The Decatur County Council met on March 19, 2024, at 9:00 am.
The February Council Meeting and Special Session Meeting Minutes were approved.
The Council voted to start the process that is required so that they can reduce the Special Purpose Jail Tax from 0.65% to 0.60%. Danny Peters, Council President said that they must advertise, and hold a public meeting. The Public Hearing will be at the next April County Council Meeting on April 16, 2024, to begin at 9:05 am.
Don Schilling, President of the Decatur County Redevelopment Commission attended the meeting and provided an annual report for 2023 for the TIF Management Report. The representative stated that this is the report for the State Gateway system. This report is for the County Redevelopment. During 2023 most of their investments in the district went towards the Decatur County Highway Garage. Currently, there are 2.7 million dollars in the account with a projected annual income of 2 million dollars. To utilize these funds the project must be a project that has been outlined as something the funds can complete and also the project must provide a benefit to those within the Honda TIF District. This bond ends in 2032.
Danny Peters, Council President stated that the Council members need to create an ordinance to allow them to split their investments so that the interest earned goes back into the same account as the funds that were used to earn the interest. At this time the current investment plan states that all interest earned regardless of where those funds come from must go into the county general. Deanna Burkart, Council Member did point out that ARPA is invested separately then their other investments and earns interest separately.
The council approved all additions and transfers.
The Food and Beverage Tax was brought up at the meeting. A vote was taken to table the F&B Tax indefinitely with Deanna Burkart, Bill Metz, Kenny Hooten, Ashley Hungate, and Ernie Gauck to table it and Melanie Nobbe voting not to table the F&B indefinitely. The F&B Tax has been tabled indefinitely. Kenny Hooten said he felt that the F&B tax could be used to do much-needed upgrades at the fairgrounds at a later date. Adding it is better to know that it is available instead of just voting it down.
Sheriff Bill Meyerrose provided the 2023 Annual Report for the Jail and the Sheriff’s Department to all Council Members.
Dr. Howell told all attendees that the Decatur County Health Department has Eclipse Glasses available free of charge for anyone who would like them.
The meeting was adjourned.
