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Last Updated: Jun 14th, 2010 - 15:38:58 |
The Wayne County supervisors met June 7 with one business representative and four members of the public in attendance.
The guest was Jeff Heil, representative from Northland Securities, Inc. He presented the board with final details of the debt service schedule and pricing summary of the general obligation capital loan note the county asked for in order to avoid a budget shortfall.
A total of $475,000 was needed and will be available June 24 to finish this fiscal year.
Before voting approval, supervisor Duffy Kester asked if the board would be able to keep a running tab on how the money was to be spent. He wanted to know if a line by line record was going to be kept, and when county auditor, Sue Ruble told him it would be, Kester said it was acceptable.
Ruble reminded the board that the loan does not help the rural services or mental health departments.
County Sheriff Keith Davis, accompanied by previous county supervisor Amy Sinclair, who had worked on the jail project during her time in office, attended the meeting to inform the board that the sheriff’s department had received more money than was earlier projected.
Instead of $289,000 in LOST funding, the sheriff’s department had received $316,639. Davis said he was pleased with the amount received since it was more than anticipated.
The board voted to give courthouse custodian Danny Coffey his scheduled increase in salary as contracted and commented he is performing in a satisfactory manner.
The health insurance carrier and policy for county employees will remain the same for now. Supervisor Don Greenlee made the motion to sign the contract for one more year.
Kester asked if changes could be made to the policy during the coming year without incurring a penalty.
Ruble told him according to insurance representative Kirby Moss, the county could make changes without risk of penalty.
Ruble informed the board she needed to have an insurance decision before June 8 in order to know how to distribute payroll.
“I guess you can decide to just drop non-union employees if you don’t want to make a decision,” Ruble told the board.
“That is not our intention,” Kester replied, “We are just looking at possible ways the county can save money and insurance premiums are one of the areas we have studied.”
Kester made a phone call to Wellmark Insurance during the meeting to verify that no penalty could occur if the contract was broken, but was unable to reach the representative and a voice mail was left asking for a return call.
“If we can’t break it [the contract] when and if we need to, then I am not willing to sign for it,” Kester told the group, and then went on to say, “I am not at all happy with what we’re paying in premiums. I want you to know I am continuing to seek other options for health insurance coverage for county employees.”
On another topic, and after discussion with county attorney Alan Wilson, the board agreed to allow tax abatement on a property in the Humeston area.
Kester said after visiting with the city council there, it was understood if the abatement was allowed the city would work to get the property back on the tax roll.
Kester made the motion for the abatement, with supervisor Jerry O’Dell and Greenlee agreeing.
As a final comment before approving the request O’Dell told the others he didn’t like being manipulated and Greenlee added, “I don’t either.”
County engineer Tim Ehrich was in attendance to conduct a public hearing on closing a section of unused road in Howard Township.
After listening to the concerns of county residents, Robert and Logan Ludington, on the proposed closing, Ehrich asked approval to move forward with the project.
Kester asked the two Mr. Ludington’s if their concerns had been addressed and when they said yes, the board agreed to allow the closure, beginning at a point west of the cemetery. The road along the south length of the cemetery will remain open.
“I just wanted to make sure a road would stay open to the Banta Cemetery. My grandfather donated the property for the grounds, and that is where my family is buried,” Robert Ludington stated, “it is where I plan on making my last journey and I just wanted to be sure a road would stay open the length of the grounds. It is important to me and my family that it remains open on the section along the property.”
The gentlemen thanked the board for listening to their concerns and for voting to keep the section of road in question open.
With nothing further for the board, they voted to adjourn.
© Copyright 2005 Corydon Times
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