The meeting began with the approval of the February 17th meeting minutes, claims, and payroll claims.
Todd Houk, Highway Department Superintendent stated that they are working on extra patching and road maintenance, grading and applying stone, and repairing where plow trucks went into ditches on personal property during snowstorms. Todd spoke about a field trip that occurred today were preschool through 6th grade students visited the Highway Department. Todd told the commissioners that he is moving forward with the new truck that was approved at the last commissioners meeting. Todd is working with Commissioner Gabe Nobbe to fix the concerns with the guard rail on 400 North.
Sean Durbin, Heath Department Executive Director received approval to have the new sign installed in front of the Annex Building with the request that the sign will be placed as close to the road as possible. This will not interfere with the plans for the proposed parking lot expansion. Sean provided a layout of the Community Garden that the Health Department received grant funding to design and implement. Sean provided data on the number of disease investigations that his team conducted. Sean added that with the Health First Indiana Funds provided funds for the health department to help 6,000 people which equates to $1.896 million dollars of savings in the three pillars that the funding outlines for those services provided and future costs down the road that they could have incurred had they not received that care.
The commissioners thanked the Health Department for their hard work and ability to help with the recent evacuation at Skybird Manor. Sean thanked Beverly Rivera, Washington Township Trustee, EMA, and several other agencies for working together.
Westport Town Council members Dolores Honeycutt and Jennifer Hryb attended the meeting to discuss concerns over the lack of Animal Control response. Dolores stated that they have no one to get the animals, nowhere to put the animals, or take care of the animals. She stated that while sitting in her car someone reached out to her about 20 cats being at someone’s home. Dolores said that she wants to figure this out and asked if they could start a new ordinance to help this situation.
County Attorney Chad Smith explained that Westport is its own municipality and therefore they have the right to create and enforce their own ordinances. Due to this Decatur County cannot enforce the ordinances that are set forth inside of their incorporated town. Jeremy Pasel added that the county has an agreement and financial commitment from the City of Greensburg for the county to provide animal control services to them. Jeremy stated that if Westport wanted to have the county provide animal control services, then this is what they would have to discuss with Westport.
Jennifer Hryb asked, “When did this change? Animal Control used to always come to Westport?” It was pointed out that this may have been the case but that legally this was not the way it should have been.
Dolores said that in 2022 the prior Westport Town Council rewrote and consolidated 9 ordinances down to their current animal control ordinance. She said that she has tried to meet with the Animal Control person, but nothing has materialized. She added that she knows that it is only one person that covers the entire county, and she is sure they are busy.
Commissioner Gabe Nobbe agreed to attend the Westport Town Council meeting to be able to answer questions while they make a decision to move forward.
The commissioners approved a county employee to mow the Fairgrounds, Highway Department, and the Annex using equipment that is already owned by the county. They voted to put the Courthouse mowing and landscaping out for bid to be available tomorrow and a deadline for sealed bids to be delivered to the Auditor’s office due by noon on March 13, 2025.
The commissioners voted to have Baker Tilly conduct an analysis to use up to 1.5 million dollars from edit funds to fund the READI 2.0 project for the fairgrounds that will ensure that using these funds will not negatively impact the county edit funds sustainability. When the project it was understood 1.2 million would be the Counties portion with a $800,000 private donor, sponsorship, and fundraising amount. Commissioner Jeremy Pasel would like for Baker Tilly to look at using 1.5 million just to have the buffer area.
The commissioners voted to remove/demolish the Optimist Booth only if it is absolutely necessary for the construction of the new building. If the building must be removed/demolished the commissioners are dedicated to rebuilding a structure in the same area for the Optimist. Jeremy stated that the demolition of the current Community Building will begin as soon as the asbestos is remediated. The commissioners also voted not to demolish the current Extension Office as previously planned. They commented that they will discuss the buildings future at a later date after the construction is completed of the new building.
The commissioners voted to sign the scoping agreement with GM Development for the project for the steel that is needed for the new building at the Fairgrounds. This agreement stated that due to tariffs the cost of the steel is going to increase 7% and that GM Development wanted approval to purchase the steel now before the cost increase and if for some reason the project stalled or was cancelled the county would reimburse GM Development for the steel and it would become property of the county.
Commissioner Jeremy Pasel urged all county departments to go to the Highway Department for your fuel needs for all county owned vehicles.
The commissioners voted to sign and submit a letter of support for the Decatur County Probation Department to submit for their funding for 2026 budgets and grants from the state.
The commissioners approved the testing that the City of Greensburg submitted of all PFAS and other chemicals that they have used per the ordinance that was recently passed. All testing results were well below the thresholds established.
Doug Westerfeld, Area Plan Director received approval to create a Selection Committee who will oversee the selection process for any contractors and/or engineering firms that are used as they review and update the Comprehensive Plan. Those committee members selected were Commissioner President Jeremy Pasel, Economic Development Director Bryan Robbins, Board of Zoning Appeals Rick Hoeing, County Councilman Rick Nobbe, Area Plan Commissioner Todd Mauer, Highway Department Assistant Superintendent Tim Ortman, and Area Plan Director Doug Westerfeld. Jeremy Pasel said that they would be selecting community members that will help review and make edits to the Comprehensive Plan in the near future.
