Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Monroe County Council reviews meth-house remediation, questions jail cost estimates and approves $30,000 for outside counsel
Summary
Health administrator Lorie Kelly reported remediation of 11 of 12 former methamphetamine properties using $50,000 in Health First Indiana funds; council members pressed for supporting jail-cost estimates and approved a $30,000 appropriation for outside legal counsel, 4-1, with Trent Deckard opposing.
Monroe County Council members on April 28 heard a report on property remediations for former methamphetamine lab sites and debated jail cost estimates before approving a $30,000 appropriation to retain outside legal counsel if litigation resumes.
Health administrator Lorie Kelly told the council the health department addressed testing and remediation at 12 properties identified by the Indiana State Police, using $50,000 in Health First Indiana funding to hire a contractor; 11 of the 12 properties were successfully remediated, she said.
Council members then turned to a multi-part discussion about plans for a new jail. Council member Peter Iverson asked where a $135 million figure for phase one originated, noting previous architectural renderings had suggested much larger combined costs. Council President Jennifer Crossley said staff had been asked for cost estimates but had not received them as of April 28.
Council member Marty Hawk emphasized that a site had not been selected and raised concerns about the cost of moving inmates during construction, saying relocation could cost as much as $1 million a year and that operating expenses typically rise over time.
Faced with potential litigation related to settlement deadlines, the council considered an appropriation of $30,000 to hire outside counsel. "This is just our way of saying should we get to this level again ... I really hope to the higher powers that be we don't," Crossley said, explaining the intent was not a criticism of county legal staff but to obtain separate counsel if needed. Council member David Henry moved to approve the appropriation and empower Crossley to seek legal advice; the motion passed with Trent Deckard the lone opposing vote.
The council scheduled its next meeting for May 12. Several members pressed for clearer cost estimates and site-selection analysis before advancing funding decisions, and councilors signaled they would continue seeking the documentation Crossley said was requested but not yet received.
The appropriation provides the council flexibility to secure outside legal advice if negotiations or litigation escalate; the council did not, at this meeting, adopt specific funding commitments for jail construction beyond the ongoing review and requests for cost information.
