The August 4^th meeting of the Preble County Commissioners was short, it was not uneventful. While there were a few other issues covered the one of utmost interest to the economic future of Preble County took place at the end of the meeting. The discussion was over the by-laws and makeup of the newly minted Preble County Development Board. A refresher on the issue can be found in recent news articles here:

Register Herald: http://registerherald.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=128572&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&S=1

Pal Item: http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20107300320

A power struggle reared its ugly head at this meeting and I have transcribed much of it as accurately as I could. It should be read or better yet listened to by all interested parties and investors who have apparently dropped at least $15,000 each in this “pay to play” endeavor.

The recent mantra of both the Chamber PR team & the Preble County Commission has been to accentuate the “Positive” while ignoring the facts on the ground with regard to backstabbing and infighting that have characterized the dealings of both. The continued use of the word “Positive” shows up in Commission meetings and is spread across at least one website. The approach has been; let’s all be positive and anyone who points out obvious flaws is a negative influence, someone who needs “educated”.

The Preble County Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the creation of the Preble Development Board and the Chamber Director obviously had a prominent role in that happening.  The obvious intent of the County Commission is to now cut him out of the “Positive” partnership that was created.

Well boys this website is picked up and chronicled by search engines worldwide.  To any and all viewers; read, listen and draw your own conclusions.

Here is an online definition for Chamber of Commerce:

chamber of commerce

–noun

an association, primarily of people in business, to promote the commercial interests of an area. Abbreviation: C of C

Use Chamber of Commerce in a Sentence

See images of Chamber of Commerce

Search Chamber of Commerce on the Web

Origin:
1780–90

 

On May 18, of this year the Regional Sales Manager of the Fairfield Inn emailed a request to the Preble County Chamber of Commerce asking their Board to take a position against a the raising of a tax that would deliver both a price and marketing advantage to competitors located just across the line in Richmond, Indiana. Here is the pertinent part of the response emailed back to her: “Our Board of Directors has decided not to take a position on this issue. The opinions among the board members are too varied to reach a consensus.”

Take a look at the August 2, 2010 post for a review of Commission flaws.

 

Preble County, Ohio

County Commissioners

August 4, 2010

Meeting audio and review

All three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE JOURNALIZATION AND NOTE RECEIPT OF THE CD RECORDATION BOTH AS THE OFFICIAL MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 2ND REGULAR SESSION MEETING

End 3.22 minute mark on CD – 729KB

File 2

VII. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF (2) LETTERS FROM THE COUNTY AUDITOR

RE: CERTIFICATION OF ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GENERATED BY A 0.30 MILL RENEWAL LEVY & A 0.10 MILL ADDITIONAL LEVY – PREBLE CO. GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICT expected amount to be raised: $180,000 per year. The .1 mill is expected to bring in $75,500; this would be on top of the $180,000 which is a renewal that is based on a previous year. TOTAL $ $255,500.

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #409-10-146

RE: DECLARING IT NECESSARY TO LEVY A TAX IN EXCESS OF THE TEN MILL LIMITATION – 0.30 MILL RENEWAL LEVY & 0.10 MILL ADDITIONAL LEVY – PREBLE CO. GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICT

7.6 minute mark on cd  

4.15 minutes – 966KB

File 3

VIII. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A HELP WANTED AD

RE: CLERICAL SPECIALIST 4 – JFS – $9.85 per hour.

Zoning request Harrison Township.

10.4 minute mark on cd  

2.51 minutes – 699kb

File 4

Commissioner Stonecash – Anything else ma'am?

10.75 minute mark      Commissioner Wesler – I have that email about the southwest district commissioners and clerks' conference, did you see that?  August 9th down in Wilmington.

11.75 minute mark      John Krock in the room.

12.50 minute mark      Kim informs the commissioners they have nothing Monday afternoon but they do have an 11:30 with Scott Galloway.

13 minute mark      Chris Day thinks they should try and attend the 1:00 meeting in Wilmington. Galloway meeting moved to 11:00 a.m.

14.5 minute mark on cd  

4 minutes – 938kb

File 5

9:15 A.M. – JOHN KROCK & MARTY VOTEL (PERSONNEL)

EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE OF A COUNTY EMPLOYEE

No action taken

16.5 minute mark      Susan Connelly sp?? of Micro Film Department in chambers. Chris Day moves to approve resolution 410, Dave Wesler seconds.

18 minute mark      Commissioner Stonecash reads resolution removing her from records imaging technician effective August 5, 2010.

20 minute mark      Sheriff to be notified and certified mail notification. John Krock suggests having Sheriff serve her first.

Kim mentions "return receipt."

22 minute mark      Chris Day suggests having Joe serve her before she leaves building.

RECESS UNTIL 10:30 MEETING

24.75 minute mark on cd  

10.16 minutes – 2.35MB

File 6

10:30 A.M. – BECKY SORRELL (SOCIAL SERVICES SUPERVISOR II POSITION)

25.5 minute mark      EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EMPLOYMENT OF A COUNTY EMPLOYEE

No action taken

Commissioner Stonecash – From our conversations we are in agreement that Jeffrey Adkins is the preferred pick of three very good applications that we have been reviewing.

Commissioner Wesler moves to hire Jeffrey Adkins…

Commissioner Day – seconds

Motion to hire passes 3 – 0.

29.5 minute mark on cd  

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4.48 minutes – 1.09MB

File 7

Commissioner Stonecash – Alright, anything else Kim?

Kim – has nothing else.

30.5 minute mark      Decision to go to Wilmington on Monday.

31 minute mark      Commissioner Stonecash – "Do you have any update on the Preble County Developmental Partnership bylaws committee?"

Commissioner Day – The bylaws committee will meet tomorrow, hopefully we will hand out bylaws and on our Tuesday meeting ahh next Tuesday we hope the goal is to present those to the body, the Board for their adoption. And at that point in time ahhm once those are adopted ahh I think the Board should be reformed and I am assuming there will be all new appointments and ahh.

Commissioner Stonecash – at that time the committee will the advisory Board will then begin to function and the Chamber Executive Director will step back into his role as

Commissioner Day – "That is my assumption as one of the things that we are currently discussing. Ahhm the the ahh the roles of the economic development director and the Chamber Director. I ahh then then ahh here is my thought on it and you guys correct me if I am looking at this from the wrong angle because my position has been that both of those people are employees one of the Chamber and one of which will be the county and initially there was talk about these people sitting on the Board. They in my opinion cannot sit on the Board. They employees, they are working with direction from this Board. So everything that I have ever been a part of you need a clear separation of your Executive body and your employees so that if there becomes issues, that you can deal with those. Ahhm and that's been my position and that's the way I stated it. There seems to be a little confusion at this point and tomorrow's meeting I am assuming we are going to hammer this out. But ahh ahh one thought process was that that ahh that the Chamber Director would stay and be on the Board. To me that would be handled no differently than the Economic Development person ahh and I still in my heart believe there has got to be that separation. Ahh

Commissioner Stonecash – There's been some difficulties with his understanding from the Director (Matt Appenzeller).

Commissioner Day –  There has been to this point, I got an email back there that I meant to give you guys and I'll share it with you of some of the concerns. Ahh but I think tomorrow we will be able to hammer this out ahhh get this taken care of and then give this to the the ahh Partnership Board on Tuesday. I am assuming they will act on it, once that's acted on, the new Board according to the new by-laws, should be developed and that Board should start taking their role.

Commissioner Stonecash – Is there, will we have any advance glance at these by-laws so going in there we will know what they are?

Commissioner Day –  Ahm yeah they're supposed to go out I think by Friday. Ahh Dav..

Commissioner Stonecash – I'd like to see them before

Commissioner Day – Dave Daley sent me a copy. I just got it I haven't had a chance to look at it. I think he we're going to review them tomorrow, any changes hopefully we will get them finalized. He was hoping that he gets em any changes which should be minor done by Friday and emails that out to the current body which has been setting on the Board and been attending meetings. My hope would be then they would adopt that and then basically the Board would be I mean basically that scraps that Board. And the new Board will be formed according to the bylaws which there is two people from the county, two representatives from the county three representatives from the Chamber.

Commissioner Stonecash – One of ours being a member here and a Administrator?

Commissioner Day – It is not spelled out.

Commissioner Stonecash – It's not spelled out?

Commissioner Day – It is not spelled out. It's open.

Commissioner Stonecash – Ok

Commissioner Day – Ahhm I don't think..I think we took out all the stipulations because ahh the same with the city. You would appoint the city would appoint the city manager and or ahh

Commissioner Stonecash – a council member.

Commissioner Day – No, I wouldn't put a Council member on there. I would hope they would have the city manager and that works on the day to day operations. That would be my thought. You need people in there that are going to be your foot soldiers that know what is going on and the problem with getting ahh people that aren't engaged on the day to day things they may make a comment on something that is not always accurate. Ahh but ahh all the positions are spelled out trying to keep the Board, the structure to a minimum. It's got a minimum of 21 members right now and it looks like if depending on how this animal grows it could go as high as possibly 30.  Ahm one of the things that that is currently trying to be addressed, the initial selling point was that this was a pay to play deal but there is also some concern that you might get some small business owners that may not be able to contribute to the dollar amount that was initially ahh stated on there but you really want those people to come in. So we are trying to make some considerations.  So, here is a for instance; Say you get somebody that is very proactive in Downtown Eaton, you're getting businesses that move in but they don't have the resources plus the $15,000 or whatever I don't know the dollars off the top of my head, but you still want that person on the Board.

Commissioner Stonecash – Well and that is ok. That is an organization has some input. What if you have a business owner that doesn't contribute? That is on the Board now?

Commissioner Day – Well the way it is set up now it is a pay to play. So we are trying to take into consideration small business. That is one of the things that needs to be hammered out. Right, I understand and that is going to be addressed. Ahh but ahh I would hope that once these by-laws are adopted then the full Board would be filled and they would start acting as a Board as a body. Ahh based upon these by-laws.

Commissioner Stonecash – Good.

Commissioner Day –  The by-laws are fairly generic, tried to leave them open ended and I am sure as the time goes on they'll have to go in and be some changes or things made but ahh it will be a work in progress but we tried to leave it open enough where everybody has got flexibility to…

Commissioner Stonecash – It's a living document right?

Commissioner Day –  It should be yes.

Commissioner Stonecash – Well I know you guys have worked hard on that.

Commissioner Day –  I… I… Dave Daily and Marsha at the City have done most of the drafting. Dave has worked hard on it ahh myself and Dave have had several conversations on this trying to to get it to where it is at. And also try and educate the ahh the private sector on why we are having to do this. You know the private sector they don't need as many rules and guide lines as we do, so we are trying to make sure that we got everybody's interest covered. So..

Commissioner Wesler –  That's at 4:00 Tuesday.

Commissioner Day – 4:00

39.25 minute mark      Commissioner Stonecash – Ahh I think that is all. I have been reviewing the applications for Economic Development Director. I think we have some good applications. I know you guys are planning on looking at them so we can discuss them next week. And after we have done our preliminary, we will invite the Committee to we have narrowed them to.

Commissioner Day – Ahhm with that being said Bob I mean they ?? but ahh. I think we spoke about this the other day ahh the general idea is that we would get it down to a short list and then what he had shared with the Committee.. the Partnership was that then there would be a new team of the three of us ahh three people from the Board and probably one person from the city to go through the interview process. Is everybody ok with that?

Commissioner Stonecash – Yeah, I think that is what we agreed upon. You ok with that?

Commissioner Day – Ahm that being said do we want to try to get our shot list done by the end of next week? And possibility the week of the 16th try to ahh..

Commissioner Stonecash –  Have the Board or the group together?

Commissioner Day – Yes, they're asking for some dates. Ahh so if Tuesday if we can get them there with tentativly the week of the 16th ahhm with setting the meeting up is everybody ok with that?

Commissioner Stonecash –  Yeah, I'll work on that.

Commissioner Day – Pardon?

Commissioner Stonecash – I can work on that. You guys want an evening meeting or possibly during the afternoon or see when most of the people are available?

Commissioner Wesler – I think our Commission meetings in the afternoon or something like that.

Commissioner Stonecash – Lets shoot for ahh probably 2:00?

Commissioner Wesler – Probably just better let Connie set that up. Just tell her the week of the 16th if we could

Commissioner Stonecash – I think we need to communicate with ahh the other people and see when they might be available. I'll see I'll do does 2:00 suit you guys? On the 16th if there is a time issue.

Commissioner Wesler –  I am just not sure if she doesn't have something set up.

Kim – I have to go see what she has going on.

Commissioner Stonecash – I'll check with you after while but ahh the way we've been going if we have an afternoon problem, I think this is a priority. So we need to work our rest of the schedule around that probably. You guys agree or disagree?

Commissioner Wesler – I don't care.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

File 7A

Commissioner Day – Yeah that is fine. I guess the other part of that ahmm I think that we need to ahh relay on Tuesday to the full body is that ahhm the Board needs to be formed, the by-laws need to be approved. The Board formed before we hire anybody. Ahh so that so that everybody we got that hammered out and we know everybody is on the same page to move forward.

Commissioner Stonecash – That's important.

Commissioner Day – So that's my thoughts. I just think that all needs to be hammered out so that there is no ahh

Commissioner Stonecash – Well that is an important job.

Commissioner Day –  …there's just some assumptions made that have not been talked out. So..

Commissioner Wesler – They knew the rules going in.

Commissioner Day– Right, I guess that is my point David.

Commissioner Stonecash – This person needs to know who they're reporting to. That they are a county employee and the Board is an advisory Board. (Contrast with the statements in this article:http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20107300320 ) And that those people on the Board understand, particularly the one I am thinking of

Commissioner Day– And also ahmm I don't know your feelings but ahm but I don't believe that the Chamber Director should be a part of the interview process.  

Commissioner Stonecash – No I totally agree and he is not on that to begin with but I am sure he going to suggest that he is.

Commissioner Day– laughing I just..

Commissioner Stonecash –  And I will, maybe you already approached it I don't know but I will.

Commissioner Day – I've said my piece but I saying that I don't feel that ahh and here is why.

Commissioner Stonecash – He is an employee of the Chamber.

Commissioner Day – He's going to have to work with this individual and they're going to have to work as an equal. Ahmm and there's no supervisory ahh one way or the other.

Commissioner Stonecash – And in the past he even indicated that there needed to be that this ED director reported to and that is what he indicated he'd be the one well if anything he holds a lower position than this person. But as equals you are right they need to work as equals.

Commissioner Day – So that's another thing that I just wanted to bring to I am trying to bring all of this up so that as we go into that meeting that if any of these questions come up.. I hope we are all on the same page.

Commissioner Stonecash – Yep

Commissioner Day – And I guess do you guys agree that as I go into this meeting tomorrow that that ahh with a the philosophy that the Chamber person does not have a seat on the Board. Ok?

Commissioner Stonecash – Absolutely

Commissioner Day – That has been my position all along and ahh I'll share an email with you when we go back there.

Commissioner Stonecash – And the Chamber Board needs to be reorganized.

Commissioner Day – Yes

Commissioner Stonecash – They have too many Social people and not enough Business people.  At this time I would make a motion to ADJOURN.

46.25 minute mark on cd