The heart of this meeting takes place between File 5 & File 13.  File 5 & 13 deal  with a request from the Sheriff’s Department for approval of the purchase of new computers.  This is the first time I recall the County Commission adjourning for the day and then coming back to reopen that day’s business. File 13 leaves some question on what went on.

File 8 has Preble County  Engineer mentioning a formal proposal on increasing license plate fees.  The apparent claim is that the money is needed to cover the ever rising cost of paving roads, which has put a budget strain on the department.  The Preble County Engineer will, however, be giving pay raises in defiance of a Preble County Commission letter sent out to all elected officials and department heads to not do so. This has been an ongoing issue over the last couple months.

File 10 is a 2:00 meeting that was called with the Preble County Auditor Mindy Robbins, Preble County Engineer Steve Simmons and Preble County Clerk of Courts Chris Washington.  All three are giving pay raises despite a letter not to.

Here is page 1 of that letter dated October 15, 2010:

 

This meeting is at times contentious.  If anything, it highlights the issue of discrepancies in wages that has grown by not confronting those who have previously violated requests to hold the line on employee pay. 

Chris Washington has a valid point of being upset as he looks around and sees what other departments are paying compared to what his employees get. That said, he and the others in attendance giving raises cannot help but add to a morale problem with those employees not getting them. 

Mindy Robbins offers a somewhat valid view that all elected officials should have been invited. This meeting was called for those violating the Commission request to freeze salaries and that included her.  She is the one who claimed she could no longer fully carry the cost of GIS and the Commissioners stepped forward to take on 40% and a controlling interest in doing so. She then turned around and gave REA employees a raise.  As we approach the tri-annual property tax reappraisal, it leaves the impression that she is gambling that rising farm land values will offset falling commercial and residential property values.  I think that is foolish.

Steve Simmons is a previous violator of similar requests in the past and also the most defiant participant in this meeting. He has also been around the longest and does not hesitate to bring that point up.  His views, which should be listened to for full effect, will probably be cheered by those working for him, I am not sure the taxpayers will feel the same.  Telling Commissioners; “I don't think you want to go down that road, cause of the price.”

The reason for the meeting was based on a claim of finding out at a recent conference that other county commissioners were exercising their right to freeze individual line items that contained salary increases. The Preble County Commissioners requested a review of the issue from the County Prosecutor’s office and had received a three page document from Katie Worthington on the issue.

That document is posted here.

 

 

The follow up discussion to this meeting is file 11. Instead of standing on their request as covered in the October 15, 2010, letter and despite other Ohio County Commissioners use of their budget power to reign in expenses, the Preble County Commissioners voted  2 – 1 to allow the pay increases to avoid confrontation. The discussion of that meeting is for the most part transcribed, but I recommend for those that have time, listen to it.

Commissioner Day claimed “Well, I look at it as number one; I knew and I we discussed this last year, we could freeze any line item that was under our control, that is common knowledge. So we knew this last year, we discussed this last year. Now, whether you guys just got more clarification at your meeting to better understand that.”

Having made that statement, he recommended putting off the issue until the 2012 budget. He recommended having all the elected officials and department heads in to tell them that the commission had this power and would use it. He also had some questions about the document received from Katie Worthington.

Commission President Stonecash commented “..each one of those departments throughout the year has come through in one form or another to help us in different ways with money. Ahh, probably more so than any of the others.”

Commissioner Wesler was opposed to approving the increased salary cost and offered a good bit of background information that should be reviewed by Preble County taxpayers.

Commissioner Stonecash offered this in support, “Chris, of course, borrowed some money, paid it back in pretty quick time. Ahh, Steve and Mindy both have helped us with the formation of our new Office of Land Management.  Which we probably for the first time in Preble County's history have cooperative effort to get something done. Before it was funded by the Engineer, it was funded by the Auditor because they had special things that they wanted done at those times so were willing to do it. And yeah, it is costing us more money for Tax Mapping and GIS was the opportunity to provide the people Preble County with a service that has been lacking I guess I want to say. Ahh, and with Building Regs going to NIC that has ahh, reduced our expenditures down there. And we have talked about this, I have been on both sides and on the top and on the bottom all around it in my thinking process.”

Personally, I think Commissioner Day & Stonecash threw the employees not getting a raise under a bus to put off a confrontation. A confrontation that will occur if they hold to their stated intent to follow through on what Commissioner Day claimed to have been discussed in 2009; both put off in 2010 and have left doubt about in 2011. The Commissioners have previously commented about other Sheriff Departments taking salary cuts or freezes. Not confronting this issue now will certainly give weight to claims at negotiations that the Commission has already set a precedent of allowing raises in 2011. It may also encourage the unionization of other county workers who know a bad deal when they see one and receive one. It is one thing to say we are all in this together, it is quite another to say it and then kick some to the back of the plane. That is what happened at this meeting.

Last but not least it is the taxpayer of Preble County who will suffer with reduced services to pay public employees more at a time when much of the populace faces loss of jobs, health insurance and for some, their homes.

The total combined budget for the General Fund and all outside funds except the Health Department was put at $34,133,251.73. The General Fund total alone was $9,618,346.03.

Preble County, Ohio

County Commissioners

December 22,  2010

Meeting audio and review

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

1.5 Minute mark     Commissioner Day – In the future we do Pledge Allegiance to the Republicans.

(Laughter)

Commissioner Stonecash – I was thinking about that.

(more laughter)

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE JOURNALIZATION & NOTE RECEIPT OF THE CD RECORDATION BOTH AS THE OFFICIAL MINUTES FOR THE DECEMBER 20TH REGULAR SESSION MEETING

End 3.25 minute mark on CD – 801 KB

File 2

VII. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #643-10-147

RE: TRANSFER OF FUNDS – SHERIFF

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #644-10-147

RE: AUTH. PAYMENTS – CLERK OF COURTS ($283.28)

5.1 Minute mark    VIII. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM STEVE SIMMONS, ENGINEER

RE: PROBATIONARY RATE INCREASE – DAVID KRAZL $20.92 an hour

B. NOTE RECEIPT OF A COURT ORDER FROM JUDGE DUES, JUVENILE COURT

RE: ORDER TO AUDITOR TO TRANSFER FUNDS FROM PROBATE CT. – SPECIAL PROJECTS TO JUVENILE – MAGISTRATE SPECIAL PROJECTS

C. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #642-10-147

RE: RECOGNIZING THE OHIO NATIONAL ROAD ASSOC. FOR PRESERVING AND PROMOTING OHIO NATIONAL RD AND ADDING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PREBLE COUNTY

7.6 Minute mark    IX. APPOINTMENTS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. # 641-10-147

RE: APPT. OF SHAWNDA COMBS TO THE WORKFORCE POLICY BOARD

Commissioner Stonecash – reads request into record. Darke, Miami and Preble Policy Board. Term to end December 31, 2012.

9 Minute mark       Connie mentions this is from Becky.

10 minute mark on cd  

6.40 minutes – 1.52 MB

File 3

Commissioner Stonecash – Ok what else

Connie – letter from payroll clerk.

12.5  Minute mark     Zoning office log sheet.

14  Minute mark     Discussion on old vehicles and what to do with them. First mention is old Veterans Service van.

18  Minute mark      Discussion on cost for furniture at the remodeled Economic Development office.  Bottom line quote on this quote is $14,615.

Previous quote closer to $20,000.

Comes out of the ED fund. (Conveyance Fee/tax)

22.75 minute mark on cd  

12.47 minutes –  2.92 MB

File 4

9:30 A.M. – BILL HUTTON, HIT QUARTERLY UPDATE

*** Audio not the best ***

32.6 minute mark on cd  

9.53 minutes –  2.26 MB

File 5

Commissioner Stonecash – Connie what else is on the agenda here?

Connie – I do have a request to purchase six desktop computers and software for the Sheriff's Department. Previously it was 6. Sheriff would like to buy local at an additional cost of $600.  $6,900 vs. $6,300.  Lower price is from vendor that the County Commission purchased new computers from earlier this year.

Commissioner Day – That is only $100 more per computer, I don't have a problem with it.

Commissioner Wesler – We got to look here is it more important for us to by local from a local vendor or more important to do what is best for the taxpayers' dollars. In my estimation with my experience with the state purchasing program is that vendors can meet and match those prices if they want…. This is $670.50. We got our computers from there… to be stewards of the taxpayers' money

Commissioner Stonecash – I understand what you are saying exactly.

Further discussion.

Decision to go with lowest bid.

41  Minute mark   Connie – decision from the Prosecutor on appropriations.

Commissioner Day – I was just reading it.

42  Minute mark    Commissioner Stonecash – you read this second paragraph on this second page. It would indicate that we need to sit down with those involved and give them the chance to explain their reasons for the budget as well as allowing them to present any additional information that they feel the Board should take into consideration.

Advises Connie to contact the parties involved for a 2:00 p.m. meeting in the afternoon. (Auditor, Engineer and Clerk of Courts).

Issue pertains to salary increases brought up at Southwest Commissioners and Engineers meeting.

Further Discussion on issue

A good bit of time spent on idle discussion waiting on next meeting.

1 hr. 5 minute mark on cd  

32.26 minutes –  7.42 MB

File 6

10:00 A.M. – ANDREW BOOKER & MATTHEW HITTLE (SOLID WASTE MGMT PLAN)

Not reviewed

1 hr. 46 minute mark on cd  

41 minutes –  9.38 MB

File 7

Commissioner Stonecash – Connie what else have you?

Connie – I have Resolution 646 – Workers Comp for volunteers. (Audio issue while reading it) inmates and such.

Motion passes 3 – 0.

1 hr. 49.5 Minute mark   EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.

No action taken.

1 hr. 51 Minute mark    RECESS UNTIL 1:30

1 hr. 51.25 minute mark on cd  

5.11 minutes –  1.18 MB

File 8

1:30 P.M. – STEVE SIMMONS (GIS)

Kyle Cross also attending.

Poor audio – use of head phones recommended.

Commissioner Stonecash – Office of Land Use Management will consist of Zoning, GIS and Tax Map in the same office.

1 hr. 57 Minute mark   County Engineer Steve Simmons – I'm in control (Tax Map) but and we don't want to split hairs over that. It has always been like that you know, it is just one of those quirks in the law, that person is the Engineer's employee. I think I want to keep a dedicated Tax Map person; it doesn't have to be a Tax Map Supervisor like he is now.

Extended discussion on new department and reasons for it.

2 hr.  4  Minute mark    Connie – on cost to Engineer for his 30% being $31,932.30.

2 hr.  18  Minute mark    Steve Simmons on how many people he sees working in the office. Commissioners currently see four and it sounds like he sees more.

Connie questions Steve on if Chad will be working this week as the Engineer had apparently previously said his department would be closed the week after Christmas.

2 hr.  25.25 Minute mark     Steve Simmons mentions formal proposal on increasing license plate fees.

2 hr.  41 Minute mark    Steve Simmons – You guys got all your budget stuff done?

Commissioner Wesler – No not quite. (Explains issue raised at Southwest Conference)

2 hr. 44.5 minute mark on cd  

58.29 minutes –  13.3 MB

File 9

Connie – I got several additional items.

Resolution 647 which is transfer of funds. Economic Development

Resolution 648  Same use. Several weeks until delivery of previously mentioned furniture.

2 hr.  47 Minute mark    Internal job posting for Director of Land Use Management.

2 hr.  49.5 Minute mark     Clerk of Courts Chris Washington comes in.

2 hr. 51 minute mark on cd  

6.29 minutes –  1.48 MB

File 10

Commissioner Stonecash – We appreciate you coming in and taking time off you job…. We really appreciate how you all work together, all the elected officials and everybody this past year. Poor Audio

2 hr.  53 Minute mark    Freeze a line item…

2 hr.  56 Minute mark     Commissioner Wesler on his meetings with other Commissioners and an Engineer.

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2 hr.  58 Minute mark     Chris Washington – Mine is not so much a raise as a salary adjustment. I don't like to say well their people make more money than my people do, my people are better than their people or whatever. But when I see people starting out at positions at more money than what my staff is making for six or seven years, I get upset.   (Rightfully so)   …..  This isn't right, it is just not right.

3 hr.  1 Minute mark      My girls are tired of working overtime..  explains reasoning

3 hr.  3 Minute mark     2004 compensation plan mentioned.  Recorder is only one that joined plan.

3 hr.  5 Minute mark    Steve Simmons – I think on my end you got to go back to 1985. When I first come in there were 60 employees in that office and they were all making 4 or $5 an hour. I didn't have very many good employees and it has taken 26 years to get just about where I want it… We are down to what 26 – 27 employees.  Less than half.   offers his reasons

3 hr.  6.5 Minute mark      Steve Simmons – I had a union for four years, two year contracts. I told them then I said "The way I see it I represent the people of Preble County and I represent you. To try and balance those wants and desires but if you unionize my allegiance is all with the people of Preble County…. in four years they decertified. My whole philosophy has been to get good people which means you can have less people but pay more. We have just got done putting a big health insurance liability on our people. How much more can they take?  I mean I take a look at Chris's people and half of their salary goes to health insurance. Why work?  goes on to further explain

3 hr.  10 Minute mark    Steve Simmons – It needs to go on record the Sheriff's people are getting what 2 1/2 %  – 3?   How does that make everybody else feel?  

3 hr.  11 Minute mark    Commissioner Stonecash – This whole meeting was to do what we said we would do at the very beginning and that's talk….

Steve Simmons – That's what I trying to do I am trying to tell you exactly where I am coming from for 27 years.

Commissioner Stonecash – I don't want anybody to get upset. I just want you to be able to talk…we were presented with a situation we were totally unaware of.

Steve Simmons – I don't think you want to go down that road, cause of the price.

3 hr.  12 Minute mark    Preble County Auditor Mindy Robbins – I think it would as well be an even better idea if all of the elected officials were here right now. As far as that is concerned. Because that is how you are going to get everybody on the same page. I am sure that there are other offices that are paying their employees just strictly from General Fund who have agreed to stay and not quietly I am sure. I mean I didn't sit in on all your budget hearings or anything. But I am sure all those other elected officials would like to give their employees some type of a pay raise as well for differing reasons. Continues views

3 hr.  16 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – …It does not send a good message to be giving pay increases.   

3 hr.  17.25 Minute mark   Commissioner Stonecash – Appreciate your guys' thoughts.

3 hr. 17.4 minute mark on cd  

26.20 minutes –  6.03 MB

File 11

At this point I am going to recommend that they stand garbled as is and not try and do a freeze on line items. Noise issue basically what they want to say.

Commissioner Wesler – Well can we go into EXECUTIVE SESSION to talk about compensation of a public employee. Ok go right ahead Chris.

Commissioner Stonecash  – I think from the discussion we have had

Commissioner Chris Day –  Well I look at it as number one; I knew and I we discussed this last year we could freeze any line item that was under our control, that is common knowledge. So we knew this last year, we discussed this last year. Now whether you guys just got more clarification at your meeting to better understand that. But I was garbled we could do this last year. I guess I like what we did here have a meeting I agree with Mindy, we need to have a meeting with all the elected officials and discuss this, if this is the route we want to go. But correct me if I am wrong, previous practice has been kind of accepted policy to allow thing outside the General Fund line items to let those department heads do whatever they want with them. Correct?

Commissioner Wesler – Exactly right Chris.

Commissioner Chris Day – So that has been previous accepted policy. Right or wrong I am just saying and I guess the thing I have a problem with I don't have a problem I think it was a great discussion with these people. Ahh but I do agree with Mindy we should bring all the department heads and all the elected officials, have the same conversation and ask everybody to participate. Tell them how we are going to handle the budget at the beginning of next year, that's my thoughts.

Commissioner Wesler – Handle the budget when? When are you talking about when?

Commissioner Chris Day – Well we need to have everybody in at the first of the year and go over this same thing and say here is how next year we're going to look at the budget across the board. Explain to them the the outside line items will be frozen to take care of raises.

Commissioner Stonecash  – I tell you what Mindy is exactly right when she talked about merit raises. There is no reason why you get a hundred dollar raise and I also get a hundred dollar raise if I am not doing the job.

Commissioner Chris Day – I don't disagree.

Commissioner Wesler – Yeah

Commissioner Chris Day – but that is not the way it has worked in the past. That is another previous practice.

Commissioner Wesler – I wouldn't say that, I would say that we did just put line items 3% above for everybody but we told the elected officials divvy that how you want. I think it created some problems with some people.

Commissioner Stonecash  – Ah but but people the people that it might of created problems with are probably the people who didn't deserve the raise.

Commissioner Wesler – I don't remember.

Commissioner Stonecash  – That has been my experience in the past.

3 hr.  21 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – Well I am not saying I hmm, I won't say that ahhm I am going to go say that still with what the Engineer said even though he has got good employees out there, he wants to keep his good employees but so do we. Don't we? Don't we want to keep our good employees but we cannot give them additional increases and ahhm at the Engineer's office I'll talk about that first. With the reductions in the roads that he has done and I believe he has done 25 miles up until a few years ago Connie and then he did zero for one year? Then he did four or five last year? The Engineer recognizes that roads are going to deteriorate here in the next few years because wasn't it back in 99' or something he got a million dollars from the Commissioners to pave roads and he did a lot of roads didn't he?  And what is the life of a road isn't it around 12 years or something? That is coming just about due and ahm then it costs our General Fund more dollars because a few years ago Steve graciously did the parking lots over many years because who is the who approves the contracts to buy the trucks and stuff?  We do and we gave him good equipment and he used to do around the Courthouse here and if you guys remember, it might have been the year before you came in Steve had plowed the snow around different offices buildings and then sent them a bill and bout were people not very happy about that right?  Connie?  

Connie – Right

Commissioner Wesler – And so I went and talked to Steve and I said Steve could you please forgo this? I said if you remember we gave you a million dollars to the landfill not during my time 1.2 back in the late 90's wasn't it Connie? Ahhm 1.2 million I believe and you still owe about 700,000 and the Commissioners aren't charging interest. I know Steve's argument is saying that Commissioners back then did not intend the payback. But I think the State Auditor prompted them us the Commissioners to say yes we did and we needed that money back. My point being is now Steve's office does not plow around the Courthouse, we have to pay for that out of General Fund dollars. So while we are not giving General Fund increases and we are spending more for snow removal, that the Engineer's office has the equipment to do it and all the while now they are getting pay increases. Steve says he wants to bring about the permissive tax and that is more than fine I realize they are not able to do as many roads as they used to be able to do but now he is asking us to possibly raise the burden on the taxpayers of Preble County once again while we are not giving pay increases but his employees would be. Especially with REA you guys have heard Mindy talk about REA and how she cannot continue to fund things out of the REA department like she has been and my question is when the tri-annual update comes due ahhm fairly soon these valuations on the property around Preble County have drastically gone down. So how is that going to affect her bottom line with Real Estate Assessment with the tri-annual valuations? So I'm I applaud us on remaining cautiously optimistic but with the state of Ohio they are going to balance their budget on the backs and the burdens of the taxpayers of these counties. An ahh I guess ahhm Chris if you say you are going to wait until next year what to do we know now, we knew late in the game but it didn't take us hard to look at the rest of the elected officials in the eye and say please don't we can't in this time, we are staying frozen. In fact we sent out a letter that said that.  We said hold the salary lines at zero.  So in my estimation I think for the value of the taxpayer, for the roads, for REA we need to hold the salaries constant.  And you know what Bob they made a of good points about their employees but I can say that about a lot of the people around the Courthouse that are not getting pay raises to.

Commissioner Stonecash  – There are a lot of good people in the courthouse and in all of our departments.

Commissioner Wesler – And I realize a year ago we asked Chris to hold down and cut actually asked Chris to cut. He said he could not; he got the opinion that said he has got to get this work done and that is why his ladies work over time. Ahhm so they're getting overtime but I heard him say that they are getting tired of it and maybe sometime we could talk about helping that out somehow but I don't have a solution at the moment. All I know is that it sends the wrong message to give pay increases at this time.  And I think I am going to stick with that.

Commissioner Stonecash  – You know we have had good each one of those departments throughout the year has come through in one form or another to help us in different ways with money. Ahh probably more so than any of the others.

3 hr.  27 Minute mark   I have thought about this for quite a while the last two or three since Monday I guess.

Commissioner Wesler –  Bob could you cite examples about what you are talking about because you lost me on that.

Commissioner Stonecash  – Chris of course borrowed some money, paid it back in pretty quick time. Ahh Steve and Mindy both have helped us with the formation of our new Office of Land Management.  Which we probably for the first time in Preble County's history has cooperative effort to get something done. Before it was funded by the Engineer, it was funded by the Auditor because they had special thing that they wanted done at those times so were willing to do it. And yeah it is costing us more money for Tax Mapping and GIS was the opportunity to provide the people Preble County with a service that has been lacking I guess I want to say. Ahh and with Building Regs going to NIC that has ahh reduced our expenditures down there. And we have talked about this, I have been on both sides and on the top and on the bottom all around it in my thinking process.

3 hr.  29 Minute mark  And ahh I think with the budget 2% increase we've done a fantastic job of holding the line.  And hopefully and when I told them it would be my goal to review it ahh mid year I would certainly like to do that. Maybe it will be good maybe it won't. There are other counties giving 2%, I don't recall the names but at conference we talked to two or three that were ahh I think I am ok with the way it is.

Commissioner Wesler – Yeah there were some that were giving pay increases Bob but yet again we didn't maybe know exactly what their bottom line was. I mean some of them are carrying millions over in carry over.

Commissioner Stonecash  – Ahh that is true but of of them had $13 million narrowed down to $5 million by not paying attention the budget as we have. We've been pretty good along with the help of all the people all the elected officials and department heads. We've worked together and ahh at this time I just don't want to drive a wedge in that. Mr. Day what have you to say about the subject?

Commissioner Chris Day – Well like I said earlier, ahh I would ahh move to go ahead and approve the appropriations as we approved them earlier and if we want go down this route next year, we get all of the elected officials in and ahhm have this same conversation, explain that we do have this option, let them know that up front and ask for their cooperation. As you said ahhm everybody has cooperated ahhh a lot of these you know a lot departments that that gave raises last year aren't giving them this year. We talked to some of those ahh you know if we want to freeze the line items across the board, I think they need to know that up front.

Commissioner Wesler – What did we do when we sent the letter out?

Commissioner Chris Day – Well we sent a letter out last year to.

Commissioner Wesler – Oh so regardless of what happened last year what about this year's letter? What did it say?

Commissioner Chris Day – It said the same thing it said last year. I mean and as I stated before previous accepted practices were to if it wasn't in the General Fund it was ignored.

Commissioner Wesler – I would call additional even Katie until she provided us with this document, I think she was a little bit unsure about it Chris.

Commissioner Chris Day – We David, we had this discussion last year and I know we talked about it

Commissioner Wesler – I remember us just saying that the Engineer it is outside of our funds and once again I am going to vote no on this Chris because I cannot honestly go out to the taxpayers of Preble County and listen to Steve next year try to get us to raise the people's taxes when we are giving pay increases to that very department that is struggling.

Commissioner Chris Day – I understand what you are saying

Commissioner Wesler – Oh we will agree to disagree.  But I wish Connie I agree with the General Fund budget it is up to you or these guys if they want to separate it.  I voted yes for the General Fund. I am going to vote no for the ones outside the General Fund. So I would just as soon vote yes on the General Fund but if they want to lump everything together I will vote no.

Commissioner Stonecash – Did you make a motion a few minutes ago?

Commissioner Chris Day – hhmmm

Commissioner Stonecash –  Would you restate that motion?

Commissioner Chris Day – If I got the right sheet Connie ahmm the appropriations for 2011 are $9,618,346.03

Connie – That is correct.

Commissioner Chris Day – I move to approve those appropriations for 2011.

Connie – And that is General Fund only.

Commissioner Wesler – That is right.

Connie – That is what you are only approving only the General Fund.

Commissioner Chris Day – What's the I don't have the rest of them

Connie – I have the document here that includes everything and it is Resolution 640

Commissioner Chris Day – And that is?

Connie –  That is General that is the entire county

Commissioner Chris Day – Ok

3 hr.  34 Minute mark    Commissioner Wesler – But that is with the pay increases as was given to us earlier

Connie – Yes

Commissioner Wesler – And it is going to be hard for you to separate those out so

Commissioner Chris Day – What is that

Connie – It is Resolution 640 but whatever you want. If you want it separated, I can separate it.

Commissioner Chris Day – No I move to approve Resolution 640. And what is the total on that ?

Connie – You quoted the General Fund accurate $9,618,346.03. All outside funds were for a total $34,133,251.73. All appropriations are under the certificate that was issues by the Preble Commission.

Commissioners unable to keep up with Connie so she restates figures.

Connie – The non General Fund Departments is $24,514,905.70. Grand total $34,133,251.73.  Health Department is not included in this, we no longer appropriate for the Health Department.

 3 hr.  36 Minute mark   Commissioner Stonecash – Ok I will second that with the comment that I would like to have a meeting with the all the elected officials at some point during the year to explain what we are able to do. Which I think will meet with better reception than just doing it. Rather than us just invoking this and saying we are freezing it. What I am saying is lets approve this budget for appropriations and at some point will that be January June August we have a meeting with all the elected officials explaining what we what we want and what we can do, what we can't do. Getting all their input and doing it in a way of informing them in a way that is more palatable to everybody.

Commissioner Chris Day – And I will add to that Bob, I know we got a document from Ms. Worthington but I do have a couple questions also that ahhm that I think we need clarification on prior to that meeting.

Commissioner Stonecash –  Well that document is not complete because she doesn't completely research everything.

Commissioner Chris Day – And there are some grey areas there that I do have questions on. So we need to get further clarification from Katie.

Commissioner Stonecash – Ok I have a motion and a second any further discussion?

Commissioner Wesler – Just that I do agree with the General Fund increases, we got a lot of good employees in the General Fund. They have all taken a hit on the Health Insurance but it is our bottom line that we cannot afford to be able to compensate salary adjust, whatever you want to call it at this time. We've got a lot of good people, I don't want to lose them either but as we have been saying; Be thankful you have a job and ahm it is just sorry that the economic climate is the way it is but we have all said that this next year could be worse. That is why I will be voting no.

Commissioner Stonecash – You know we appreciate all your work on that and ahh your thoughts.

Commissioner Wesler – Yeah

Commissioner Stonecash – It is one of those things that we agree to disagree and that is the way things should work.

Commissioner Wesler – Yeah

Commissioner Stonecash – so we do appreciate that. Connie will you call the roll please?

Connie – Commissioner Day?

Commissioner Chris Day – Yes

Connie – Commissioner Stonecash?

Commissioner Stonecash – Yes

Connie – Commissioner Wesler?

Commissioner Wesler – No

Motion passes 2 – 1

3 hr. 38.9 minute mark on cd  

21.32 minutes –  4.93 MB

File 12

Commissioner Stonecash – Ok what else do we have?

Connie – I've got a letter from the Clerk of Courts for salary increases for 2011.

Commissioner Stonecash – That didn't take long.

Connie – move to note receipt. I've got them all here.

Commissioner Wesler – They have probably been waiting there ever since the budgets.

Commissioner Stonecash – Probably and that percentage is? Are they all the same? Clerk of Courts?

Connie – I am looking here.

Commissioner Chris Day – 50 cents across the Board isn't it?

Commissioner Stonecash – I don't know.

Commissioner Wesler – I think so.

Connie – I believe they are. The Clerk of Courts is 50 cents. (accept recent hire)

Commissioner Welser leaves says he will be right back.

3 hr.  36 Minute mark   Connie – So we are not ready to note receipt of this letter?

No

Commissioner Stonecash – I would like to say boys and girls to wish you all a merry Christmas and if we don't discuss this next week it has been a great pleasure working with all of you. I think we have done a heck of a job. I certainly congratulate Connie on being as dedicated and hard working as you are.

Continues…… if anyone deserves raises it is the people in this office.

Commissioner Wesler – You are making my point Bob.

Commissioner Stonecash – I know. But we are not giving any.

Commissioner Wesler – You are making my point again.

Commissioner Stonecash – I understand David.

ADJOURN

3 hr. 43.75 minute mark on cd  

4.53 minutes –  1.11 MB

File 13

They're back….

Commissioner Stonecash – This job is way too easy. It is 4:30 and we have found it necessary to reconvene the December 22, meeting of the Preble County Commission. Do you want roll call Pledge of Allegiance?

Commissioner Wesler – Well that was due to Connie receiving information from the Sheriff on computers

Commissioner Stonecash – That's true.

Connie – calls Sheriff and put on hold.

Sheriff put on speaker phone.

2 Minute mark    Commissioner Stonecash – We are troubled by the events going on here with the computer situation. We haven't received the details that we needed to make a proper decision evidently.

Asks for exclamation on what is going on.

Sheriff Mike Simpson explains timeline of computer pricing between Eaton Computer & M&J Computer.

8 Minute mark    Commissioner Stonecash – asks for copy of quotes.

Issue to be revisited on Monday when itemized quote is available.

ADJOURN again

SECOND FILE ON CD

10.24 minutes –  2.38 MB