioner Madera? I am super excited about this
- and I love this concrete recommendation and I just remember that when we were opening bids there was
- quite a wide range
- in estimates, too. So I'm particularly impressed that we could get such an efficient bid. Thank you.
- I can't wait. Yes. Certainly not what we had in mind when we first started. But but yeah. Mm hmm.
- We had some water intrusion event, which made the project scope evolve. Yeah, sure. Absolutely. But
- it will be a parking area that will be accessible for early voters. And that's a really important thing.
- And then the rest of the lot will be done
- in time for the general. So general election. So yes. Yep. Excellent work. Good timing. I know it's
- going to be imperative that they hold to this schedule. So we'll be watching. But I know you will as
- well. And thank you for your hard work on this. Looks like a good plan. Let's see if there's any public
- comment on this item. You could raise your hand on teams or come to the podium.
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the ENB paving hardscape improvements for Showers Building
- North Watt, signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries 3-0. And we'll move on to the next item, please.
- Move approval of Wells Lawn Care Agreement for burning bush removal at the Monroe County Convention Center.
- Fund name ARPA, fund number 8950 in the amount is $6,973. Second. We have a motion and we have a second.
- Mr. Crider. $973 to remove 25 burning bushes from the parking lot islands in the convention center west lot.
- The project includes stump grinding to prohibit new growth, new landscape fabric, and decorative rock.
- Thank you so much. Comments or questions? Commissioner Madeira? I think these are invasive species too,
- right? Yeah.
- events with people they can't see when they're turning around the corners, and we consider cutting them
- back, but then when you factor in the invasive piece, it kind of made sense just to pull them all. And
- they actually grow quite quickly, I think, too. More microphones. Yeah, so I think it's actually just
- better to cut that and make it safer. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Commissioner Jones. Yeah, I
- agree with Commissioner Madera.
- Because they're invasive, it certainly makes sense to get rid of them, and they're very invasive. Is
- this the last ARPA piece for the Convention Center?
- no it isn't dang okay we're almost there almost there um i you know and and really this is their call
- in terms of what they do i would really prefer to see some like low bush or something that's close to
- the ground and green versus rock but you know it's really not our call um so i'm not gonna go there
- but just so they know if they are listening
- think about something green instead that doesn't grow tall. Excellent. Thank you. All right. Let's see
- if there's any public comments on this. You can raise your hand in teams or come to the podium.
- All right. Seeing none.
- All those in favor of approving the Wells long care agreement for booting Bush removal of Monroe County
- Convention Center signify by saying aye. I motion carries. 30. Thank you, thank you. Next item, please.
- Guardian RFID in May. Fun name cumulative capital development fund number 1138.
- in the amount of $19,813.70. I second. We have a motion and we have a second. Good morning. In RFID
- system and hopes for approval to the commissioners. So Guardian RFID is an inmate tracking and
- software that helps create logs for each individual inmate in our custody. It'll help us bring transparency,
- structure, and safety to our inmates. These devices will allow us to set schedules for our officers
- to complete certain events at certain times and then when these events are completed it'll attach it
- to a log for each individual inmate. It'll help us bring safety by setting
- to check more frequently on inmates who are at high risk for self-harm and then when these checks are
- completed again it'll help bring that transparency by creating a digital log for each individual whenever
- those checks are completed. Right now our current processes are a bit out of date and we're hoping to
- update that a little bit. We have a system agreement that's
- been presented to Mr. Cockrell for review, and we've adjusted some of that language to reflect the laws
- for the state of Indiana and the change of venue for the state of Indiana. OK, thank you so much. Comments
- or questions? Commissioner Jones? Yes, did you say this involves devices of some sort? Yes, it would
- be devices that the officers would use. These devices would scan a wristband worn by our inmates.
- And whenever it's scanned, it'd bring up the information for that individual. And then whenever movement
- or a meal pass or being offered recreational time or church, anything that happens with that individual,
- it creates a digital log attached to that person where it can all be easily searched and recalled to
- provide that information, increasing transparency for everybody. Thank you. Commissioner Madera.
- we're not going to be able to do that. No, this sounds invaluable, and it sounds like it's actually
- quite quite efficient as well. Thank you. I'm I'm glad that we're doing this, and this is obviously
- a system that can move. To a new facility if we ever get one. Okay sorry. Package that
- And it is also up to 500 individuals in case, you know, so I'd be able to be moved into a new facility
- as well whenever the time comes. Yeah. And this is something that we originally that was originally
- submitted as a GO bond item and we agreed to take it off the GO bond and we put it on to cumulative
- capital because this is a software item really. So that's the explanation for that. And this is for one year.
- So there's an initial fee and then I believe it's a three year contract and there'd be an annual fee
- that includes storage of the information and replacing any devices that get broken, they'll replace
- those devices and then if we continue it at the end of that three year, they will give us all brand
- new devices at that period. Okay, so I just need to check again because I've slept once since I reviewed
- this. I just wanna make sure that we've got
- three years in here is part of the agreement, right? I just wanted to clarify. So the 19,000 that covers
- the initial payment and the three years we pay in advance or is it one year and then we would pay that
- subsequently. And the first year of using the
- the product and then there's two additional years each year would have a fee of fourteen thousand nine
- hundred ninety five dollars and then it could be renewed for an additional three years and that fourteen
- thousand nine hundred ninety five dollars per year would be continued for the duration of those three.
- And there's no advantage to paying early so now you're going to have to come back every year and ask
- us for this. Because this was our
- our motion only covers year one so do we want them to come back next year and ask for two years i mean
- i feel like we're agreeing to all three years with this contract yeah so i would much rather amend the
- amount and make it a three-year contract that's yeah let me um yeah all right give me one moment please
- that is my mistake i didn't catch oh angie additional part it's okay i get tell me if i'm wrong forty
- nine thousand eight hundred and three dollars and seventy cents does that sound correct just actually
- look at it jeff because he's resident mathematician well i took two two hundred i took um
- Yeah, I took $10 off of $30,000 and added it in, is what I did. Everyone knows lawyers can't math. And
- I did the easy math of look at the amount. It's darn near $15,000. Take the $5 off, take the $5 off,
- add $30,000, take $10 off, and that's where I got there. Okay.
- I'm going to go ahead and make a motion to amend this to reflect the three-year contract, and the total
- contract price is $49,803.70.
- second. We have a motion and a second. Let's see if there's any public comment on the amendment. What
- did I screw up? I'm sorry. You didn't screw up. There's just another amendment, so I don't know if you
- wanted to have it. Because as he referenced, we made some changes to the contract, and so I would like
- to just explain those to you. Okay. Working with Greg Crone, our
- technical service department director in section to see there's a laundry list of other states rules
- and regulations for biometrics we remove those all those and we said that they would comply with the
- laws of the state of Indiana and then in the governing law section it was supposed to be reviewed by
- the laws of Minnesota we again change that to the laws of Indiana okay
- Let me rescind my motion to amend and revise it. I move that we amend this contract reflecting the tax
- changes as outlined by Attorney Cockerill and that we reflect the scope of the contract for three years
- to be $49,803.70.
- We have a motion and we have a second. Thank you, sir. Any public comment on this motion to amend? Seeing
- none, all those in favor of amending the motion for guardian RFID inmate tracking system agreement,
- signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. All right.
- anything else you wish to add? I don't believe so. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Thanks for being
- here. It's good to see you. Any public comments on this item overall?
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the amended agreement with Guardian RFID Inmate Tracking
- System signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries. 3-0. That's the amended motion. All right. Next item,
- please. Move approval of ordinance 2025-43, justice assistant grant
- assistance grant or JAG grant interlocal agreement. Fund name JAG-Sheriff, fund number 8143 in the amount
- of $3,093. Second. We have a motion and we have a second. Ms. Turner-King, tell us all about it. So
- this is the approval of the annual interlocal
- agreement with the city who receives the JAG grant. The county receives 7% of the overall funding and
- that's based on violent crime statistics so that's $3,093 this year and the intended purpose is for
- those funds to be used for taser cartridges. Procedurally the council has already approved the interlocal.
- They did that Monday night.
- I will provide it to the city once the if the commissioners approved the interlocal today, I will provide
- it to the city and the city is going to provide it to the attorney general, which is an option instead
- of having their council sign it. Scratch my head. Okay. Um, comments or questions. Commissioner Jones.
- No, I don't.
- the sheriff identifies a handy piece of equipment that this will cover. So I'm glad to do this.
- And yeah, I guess I'm just curious about the city's decision, but it's okay. 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. Seeing none, all those in favor of approving ordinance 2025-43 signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion
- carries three zero. Thank you, ma'am. Next item, please.
- Move approval of ordinance 2025-42, interlocal agreement with Owen County regarding the repair of Owen
- County bridge number 209. Fund name cumulative bridge, fund number 1135 in the amount of $46,500. Second.
- We have a motion, we have a second.
- So this is Owen County bridge actually 209 it connects Monroe County and Owen County on Owen County
- line road and looking at Indiana code adjoining counties can go into a interlocal agreement resolution
- to split the cost of if there's a necessary bridge repair this is the case of this situation they don't
- have a superintendent right now they have an interim so we kind of
- took this over to manage a little bit. So we did reach out, got individual quotes from three different
- companies. EMB was the lowest quote for the 46,500. It is repairing both approaches on each side. It
- is to be done before the end of 2025. Owen County passed the resolution last week. So we're requesting
- Monroe County to do the same. We'll manage it, we'll pay it.
- We'll schedule it and then we'll get the reimbursement from Owen County. So that is, and it's just basically
- fixing the two bridge approaches at that location. All right, thank you so much. Comments or questions?
- Commissioner Jones? Yeah, it's kind of nice to be working in cooperation with one of our neighbors.
- Commissioner Madero? Absolutely. I second Commissioner Jones' comments. It's a wonderfully cooperative
- project and also one that is badly needed.
- Yes. So how much of the total expense at the end of the day will Monroe County be responsible for? $23,250.
- There you go. Thank you. Perfect. Yes, and I know that we've got something on our work session agenda
- related to this with Bartholomew County. I remember our
- that wonderful highway department going out and helping Owen County a few years back during a massive
- snow storm and then the floods that's in 2020 the floods. It was we do we do reach out. I appreciate
- that you've cultivated those relationships. I know if we ever need them, we can call on them. I just
- can't imagine not having a highway superintendent
- that's going to be tough at the moment. That's got to be tough. So my heart goes out to them.
- You're so lucky. We are so lucky. Oh, all right. So with that, let's see if there's any public comments.
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving ordinance
- Motion carries three zero. We don't have any appointments today. I'm going to kind of go through these
- announcements pretty quickly. And for those folks who are watching us live, you can still get over to
- the Monroe County Childhood Conditions Summit, which is being held today. It began at eight o'clock.
- It runs till 4 p.m. and it's at the Monroe County Convention Center. Admission is free.
- you with the application process. We are accepting applications for all boards and commissions
- we're going to be talking about. Get a view of all of the boards and commissions and fill out an application.
- We're almost at that point where we're going to be talking about appointments to these boards
- and commissions, and it's really important to have your voice heard, and we appreciate those who share
- their wisdom and time.
- and experience with Monroe County residents and Monroe County government. We do continue to have virtual
- office hours six times each month. Go to the calendar on our home page. There is a blood drive tomorrow
- that we are sponsoring with Ivy Tech.
- and that is from one to six. There's a blood drive today, but it only goes to three. This is being held
- at Ivy Tech, rooms C130A and B. You can go to redcross.org for more information and or to make
- an appointment. I will just note that we are taking a little bit of a break.
- And our next meeting will be December 4th. I know it sounds weird, doesn't it? But we of course have
- Thanksgiving and we are off next week. So it sounds really bad, but it's, you know, you know, but I
- do want to make sure folks know that we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, wishing all of our employees
- and their families a really wonderful
- of gratitude and reflection. The canopy of lights is November 28th. Usually starts about 6 p.m. or so.
- This is when they light up the courthouse square. We really encourage residents to come out. It's going
- to be cold, but that's okay. Yeah, whatever. But we do encourage residents to come out, and I will note
- that Hoosier Hills Food Bank will have a tent. So they are collecting food and donations of cash and
- check to help those in need. And we know that the need is great in this community. So please bring food
- and or money for Hoosier Hills Food Bank. My joke last
- couple of years has been bring a can of peas to the canopy of lights. So bring a can of peas. All right.
- Um, we do have a work session. Um, it's almost like, can we do the work session at 1115? 115? Okay.
- Perfect. Um, all right. So our work session will begin at 1115.
- I want to thank everyone. An early, early happy Thanksgiving to everyone. And thank you, Katz.
- Thank you, TSD, as always. And with that, we are adjourned from our regular session. We'll be back at
- 11.15 for the work session.