[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6315174,"mediaKeyId","2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427","parentId",2381076,"title","Votes at a glance: Monroe County commissioners approve claims, contracts, easements and several project supplements (Feb. 20, 2025)","audioSeconds",80,"startMs",576000,"endMs",656000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427&start=576&end=656","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427/thumbnail_576000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6315174/Monroe-County/Indiana/Votes-at-a-glance-Monroe-County-commissioners-approve-claims-contracts-easements-and-several-project-supplements-Feb-20-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6315174-7020fe6d4bd31239c573d81685ca08fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639108&Signature=GJde9Ow54fgX1js19lDkxMPlu0W18MxxZhJgR9tw0XwQS8QMO3~GrIUgCDiIL2MPMyYL0DTNtViU0fNJGnBQ-S9N2B8H2YfkWlyicLIRWIstjeSUT-AV1pBgex~54fZTZOEmyRlTo86KXXhm2sHoEiKAXPYRzAo1-zVO4Bg0~zbAnAaYM-9dPIDt9mnvYmBdlrUakWYkbDgF5AaVjY54g-58yaJafkyPWxHZOt8Q1OCRWE0FDjMzmXNz374JYiQxdmMfx8B-zlzBX9XQJWbTvVqjuHacWcI0hoNeGrb97K6MbkZfONbMy79W032BYxUAsgxX9jElpuXc8-TgdpFMMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Monroe County IN","date","2025-02-21T15:36:25Z","article","The Monroe County Board of Commissioners recorded unanimous votes (3-0) on Feb. 20 to approve a series of routine and project-specific items. Key actions approved during the meeting are summarized below. Items are listed in abbreviated form; amounts and fund sources follow the descriptions provided at the meeting.

- Approval of minutes (02/06/2025): Motion to approve meeting minutes carried 3-0.

- Claims docket: Approved accounts payable claims docket for 02/20/2025 (reported at $10,601,037.32) and payroll docket for 02/21/2025 (reported at $2,270,423.83 total: direct costs $1,590,946.26 plus indirect $679,477.57). Motion carried 3-0.

- Midwest Presort agreement (Form 11 mailing): Approved agreement for annual Form 11 mailing for reassessment notices, fund number 1224, not to exceed $45,000. Motion carried 3-0. County assessor Judy Sharp noted the vendor has performed the service for many years and that the county posts information online for taxpayers if mailed notices are delayed.

- ERS wireless agreement — outdoor siren replacements: Approved Phase 2 replacement of four outdoor sirens (remaining from an originally identified set of five) using Geobond fund number 4819 in the amount of $160,500.22. Motion carried 3-0. Presenters said the contractor will remove and recycle old equipment and install new sirens at four locations, including the Monroe Fire Protection District Station 25 and the Monroe County Fairgrounds.

- Harold Fish, Inc. — sewer line repair at Youth Services Bureau: Approved repair work to excavate and repair a connection to the main sewer line at the Monroe County Youth Services Bureau, cumulative capital fund number 1138, amount $4,375. Motion carried 3-0; county maintenance staff said the span had caused a sewer backup in January.

- Permanent sewer easement to City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) at Karst Farm Park East; acknowledgment of encroachment at Karst Farm Park West: Approved granting a permanent easement for an existing sewer line and acknowledging a planned encroachment on a separate easement for a soccer field project; motion carried 3-0.

- 2024 OSHA 300 report: Approved the 2024 OSHA 300 report. County staff reported a slight trend in slip-and-fall incidents and said they will work with the county’s workers’ comp insurer (IPEP) on trainings and mapping incidents by department and location. Motion carried 3-0.

- Resiliency practice contract renewal (specialized therapy services for corrections and sheriff staff): Approved renewal from self-insurance fund number 4700 in the amount of $10,000 for trauma-informed counseling services for corrections and sheriff’s department staff. Motion carried 3-0.

- Settlement agreement regarding 401 W. Seventh Street (former Johnson Hardware building): Approved settlement to close an environmental matter tied to a neighboring dry-cleaner; agreement includes an environmental restrictive covenant and monitoring access; motion carried 3-0.

- Ordinance 2025-07 (Chapter 2.25 amendment regarding environmental commission/resiliency): Approved (see separate article). Motion carried 3-0.

- MOU with Financial Solutions Group: Approved a memorandum of understanding for financial consulting and two-year monitoring of relevant state legislation; fund general, amount not to exceed $28,000. Motion carried 3-0.

- Aegis BLN USA Inc. supplemental number 1 — Baby Creek Road (Bridge No. 629): Two supplemental approvals tied to right-of-way engineering and right-of-way services for the federal-aid bridge replacement project on Baby Creek Road (supplemental amounts reported during the meeting as $21,700 and $11,710 respectively). Both motions carried 3-0.

- Lochmueller Group Inc. — Fairfax Road Safety Improvement: Approved consultant contract for safety improvements including high-friction surface treatments, funded with HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) funds at 90% federal / 10% local match; contract amount $49,150; project completion targeted by end of 2026. Motion carried 3-0.

- Revised Beam Long SNF supplemental number 2 — countywide bridge inspections: Approved a corrected supplemental to a previously approved contract to align tables and amounts before NDOT submittal; cumulative bridge fund number 1135; amount $32,555.40 (revised to a slightly lower cost than previously approved). Motion carried 3-0.

All items on the claims and contract list were approved by unanimous vote; where presenters noted statutory deadlines or funding splits, those details were recorded in staff presentations.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Monroe County Commissioners, February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 20 meeting the Monroe County Board of Commissioners approved routine minutes and claims, contracts for mailing and road and bridge work, emergency management and resiliency contracts, a settlement agreement, and several supplemental engineering contracts; all recorded motions passed unanimously (3-0).","taxTitle","Monroe County, Indiana","taxId",3534,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6315179,"County surveyor proposes HELP program to train and retain survey technicians using Vincennes University credits",268,198000,466000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427&start=198&end=466","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427/thumbnail_198000.jpg","/articles/6315179/Monroe-County/Indiana/County-surveyor-proposes-HELP-program-to-train-and-retain-survey-technicians-using-Vincennes-University-credits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6315179-c45d4417c19347da2ded49cfa44fb6bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639108&Signature=ICM6O541jDTRRjpcxGVqoHwuBVoHiI2krzEMbpGmvLlG9-s7G0FZWZz90tB02ygh6aSH1sDxgbVLST~weleiCKyq-yVL5empyvqICJUdKM3kfC8GiTTr~eZQ8HPB48tKtn52gPExJOY0FnKuRS9ou~Gkh7M9r3uLInNiHeTtvtlQOlsGKBlpjBIMO~me5rRM94nLDho4SnwyyTjkSv8EIevlrPuR3EzioFYKb53RjBK2Ht0~xUO86nUScqBiF-RCZswBpu71uFLedxvLvsEjtx4jxoCepLZi8ZlNrGTxeAPxrhLLXHuteR0yflUqKyPntvcUvHMEOn5O4rwvUI72Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Monroe County surveyor described a proposed Higher Education Longevity Program (HELP) on Feb. 20 to recruit, train and retain entry-level survey technicians by funding coursework tied to licensing and requiring participants to remain with the office for a set period after completing classes.

Program details: The HELP proposal calls for employees to enroll in a hybrid program at Vincennes University to earn credits toward a licensing exam. The county surveyor said the agreement would include a sliding-scale reimbursement: if an employee leaves before two years of employment following their final class, a portion of tuition would be repaid. The surveyor said tuition and fees would be paid from the surveyor perpetuation fund or a designated council-approved fund; legal review has been completed with county counsel and Mr. Schilling.

Why it matters: The surveyor told commissioners the office has struggled to attract applicants with surveying experience and that training entry-level staff is costly and time-consuming. The program is modeled on a similar initiative in Marion County that received an American Institute of County (AIC) award in 2023. The surveyor said increasing trained field staff would raise productivity, allow more independent field work by technicians and improve the office’s ability to produce monument records and modern surveys.

Equipment and productivity: The surveyor highlighted the value of survey-grade equipment (a Javad receiver) and said greater staff training would increase the utility of existing equipment and improve turnaround on survey products.

Next steps: The surveyor offered to share a short Marion County video and to provide additional materials upon request. Commissioners thanked the presenter and asked that the item continue through any required administrative review processes.

","Monroe County Surveyor presented a Higher Education Longevity Program (HELP) to subsidize classroom and licensing education for entry-level survey technicians, funded from the surveyor perpetuation fund and conditioned on multi-year service commitments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6315182,"Monroe County amends environmental commission to include resiliency focus and staff members",394,2519000,2913000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427&start=2519&end=2913","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427/thumbnail_2519000.jpg","/articles/6315182/Monroe-County/Indiana/Monroe-County-amends-environmental-commission-to-include-resiliency-focus-and-staff-members","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6315182-86c6758703454ab4dc6338b62b55be0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639108&Signature=Tufx3LZ33kSQlBH3-lBDs1gUfrMxZDR49EgKIxje9vxL3yiYeaejFPVulLDRpYI1GIZV4TyCdwY01XXM8vHUuFbBtsr8d93r7XhWJJ8mWsPhRn9G8Pap-fXf5VLbjYs4wi2GHDq2FaOo53PZmiGBHAAFvjjmWUZ3OOj33enq38F~zqp7e1cWr5sk3mDc1EoYAJC0pUh9dReBnSOPOJNJDIgGPgc5X6SGQSCGwknyuEnMaPAhWgzH6gtxO5R6L5ZerpWBgQG6zGH5JYSqitUO8c2QnYkoKAN43dEPzPPaXylCnVTKWhss2f9QOdSR3oEAxtmew8WwOa5JaWcqR7b4Pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on Feb. 20 to adopt Ordinance 2025-07, amending Chapter 2.25 of the county code to expand the environmental commission’s membership and add a formal resiliency focus.

The ordinance revises membership rules to create a nine-member body that includes four designated county staff positions, two citizen appointments by the commissioners and one citizen appointment by the county council, plus seats for a commissioner and a council representative. County counsel said the change is intended to reduce quorum issues, allow staff-level discussion without triggering quorum restrictions, and to provide guidance on county projects with a resiliency lens.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the change will help the county implement findings in a forthcoming climate resiliency report and make county projects more resilient to flooding, drought and other changing conditions. \"This is based on what's called a living document, so it will be revised as time goes on,\" County Counsel Cockrell told the board. Commissioner Madera said the commission will add needed breadth to local environmental planning, and Commissioner Jones said it positions the county to anticipate and prepare for future change.

Public comment and collaboration: Christopher (Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce) spoke during public comment to commend the interagency cooperation and urged continued collaboration between county and city agencies. Another commenter, Mr. Amge, encouraged county-city cooperation on shared resources and flood planning. Commissioners noted contact from the city's sustainability director indicating interest in collaboration.

Outcome and next steps: The ordinance passed on a unanimous vote (3-0). County staff said they will implement the membership changes and that commissioners will preview a climate resiliency report at the board’s next meeting.

","The board approved Ordinance 2025-07 to revise Chapter 2.25 of county code, expanding membership and adding staff representatives to the environmental commission to form a county resiliency focus; the board said the change will help coordinate county infrastructure and climate-related planning.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6315185,"Monroe County commissioners unanimously adopt resolution opposing Indiana Senate Bill 1, citing multimillion-dollar revenue shortfalls",491,728000,1219000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427&start=728&end=1219","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2381076-7d843cea8e469ffe8b0a9484f482b427/thumbnail_728000.jpg","/articles/6315185/Monroe-County/Indiana/Monroe-County-commissioners-unanimously-adopt-resolution-opposing-Indiana-Senate-Bill-1-citing-multimillion-dollar-revenue-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6315185-3669443704ed71cf9627a38664fc291e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639108&Signature=MvbpGBPo4OeWH4tuEoxWO3EjUk0bcVtwBHHhQEAGUeZqN07MzBOneJaa9o4XSN~JdQ9Mf4qNOQBaWb6vN0am7~6yHX34yJ0eC5JXWQyC3MmNJX2fUNe36Q1ap031saQawlPie0otXH8tZj3uQpdb8-aqmGtAI1vCHchQy98d5-HdvTcvnIVYRMMrAiBbIYRxPLQYkMbGHhOt9uKgzoyE4P~m2PWUXa10XzCUoi2TUgp9ITHQULXI5a3BcdB-mSrDbOyvsz1r3LPyXAXywl0dtoma50Vo7RKzZk~Ff8XvSYPo6TuWh6qnFzukWsMXrBMCe6W~dHsnQO559FLTjoTH5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on Feb. 20 to adopt Resolution 2025-05 formally opposing Indiana Senate Bill 1, a proposal county staff and the commissioners said would reduce local property-tax revenues and constrain local government flexibility.

The resolution, authored for the board by Commissioner Madera, says SB 1 would alter homestead deductions, property-tax credits and timing of referendums and projects, and projects multi-year shortfalls for Monroe County. The board resolved to urge the Indiana General Assembly to reconsider or amend the bill and to request state-level revenue provisions to limit harm to local governments; it directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the governor and to state legislators.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the projected loss of property-tax revenue could threaten essential services and infrastructure and shift difficult tax decisions from state to local governments. \"Counties that people live in are going to have to drop measures that are critical not only to public health, safety and welfare, but also to maintaining the quality of life that draws individuals to these counties,\" Commissioner Madera said. \"We're going to be much less able to respond to emergencies. This is going to have effects on every citizen in Indiana,\" Commissioner Jones added.

Board discussion and detail: The resolution text presented to the board lists projected county revenue shortfalls in the coming years; the board framed those figures as the basis for opposition and as evidence that SB 1 would force either deep service cuts or new local revenue measures. Commissioners emphasized the need for alternative approaches that preserve both tax relief goals and local service capacity. The resolution also urges the Legislature not to impose steep caps on the maximum levy growth quotient, which limits how much property taxes may increase year to year.

Outcome and next steps: The resolution was adopted by unanimous roll-call shorthand (motion carried 3-0). The board will forward the resolution to the governor and to members of the Indiana General Assembly as indicated in the resolution text.

","The Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 20 approved Resolution 2025-05 opposing Indiana Senate Bill 1, saying the bill would sharply reduce local property-tax revenue and hamper county services; the resolution will be sent to the governor and state legislators.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Monroe County commissioners approve claims, contracts, easements and several project supplements (Feb. 20, 2025)

County surveyor proposes HELP program to train and retain survey technicians using Vincennes University credits

Monroe County amends environmental commission to include resiliency focus and staff members

Monroe County commissioners unanimously adopt resolution opposing Indiana Senate Bill 1, citing multimillion-dollar revenue shortfalls