Commissioner Meeting Notes, Feb 15, 2023.  Efficient meeting – about 30 minutes.

Audio of the meeting – 34 minutes. 

Courthouse Additions – Sally Port and Security Entrance.  Five bids were received.  The low bid was $1,060,277.  The county only received one bid previously at a total of $1.2 million. The county identified available funding at 500K and the commissioners had asked the council that a loan be taken out.  Stay tuned.

Music Center Future.  Ron Sanders raised the topic of holding public meetings to discuss selling the Music Center – an issue he identified in his campaign.  Commissioner Pittman and Auditor Reeves shared their opinions as to why selling the venue would not be a good idea.

Music Center – Administration. Commissioners Pittman is the new commissioner rep on the management board. He is following up on questions I asked regarding the Save-Your-Seat program and the Admin Agreement that allows non-elected officials to determine how revenue from a government-owned and operated facility will be spent.  No evidence has been presented that there was no vote by the commissioners or council to approve the Admin Agreement.

County Comprehensive Financial Plan.  Commissioners will be discussing the value of continuing to fund this plan at their next meeting.  The justification has been that it supports the county’s ability to borrow money at the lowest rates.  Other than the introduction of the updated plan, it has not been referenced as a useful product by the commissioners or council. An update was not used at the last year’s budget hearings.

Road Paving Costs.  The cost per mile has increased from 87K in 2016, 98K in 2018 to 152K in 2022 and 2023.

Road and Bridge Plans. Paving Plan. Road Improvement Plan (not updated with the 2026 plan briefed in Oct 2022) available at the following: https://www.browncounty-in.gov/262/Road-Improvement-Plan.  Additional information on the status of roads and bridges (does not include 2022 results yet, available at the following: LTAP Asset Management.

2023+ Topics of Interest.  2023 Topics of Interest County Govt