This meeting had the approval of the hiring of a second detective at the Sheriff’s Department.  All three commissioners agree on the need. This was a 2 – 1 vote with the condition being “that he (Sheriff) finds it within his budget but if he can’t he will come and request it from us.  Essentially the Sheriff was given the go ahead to start the process of having another detective without any current commission commitment of funds by the two approving votes of Commissioner Day & Creech.  Commissioner Robertson would like to see a budget on the expense of the proposed dispatch merger between the County and the City of Eaton.  While this merger has been discussed for a long time those figures have yet to become publically available but putting a new levy before the public to pay for it has been discussed and was mentioned again. There is a meeting next week that should address the cost of the merger.  At some point the Sheriff will probably be back in for a financial request as the expense for a full year was put at $70,000 and at that point it is probable that all three commissioners will vote again.

What I found most notable about this meeting is a possible conflict of interest or ethics conflict in a 2 – 1 vote on a travel request to send Commission President Chris Day to Washington D.C. for what has been known as the “Dayton Fly-in” of the Dayton Development Coalition.  Commissioner Creech & Commissioner Day voted in favor.  Commissioner Day attended this event in 2012 as Commission President along with then Economic Development Director Shawnda Combs. Shawnda went at the expense of the Preble County Development Partnership. Chris’s 2012 trip was paid for by the Preble County Taxpayer with Travel Resolution 276-12-155 on April 23, 2012 listen to File 4. The resolution was for an expense not to exceed $2,000 and passed with a 2 – 1 vote – Commissioner Stonecash & Wesler in favor as at that time Chris Day abstained. This was another 2 – 1 vote but Chris did not abstain and voted along with Commissioner Creech to send himself to Washington D.C.  at a taxpayer expense not to exceed $2,000.  Chris justified his attendance based on having met a person from the Warren County Port Authority of which Preble County eventually became part of.  Commissioner Robertson was President last year and chose not to attend based on the $2,000 cost to the taxpayer for a commissioner to attend a meeting in D.C. with people from Dayton. Preble County is a member of the Dayton Development Coalition and there are meetings during the year in Dayton.  My question is why was there an abstention in 2012 but not in 2015? 

Preble County, Ohio

County Commissioners

April 15, 2015

Meeting audio and review

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

3.52 minutes – 908 KB

File 2

HEALTH INSURANCE UPDATE – MCGOHAN BRABENDER/CEBCO

Meeting audio is provided but not reviewed.

37.75 minute mark on cd  

34.06 minutes – 7.8 MB

File 3

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

Connie – We received some information from the Board of Elections last Friday on a request that they will want funded in the next six months on a new voting and tabulation system. Costs given… Listen to the audio – Discussion on topic

43 Minute mark   Resolution 259 which appoints members to a loss control safety committee. Names read into record.

Resolution 258  appoints Melissa Reimers sp? to the Preble County Mental Health & Recovery Board.

Resolution 265 proclaims April 19 – 25 as National Crime Victims Rights Week in Preble County.

45.5 Minute mark   2015 Recycling bid recommendation. Awarded to Rumpke.

47 Minute mark   Rodney reports that the voting equipment has been used since 2006 – nine years.

Eagle Scout ceremony on Saturday.

47 Minute mark    Auditor has adopted the policy and procedures manual. Brian Butcher will meet with her on Friday with the eventual goal to be part of the Commission compensation plan. Good idea Lavon.  

51.25 Minute mark   Note receipt of a resolution from the Preble County Pork Festival. Expo building lease – Building becomes Preble County Commission's responsibility.  Listen to the audio – Discussion on topic

55.4 Minute mark   City of Eaton brought in their partnership agreement with the FY15 Community Housing Impact and Preservation program yesterday. Note receipt and approve by signing.

56.3 Minute mark   Received back the certificate from the Auditor on the Preble County District Libraries request. The one mill levy will generate $915,992.  Note receipt of letter.

59 minute mark on cd  

21.18 minutes – 4.87 MB

File 4

REVIEW OF FY15 CDBG REQUESTS

Meeting audio is provided but not reviewed.

1 hr.  25 minute mark on cd  

26 minutes – 5.95 MB

File 5

Sheriff's Request for another Detective

Discussion on topic   

The cost this year for the person is reported as up to $24,000 & $9,000 for radio.

Next year is reported at around $70,000

1 hr.  27 Minute mark   Commissioner Robertson asks if the Sheriff's department has the money in its budget. The answer given is not at this time as it is too unpredictable with the budget in April and no idea about unexpected the rest of the year. Listen to the audio.

Explanation on further expenses that will be incurred as current staff is promoted, shifted around and trained.

1 hr.  30.5 Minute mark   Commissioner Creech says he is 100% supportive.

Sheriff's representative states – Six Meth lab busts this year.

1 hr.  31.75 Minute mark    Commissioner Day spoke with Sheriff last night and he is supportive but would like to see him work within his budget. Mentions probable expense from Board of Elections. Chris agrees with need but would like to wait and see if the Sheriff has the money in his budget before transferring funds.

1 hr.  35.5 Minute mark    Commissioner Robertson mentions the uncertainty of the dispatch merger. There have been no projections put forward yet on costs or savings. No idea what the Sheriff's budget is going to be if there are not savings.

A meeting is to be held on the merger next Tuesday.

Chris Day – no short term saving for first couple of years and mentions the plan is to put the merger before the voters to approve (levy).

1 hr.  39 Minute mark   Rodney mentions having met with the Auditor to see if this is sustainable.

However, in cases http://respitecaresa.org/author/pgillispie/link purchase viagra online where traditional Ayurveda is still practiced, the patient is asked questions.

Chris Day – worst case scenario is that dispatch stays as is and we move on.  

Commissioner Robertson – if there are no cost savings then what is the point of doing the merger?

Chris Day – feels the biggest thing with the merger is to provide a better service for the residents.

Commissioner Robertson –  Aren't they getting good service now? Is there a problem with our 911 that I don't know about?

Chris Day – Duplication of efforts with some calls being transferred to one entity or another. He has said from day one there may never be a cost savings.

Rodney mentions the state is trying to reduce the number of PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points). Claims that if the county does not do it the state will make us do it.

Chris Day feels the state's goal is to get the PSAP's in the state down to 96 or 97.

1 hr.  51.25 Minute mark    Chris –  Motion to move ahead with support of position

Connie – and that he finds it within but if he can't he will have to come and request it from us.

Rodney supports the motion.

Denise seconds the motion.

Vote is 2 – 1 with Denise stating without budget projections from the Sheriff's office she votes no.

1 hr.  52.2 minute mark on cd  

27.10 minutes – 6.22 MB

File 6

Commissioner Day – Connie do you have anything else?

No

Chris attended the energy meeting on Monday. He is now on the Executive Committee.

Listen to the audio – Discussion on topic.

1 hr.  57.25 minute mark on cd  

5.04 minutes – 1.15 MB

File 7

QUARTERLY CVB UPDATE

Listen to the audio – A fairly good meeting but I am tired of typing.

Changing entire website. This could be a good thing.  

2 hr.  1 Minute mark   Steve Simmons working on a new map for covered bridges.  

2 hr.  9.75  Minute mark    Question on the mandating of Board members. Connie reports three current openings. CVB can recommend representatives.

2 hr. 15.25 minute mark on cd  

17.48 minutes – 4.07 MB

File 8

LEEDY DITCH #860 & RUNYON DITCH #895 6-YR. REVIEW

Meeting audio is provided but not reviewed.

The ending of this meeting did sound like it might be worth a listen. I just don't have the time.

2 hr.  39 minute mark on cd  

23.31 minutes – 5.38 MB

File 9

After previous meeting discussion – some of these guys are evidently neighbors of Rodney.

Interesting discussions. One involves a previous zoning issue where a resident claimed he was getting old and wanted to down size and create a separate lot on his property to build a home to retire in. As reported here the lot is now for sale. The gentleman telling the story appears to feels that selling the parcel was the real intent.  A second issue involving manure hauling in the winter time, zoning and shots fired over manure hauling.  Gentleman taking issue with Chris Day allowing houses to be built in areas where he feels they should not be built. Entertaining exchange.

2 hr.  44.6 minute mark on cd  

5.39 minutes – 1.29 MB

File 10

Connie – We have one more item travel for Chris Day to the Community Leader program with the Dayton Development Coalition.

In the past the President of the Board has attended.

Last year Commissioner Robertson did not attend to fly to Washington D.C. to meet people from our area. They should come to us.

Connie reports that it is May 11 -13 at a cost not to exceed $2,000.

Resolution 268

Commissioner Day has been there once before and I understand what Denise is saying but also thinks the county benefit by making contacts.  Mentions having met people from the Warren County Port Authority in D.C.

Commissioner Robertson feels there is no need to fly to Washington D.C. to meet people from Warren County.

Passes with a 2 -1 vote.  Regardless of whether the trip is of benefit to Preble County it seem to me to be conflict of interest for a commissioner to vote to send himself to Washington D.C. on the justification that he previously met someone from Warren County there. I feel the commissioner scheduled to make a possible $2,000 trip should have abstained.

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ADJOURN

2 hr.  48.2 minute mark on cd  

3.31 minutes – 826 KB