- Good morning. I'm going to call to order this meeting of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. It
- is August 27th. And I will note for the record that Commissioner Madeira and myself are here and present
- in the NETU Hill Room. And 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, inclusion, and belonging.
- We also stand in support of our county public school systems, both RBB and MCC SC.
- Thank you so much. We will now move on to our department updates. We have an update for us,
- health department. Ms. Kelly is online. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. Just a few updates
- for you. According to the Indiana Department of Health, wastewater concentrations increased in early
- August, but they're trending down now as August
- 25th. Monroe County has still only had eight cyclospora cases since May 1st of this year. The multi-state
- outbreak was linked to Taylor Farms lettuce and products should no longer be available. And the Morgan
- County Health Department has vaccines available for all ages. Individuals can call 765-342-6621 for
- more information. Great.
- Thank you so much. Comments or questions? I have none. All right. I don't either. Thank you for joining
- us today. We appreciate you. Thank you. Other department updates? All right. Seeing none, we will move
- on to public comment.
- time reserved for items that are not on our agenda. We ask each commenter to limit their time to three
- minutes per person and to give us their name and county of residence before they begin speaking. Does
- anybody have general public comment for us? You can raise your hand on teams or come to the podium.
- My name is Don Cross. I'm a resident of Monroe County for 58 years. Working at IU for 33 in the media
- school. I and a few others pray with people at the Justice building from time to time for the past 10
- years. We are genuinely impressed with the staff that we have met and who work in the Justice building.
- The clerk's office, prosecutors office, judges, courts, public defenders.
- in the jail and others. We found them as friendly, diligent servants of our county who really care about
- their work and the people that they serve. Many of our prayers over the years and especially lately
- have been for health issues related to negative physical conditions in the justice building, some of
- them very serious. As Monroe County resident, it is deeply disturbing to me that many
- justice building workers must deal with and endure such negative conditions on a day-to-day basis year
- after year. Conditions that I would not want to work in, nor would I want for people I cared about to
- work in. I urge that positive steps be taken as soon as possible to relieve this situation short-term
- and long-term
- for the sake of the people who serve our county so well. Thank you so much. Anyone else have public
- comment for items not on our agenda? Well, just to offer a brief review, we have had
- we continue to have problems with that building because it's structurally and unsound and we continue
- to fix update where possible certainly maintain everything that goes on in that building from the jail
- to the offices and it is a failing building and we'd like to move out of it
- And we've been stymied in that effort. And that's unfortunate for everybody that works there and everybody
- that is housed in the jail or works in the jail. And we actually hear a lot of these issues raised in
- the media and elsewhere. And the thing is, we continue to have mold
- remediation and testing done in every one of our county buildings, because the mold levels are very
- high in this county in the summer anyway. But the situation last year led us to have an ongoing contract.
- That work goes on and it continues. And in fact, we invited, because somebody complained about the mold
- levels, we invited the Indiana State Department of Health to come to our building and check it.
- and the mold levels inside the building were lower than the mold levels outside the building. But we
- are continuing to remediate test for mold. We are continuing to maintain that building. I've
- heard suggestions, well, why not overhaul the building? Well, that would be a down to the foundation
- kind of reconstruction project. And that is far too expensive for a building that
- We don't think we're going to be in. So I appreciate your concern. I appreciate the concerns of employees.
- Nothing's ideal in that building. Nothing. And I get it. But we're doing everything we can. And we have
- done a lot to try to get us out of that building as soon as possible. So thank you for your comments.
- All right. I don't see any other public comments. We'll move on to the next item, please.
- Yes, I would like to move approval of minutes for August 20th, 2026. Second. Any comments, corrections?
- Neither, although I may find one later as I did last week, sorry. All right. All those in favor of approving
- the minutes for August 20th, 2026 signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries 2-0. Next item, please.
- Yes, I'd like to move approval of the claim socket for accounts payable for August 27th, 2026.
- I will second that. Oh, and we have Ms Freeman joining us. We miss seeing you around, but I know you're
- busy. Yes, very busy. Good morning. Good morning. The accounts payable claims docket for August 27,
- 2026 totals $8,929,197.56. This total includes all emergency claims and adjustments.
- Thank you so much. Appreciate you. Comments or questions? I don't. Okay. I don't either. Thank you.
- 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 and accounts payable for August 27th, 2026 signify by saying aye. Aye.
- Motion carries to zero. Thank you, ma'am. I will note for the record, we've received a report from Weights
- and Measures, and this is from August 2026, although the month's not done yet. All right. Yes, I'd like
- to move approval of the... I'd like to...
- like to move to approve the Shoesbury change order number five for baby Creek funds named stormwater
- fund number 1197 in the amount of hundred and seven thousand seven hundred dollars I will second that
- I think at the stormwater board meeting it was one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars as a not
- to exceed amount so we can go with that if you're all right with that okay great yeah good morning
- Good morning. Yes, I was going to make note that yesterday stormwater board did condition their approval
- recommendation to you the commissioners with a not to exceed of $125,000 so I Do remembered as well
- So this will be our next iteration of redesign for baby Creek crossings and it will significantly reduce the
- impact area by removing the run around and just make each crossing more affordable for us to accomplish
- in the timeline as presented. So hopefully finishing construction of the final crossing by 2029. Great.
- Thank you so much. This has been a long project, as you know. Excellent. Let's see. Do you have any
- comments or questions?
- public comment on this item. You can raise your hand on teams or come to the podium. Being none, all
- those in favor of approving the Shrewsbury change order number five for Baby Creek signify by saying
- aye. Motion carries to zero. Thank you. And next item, please.
- Yes, I'd like to move approval for Groundbreakers LLC for Televising Services, Curry Pike Phase 2,
- Fund Name, Storm Order, Professional Fees, Fund Number 1197, in an amount not to exceed $20,489.80.
- I will second that, Ms. Pena.
- Yes. So this is our phase two of Curry Pike. Phase one was completed this summer. Last year around this
- time we televised the first section. Now we're doing the second section, which is approximately third
- street through up to Vernal Pike. We need to know what our infrastructure looks like to make sure it's
- replaced before the road gets repaved. Perfect. Good planning. Comments or questions? Done. All right.
- I don't either. Let's see if there's 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 ground bakers LLC for televising
- services, Curry Pike phase two signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries two zero. All right. Thank
- you so much. Next item, please.
- Yeah. I would like to move approval for award paving projects to ENB Paving and Milestone Contractors
- Fund named Motor Vehicle Highway Fund number 1173 in the amount of $311,611,656.60. I will second that.
- Ms. Ridge. Good morning. So we open sealed beds on 820 here at the
- commissioners meeting. We received four sealed bids. We would like to award EMB Paving Fry Road in the
- amount of $172,208.50 and Milestone Contractors for Stanford Road $139,448. These were the two lowest
- most responsive and responsible bidders. Excellent. Thank you so much. That was a quick turnaround.
- Appreciate it. Yeah. Yeah.
- Any comments or questions? No, just good again to have that. Any public item? Raise your hand on teams
- or come to the podium. Seeing none, all those in favor of awarding the paving projects to E&B Paving
- and Milestone Contractors signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries to zero.
- Next item, please. Yes, I'd like to move approval for etiquette group for on call engineering services
- funding local road and street fund number 1169 in an amount to be determined or hourly as needed. I
- will second that. So occasionally we have on call engineering service contracts with various engineering
- firms and we just use this and on an as needed basis.
- This has worked out really well for us in the past, and you don't have to come to us for a specific
- contract on an item. Something can get done more quickly. Yeah. Question? Nope. Again, it's excellent
- when you have these types of needs. You can't exactly go and or go without an enormous cost.
- So thank you. Yeah. All right. Let's see if there's any public comment on this item. You can raise your
- hand on Teams or come to the podium.
- be done. All those in favor of approving the etiquette group for on-call engineering services signify
- by saying aye. Motion carries to zero. Thank you so much. We don't have any appointments today, but
- we do want to remind folks to think about boards and commissions as this year is in its order. Crazy.
- Do you want to talk about the Recovery Summit? Are there any spots left available? Yes, there's always
- spots left available, and we urge people to sign up as soon as possible. We've got a wonderful lineup,
- and again, information about that can be found on the county website. And I'd also like to emphasize
- that continuing education credits are available. I know that it's very difficult, especially at this
- time of year, to get those continuing education credits, especially for interesting topics.
- We have a plethora of those offered over the summer, but there's plenty available at this conference
- as well. Excellent, excellent. And just a reminder to folks to sign up for the resident alert system.
- And you can go to our website, in.gov slash county slash Monroe and click on that item. You can sign
- up for a text phone and or email alerts. Got a few last night.
- So it's really good to keep us all weather wise because fall can be a interesting weather time as well
- as the summer and the spring. And there is a board drive today at Ivy Tech. We're co-sponsoring that.
- Room C, 130A and B. And that is from noon until five.
- If you can, please make an appointment at redcross.org. And if you don't have time to do that, but you
- do have time to donate, just show up. They'll figure it out. They will figure it out. We do continue
- to offer office hours every month. And again, you go to our website and look at the calendar and you
- can find those times. And that's a one-on-one conversation with one of us
- and we learn a lot and we really appreciate it. We always appreciate the folks who make an effort to
- connect with us. So the other thing I wanted to note is that we did sign for Stormwater Department a
- letter of intent regarding a grant that we'd like to apply for. And thank you, Ms. Penna, for
- that information. Um getting that information finding that information. Um this is related to the June
- 2026 tornado. And, um, the hope is that we can get some good Creek clearing of log jams and things which
- will help keep. Everyone
- that's one of those long term impacts of a tornado. We just had a grant related to Clear Creek from
- previous tornadoes, so this one is new and very exciting opportunity, and I hope it works. I hope it
- happens, and it would be great if it did. All right, so the other thing I want to note is that
- meeting. Um our next meeting is September 3rd and we are not going to be here on September 10th. Um
- so just a note for folks. Um and we. We're planning to issue a statement at the council meeting on Tuesday,
- and unfortunately. We were unable to
- we ask for your indulgence. So the June 26 tornado, June 2026 tornado, brought criticism that I think
- we had not done enough. The facts do tell a different story. I think we had done our part that just
- as we do with every single disaster our community faces. And so we issued an emergency declaration
- and we had done things like consider and approve contracts for roll-off dumpsters. We received updates,
- we asked questions, and we offered assistance. In short, we did our job. Also, the Monroe County Fire
- Department, the Highway Departments, and Emergency Management also performed admirably, immediately
- following the tornado and throughout the days of recovery that followed. They did their jobs, and it's
- important, I think, that we really keep the record straight and give credit to the people in the departments
- who do respond effectively when our community needs them to.
- Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, we're being blamed for not doing something and that makes no sense
- at all. It makes no sense at all. And so the Emergency Management Advisory Commission may be the place
- to go for information for the council member who is concerned that we're not doing something. The Emergency
- Management Department reports to the Emergency Management Advisory Commission.
- they don't report to us. So we're limited in what we can do. But one of the things we did do is this
- letter seeking grant funds. And we have been, as you've heard in statements over the last several weeks,
- we have been very concerned about the level of respect that has not been shown to
- and we want to say that, um. Us as commissioners us as women. Um there is a basic level of respect that
- is owed to any. Public official of any public any political party. Um and, um. We want to say that counselor
- David Henry crossed the line. By issuing a threat of violence. Um. At a
- to be clear, this threat was not only issued at a public meeting, but it was issued against women who
- serve this community as Monroe County's Board of Commissioners. And it was also issued against our staff.
- This threat of violence cannot be tolerated. It was a despicable, cowardly utterance. It is especially
- awful because it was uttered against women.
- every day in this community. Sadly, women are abused. Violence against women cannot and should not be
- tolerated. And speaking a threat like that makes violence against women more acceptable. There are women
- who serve our communities, Monroe County employees who heard your threat of violence. We demand to be
- respected everywhere in Monroe County government, including and especially at county council meetings.
- There are women across this community
- who heard your threat of violence, and they are outraged and demand your respect. And women and girls
- across this county who now wonder if this is how women should be treated or will be treated if they
- choose to become a public servant, a public official, or work as an employee of Monroe County. Misogyny
- is not acceptable.
- from the White House to the bullies who hide behind a keyboard on social media, and boy, we have a lot
- of them. Threats of violence are inexcusable and are the words of cowards. So what's the best way to
- deal with this? Join in because it's fun, get on that bandwagon. No, we're going to shine a light on
- this intolerable language, the threat of violence against women, and we will call it out.
- It was not only shocking to hear a council member advise us to wear body armor to attend a meeting,
- it was shocking to us that his colleagues on the county council let that threat of violence go. And
- it went unchallenged. Silence is complicity. So shame on you, Mr. Henry, shame on all of you on the
- council for failing to speak up and failing to do the right thing.
- you have to do better. And that's all we really wanted to say. So unfortunately, we couldn't deliver
- that Tuesday in person, because it's important to look these bullies in the eye. But there we have it.
- So thank you. All right. Anything else for the good of the order? I think we'll leave.
- All right. With that, we are adjourned until September 3rd, where we will be here at the NatU Hill Room
- at 10 a.m. Thank you everyone. We're adjourned.