Meeting of August 24, 2021
8-24-21 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – August 23, 2021
The court approved minutes from prior meetings and routine bills/claims, then set county tax rates for 2021, keeping real estate, tangible, and motor vehicle/watercraft rates unchanged from last year. A second reading and passage of an ordinance related to a library bond issue took place, followed by the court briefly recessing to convene as the Ohio County Public Facilities Corporation to pass a resolution, approve a lease agreement, and approve an indenture tied to the hospital bond financing.
The court opened bids for new trucks and heavy equipment (a backhoe loader, and a truck rotator/roadhog attachment), awarding some and tabling the backhoe decision pending verification of specifications. Two new hires were approved: an animal control officer and a part-time courthouse cleaner. A brief road extension on Horton Spur Road (about 0.135 miles) was approved again after paperwork could not be located from an earlier vote.
Committee reports covered progress on a proposed new regional jail (feasibility study results were promising, with costs far lower than initially feared), the Rochester Dam rehabilitation project (expected completion by end of October after over a decade of work, with a new boat ramp planned), and the county's Mental Health/Suicide Awareness Walk scheduled for September 11.
A major action item was a $50,000 county contribution toward the City of Beaver Dam's purchase of a new fire truck, tied to maintaining ISO ratings that affect the county's industrial park. Magistrates discussed ensuring other fire departments in the county would also receive fair consideration for funding from ARPA/revenue replacement dollars. The court also approved advertising for bids to repair storm damage to the fire training tower.
The meeting closed with updates on grant awards, including funding for a road project and weather sirens, and comments from a resident about ongoing rough river cleanup efforts following erosion problems.
Agenda (22)
- 1:16
Approval of prior meeting minutes
The court approved minutes from the August 10 meeting and the August 13 special call meeting.
- 2:05
Approval of bills, claims, payments and transfers
The court reviewed and approved bills, claims, payments, and transfers, with a brief question about an air conditioning coil charge at the jail.
- 3:46
Tabling of library, health district, and conservation district tax rates
The court decided to table the library, health district, and conservation district tax rate items pending more information, to be revisited at the next meeting.
- 4:31
Setting county real estate tax rate
The court set the county real estate property tax rate to remain the same as last year at 7.6.
- 4:54
Setting county tangible tax rate
The tangible personal property tax rate for 2021 was kept the same as last year at 7.92.
- 5:18
Setting motor vehicle and watercraft tax rate
The 2021 motor vehicle and watercraft property tax rate was kept the same at 6.3.
- 5:47
Second reading of ordinance on library bond
The court passed the second reading of an ordinance related to the library bond financing via roll call vote.
- 7:10
Public Facilities Corporation meeting - resolution, lease, indenture
The court recessed and reconvened as the Ohio County Public Facilities Corporation to pass a bond resolution, approve a lease agreement with the hospital, and approve an indenture with US National Bank for the bond process.
- 10:58
Opening of truck bids
Bids were opened for new trucks from multiple dealers including Ram and Ford models, with prices and specs discussed.
- 15:33
Award of truck rotator (roadhog) attachment bid
A single bid from Boyd Cat for a truck rotator/roadhog attachment was accepted for $33,300, to be paid with ARPA funds.
- 17:21
Backhoe loader bid review
Two backhoe loader bids were reviewed; the decision was tabled to verify that specifications were properly matched between bids.
- 20:51
Landfill contract discussion
The court discussed a request from landfill operators to extend and rebid a long-term contract, deciding to discuss further details in closed session due to litigation considerations.
- 25:33
Personnel hire - Animal Control Officer
Thomas Merritt was hired as animal control officer at a beginning salary of $750 per week, effective 7/29/21.
- 27:05
Personnel hire - Courthouse cleaner
Haley Renfro was hired for a part-time courthouse cleaning position at $9.16/hour beginning 8/29.
- 29:43
Horton Spur Road extension
The court re-voted to approve an extension of Horton Spur Road of 0.135 miles after the original paperwork could not be located.
- 31:55
Regional jail committee report
Larry Cam and others reported on progress toward a new regional jail, including feasibility study cost estimates ($24 million for 300-bed, $27 million for 350-bed) and discussion of a regional jail authority.
- 36:38
Mental health and suicide awareness committee report
The committee announced the second annual mental health/suicide awareness walk scheduled for September 11 at 9am at the park.
- 38:15
Rochester Dam committee report
The judge reported that the Rochester Dam rehabilitation project is expected to be completed by the end of October, after over a decade of work, and a boat ramp will be added.
- 39:45
Grant awards report
The judge announced awards including a $375,000 road communication grant and $55,000 for two weather sirens, requiring some in-kind matching funds.
- 42:20
Beaver Dam fire truck funding request
David from the fire department requested county assistance purchasing a new $385,000 fire truck to maintain ISO ratings for the industrial park; discussion included concerns about fairness to other county fire departments.
- 54:16
Fire training tower repair
Charlie Shields gave an update on a quote ($13,800) to repair and repaint the storm-damaged fire training tower, and the court agreed to advertise for bids.
- 59:18
Public comment on rough river cleanup
A resident (Randy) thanked the court for efforts on rough river erosion cleanup and discussed conversations with the conservation district about leading cleanup efforts.
Motions & votes (16)
- 1:36
passedApprove minutes from August 10 meeting and August 13 special call meeting
seconded by Larry · unanimous
- 2:16
passedApprove bills, claims, payments and transfers
- 4:29
passedSet real estate property tax rate same as last year at 7.6
Moved by Jason · seconded by Larry Cam · unanimous
- 4:54
passedSet tangible tax rate same as last year at 7.92
Moved by Jason · unanimous
- 5:18
passedSet motor vehicle and watercraft tax rate same at 6.3
Moved by Jason · seconded by Joe · unanimous
- 6:15
passedApprove second reading of ordinance 20222 regarding library bond
Moved by Valerie Cam · seconded by Sam Small · roll call: Sam Small yes, Jason Bullock yes, Joe Barnes yes, Larry Cam yes
- 8:02
passedPass resolution to begin bond process for Public Facilities Corporation
- 9:13
passedApprove lease agreement between Public Facilities Corporation and hospital
- 9:55
passedApprove indenture agreement for bond issuance with US National Bank
Moved by Larry · seconded by Jason
- 16:06
passedAccept bid from Boyd Cat for rotator/roadhog attachment for $33,300
Moved by Joe Barnes · seconded by Larry Cam
- 19:55
tabledTable decision on backhoe loader bids pending specification verification
Moved by Joe · seconded by Jason
- 25:33
passedHire Thomas Merritt as animal control officer at $750/week
roll call: Sam Small yes, Jason Bullock yes, Joe Barnes yes, Larry Cam yes, Larry Morpheu yes, Judge yes
- 27:05
passedHire Haley Renfro as part-time courthouse cleaner at $9.16/hour
roll call: Sam Small yes, Jason Bullock yes, Joe Barnes yes, Larry Cam yes, Judge yes
- 29:43
passedApprove Horton Spur Road extension of 0.135 miles
Moved by Larry
- 53:10
passedContribute $50,000 to City of Beaver Dam for fire truck purchase using ARPA/revenue replacement funds
Moved by Jason · seconded by Larry Cam · roll call: Sam Small yes, Jason Bullock yes, Joe Barnes yes, Larry Cam yes, Judge yes
- 57:06
passedAdvertise for bids on repairs to the fire training tower
Moved by Jason
Transcript (47 segments)
- 0:00
[Music] we're joining the public hearing now uh record show that we had it now i'm calling the meeting of ohio camp fiscal court order on august 23rd at 4 pm 5 pm and uh i'm going to ask larry moore for you to lead us in the prayer and pledge the flag lord we come to you tonight thanking you god for your many blessings lord we just ask you as we come before you tonight that you would give us the courage and the wisdom to do everything pleasing to you and everything in order and lord we just ask that you be everyone that's sick and get them back to their health and just lead us and guide us and give us strength in christ's name we ask amen amen i pledge allegiance to the new flag of the united states of america and to the
- 1:12
republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice before you you have the august 10 uh meeting and the august 13th special call meeting uh minutes we need a motion to approve both of those motion samples second by larry is there each discussion corrections or additions discussion directions or additions uh big nun on favor say aye hold black sign minutes approved before you have the bills claims payments and transfers to approve the bills claims payments and transfers is there any discussion on the bill any discussion on bills claims payments
- 2:28
or transfers thing then all in favor say aye i just got one question man this uh coils for the air conditioning 4 100 um yeah i mean it said coils i don't know what else let me see who that was charged to i can't remember what page did you see this like this that's at the jail that's a condenser and coils i don't know what those are but i guess it's pretty close very much i don't know what tools i would assume i don't know that it's a larger than normal unit yeah at first i knew i would they had called them themselves probably getting old too aren't they the the next thing
- 3:44
i want to do i think we've decided to table the next three items which are the library and the health district and conservation districts tax rates that we get more information we'll take that up at our next meeting early in that meeting so we can get to jason i think he'll be okay with getting to the end but we have a jason i want you to go ahead and make a proposal on the county tax rates which is out of eight nine and ten on your agenda okay so we're gonna do one at a time so at this time i'm gonna make a motion that we uh the real estate uh property tax that's going to remain the same as last year 7.6 second motion by larry kim second to sam small is there any discussion being done all in favor say aye aye opposed black sign that motion all right we're gonna make a motion that we uh the tangible rates for uh this year 21 is we're going to keep it the same as
- 4:58
7.92 so motion by jason second the same is there any discussion being done all favors say aye aye opposed like sign okay and the last one uh i make a motion that the 21 rate for ohio county motor vehicle and water property tax rates remains the same at six point three a second most of the jason second to joe uh any discussion there's no discussion on folks say aye all right polls like sign okay uh next you have we have a second reading on ordinance 2022-2 not listed that way on your agenda but that's that's one you face the last time for the uh what justin presented on the library bond okay bonds what did i say i got that on my mind man
- 6:13
i'm sorry i feel bad my motion valerie cam second by sam small uh and this is the ordinance and we'll need to do a roll call sam small yes jason bullock yes joe barnes yeah larry kam yes and justin you need to talk about anything else on that well when we get to the end of the meeting what we'll probably do is also meet is the public facilities corporation and uh you guys are as members of that as well as the support we just have to pass a resolution agree to accept the lease on the terms and so we'll do we'll do that whenever you want judge we could do it now really since we're very fast we can do it later whichever you prefer let's go ahead brother here so i'd ask the uh uh as that we may be adjourning the county meeting for just a minute yeah we're uh we're recessing it yes and we meet uh as uh as the ohio county public service corps public facilities corporation uh with the purpose of the meeting uh i guess uh the
- 7:26
court is comfortable but here at incorporation with the judge acting as the chairperson and we'll just make larry count as the secretary for purpose of execution of the documents um we need you to first pass a resolution that would permit the public service corporate corporation keeps saying service public facilities corporation a resolution it's going to be resolving it to start the bond process and for the public facilities corporation to do whatever is necessary you need an informal emotion and then we'll just say all in favor say aye all right the next uh it would be a and that would also include for all these documents for the judge to sign and then also larry county sign as the secretary you get that demanding saying i'll throw us our signatures all right and all in favor of that [Music] everybody's second to them so pick one okay and then all of everything next the lease agreement it would be between the ohio county public
- 8:41
facilities corporation ohio county hospital uh within this lease agreement reviewed it it does say that the hospital will be responsible for for all payments with relation to these bonds and identify and hold harmless in a sense the uh the facilities corporation and the county from any payment so i'd ask we still have a few small modifications just to put some dates in but i'd ask that the judge be permitted to sign with clary county acting as the secretary uh police agreement um as proposed or as amended uh as amended but approved i mean second all right if we could have it all in favor all right and then finally the last one is the indenture that's the ohio county public facilities corporation along with ohio county hospital and u.s national bank and the popular financials that indenture for the public facilities corporation to enter into that if i could get a motion for the judge to sign that along with their county science secretary so you got the first and second hand you're going to write these afterwards as long as you get the first and second then i can write a second second okay