Commissioners OK Public Works Ordinance, Support Letter For Renaming Section Of Ind. 13
June 20, 2023 at 8:54 p.m.
Commissioners OK Public Works Ordinance, Support Letter For Renaming Section Of Ind. 13
By David L. Slone-
Previously, the limit allowed by state code was $150,000.
County attorney Ed Ormsby presented the ordinance regarding public work projects less than $250,000.
Reading part of the ordinance, Ormsby said, “Indiana Code 36-1-12-3 states that the board may ‘perform any public work, by means of its own workforce, without awarding a contract whenever the cost of that public work project is estimated to be less than $250,000.’ The board believes that it is in the best interests of the county and the public that it serves to authorize the highway department and other departments of the county to use its own workforce for public work projects that are less than $250,000.”
The ordinance states the highway department and other county departments may use its own workforce for public work projects that are less than $250,000, and that the departments shall comply with Indiana code and other applicable laws regarding public work projects.
The effective date of the ordinance is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, or as of the date of passage when a retroactive date is not otherwise allowed by a rule of law.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said the highway department does a great job of maintaining the roads, and the ordinance will allow the department to do additional work. He made a motion to pass the ordinance, with Commissioner Bob Conley seconding the motion. It passed 3-0.
Commissioner Brad Jackson said the county lobbied for a lot of years to try to get the amount bumped up. He said Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty went down to Indianapolis to testify, “so a lot of work went into this. So, thank you, Steve.”
Conley said, “We just heard this morning: The contracted price for a mile for asphalt is $160,000-some. We can do it for $120,000. So each mile that we pave by doing it ourselves, we save $40,000. This is a good ordinance.”
Jackson said the change in the amount from $150,000 to $250,000 was something the county had to lobby the state for to change.
“If it was up to us, we’d just do what we want to do and feel we can, and contract out what we can’t,” he said.
Conley said, “Oftentimes, we’d be paving a road and have to stop because you met the limit when the rest of the road needed paved and you’re there. You have the supplies and equipment, but you couldn’t do it because of this ordinance. It kept you from finishing projects that needed finished, so this will curtail all of that.”
Area Plan Director Matt Sandy presented a request from Indiana State Sen. Mike Bohacek’s office for a letter of support to rename a section of Ind. 13 in honor of Benjamin Fisher in the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
Fisher was a Traffic Control Specialists Inc. worker who was killed July 26, 2019, on Ind. 13 near Waco Drive by Joshua E. Ratliff, of North Webster. Ratliff was driving a 2000 Ford F150 south on Ind. 13, north of Fisher’s location, when Ratliff hit Fisher, throwing him into the driver’s side of the work truck and killing him. Toxicology reports revealed Ratliff had ingested methamphetamine prior to the crash, according to a Dec. 2, 2020, Times-Union story.
Ratliff was sentenced to seven years in prison on Dec. 2, 2020.
“Senator Bohacek has reached out to the county, looking at proposing a bill next session, to rename a portion of State Road 13 in honor of (Fisher). It will just be a memorial, essentially. It won’t actually be an official road name change, so it won’t impact addressing or anything of that nature, but it’s to recognize him,” Sandy said.
It will just be signage.
“What they’re looking for is local support,” Sandy said. “I know I talked to Brad and our biggest concern is that we want to make sure we’re not negatively impacting any of the owners along that stretch.”
Groninger made the motion to provide a support letter, Conley seconded it and it was approved 3-0.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer’s request to spend $37,127.71 to update 30 county computers. Forty computers were updated in 2022. Momeyer said the money was in his budget.
• Approved a contract with Reedy Financial Group for financial services, as requested by county administrator Marsha McSherry and County Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger. The county council heard a half hour presentation from Reedy at their June 8 meeting and approved going forward with the financial advisers. The cost will be pro-rated for the remainder of 2023, with Reedy’s annual charge being $60,000 for a year. The county can renew the contract for 2024 if it desires at the full amount.
• Approved the 2024 calendar for county holidays and commissioners meetings, as presented by County Auditor Rhonda Helser. There are 12 holidays included.
• Approved the May 23 special meeting and June 6 regular meeting minutes, July 3 claims and payroll and the June 23 claims and payroll.
• Approved the vacation of a 16-1/2-foot alley on the west side of Atwood as presented by Sandy and requested by property owner Blake Palmer. The property was rezoned in May. The Area Plan Commission unanimously approved a favorable recommendation to vacate the alley, Sandy said. Palmer said he wanted to vacate the alley so his properties could be joined as one. He said the alley hasn’t been used for years.
There were no remonstrators.
• Announced the next commissioners meeting will be at 9 a.m. July 5.
Previously, the limit allowed by state code was $150,000.
County attorney Ed Ormsby presented the ordinance regarding public work projects less than $250,000.
Reading part of the ordinance, Ormsby said, “Indiana Code 36-1-12-3 states that the board may ‘perform any public work, by means of its own workforce, without awarding a contract whenever the cost of that public work project is estimated to be less than $250,000.’ The board believes that it is in the best interests of the county and the public that it serves to authorize the highway department and other departments of the county to use its own workforce for public work projects that are less than $250,000.”
The ordinance states the highway department and other county departments may use its own workforce for public work projects that are less than $250,000, and that the departments shall comply with Indiana code and other applicable laws regarding public work projects.
The effective date of the ordinance is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, or as of the date of passage when a retroactive date is not otherwise allowed by a rule of law.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said the highway department does a great job of maintaining the roads, and the ordinance will allow the department to do additional work. He made a motion to pass the ordinance, with Commissioner Bob Conley seconding the motion. It passed 3-0.
Commissioner Brad Jackson said the county lobbied for a lot of years to try to get the amount bumped up. He said Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty went down to Indianapolis to testify, “so a lot of work went into this. So, thank you, Steve.”
Conley said, “We just heard this morning: The contracted price for a mile for asphalt is $160,000-some. We can do it for $120,000. So each mile that we pave by doing it ourselves, we save $40,000. This is a good ordinance.”
Jackson said the change in the amount from $150,000 to $250,000 was something the county had to lobby the state for to change.
“If it was up to us, we’d just do what we want to do and feel we can, and contract out what we can’t,” he said.
Conley said, “Oftentimes, we’d be paving a road and have to stop because you met the limit when the rest of the road needed paved and you’re there. You have the supplies and equipment, but you couldn’t do it because of this ordinance. It kept you from finishing projects that needed finished, so this will curtail all of that.”
Area Plan Director Matt Sandy presented a request from Indiana State Sen. Mike Bohacek’s office for a letter of support to rename a section of Ind. 13 in honor of Benjamin Fisher in the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
Fisher was a Traffic Control Specialists Inc. worker who was killed July 26, 2019, on Ind. 13 near Waco Drive by Joshua E. Ratliff, of North Webster. Ratliff was driving a 2000 Ford F150 south on Ind. 13, north of Fisher’s location, when Ratliff hit Fisher, throwing him into the driver’s side of the work truck and killing him. Toxicology reports revealed Ratliff had ingested methamphetamine prior to the crash, according to a Dec. 2, 2020, Times-Union story.
Ratliff was sentenced to seven years in prison on Dec. 2, 2020.
“Senator Bohacek has reached out to the county, looking at proposing a bill next session, to rename a portion of State Road 13 in honor of (Fisher). It will just be a memorial, essentially. It won’t actually be an official road name change, so it won’t impact addressing or anything of that nature, but it’s to recognize him,” Sandy said.
It will just be signage.
“What they’re looking for is local support,” Sandy said. “I know I talked to Brad and our biggest concern is that we want to make sure we’re not negatively impacting any of the owners along that stretch.”
Groninger made the motion to provide a support letter, Conley seconded it and it was approved 3-0.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer’s request to spend $37,127.71 to update 30 county computers. Forty computers were updated in 2022. Momeyer said the money was in his budget.
• Approved a contract with Reedy Financial Group for financial services, as requested by county administrator Marsha McSherry and County Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger. The county council heard a half hour presentation from Reedy at their June 8 meeting and approved going forward with the financial advisers. The cost will be pro-rated for the remainder of 2023, with Reedy’s annual charge being $60,000 for a year. The county can renew the contract for 2024 if it desires at the full amount.
• Approved the 2024 calendar for county holidays and commissioners meetings, as presented by County Auditor Rhonda Helser. There are 12 holidays included.
• Approved the May 23 special meeting and June 6 regular meeting minutes, July 3 claims and payroll and the June 23 claims and payroll.
• Approved the vacation of a 16-1/2-foot alley on the west side of Atwood as presented by Sandy and requested by property owner Blake Palmer. The property was rezoned in May. The Area Plan Commission unanimously approved a favorable recommendation to vacate the alley, Sandy said. Palmer said he wanted to vacate the alley so his properties could be joined as one. He said the alley hasn’t been used for years.
There were no remonstrators.
• Announced the next commissioners meeting will be at 9 a.m. July 5.
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