Of note for this meeting is the mention of an August 28 request from JFS for an additional $327,210 for Children’s Services to meet expenses through the end of the year. For background – it is a pretty regular occurrence that whatever the agreed Children’s Service budget at the beginning of the fiscal year there will be an additional request for another $100,000 or so in September or October. This year the commission budgeted in that anticipated $100,000 request with an appropriation of $300,000 instead of $200,000. Keep in mind that total is above and beyond the tax levies that are being used for the issue.  So this year Children’s Services has not only burned through the increased appropriation of $300,000 but is now requesting another $327,210. There is a levy increase on the ballot this fall and even that won’t cover these increases.  The department started an “Alternate Response Program” earlier this year to address the increased costs and bring them down.  Instead of cutting costs they have exploded. This is unsustainable and should be unacceptable. 

We are treating symptoms while the root cause is in need of attention. In the 8+ years of doing this commission audio review the often mentioned driving cause is the growing drug problem in the county.  The county has been throwing ever increasing amounts of tax money at Children’s Services at a time when the U.S. Census shows the county population dropping and homes being bulldozed.  It is time to consider that some of this money might be better spent hiring more deputies to attack the drug problem. Make Preble County a harder place for drug pushers to do business and less of a safe haven that drives costs up and wrecks more families and community budgets.  The costs don’t end there as property theft is a way many drug addicts pay for their habit. We pay for it in theft, security and insurance costs.  We are paying for the conscious decision made by individuals to do drugs and pass on the cost of caring for their families to a shrinking tax base. We are and have been addressing those costs for years only to watch them grow and that is a pyramid scheme that will eventually collapse.  Those of you that review the audio will hear Chris Day admit that some counties give “X” amount and Children’s Services has to live within that budget. It is a claim made by David Wesler multiple times before and it is long overdue that Preble County checks with the counties that do it. 

Preble County, Ohio

County Commissioners

September 28, 2015

Meeting audio and review

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

2 Minute mark    Meeting begins after waiting on Rodney.

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE JOURNALIZATION & NOTE RECEIPT OF THE CD RECORDATION BOTH AS THE OFFICIAL MINUTES FOR THE SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 REGULAR SESSION MEETING

VII. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS

NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE VOUCHERS AS SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR

4.49 minutes – 1.1 MB

File 2

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #560-15-171

RE: AUTH. PAYMENT – WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ($3,008.25)

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #561-15-171

RE: SUPPLE APPROPRIATION – CHILDREN SVS. ($8,500.00)

C. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #562-15-171

RE: AUTH. EXPENDITURE – $4,463.28 – RICOH MP C2503 COLOR COPIER – VICTIM WITNESS

CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

6.5 Minute mark   A. NOTE RECEIPT OF A REPORT FROM THE PROS. ATTY.

RE: ANNUAL REPORT – PROS. ATTY.

AGREEMENTS & CONTRACTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING A CHANGE ORDER

RE: CHANGE ORDER #1 TO THE 2015 RESURFACING PROJECT AGREEMENT W/ BARRETT PAVING MATERIALS – INCREASE AMT. $8,000.00 & INCREASE COMPLETION DATE TO OCTOBER 16, 2015 – ENGINEER

B. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING AN ADDENDUM

9 Minute mark  RE: ADDENDUM #6 TO THE ENGINEERING SVS. AGREEMENT W/ T&M ASSOCIATES – REDUCE BY ($4,000.00) LANDFILL & ($101,000.00) LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION Connie raises question as to why? Good for Connie. She makes a call but could not find anyone who knew the reason for the reduction and the item is tabled until she can find out why.

13.5 Minute mark  TRAVEL

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING TRAVEL REQUESTS:

A. RES. #563-15-171 – DANIELLE PIERATT – CSEA Cost not to exceed $10

B. RES. #564-15-171 – DANIELLE PIERATT – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $10

C. RES. #565-15-171 – DANIELLE PIERATT – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $10

D. RES. #566-15-171 – KAREN ADAMS – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $10

E. RES. #567-15-171 – RHIANON HARRIS & RACHEL BESECKER – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $20

F. RES. #568-15-171 – RHIANON HARRIS, RACHEL BESECKER, KEVIN BOVEE, KAREN ADAMS & NATHAN MCDERMIT Cost not to exceed $100

G. RES. #569-15-171 – RHONDA HAINES & CYNTHIA HENRY – PROBATE COURT Cost not to exceed $322

H. RES. #570-15-171 – MAGISTRATE BRENT COPELAND – JUVENILE COURT Cost not to exceed $247

I. RES. #571-15-171 – BECKY WEBB – JFS Cost not to exceed $544

J. RES. #572-15-171 – LORI PUCKETT & JENNIE KALTENBACK – JFS Cost not to exceed $35

17 minute mark on cd  

12.12 minutes -2.79 MB

File 3

Apparently Scott Young is late or a no show.

Commission is invited to a luncheon at 1:00 Friday in Darke County. Nine Counties – Bistro off Broadway.

Rodney mentions a ground breaking on Friday at 10:00.

20 Minute mark  Discussion on county employee insurance and surcharges. Some audio issue at times with hearing Connie.  

27 minute mark on cd  

10.1 minutes – 2.29 MB

File 4

JFS MONTHLY MEETING

Low audio issue as meeting moves to conference table.   

Becky Sorrell

29 Minute mark  Meeting gets underway. Timken had 20 jobs available.  Listen to the audio.    

33 Minute mark   Short discussion on Work Force Participation vs. Unemployment rate.

38 minute mark on cd  

11.1 minutes – 2.52 MB

File 5

Children's Services

Listen to the audio.    

52 Minute mark    Rodney Creech on tax levy campaign. Asks about getting with the RH to educate the public on what is going on.

54 minute mark on cd  

16 minutes – 3.66 MB

File 6

Connie – On August 28 Becky sent us a letter asking for additional funds for Children's Services. They currently have $96,063 in cash in their account. …suggests a transaction processing $100,000 at this time of a $327,000 request….

Chris Day: So where are we going to pull that from?

Discussion on where the money will come from and history of Children's Services coming in this time of year wanting more money.

56.25 Minute mark    Chris Day so with the $100,000 haw much money will it be that we have given them to date?

Connie – We appropriated $300,000. It will be $400,000 if we continue on with our schedule the remainder of the year.

Commissioner Robertson – Asks a question about the commission already giving them an extra $300,000 above the three levies.

Connie the $100,000 is over and above the $300,000. As of September 1 we still had $40,000 to give them (out of the $300,000).

Chris Day: Last year we gave them $240,000 and we took it to $300,000 this year.

Side effects: “First-dose effect” – when first taking discount cialis visit address Alpha Blockers, some people get dramatically reduced blood pressure, dizziness and feeling faint when sitting up or standing up.

Connie… and they are asking for an additional $327,000. ($327,210)

Listen to the audio.    

If the request is approved the total above levies would be $627,000.  

59.5 Minute mark    Rodney Creech asks how do we educate or get the word out.

Chris Day  – I would love to take the $1.6 million we are putting toward placement to fixing the problem but I don't know how to do that.

1 hr.   .5 Minute mark    Commissioner Robertson on the earned income credit coming back to the county if the parents do not have the children that the earned income tax credit was meant for.

New levy will not come close to fixing the problem as it does not come close to what the county is spending. Two levies up for renewal are mentioned as bringing in $219,000.

Certificated unappropriated money will need to be used.

1 hr.   5.5 Minute mark   Commissioner Day & Robertson ask if the "Alternative Response Program" is working (the program was suppose to bring costs down).

Commissioner Robertson says she is going to have to go back and look at last couple of year's numbers as the numbers don't seem to reflect the size of the request.  This is also my thought. Yearly placement numbers for this year have actually gone down.  

Connie mentions that the per person cost has gone up.

1 hr.  8  Minute mark   Rodney Creech – Worst case scenario is even if the levy doesn't cover it at least it is helping us.

1 hr.  9 Minute mark    Chris Day feels that Children's Services will need more than requested.  

1 hr.  12.5  Minute mark   Chris Day – There are still some counties that they only give them "X" and they live within their means and I don't know how they do that. It is time to call around and find out as this has been mentioned for years while Children's Service in Preble just keeps wanting more money.  

1 hr.  15 Minute mark   Resolution 57315171 appropriates $300,000 from certificated unappropriated of General Fund…..

1 hr.  17.1 minute mark on cd  

23.06 minutes – 5.28 MB

File 7

1 hr.  17.1 minute mark on cd –

Chris Day – What else do you have Connie?

Connie – Have you seen anything on the Fairgrounds paving bids?

Chris Day – Kyle sent out a spread sheet of where it came in at… came in higher…

Listen to the audio.    

1 hr.  19.25 Minute mark   Rodney asks if there is anything the commission needs to talk about before the meeting at 11:00.  

Commissioner Robertson – mentions he is coming in because he wants to higher two people to replace

Rodney Creech – He is wanting to hire an additional person at $16,000. Do we to talk about this on the record or does it have to be in executive session?

Commissioner Robertson – It's on the record because we are not talking about anyone specific.

Listen to the audio.    

Rodney mentions the commission has not approved the second person but "he" already has them hired. The agenda shows: 11:00 A.M. – CORONER – ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS

Rodney we will be paying $40,000 for two people in addition to his $30,000 salary. I guess I just have some concerns there… two people technically with no qualifications for Coroner. Worth of a listen.  Rodney mentions the part time people having control of "the scene" and possible liability.  It comes down to money and are we going to get the job done correctly – those are the two items I think we need to discuss.

1 hr.  23.25 Minute mark   Chris Day was not under the impression that the commission gave a go ahead to hire anyone.

Marty Votel will be attending the meeting and the Sheriff is available to attend.

Rodney feels the Sheriff's office has been covering the Corner a lot and when Dave retires they are not doing that anymore. Again – Worth of a listen.

Rodney wants to test the Coroner to come to the meeting alone. Rodney feels the Sheriff's department will stop helping because of liability of working with someone who does not know what they are doing. There is only one way to know that and that is from discussions with the Sheriff and I understand why that position is taken.   

1 hr.  33.75 minute mark on cd 

16.47 minutes – 3.84 MB

File 8

Chris Day – What else do you have Connie?

Connie – Our phone system is going to be installed this week. Thursday.

Discussion on topic. Fiber optics. Northwest Security

1 hr.  37.5 Minute mark   Connie – Have you looked over your landfill plans – any questions?

Connie – Were you aware that they are putting in a natural gas line to run the heating system and hot water? It is on the plans but there is nothing in the specs along with the water on how to do it. No information on how large things should be…

1 hr.  40.75 Minute mark   Kim Keller comes into explain.

Rodney asks if the gas line is a county expense. Chris tells him it is from the meter back. Rodney says "Wow, I never heard that".

Kim – Current project estimate $844,000 vs. previous $838,???

1 hr.  44  Minute mark   Commissioner Robertson mentions that Randy got his locker room. It has been fought about since day 1 and it is still in there.

Discussion on the CoGen project for the landfill gas. It is to turn the landfill gas to electricity which could have been used for the heat source.  

Chris Day says the last conversation on Co Gen had electricity as not much of an option anymore because of the carbon credits are going away. County may have to flare the gas as there is not enough to do anything with.

1 hr.  51.25  Minute mark   Rodney leaves to get coffee before Doc gets here.

RECESS

1 hr.  54.6 minute mark on cd  

21 minutes – 4.8 MB

File 9

This is from a second file on the audio cd. Time restarts.

CORONER – ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS

2.25  Minute mark   EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT OF A COUNTY EMPLOYEE  

Exit no action taken.

RECESS UNTIL 1:00

1 hr.  33.75 minute mark on cd 

4.31 minutes – 1.03 MB

File 10

GLENWOOD WORK SESSION

RFQs

6 reponses.

Listen to the audio not reviewed.

31.25 minute mark on cd 

26.53 minutes – 6.15 MB

File 11

32  Minute mark   Connie – As for Mr. Mitchell wanting to plant wheat…property at landfill. Discussion on topic.

Connie – Work has started on the grandstands last week at the Fairgrounds. Commission does not feel they approved some of the work being mentioned.  

Listen to the audio – I don't feel like typing all of the additional items mentioned – Harrison Township….

38.25  Minute mark   Fairground paving bids discussed. City is doing some more work than originally planned – will make things better.

42.25  Minute mark   Rodney Creech mentions a grant deadline and October.

Connie asks about having the Fair board and Pork Fest board in. Rodney says he can talk to Rumpke the new President of the Pork Fest and Rodney Mann.

45.25  Minute mark  Landfill work session on Wednesday. Discussion and explanation on: RE: ADDENDUM #6 TO THE ENGINEERING SVS. AGREEMENT W/ T&M ASSOCIATES – REDUCE BY ($4,000.00) LANDFILL & ($101,000.00) LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION – —–APPROVED

ADJOURNED

50.75 minute mark on cd 

19.24 minutes – 4.4 MB