Decatur County commissioners approve SRI tax-certificate contract, $3.9M pool contract and other routine measures
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Summary
The Decatur County board approved a series of routine and project-specific measures, including a contract with SRI for tax-certificate management, a $3.9 million pool construction contract with Blue Escapes, selection of a tornado-siren maintenance vendor, and several appointments and payroll/claims approvals.
Decatur County commissioners approved a package of contracts, appointments and routine business at a meeting in early January 2026, moving the county forward on a tax-certificate sale contract, a pool reconstruction project and emergency equipment maintenance.
The board voted to approve a contract with SRI to manage the county's tax-certificate sale and passed a resolution authorizing the agreement. Commissioners also set a $100 minimum for tax-certificate bidding, with the stated primary goal of returning properties to the tax rolls.
The most substantial construction action was approval of a contract with Blue Escapes to renovate and rebuild the county pool. Blue Escapes representative Bill Blotcher described the contract scope as a complete renovation — new pool, slides, fencing, concrete deck work, beach-entry features and a UV sterilization system — and said the contract portion before the board totaled $3,900,000; project-side furnishings and additional items were estimated separately and the total project had been earlier estimated at about $4.5 million.
Mike Snyder of the county's EMA briefed the commissioners on tornado-siren maintenance bids and the board voted to hire a Carolina-based vendor because of cost savings and compatibility with the county's existing siren brand.
Other routine actions included approval of meeting minutes from Dec. 15, claims and two payroll runs (listed in meeting materials as $417,533.33 for 12/19/2025 and $430,926.42 for 01/02/2026), and board appointments: the APC vacancy was filled and Brian (last name not specified in the transcript) was reappointed to the Southeast Indiana Regional Planning Commission (SERPC).
Votes at a glance - Approval of Dec. 15 minutes: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Claims approval: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Payroll approval (12/19/2025 $417,533.33; 01/02/2026 $430,926.42): motion moved, seconded, carried. - Community Action Coalition grants: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Award tornado-siren maintenance to Carolina-based vendor: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Contract with SRI (tax-certificate sale) and corresponding resolution: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Minimum tax-certificate bid threshold set at $100: motion moved, seconded, carried. - Pool construction contract with Blue Escapes ($3,900,000): motion moved, seconded, carried. - APC appointment and SERPC reappointment: motions moved, seconded, carried.
What it means The SRI contract and resolution set the administration framework for upcoming tax-certificate sales intended to return delinquent properties to productive use; the $100 minimum bid decision reflects a local balance between price and the practical goal of returning property to the tax rolls. The pool contract commits the county to a multi-million-dollar capital project in 2026, with additional furnishings and contingency costs outside the contract amount discussed in the presentation. Selection of a siren-maintenance vendor updates emergency operations outsourcing for the county.
The board indicated staff will follow up on schedule and permitting for the pool project and work with the auditor's office regarding timeline and public notice for the tax sale. Several items were informational or set for later action (for example, the vacating-of-right-of-way petition was set for a second reading on 02/02/2026).