This was a four hour plus meeting.

File 5 had Bill Hutton from the HIT Foundation in to discuss the Consolidate Plan. Also on hand were Kim Keller, Becky Sorrell, Shwanda Combs and Joe Ferriel for the City of Eaton.

File 8 had Ami Booso in and she discussed issues that lead her to resign from her job at JFS.  My view is that anytime someone feels it necessary to come into the courthouse and ask to file a complaint on the record it is a serious issue. This particular incident rises to an even more serious level because three other employees or former employees also took the time to come in and back up Ami’s concerns with their own accounts.  Please listen to the audio file as there are accusations of employees being targeted and the work situation being described as “chaotic”.  I’ve been listening to Commission meetings since April of 2007 and this is the first time I recall anything like this meeting.  File 13 had the JFS director in for an executive session with Assistant County Prosecutor Katie Worthington and the commissioners to discuss the complaints.  Those of you that have followed this website have probably noticed what seems like a lot of employees leaving JFS and this issue calls for investigation of not only the accounts provided by the four people who came into today but the views of those still working at JFS as to their views on the working conditions. It is something that this commission should have followed up on some time ago as there have been employees resigning and giving no reason for doing so.  Are there exit interviews? If not, why not? If there are, what were the employee’s comments?  If there exit interviews they should not be conducted by personnel that may have caused the exit.  This issue continues a trend of poor commission management as at a minimum there are obviously issues with poor employee morale and a lot of experience has been lost. If these accusations from four people are true this issue goes back at least a couple years and reflects a commission a sleep on the job.

File 11 was the Landfill monthly meeting and August was another low tonnage month. This meeting had the first on the record confirmation that on September 7, the county began pumping leachate through the new force main to Lakengren. There is still a pending legal case involving the decision to build that line to Lakengren instead of Camden.  If you believe this county needs to do everything it can to encourage economic development then it should have gone to Camden on a route that highway frontage and rail access. This decision alone is enough to elect a new commission as it will adversely impact economic development for decades.

File 12 has a lengthy discussion on the building of a new two new buildings at the landfill. One is to be a maintenance building and the other a administration building. The discussion involves what is needed or may be needed in the future for those buildings as well as the expense. Figures for the Administration building alone ranged from an apparent low ball number of $457,000 to a more realistic $778,000. Please take the time to review this meeting as a tax payer you need to know. We just had a 40%+ landfill assessment hike last year and tonnage continues to drop which may require yet another increase after this building spree.

Preble County Commissioners

September 24, 2012

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. 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 19TH REGULAR SESSION MEETING

VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS

VII. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS

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

End 5.44 minute mark on CD – 1.31 MB

File 2

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #575-12-157

RE: AUTH. PAYMENT – SHERIFF ($424.55); JFS ($1,608.90, $66,576.00); LAND USE MGMT. ($303.32); HELP ME GROW ($5,392.80)

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #576-12-157

RE: TRANSFER OF FUNDS – VARIOUS DEPTS.

C. NOTE RECEIPT OF AN AMENDED CERTICATE

RE: FY13 WIC ($43,810.00)

CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF A REPORT FROM THE JFS DIRECTOR

RE: AUGUST BANK RECONCILIATION REPORT FOR CSEA DEPOSITORY ACCT.

APPOINTMENTS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #577-12-157

RE: RE-APPT. OF MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PLANNING BOARD & APPONTMENT OF A NEW MEMBER PER ORC SECTION 5149.34

AGREEMENTS & CONTRACTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF (2) EXECUTED AGREEMENTS

RE: FY 2011 EMPG SPECIAL PROJECTS GRANT & FY 2012 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT W/ OHIO EMA

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

RE: ADDENDUM #6 TO TURF MAINT. AGREEMENT W/ HOUSE FAMILY LANDSCAPE & LAWNCARE. LLC – INC. $90.00 – LANDFILL

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

RE: ADDENDUM #7 TO TURF MAINT. AGREEMENT W/ HOUSE FAMILY LANDSCAPE & LAWNCARE, LLC – EXTEND AGREEMENT – VARIOUS DEPTS.

TRAVEL

NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING TRAVEL REQUESTS:

A. RES. #578-12-157 – SHAWNDA COMBS – ECONOMIC DEV. No cost to the County

B. RES. #579-12-157 – BECKY SORRELL, JENNIE KALTENBACK & REGINA HAPNER – JFS Cost not to exceed $30

C. RES. #580-12-157 – JENNIE KALTENBACK & REGINA HAPNER – JFS Cost not to exceed $465

14.25 minute mark on cd  

8.30 minutes – 1.94 MB

File 3

MINDY ROBBINS – GENERAL FUND FINANCIAL UPDATE

View Mindy's report posted below:

 

19.75 minute mark on cd  

5.4 minutes – 1.29 MB

File 4

Commissioner Day – Connie, do you have any additional items at this time?

October 5, Ten county meeting in Greenville at 1:00.

David – Chamber breakfast that morning also – 7:30 at Senior Center.

23.5 Minute mark   David asks if there is anything Chris would like to add to the "newspaper thing" (Commissioners Corner in Register Herald).

24.5 Minute mark    Retention Banquet mentioned.  Apparently not well attended.  

Commissioners Charity Ball.

29.1 minute mark on cd  

9.22 minutes – 2.14 MB

File 5

HIT FOUNDATION – CONSOLIDATION PLAN – FINAL DRAFT

Bill Hutton starts.

Shawnda Combs, Becky Sorrell and Kim Keller also on hand.

31.25 Minute mark   Drop in median income in City of Eaton noted.

Someone named Joe also in chamber. Joe Ferriel – City of Eaton?

34 Minute mark   Discussion on worker training impact over next ten years.

Lower paying – entry level jobs available. Skills needed at some others.

39.5 Minute mark  Discussion on home size and zoning laws.

43.5 Minute mark   Shawnda mentions Camden and its amenities.

46.75 Minute mark   Mentions City of Middletown transportation system and trouble getting to use it.

52.25 Minute mark   David Wesler on there being plenty of affordable housing in the county. No shortage. Bob Stonecash agrees.

Becky Sorrell & Bill Hutton on trouble finding affordable rentals vs. buying houses. People can't afford housing and have trouble affording to rent.

Bill mentions $500 a month includes utilities – family of four earning $20,000.

Water and utility bills are getting so high… mentions Gratis and water bills being almost $100.

This file is worth listening to.

1 hr.  Minute mark   Bob –  Neaton stopping use of Temporary workers.

1 hr.  1 Minute mark    Shawnda claims county has an excellent graduation rate. Universities having to put High School grads in remedial classes as kids are being pushed through.  I agree with Shawnda on this.

1 hr.  16 Minute mark   Typo from Shawnda mentioned.

1 hr. 20 minute mark on cd  

50.43 minutes – 11.6 MB

It is suggested in taking two of Shilajit capsules in India and can discount levitra energyhealingforeveryone.com definitely supply you with the product you wish to buy, add to the shopping cart, and head to the checkout.
File 6

Connie put a copy of the budget letter on the commissioners desks.

1 hr.  22 Minute mark    Bob Stonecash – I was approached the other day concerning the Armory and the Armory tank.

Discussion on the tank issue.

1 hr. 31 minute mark on cd  

11 minutes – 2.52 MB

File 7

INVESTMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

Meeting ends at the 1 hr. 36.5 mark

Discussion on CCAO and Demolition Grant, other counties using prevailing wage.

1 hr.  41 Minute mark    Bob mentions Fairgrounds committee and person getting appointed???

1 hr.  54 minute mark on cd  

23 minutes – 5.27 MB

File 8

AMI BOOSO

Commissioner Day – I guess Ami you would like to address the Board.

Here in-regard to her resignation from Job & Family Services. Resigned September 13.

This is an audio file that you need to listen to.

Ami reads a letter of explanation into the record – she resigned over unsafe working conditions. Her Supervisor's phone was on "do not disturb".

1 hr.  59 Minute mark   Ami would like to file a grievance against her Supervisor. Requests information on how to do so.

2 hr.  1 Minute mark    Linda Hale (See August 15, 2012 meeting) sp? comes to podium to support Ami and reports that she also has been "targeted".  Linda mentions that Jackie and Charity are also here – because they were targeted and that there are others. Mentions Children's Services.

Charity Loranzan (see August 6, 2012 meeting ) comes to podium in support of Ami. Left to go to another county over professionalism and respect. She is afraid the county will lose a lot more people out there and describes it as "chaotic".

Jackie Wellman  (see May 10, 2010 meeting) comes to podium in support of everyone else. Mentions she was "Becky's" first one targeted to get out of there. Jackie would not have left had it not been for that. "You are losing a lot of good people from there"

Commissioner Day tells them they will check into it. Given the number of people who have resigned or quit  – this should have been checked into long ago and is indicative of poor commission follow up when no reasons are given for resignations. What do the exit intervuews show? Are there exit interviews and who does them?   

2 hr. 4.5 minute mark on cd  

11 minutes – 2.52 MB

File 9

KATIE WORTHINGTON – PORK FESTIVAL LAWSUIT

2 hr.  5.5 Minute mark    Chris Day request to go into EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE OF PERSONEL

Connie – to consider investigation of a complaint against a public employee (involves the previous Ami Booso meeting).

Exit.

EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE PORK FESTIVAL LAWSUIT

RECESS for Lunch

2 hr. 8.5minute mark on cd  

4 minutes – 947 KB

File 10

RECYCLING MONTHLY MEETING

Tish Plaugher

Not reviewed but probably worth a listen.

2 hr. 35.5 minute mark on cd  

27 minutes – 6.18 MB

File 11

LANDFILL MONTHLY MEETING

John Jones & Randy Gilbert

Tonnage for August down compared to last year. Lowest since at least 2002.

2 hr.  37.8 Minute mark    On September 7, leachate began being pumped through the leachate force main to Lakengren.

As of that morning 344,000 + gallons had been pumped to Lakengren.

2 hr. 58 minute mark on cd  

22.31 minutes – 5.15 MB

File 12

Discussion on new buildings at Landfill.

Randy Gilbert

Discussion on topic, mentions discussions with David.

3 hr.  16 Minute mark   David Wesler

3 hr.  45 Minute mark   Randy Gilbert – need to move forward… not just a landfill building. .. Should anything like Goose Creek Crossing go forward in the future we're going to outpace John's ability to do the operation. We are going to have to hire an operator. I would like to have space in this building to work out of…. Had Goose Creek gone forward we would be getting close in the next year to needing an individual. Something like that could happen at any time at any place in the county.

Randy and Bob feel it is cheaper to build the extra room now rather than latter and Dave does not.

Dave – Why don't we build it for House Bill 592 right now? Double the size of the building and put a dozen offices in (sarcasm)? I'm just kidding.

Randy – We could handle a substantial increase in tonnage at the landfill without increasing personnel.

David – Amen

Randy thinks the landfill could handle anything they throw at us with two more people probably.

3 hr.  52 Minute mark   Randy – It would be ideal to advertise for construction bids – December – January. Because at that point then, by the time you hit March April, you've got the contract in place shop drawings reviewed. March and April time periods they can start in on the footings. Then by fall you are getting the building just about ready to move into… Hopefully you are finished up by the end of October November.

Bob – What kind of structure are we looking at?

Randy – Well the Maintenance building would be a prefab metal building, pre-engineered metal building… The administration building, I had it could be a pre engineered metal building a frame with a I would like to see a something very durable like a split face block facade. I'd like to see a minimum of six inch insulated wall space to make sure that it is very efficient energy wise and sealed up… needs to be rodent proof.. I know with block construction they don't come through that.

$457,000 on the admin building – give or take.

Connie mentions that with all the add-ons it was going up to $778,000.

4 hr.  1 minute mark on cd  

1 hr. 3 minutes – 14.4 MB

File 13

Commissioner Day – Ms. Crowell do you have anything additional?

Connie – We need to go into EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.

Exit. Possible employment…

Chris instructs Connie to prepare the proper documents and have them on the agenda for Wednesday.

________________________________________________________________________

4 hr.  2.5 Minute mark   Connie – Becky is coming in at 3:00 and Katie is coming down.

Discussion on size of landfill building discussed in 2000. 60×40 with two bays.

Chris asks if Katie is coming down. Becky Sorrell already in Chamber.

4 hr.  6 Minute mark    EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR IVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE  121.G1

Exit

Becky asks if she should watch for a job posting.

ADJOURN

4 hr. 8 minute mark on cd  

7 minutes – 1.6 MB