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I'll call to order the October 16th, 2024. 00:00:02
Floyd County Council meeting please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:00:06
Let the show. 00:00:26
That we have a full quorum tonight. 00:00:27
All present, Mr. Bagshaw, would you lead us in the indication? Let's pray. Oh Lord, as we often we come to this at this place, we 00:00:29
always we're so grateful that we have freedom and liberty that you create that the founders were such men of genius that we could 00:00:37
have for the freedom to speak and speak freely. Let each one of us speak freely tonight, speak what we think we need to say and 00:00:44
without fear of retribution. And as I've often said, it's not so in other countries of the world. 00:00:52
Times you could be whisked away for speaking what you what's on your mind. I want to be so grateful for the freedom to attend 00:00:59
public meetings and say what's on everybody's mind. I want to pray for that would give us guidance and wisdom and knowledge that 00:01:07
we can do to make the right choices for the betterment of our community. Lord Jesus will always want to pray for our our first 00:01:14
responders, our police, our our EMS, our fire to keep them safe as they keep us safe. We'll be with our soldiers, sailors. 00:01:22
Marines around the world today as they defend freedom. Lord, help everybody this evening to have the grace and the and the 00:01:29
respective for each other that we can respect each other as we hear this evening in this meeting. Oh Lord. And I want to pray for 00:01:36
the family of Bryce Garlic today and give them comfort, strength and help them make it through the senseless tragedy that happened 00:01:43
last week. 00:01:50
Lord Jesus, I'd be remiss if I didn't pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 00:01:57
And all these things we ask in your name, Amy. Thank you for that. 00:02:01
All right. Acceptance of the agenda for tonight. 00:02:06
Moved second, have a motion and 2nd for approval of the agenda. Any discussion? 00:02:09
All in favor say aye. Any opposed The agenda is accepted approval of minutes from September 10th Council meetings and October 7th 00:02:16
Special Council meeting. 00:02:22
Move that both be approved. 00:02:30
It's like we have a motion and a second for both minutes previous minutes to be approved. Any discussion? 00:02:33
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:02:40
Carries. All right, we're going to have public comment. 00:02:43
I ask that you. 00:02:49
Keep it. 00:02:51
Succinct and to the point. We do have a 7:00 meeting after us so we have things to get to SO. 00:02:52
Please speak what's on your mind. Absolutely if someone's made the point already. 00:03:00
Maybe add to it and not just repeat it. OK, if we can hold it to a couple minutes, I've got 7 people on here that'll that'll help 00:03:06
us. 00:03:10
Know what's on your mind and it'll help us vacate this. 00:03:17
This spot for the next meeting at 7:00 PM so. 00:03:20
Mr. PJ More. 00:03:24
Thank you and good evening. 00:03:35
Joseph Moore, AKA PJ Georgetown Township. Sorry I'm losing my voice. 00:03:37
Wanted to discuss the. 00:03:44
2 taxes that I saw related to public safety. 00:03:47
Back in the summer. 00:03:51
The Council was working on Ordinance 20/24/08. 00:03:53
And there are a number of items here listed under the same title. That's IC6 Dash 3.6, Dash 6. 00:03:58
Public safety is listed under that as our certified shares and economic development. I would ask if any of you have actually been? 00:04:08
That section, that article or section of the title. Because if you did, you'd understand what alarms. 00:04:17
We're supposed to be supporting a public safety tax. 00:04:25
But if you read that title and section, you will see that it provides as written. 00:04:30
The general just has 6 as written would allow this board or future boards to spend on many items no way related to public safety. 00:04:37
The subsection 6.6. Dash 2.8. 00:04:49
Relates to public safety, the EMTSEMS that we've been discussing. 00:04:54
That's emergency medical services. 00:04:59
Which is defined in Title 16-18-2-110, and that is the EMS, the facilities, the equipment, the vehicles, the people. 00:05:01
Yeah, you seem to have understood that part. 00:05:14
With these different tax proposal for that same subsection, that would be .2%. 00:05:19
So to me, this as written is not only double dipping, but it lacks transparency, it lacks clarity and in the future could lack 00:05:27
integrity. 00:05:33
If this board is serious about funding public safety and it's such a large tax increase, then it should commit itself to public 00:05:40
safety. 00:05:45
And choose the subsection. I believe there's only two out of the tenant's own subsections that relate to public safety. 00:05:51
So if you don't narrow it down to a subsection, public safety. 00:05:59
Then this is going to be nothing but a giant petty cash drawer. Or as a friend of mine calls it, a slush fund. I've seen it. 00:06:03
I've seen it dine at the school board, the tax heights, and I've seen it done at a previous commission's meeting where the unclear 00:06:13
language, the overly general statute, just gives unfettered discretion to future boards to misspend our money. 00:06:21
And the other point I was thinking is this is a large chunk take at once. I understand aiming high, although last night's 00:06:29
discussion was 6 ambulances instead of the three needed. 00:06:36
My request would be if this is needed, fine. If you find that you have more than you need, then reduce the rate. If not, terminate 00:06:43
the period of taxation. 00:06:49
Spend just what you need. I know your taxpayers too, but it's our money and Please remember your producer of duty towards it. 00:06:55
Thank you. 00:07:00
Bincraft. 00:07:12
What are you all doing today? I first want to thank you all for what you do and for being here. 00:07:18
On a monthly, daily basis and and working through all this stuff. So I'll try to keep this brief, but I do want to before I talk 00:07:23
about the tax. My name is Ben Kraft. I live at 1243 Riddle Rd. in New Albany IN lifelong Floyd County residents. 00:07:30
But before I get into the tax itself, and he mentioned a lot of the things that I wanted to talk about. So I won't go too much 00:07:38
into that. I do want to talk about a couple of individuals on this board who've been criticized mainly in my party for not telling 00:07:45
the Republican Party line. And one was even sued to to get her out of out of office. 00:07:51
And this tax proposal stands in stark contrast to what the Republican Party believes, and that is? 00:08:00
Limited government and lower taxes in general. Now I'm not here to debate my party's platform, but I would like to highlight the 00:08:09
hypocrisy that I see today standing in front of a Republican ward majority and bringing up attacks like this that would be used, 00:08:16
just as you say, as a slush fund. I'm sure there are good intentions behind proposing such a high tax. You may even have valid 00:08:23
points on why accounting EMS service is better than a. 00:08:31
Then a fire based EMS or a contracted EMS service. But we need the facts. We need to know what we're paying for before you levy 00:08:39
such a high tax. And so I ask all of you all today to vote no on this. I believe it's ridiculous. And especially for you 00:08:47
Republicans out there, I would like to say that if you vote yes. 00:08:55
I maybe you should be sued as well, so thank you. 00:09:04
Scott, I can't make up the OK. 00:09:15
Yep. Hey, state your full name and address and if you don't mind, not a problem. Scott Venture 3425 Royal Lake Dr. Floods Knobs, 00:09:18
Indiana. I've been here for a while, long while. Did you hear the way I said that? 00:09:25
This is my second time coming down in front of you guys. The last time I was here was around the LIT and you all slid in this 00:09:34
disgusting little tax of a LIT at the last possible moment. And I heard Mr. Striegel bring up the point that our budget had to be 00:09:39
approved because we've got only until October 31st. 00:09:45
Which means we're looking at the budget at the last possible moment. I see a trend growing here. We got 15 days. We can do 00:09:51
something about it. I. 00:09:55
But I came down here at the LID because I thought that was the wrong tax to do. And I felt like it was there to offset the monies 00:09:59
given out to him, increase the salaries, not that that wasn't deserved. I think we're standing here again where we've got a fund 00:10:07
that you're talking about getting a $500 income tax, meaning once again that the the tax is going to be on the people who are 00:10:14
already paying most of the taxes, but you're going to try and raise $500.00 for a public safety tax. 00:10:21
And if I'm not mistaken, you could have easily taken that, cut it in half and passed an EMS tax. They would actually go to nothing 00:10:29
but EMS. And instead this $500 is not only going to fund 6 ambulances or three. I think 3 is the right number. Some reason 6 being 00:10:35
budgeted. 00:10:40
But it's also going to send money over into New Albany, which might make some members of the council very happy. 00:10:47
But I'm not certain that it meets the needs of what it's intending to do, which is improve the EMS service in Floyd County. 00:10:52
So I ask you to not vote on this. I ask you to vote a no. 00:11:00
And if you don't, I'll remember that when I pulled the lever in a couple of weeks because I'm very familiar with all your names 00:11:05
and I'll be happy to share that with my friends when they pull the lever, before they pull the lever. 00:11:10
But I asked you to vote no on this. And if and if these monies are necessary, and if you can't cut it out of these other budgets 00:11:17
in the 10 minute discussion you had on them, then find other ways to grab the money. Because I think we're spending too much and 00:11:22
you're taking too much of my money. Last time I told you you were printing money. After I left, I realized that's not true. You're 00:11:28
not printing money. You're pulling money out of my wallet. 00:11:33
So stop, please, and rethink how you want to attack this. Look at an EMS tax. Don't make it a slush fund and make it very 00:11:40
specific. Thank you. 00:11:45
Cale. 00:11:55
GAIL Manhattan, 2635 Henry Rd. 00:12:02
The poor part of county, Georgia. 00:12:05
Why hurt such fun? I think I was the first one brought that up a year ago. I've heard that from everybody tonight. Can't say much 00:12:08
because a lot of stuff's been said that I was going to say, and these are more professional speakers than I am. That's on top. 00:12:14
But you guys? 00:12:21
The biggest tax increases this counties have. 00:12:23
That's what you're all at. 00:12:26
And it it's, it started. It started and we're here because. 00:12:28
For 15 years we didn't do it. 00:12:33
Let's hear now. Don't put it on my kids, and don't put it on me. 00:12:35
It's too much. It's too much. I can move, sell my farm and move to Harrison County. 00:12:39
Save a lot of money on taxes. 00:12:45
In the LIT, everybody thinks you ******. 00:12:48
We have to pay at the end of the year. If it wasn't for this county local tax, I probably wouldn't be paying any. 00:12:51
State income tax. 00:12:57
It's all lips is what I paint. For state income tax that goes to the county. 00:12:58
And again, I'm glad everybody else talked. You, you guys, it's too much. It's it's too much. It's not transparent and it is a 00:13:04
slush fund if you look at it. Thank you. 00:13:09
Ed does it go it? 00:13:20
I'm a little taller, so I should just a little. 00:13:30
Ed Gullet, 1168. Copperfield, Georgetown. 00:13:33
And I want to begin by saying thank you to Jim Fryberger. 00:13:38
For standing up against the rest of the Council. 00:13:42
Because I'm trying to do the right thing. 00:13:45
I worked in business for 30 years and I've sat in a lot of budget meetings and I've never seen as many people come unprepared to 00:13:51
discuss the details of their budget. 00:13:57
Whenever you ask a question of them. 00:14:04
They should know that, and if they send a representative, they should know that, and if they don't? 00:14:06
You shouldn't approve the budget until you know every. 00:14:12
Every, every, every piece of it. Because what I heard a little bit ago is nothing more than kicking the can down the road. 00:14:15
In this conversation, technically and from my perspective. 00:14:24
Should have been had prior to a budget meeting so you know the funds that you're going to have available. 00:14:28
Now we've got a budget that's pretty much set. 00:14:33
And now we got to figure out a way to fund everybody who's put the pork barrel in there. 00:14:36
And that's, that's my biggest concern about what I heard and what I've seen. 00:14:40
And Mr. Bagshaw, I spoke to you at Harvest Homecoming for probably 10-15 minutes about this very subject. 00:14:45
And my concern is that I think by pushing it to the levels we are right now. 00:14:53
It is creating a major, major problem for the individuals in this county who are already hurting because of inflation, and I know 00:14:59
we hear that. 00:15:04
But a lot of us are feeling it every single day and whenever you're paying the extra amount for gas and food and trying to decide, 00:15:09
do I put my kids in daycare or do I eat? 00:15:14
These are things that need to be considered and yeah, we think of it as a very, very small amount per person. 00:15:20
But the reality of it is, and this is a big, big amount of money, if what I hear in the funding is 1.4 million a year in expense. 00:15:26
And the income off of it is 14 and a half million. 00:15:35
And this is for a two year term as I hear it. Wow, it's nice to. We talked about a slush fund, two or three or four other people 00:15:40
talked about it. I wish I had $26 million extra in two years to decide how do I want to spend it or not spend it. 00:15:47
And from my perspective, you can do a lot of things with 26,000,000. Of course the county can. But you know what? So can we as 00:15:55
taxpayers. 00:15:59
We need to take care of our families as well. What I would ask is if we just feel like this needs to happen. 00:16:04
Let's limit it and let's not try to put the full extent in, in one given year because that is a huge amount of money. And then 00:16:11
let's reassess down the road in a year or two to see if it's if we've handled it appropriately or if there needs to be more funds 00:16:17
appropriated at that point in time. 00:16:23
And that's that's what I wanted to share. 00:16:29
Thank you. 00:16:32
Greg from her. 00:16:38
Hello, my name is Greg Park where I live at 7240 Bayonet Rd. Floyd Knobs. 00:16:47
I came up here. 00:16:54
For the sole purpose. 00:16:56
Of not. 00:16:59
We don't want your taxes. 00:17:04
Everybody here. 00:17:06
Has. 00:17:07
Set it. 00:17:09
Wait, so I'm just gonna leave it at that? 00:17:11
Mark Huber. 00:17:20
Hello, my name is Mark Huber and I live at 6898 Pete Andrews Rd. 00:17:31
And I just wanted to Ditto everything else. 00:17:36
Everything everybody else said, but I guess the thing that I'd like to understand before you vote is how's this money going to be 00:17:40
spent? 00:17:44
In the last meeting. 00:17:48
I think Denise. 00:17:50
Many times, what's the budget? How did we come up with these numbers? How are we going to spend this money? And there wasn't any 00:17:53
answers. And so I'd like to hear. 00:17:57
What that answer is before you vote tonight. 00:18:02
Thank you. 00:18:07
OK, that's the end of public. 00:18:13
Comment. 00:18:16
We are on to old business #1 modifying tax rate. Second reading of Ordinance 2024, O 8. 00:18:19
Make a motion that Council approves Ordinance 2408 with the .5 minutes. 00:18:26
On the public safety test. 00:18:33
We have a motion and a second. 00:18:35
Can I ask Gloria to share with the public and the rest of the Council, although I think you don't see this. 00:18:40
Sorry. 00:18:49
My mic wasn't on. I'm asking Gloria to share a spreadsheet I'll put together that shows. 00:18:51
What we need and the two scenarios. 00:18:59
I presented these. I had four scenarios. I presented these at the last meeting, but I wanted the public to be able to see these. 00:19:04
The first scenario, Scenario B was the first line is what I think we need to shore up everything. 00:19:12
In our budget for 2025 and 2026, we need 1.4 million for the EMS services contracts that we put in place for the next two years 00:19:22
where we have about a $2.1 million deficit in our general fund. I don't really think it's going to be quite that big, but that's 00:19:31
what the numbers show at this point. We have a jail lit that needs about $1,000,000, so we need about $4.5 million. 00:19:40
What is being proposed as a public safety PSLIT? 00:19:50
A .5 that generates $6.4 million for us or thereabouts, but we are going to give the city. 00:19:55
Right around $8 million. 00:20:04
So while it's a $14 million tax, the county is only going to get. 00:20:06
$6.4 million of that. 00:20:13
I have another scenario that I think could generate the revenues that we need. 00:20:16
And make the make this a much less burdensome tax on the taxpayers. The one scenario that I just presented is $500 on 100,000. 00:20:23
Scenario D that I put together is the same needs across the top line and then let's skip the public safety. Well, let's talk about 00:20:35
the public safety IT I'm saying let's put it in for point 1%, which is what one of the gentlemen said. Let's go at this in. 00:20:44
And bites. Let's not go. 00:20:54
Out and put a full tax in place let's go at it invites so we need 1.4 for our EMS. Let's put a public safety lit in place that 00:20:57
generates the $1.4 million that we need. We also have the ability to put a judicial let take it from .04 to .07 which is the Max 00:21:07
on that tax. We suggested this last year Ironically Connie and Danny neither one voted for. 00:21:17
.70 tax last year. This is a tax that would only cost the constituents $15 a year. 00:21:27
We get to keep every bit of that tax that we generate from our taxpayers. We don't have to share it with the city. 00:21:36
The next one is the jail lit tax. We can take that from .2% to .3% and generate another $3,000,000. While this we can't vote on 00:21:44
this tonight because it wasn't advertised, we can still vote on it this year and start collecting that tax. 00:21:53
Next year and it will generate the amount of money that we need. We can generate $5.3 million and only cost our constituents $155 00:22:03
a year versus generating 6.4 million and costing our constituents $500 a year. And the reason for that is that we're giving $8 00:22:11
million to the city. 00:22:18
So I want the I want. 00:22:27
All the public to understand that, and I'm pretty sure that the people sitting at this table are ready do understand that. 00:22:30
Well, I will. I am going to take exception with some of the language. We're not giving the city anything. 00:22:39
That the state splits that up. We're we're not cutting the city a check for $8 million. I understand that. But the statute as 00:22:44
well, that's where that money comes from. They are part of the county. 00:22:51
Yeah, they are part of the county. My my second point is. 00:22:58
I've heard people suggest the EMS lit and. 00:23:06
From at the beginning I was on board with that, but. 00:23:11
When you do an EMS lit the 1.4 million a year. 00:23:14
Becomes 2 million a year because. 00:23:20
We're collecting money from city residents that we have to actually cut a check back to the city for, so that cost will be 00:23:23
inflated. 00:23:27
And. 00:23:34
Mister Man, I don't wish for you to leave Floyd County. I would love for you to stay, but if you move to Harrison County, they 00:23:36
already have a public safety lit. 00:23:40
Clark has a public safety lit and an EMS lit. 00:23:44
So I don't think it's, I don't think this is something that we want to do. 00:23:47
Like we're eager to to pass this tax. This is something that and there's a lot of stuff not accounted for here. I appreciate you 00:23:54
bringing this Denise for the breakdown, but. 00:24:00
I was talking to Stan today and talking to the actuaries. 00:24:07
The sheriff's pension fund is 2.8 million. 00:24:11
To bring it correct. 00:24:14
There's 2.8 million that we can't ignore that. I mean, it's, that's the maximum funding. Is that the maximum funding? We don't 00:24:17
have to, we do not have to fund the pension at Max. We do not statutorily we do not. So I, you know, my proposal would be that we 00:24:23
do. 00:24:29
400,000 over the next seven years to to bring it into compliance. 00:24:36
There's there are things. 00:24:41
This is surface level what we're seeing here. There are things that we've discussed before. 00:24:45
That this county desperately needs. 00:24:50
That we don't do this tonight. We are going to be back here every year for the next three to five years, nickel and diming. This 00:24:54
is a generational. 00:24:59
Lit that we will not have to come back. 00:25:06
I Danny, I would love to see the plan for the next 5 years of how you're going to spend this extra money and then I'll consider it 00:25:11
and then I will consider it. But you don't have a plan. And if you do have a plan, then give it to us. There's no transparency 00:25:18
here. I've, I've presented. 00:25:25
Things that we know are coming. This is not even things that. 00:25:33
Could happen. These are things that we know we're coming, OK? 00:25:37
The plan is up to us how to split it up. That is the council's decision. I'm one vote. The council's decision is do we fund the 00:25:42
sheriff's retirement fund at 400,000 a year or do we only do it at 100,000 a year? That's our decisions I have presented. 00:25:50
Well, more than what this tax will bring in. 00:25:59
For the appropriations that are needed. 00:26:04
We have the health department. That's a capital project. You do not put an operating budget in place to fund a capital. 00:26:07
Plant, I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm not disagreeing with you, but this frees up money for capital. This frees up money for 00:26:17
the projects that we need. 00:26:23
We're all paying for it. We're all paying for it. I'm paying for it too. 00:26:32
My kids live here in this county. They're paying for it, too. 00:26:36
I'm going to start. I want, I want to debunk a few rumors. 00:26:42
Regarding the public safety tax and the EMS tax. 00:26:46
It is a public safety tax, not an EMS tax. 00:26:53
This is for the entire public safety. 00:26:57
PJ, you read some of the code. 00:27:01
Some of the other code says that. 00:27:04
Police, law enforcement, firefighting and prevention systems. 00:27:09
Emergency ambulance, medical and so on. 00:27:12
There is no rush. 00:27:18
We have a deadline to meet per the state guidelines so that we can start collecting. 00:27:20
I asked it to fix it and they won't fix it. 00:27:26
Till tomorrow. 00:27:29
It's awful noising. 00:27:33
Yeah, that. He'll fix it tomorrow. 00:27:39
Sorry, that way you don't have to hear all the racket. 00:27:45
There is no rush. We have a deadline to meet, per the state. 00:27:50
The county wide fire based EMS will cost more than the $1 million rumor that I keep hearing about. 00:27:54
There will end up being upfront costs for that model to get off the ground as well. 00:28:02
I've spoken to, I've spoken to many firefighters and EMTs. Not all of them are willing to be cross trained to do both services. 00:28:08
You can't make them do that. You're going to disrupt our good fire departments that we already currently have. 00:28:16
There are plans for the future of our county and that's why this proposed tax is very important. 00:28:24
Putting the proverbial cart before the horse is how planning for the future of the county is being described. 00:28:32
I need. 00:28:40
For you to understand that the text will be used for a public safety. 00:28:42
This is police. This is law enforcement. 00:28:46
Our county, including the city, need to be able to hire and retain the best law enforcement officers available. 00:28:50
Retention is huge. We need to retain who we have because to hire a new police officer is roughly twice, three times the amount. 00:28:58
For your salary. 00:29:08
We need to have fully staffed departments. 00:29:11
Again, including the city. 00:29:15
They are part of this county. 00:29:17
Emergency ambulance and medical services. 00:29:20
Our county deserves the opportunity to get an adequate number of ambulances on the road, staffed with trained and dedicated EMS 00:29:25
staff. 00:29:30
We are under covered at this point under the current contracts. We need more ambulances on the road. The Fitch study done years 00:29:35
ago stated that this could have all been rectified four years ago when the commissioners had the opportunity to go ahead and do 00:29:41
the fire and EMS. 00:29:47
But they didn't. They wanted to get put together a task force and whatever, but if they would have just made the decision to four 00:29:53
years ago, they had the two votes, they could have passed it. 00:29:59
Probation and community corrections. These departments also need access to reliable and effective equipment to perform their 00:30:07
duties and hire the people that can do those jobs. 00:30:12
This tax will help departments free up monies in our general fund so that we continue to plan for the future. Government, like any 00:30:18
private business, cannot successfully function without a brick and mortar and a staff to complete the daily tasks on hand to 00:30:24
maintain at the level of standard expected. 00:30:30
I believe that a smaller tax years ago could have prevented the need for this tax. With the correct correct tax past years ago, we 00:30:37
could have been paying fair wages to our county employees all along instead of taking such a large hit all at once. 00:30:45
I also believe. 00:30:53
With the correct text past years ago, the county building may have been updated prior to having to do a complete overhaul or a new 00:30:57
build. 00:31:01
Without passing this tax at the current proposed rate, future councils will have no choice but to increase or implement new taxes 00:31:06
every year at budget time to cover the deficit. 00:31:11
A responsible council member in the future will and should lower the rate as the needs change. 00:31:18
I ask. 00:31:28
I asked my fellow council members, are you willing to put Floyd County in the same position 10 years from now? Not by planning for 00:31:33
the future, Colas. 00:31:38
Are you willing to plan for the right EMS service with the industry standards suggested for our county? 00:31:44
Do you want to continue to be reactive to the changes or issues we face as a county, or do you want to be proactive with a plan? 00:31:50
Well, I've got a lot of things I want to respond to that. For one, we'll need to pass a tax where we show what we need and if 00:32:02
needed, something down 2 years down the road, we can increase that taxes. Let's go that route. Let's don't start it out high and 00:32:08
drop it 'cause we know that I'll never drop it. 00:32:14
There, there's just so many things here. I mean, this thing, this, this plan for this EMS hasn't even been passed by the 00:32:23
commissioners. It's a special task force that Jason Sharp started and had a special committee that pushed this forward. 00:32:30
We already had comments from Al Knabel. 00:32:37
Saying that this thing probably will take till early to mid next year to even get on page what they want to do. They haven't even 00:32:41
decided they want to do a county base. No one's even said proven to us why the current EMS that we have in place with Ameripro and 00:32:48
Highlander fire is not working at this $1.4 million. So I don't understand. Somebody needs to prove something to me. I know 00:32:54
everyone in this room has asked for numbers. We still haven't heard them yet tonight. 00:33:01
The thing, the only thing I heard was some pensions for the Sheriff's Department, which I know we don't have to do 100% fund 00:33:08
which. 00:33:11
Hardly anybody in the state does. And I find it ironic that we're even going to ask for pension increase when we did a benefit 00:33:14
study and all of you voted against putting it back on the commissioners and cutting pensions for the employees. We do 3%. That's 00:33:21
not required by the state. That's over $500,000 a year. We can cut right now this budget. 00:33:28
I'm curious about something was here. Maybe I'm totally misunderstood this. I thought the EMS service was included in our deficit 00:33:36
of $2,000,000. I thought that was part of the two million. Am I totally wrong on that? 00:33:42
It's just two million, it's not 3.4 million. 00:33:50
OK. So there's so much that you can go in here like right now we just had the last meeting, Brad brought this up, we don't even 00:33:54
spend 100% of the budget. So if we only spend 98% of the budget based on what the budget expenses are, that's almost a half a 00:33:59
million there. 00:34:04
We got riverboat money that's not not designated 220,000 it's another 200,000 that's 700,000 more off of this budget that we're 00:34:11
talking about, this deficit we're talking about. Nobody wants to touch these things. That's let alone more the things I brought up 00:34:17
these additional raises that begin this year for like prosecutors, public defenders, that's totally unnecessary because they got 00:34:22
all those raises two years ago. So I don't understand why we're doing all this. We can keep these things down, but nobody will has 00:34:28
the guts to do it and we. 00:34:34
All the taxpayers sitting here and I keep talking to people and they don't want this thing. I don't want this thing. I don't. 00:34:40
For my family, I don't want for anybody. So I understand if you're running for office, and I have to say right now, Dale, you're 00:34:46
the one up for election, explain how you can justify this thing. Tell these people how you can justify. It's crazy. 00:34:55
Pass something lower. I think it takes guts to say this is what we need and I know that nobody likes it. I don't like it, but it 00:35:05
is what we need. I've heard from 90% of the department heads I have heard from. 00:35:12
The sheriff I have heard from community corrections, I've heard from probation. 00:35:20
Do you want a county to function to the level that you want it to? 00:35:27
If you don't. 00:35:33
Then we won't pass the tax. We'll just keep fighting. We'll just keep fighting the bullet every year to try to pinch pennies. None 00:35:36
of our employees are going. None of our and again, none of our employees are going to. 00:35:45
Come to work anymore because they're not getting their fair rates. 00:35:54
Who's gonna run the government? That's the problem. This is a bigger picture than what you all are looking at. 00:35:59
This is not public comment, Tom. Thank you. We just did the salary thing two years ago and it got them all based on that salary 00:36:06
study now. 00:36:10
We're not charging enough and yet we won't make these cuts so that. 00:36:16
We're not doing anything to these employees that are going to run them off of here. We're just trying to get them in the middle of 00:36:22
the road where the rest of these counties are. We're not cheating them of anything, but if you don't continue the COLA, they're 00:36:28
going to be back in the same boat. I understand that. But what about next year and the following year? 00:36:35
We'll, we'll cross. You know what? We'll have plenty of money next year. If we just do what I say, what I said, which cost the 00:36:41
taxpayer $155. We will be able to do colors again next year. 00:36:47
President, can we get a little order and maybe go down the line? There's a lot of jumping around here. 00:36:54
We need to, we need to wrap up comments, man. I'd like to say some stuff, but I've been waiting for it. Only if you want to speak, 00:37:03
we'll start right down there. 00:37:06
Go ahead. 00:37:12
So. 00:37:15
I'll briefly say what I said last week, which is. 00:37:17
You know, and Jim brought it up. 00:37:20
The proposed $2,000,000 deficit that our fiscal agent said we had, our general fund, I don't believe exists at first glance. We 00:37:22
get an additional $500,000 of the spend rate from the Community Foundation. That was hospital money that was put in there. We're 00:37:29
going to get $4 million this year, this next year in 2025, but only three and a half million is accounted for. So that's actual 00:37:36
cash on hand. You add in some insurance surplus of 700,000. 00:37:43
4 to 500,000 in riverboat and then you know we don't spend all of our budget. 00:37:50
100% of our budget typically at all so. 00:37:55
That right there, if you Add all that up, the $2,000,000 proposed deficit goes away and that's before any cuts or anything else 00:37:59
that you look at. 00:38:03
There are some needs that are on the table that. 00:38:09
That need to be addressed. 00:38:12
The thing that the biggest thing that confuses me is last year when we were in a position to look at. 00:38:14
Writing Writing the the the the getting the the the proper tax structure in place. 00:38:24
We looked at. 00:38:29
A judicial lit that had a very small increase to the taxpayer. 00:38:31
And that was. 00:38:36
Debated and even then vigorously opposed by some members of the Council, so much so that. 00:38:39
It got cut in half and only half the rate was put in. 00:38:46
And now this year. 00:38:50
The you go from one end of the spectrum all the way to the other. 00:38:53
Go into a $14 million tax. 00:38:57
With the highest tax increase I think Floyd County has ever seen. 00:39:00
To me that something is not right with that. Where last year it was fought against, this year it is a big ask and I don't, I don't 00:39:03
want to interrupt, but. 00:39:09
But just to be clear, it's Danny and Connie who are completely against that last year and this year. 00:39:15
A complete turn around. 00:39:21
And so. 00:39:24
To me. 00:39:26
The budget that was passed and where we are for next year, if the tax doesn't go through there, the public safety is not at risk. 00:39:27
There is a budget put forth that is sustainable for the 2025. And I believe that it's our responsibility each year when we adopt A 00:39:35
budget to look at it and and see about making adjustments up or down. But I'll be honest, government rarely goes down. 00:39:44
To, you know, to match the the the budget. 00:39:54
To match the needs because needs change from year to year. 00:39:57
You know this to me is too big of an ask and there is so much that is not being said with why the about face from last year being 00:40:02
a 100 spectrum for this year being on the other. 00:40:08
Nothing new. 00:40:17
There is no, there's no new items. You know, Danny, we, we've had some discussions with the workshops and you know, there's some 00:40:21
things on the board there, but there is nothing new. 00:40:26
From this year, from last year, as far as needs, we knew the hospital, I mean the. 00:40:31
Health department needs needs a building. We we know that. 00:40:37
You know, there was, there's a lot of things on there in regards to. 00:40:43
EMS, that's the big, I think that's the catalyst that's driving this tax. 00:40:50
Because nothing else makes sense to me and. 00:40:55
The day of the first vote last week. 00:41:00
That that that day is when we got the price tag of a county run EMS service. 00:41:05
It's just, you know, it's just a little suspicious that it comes out on that day. Maybe that was when it, you know, when it was 00:41:13
ready. But typically I don't like having to make a decision when data comes in the day of the vote. 00:41:19
That just doesn't seem right. So there's a lot of unanswered questions for me, Ezra, in regards to this. There's a lot of other 00:41:26
things I agree with. It's been said too big of an ask. 00:41:31
Not, not, not a clear path forward, not a plan for this, for this money and it's not. I think there's other ways that to tackle 00:41:39
what we need in Floyd County besides this big ask because it is extremely large and the largest 1 Floyd County has seen and what I 00:41:45
hear is. 00:41:52
There are needs for the future that we're planning for. Well, I can tell you if you give, if you give the pot of money to the 00:42:00
government. 00:42:04
They'll find a way. 00:42:09
To spend that money. 00:42:11
Denise. 00:42:18
I've said pretty much everything I need to say. I I will thank Ben Kraft for stepping up to the podium. And I one of my comments 00:42:19
been was, is this really your fiscally conservative Republican Party? Are you? Is this it? 00:42:28
Sure. Thank you. Ben, is there a relationship that you need to disclose? OK, Connie, you're up. Not at all. 00:42:39
I'm gonna explain the judicial list. Last year when it was proposed, the language was very loose. 00:42:48
My interpretation was not nearly as broad as your interpretation and. 00:42:54
Per the person who actually wrote the bill in the State House. 00:43:00
The way that you guys interpreted it and passed it was not the way it was intended. 00:43:06
We are now grandfathered into that. 00:43:12
That is why I was against that tax, because. 00:43:14
We were trying to use it the way it was not intended and and I'm not good with that. 00:43:18
What what it was? 00:43:25
Intended for her. 00:43:27
We wouldn't have gotten enough under the judicial lit so. 00:43:29
That's why, again, that's why I voted against it. It was not. 00:43:33
It was not passed. 00:43:39
Per what the person who wrote the bill intended it to be passed for. 00:43:42
However, it is working the way that it was passed. It has been grandfathered in, which from my knowledge I guess maybe you guys 00:43:48
have done some of that before and got things grandfathered in that way, which is fine, but I'm not good with that. 00:43:54
This year is different than last year. 00:44:01
You're right, it is good for our constituents, but what if they didn't offer to grandfather that in there? 00:44:14
What if they didn't? They have the ability to not just so you know. 00:44:21
But I'm not going to pass a tax that is. 00:44:27
Boasted and inflated. 00:44:32
When that's not the language of the bill, I'm not sorry. And this year is different than last year because our EMS bill is huge 00:44:35
compared to last year. 00:44:40
It is what, 4 times as much? 00:44:47
Public safety, you're correct, Brad. It's not at risk. It's not. We've got a great Sheriff's Department. We've got great fire 00:44:53
departments. The EMS contracts are working like they're supposed to. 00:44:58
However. 00:45:07
In two years, be it either a countrywide standalone EMS or your firebase county wide EMS, how you going to pay for upfront costs? 00:45:08
How you going to pay for ambulances? You realize ambulances can run two years? 00:45:16
You order them now, you won't have them for two years. Some of them are even longer than that. We're going to have to have 00:45:24
ambulances. 00:45:27
In two years, regardless if it's fire based or if it's county wide. 00:45:31
With no plan. 00:45:41
Or a way to fund it? Now we're going to be stuck in two years under another wasted contract for our EMS. 00:45:44
I'm done. 00:45:55
I'm glad they're all. 00:45:58
Yeah, I reiterate, I don't know why we have to change the current system we have right now, why we have to put out additional 00:46:01
money. I mean, we got got. 00:46:05
Calendar out there. We got Ameripro. 00:46:09
We're not having to put any any extra money. 00:46:12
No one's given me any data why this is not going to continue to work after the two years. I'm befuddled by that. But the other 00:46:15
thing I just wanted. I made several points here, but let's just go back at a couple things. We asked a lit tax last year. There 00:46:21
was ACCD tax pass last year. We've had property taxes of over 10% the last three consecutive years. Now we know the commissioners 00:46:27
are planning to raise the city county building. 00:46:33
Very soon they're going to try to get this on referendum as quick as they can, $40 million. 00:46:40
We know that's coming down the pipe. Why do we want to keep burden the taxpayers even more? I just say no. We got to just say no. 00:46:45
For the sake of time, I've I've said what I'm going to say. So Mr. President, I I just wanted I thought we were well, we were 00:47:00
starting with you that that that's OK. Brad had started and I yielded to him. But I just want to say that it's obvious that the 00:47:06
needs our county is growing. 00:47:13
And so is the needs of our county. 00:47:20
I've talked with people in within my district that I represent. 00:47:23
And I think after talking with them, because I was not at the place where I am tonight, but after talking with them, I understand 00:47:28
that it gives us more options that that they will benefit from and it gives us a greater ability to use. 00:47:37
In our budgeting, that would help us. 00:47:48
In the long run. 00:47:52
So. 00:47:54
Thank you. 00:47:58
My name's Ben, referenced there several times tonight. 00:48:00
All right. Well, First off, Mr. Freiberger, we've tried cuts. 00:48:07
Last year and we found out the commissioners ain't budget. 00:48:12
So we can. 00:48:17
They're not they they made it clear they're not budgeting. 00:48:18
And so and then, by the way, for the. 00:48:22
Public as the one that brokered. 00:48:26
Lowering the tax last year from 7% point 7A point O 7 to .04, I brokered that deal and now we say that would have fixed it last 00:48:29
year. 00:48:35
It had we went to full amount. I brokered him out because I wanted to give some members on this body the ability to make cuts that 00:48:42
they said that he that should be made while the commissioners kind of slapped our hands, said stay in your lane, that that's our 00:48:48
purview and we're not prepared to do it. I've heard it very clear from the commissioners that they're not prepared to make those 00:48:54
cuts that we suggested making, which was about Jim, I think. 00:49:00
Couple of $1,000,000 if I recall. 00:49:07
And so therefore that. 00:49:10
That didn't happen. I don't foresee that happening. 00:49:12
And a couple of things. It's my intent to be a public safety. I'm pretty transparent. I believe local governments should provide 00:49:16
for public safety and infrastructure. 00:49:21
And just to throw out a question, do you know we're not required to provide the Ms. service by the state statute? And I think it's 00:49:26
the right thing to do, but we're not required. 00:49:31
So. 00:49:36
I just think it's I do agree that we need to and and Denise, your plan, it's it's a good plan, but it don't provide anything going 00:49:38
forward. We know we have a contract that's going to be up in 2027 and ever how the commissioners go, we need to be able to build 00:49:44
that system. And to Mr. Freiburg's point, I've been around long enough to know that that it's a good system. Now the private 00:49:49
provider, but. 00:49:55
AMR for, I mean Ameripro for example, they could leave, they could invoke their sixty day clause. 00:50:02
And we'll be out without an ambulance service. AMR did it, Yellow did it, and we could be without an annual service. So I think 00:50:08
it's prudent that we do build, and I haven't always been this way. 00:50:13
We do build a county base, either fire base or county stand alone. 00:50:19
But however, if we build a fire base, we still have to procure equipment. And that's the FIT study told us like six years ago. And 00:50:25
it's going to be about 2 1/2 to $3,000,000 to procure equipment to start it up, plus the labor cost to hire the employees. And I'm 00:50:32
sorry, Miss Gumpa, your proposal just doesn't provide for that. 00:50:39
And that's a few years out. 00:50:47
Dan, I hear everything you're saying. And what I just want to say to that is as soon as I get the numbers, as soon as I get how 00:50:50
many people we need to all in favor say aye, aye. Any opposed? 00:50:57
I also make a motion for 3A and BI was contacted by the EMA department. They're not able to be here tonight, but it is also grant 00:51:05
money. 00:51:09
I'll second. 00:51:14
Any discussion? 00:51:19
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:51:21
That carries community corrections. 00:51:25
Driest for the transfers. 00:51:31
I just need to transfer money a grant money so I don't. 00:51:34
Lose it and return it to the county. I wanna make sure. 00:51:38
I wanna make sure we spend it in the county. Motion to approve for a second, a motion and a second for 4A. Any questions for 00:51:41
Darius? 00:51:44
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:51:50
Thank you, Carries. Thank you. 00:51:53
Operations in OK, Mr. Nick Creeby. 00:51:56
I can go through these if you want for for time sake. If you have questions then that would be the better way to. 00:52:03
Let's let's see if we have a motion and then we'll motion to approve all of item A. 00:52:10
I'm sorry. 00:52:17
All of Adam 5. 00:52:20
And I'll second it. We have a motion and a second for Actor 5, ABC and D. 00:52:23
Any questions for Mr. Creeley? The only thing is on the state 911 does that. 00:52:28
Does that plan have a negative balance in it? 00:52:36
Yes, it currently does. 00:52:39
It gets a quarterly. 00:52:41
We had to pause. 00:52:45
Receding for 10 days. 00:52:48
Yeah, it's gonna be processed in. 00:52:52
Stan. 00:52:55
I didn't hear. 00:53:02
Oh, oh, thank you. Thank you, Stan. Any other questions for Nick? 00:53:05
All in favor for item 5 say aye. Any opposed? 00:53:11
Carries motion for 6A. 00:53:15
2nd. 00:53:21
We have a motion in a second for the health department. Any discussion? 00:53:22
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:53:28
Item 7. 00:53:33
It's strictly grant funded and you should have received a letter. 00:53:35
Stating that the state did award us the amount that I put in the budget. If you have any questions. Motion to approve 7-8. 00:53:39
******. We have a motion and a second for 7A. Any discussion or questions? 00:53:48
All in favor say aye. Any opposed? 00:53:55
That carries. Thank you. Thank you girls, for sitting with us. 00:53:58
Go ahead. I just have transfers. I have one transfers within my budget to. 00:54:09
Take care of some shortfall that we had in the taxing software line due to the fact that. 00:54:14
Our our tax and software on boarding got delayed, so we wound up spending a little bit more on retaining. 00:54:21
Flower and then also the financial software in retaining here as we were supposed to on board off of Harris in June. We didn't on 00:54:30
board until this past Monday. Motion to approve 8A. 00:54:34
2nd. 00:54:40
That's different. That's better. Motion to 2nd grade 8, any discussion? 00:54:43
All in favor say aye. Any opposed? 00:54:48
Motion for 8B, Yeah, I'm just covering for Miss Morty. Second, it's just a transfer. Thank you. We have motion a second for 8B. 00:54:51
Any questions or discussion? 00:54:56
All in favor say aye. Opposed. 00:55:01
Motion for 9A. 00:55:05
Performance 2024 Dash 11 and a second We have a motion a second for. 00:55:08
The ordinance for transfers Any discussion? 00:55:13
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:55:17
That carries. 00:55:21
Diana, I just got a comment. Did you change the format on these? 00:55:24
Is that loud? 00:55:28
Yeah, I noticed. I said that's been changed. Funds are all the same, but the format's been changed. 00:55:30
Okay. 00:55:36
Any committee reports? 00:55:38
I just want to I have mentioned that. 00:55:43
Sina told me that they went live on the new Lao system this week and that is a big, big deal. So thank you very much for spending 00:55:46
the extra time Stevie too. Yes, thanks for coming in doing that that that's that's an awesome step forward for our council. Diana, 00:55:54
she had her team come in on thunderstorm. So I just want to thank. 00:56:02
Thank you. 00:56:13
For business, yesterday for tax. 00:56:17
I would just like to say that J rec. 00:56:24
Grants have been reviewed and given to the. 00:56:28
I don't know if it's a secondary group on the J rack. It will be voted on by the full J Rec board on Monday. 00:56:35
Taken to. 00:56:42
The commissioners at their next meeting and should have some public notice going out for who gets those grant monies. 00:56:44
Alright, anybody else? 00:56:54
I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. 00:56:57
So moved any public comment at the end, I'm sorry I didn't. 00:56:59
Trying to trying to clear the room. Any public want to speak at the end? 00:57:06
Come on up if. 00:57:11
If if that's you, Yep, Yep, it's on. 00:57:12
I know I should have gotten up earlier, but this didn't quite pertain to the EMS thing, but I was wondering if I could get an 00:57:15
answer to a question that's gotten a lot of newspaper and television coverage. 00:57:22
What's the status about our mayor and Silver Creek Dam? 00:57:30
Have you ever gotten any kind of a figure of what he has spent up there on that and and what what is going to happen? 00:57:35
City Council, you know what we know? 00:57:45
That's the City Council, and I don't even think our, yeah, our trusty reporters would like to know the same answer to that. Well, 00:57:48
it looks like someone, whether it's council or whatever. 00:57:55
You can say, hey Mayor, we need a damn answer. 00:58:04
I don't disagree with you on that. 00:58:08
I don't disagree with you on that. 00:58:10
We don't. Yeah, we don't have. 00:58:12
The city. I'll talk to you more about that after the meeting. Thank you very much. Anybody else in the public want to speak? 00:58:16
Motion to adjourn. 00:58:23
We are adjourned. 00:58:25
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I'll call to order the October 16th, 2024. 00:00:02
Floyd County Council meeting please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:00:06
Let the show. 00:00:26
That we have a full quorum tonight. 00:00:27
All present, Mr. Bagshaw, would you lead us in the indication? Let's pray. Oh Lord, as we often we come to this at this place, we 00:00:29
always we're so grateful that we have freedom and liberty that you create that the founders were such men of genius that we could 00:00:37
have for the freedom to speak and speak freely. Let each one of us speak freely tonight, speak what we think we need to say and 00:00:44
without fear of retribution. And as I've often said, it's not so in other countries of the world. 00:00:52
Times you could be whisked away for speaking what you what's on your mind. I want to be so grateful for the freedom to attend 00:00:59
public meetings and say what's on everybody's mind. I want to pray for that would give us guidance and wisdom and knowledge that 00:01:07
we can do to make the right choices for the betterment of our community. Lord Jesus will always want to pray for our our first 00:01:14
responders, our police, our our EMS, our fire to keep them safe as they keep us safe. We'll be with our soldiers, sailors. 00:01:22
Marines around the world today as they defend freedom. Lord, help everybody this evening to have the grace and the and the 00:01:29
respective for each other that we can respect each other as we hear this evening in this meeting. Oh Lord. And I want to pray for 00:01:36
the family of Bryce Garlic today and give them comfort, strength and help them make it through the senseless tragedy that happened 00:01:43
last week. 00:01:50
Lord Jesus, I'd be remiss if I didn't pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 00:01:57
And all these things we ask in your name, Amy. Thank you for that. 00:02:01
All right. Acceptance of the agenda for tonight. 00:02:06
Moved second, have a motion and 2nd for approval of the agenda. Any discussion? 00:02:09
All in favor say aye. Any opposed The agenda is accepted approval of minutes from September 10th Council meetings and October 7th 00:02:16
Special Council meeting. 00:02:22
Move that both be approved. 00:02:30
It's like we have a motion and a second for both minutes previous minutes to be approved. Any discussion? 00:02:33
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:02:40
Carries. All right, we're going to have public comment. 00:02:43
I ask that you. 00:02:49
Keep it. 00:02:51
Succinct and to the point. We do have a 7:00 meeting after us so we have things to get to SO. 00:02:52
Please speak what's on your mind. Absolutely if someone's made the point already. 00:03:00
Maybe add to it and not just repeat it. OK, if we can hold it to a couple minutes, I've got 7 people on here that'll that'll help 00:03:06
us. 00:03:10
Know what's on your mind and it'll help us vacate this. 00:03:17
This spot for the next meeting at 7:00 PM so. 00:03:20
Mr. PJ More. 00:03:24
Thank you and good evening. 00:03:35
Joseph Moore, AKA PJ Georgetown Township. Sorry I'm losing my voice. 00:03:37
Wanted to discuss the. 00:03:44
2 taxes that I saw related to public safety. 00:03:47
Back in the summer. 00:03:51
The Council was working on Ordinance 20/24/08. 00:03:53
And there are a number of items here listed under the same title. That's IC6 Dash 3.6, Dash 6. 00:03:58
Public safety is listed under that as our certified shares and economic development. I would ask if any of you have actually been? 00:04:08
That section, that article or section of the title. Because if you did, you'd understand what alarms. 00:04:17
We're supposed to be supporting a public safety tax. 00:04:25
But if you read that title and section, you will see that it provides as written. 00:04:30
The general just has 6 as written would allow this board or future boards to spend on many items no way related to public safety. 00:04:37
The subsection 6.6. Dash 2.8. 00:04:49
Relates to public safety, the EMTSEMS that we've been discussing. 00:04:54
That's emergency medical services. 00:04:59
Which is defined in Title 16-18-2-110, and that is the EMS, the facilities, the equipment, the vehicles, the people. 00:05:01
Yeah, you seem to have understood that part. 00:05:14
With these different tax proposal for that same subsection, that would be .2%. 00:05:19
So to me, this as written is not only double dipping, but it lacks transparency, it lacks clarity and in the future could lack 00:05:27
integrity. 00:05:33
If this board is serious about funding public safety and it's such a large tax increase, then it should commit itself to public 00:05:40
safety. 00:05:45
And choose the subsection. I believe there's only two out of the tenant's own subsections that relate to public safety. 00:05:51
So if you don't narrow it down to a subsection, public safety. 00:05:59
Then this is going to be nothing but a giant petty cash drawer. Or as a friend of mine calls it, a slush fund. I've seen it. 00:06:03
I've seen it dine at the school board, the tax heights, and I've seen it done at a previous commission's meeting where the unclear 00:06:13
language, the overly general statute, just gives unfettered discretion to future boards to misspend our money. 00:06:21
And the other point I was thinking is this is a large chunk take at once. I understand aiming high, although last night's 00:06:29
discussion was 6 ambulances instead of the three needed. 00:06:36
My request would be if this is needed, fine. If you find that you have more than you need, then reduce the rate. If not, terminate 00:06:43
the period of taxation. 00:06:49
Spend just what you need. I know your taxpayers too, but it's our money and Please remember your producer of duty towards it. 00:06:55
Thank you. 00:07:00
Bincraft. 00:07:12
What are you all doing today? I first want to thank you all for what you do and for being here. 00:07:18
On a monthly, daily basis and and working through all this stuff. So I'll try to keep this brief, but I do want to before I talk 00:07:23
about the tax. My name is Ben Kraft. I live at 1243 Riddle Rd. in New Albany IN lifelong Floyd County residents. 00:07:30
But before I get into the tax itself, and he mentioned a lot of the things that I wanted to talk about. So I won't go too much 00:07:38
into that. I do want to talk about a couple of individuals on this board who've been criticized mainly in my party for not telling 00:07:45
the Republican Party line. And one was even sued to to get her out of out of office. 00:07:51
And this tax proposal stands in stark contrast to what the Republican Party believes, and that is? 00:08:00
Limited government and lower taxes in general. Now I'm not here to debate my party's platform, but I would like to highlight the 00:08:09
hypocrisy that I see today standing in front of a Republican ward majority and bringing up attacks like this that would be used, 00:08:16
just as you say, as a slush fund. I'm sure there are good intentions behind proposing such a high tax. You may even have valid 00:08:23
points on why accounting EMS service is better than a. 00:08:31
Then a fire based EMS or a contracted EMS service. But we need the facts. We need to know what we're paying for before you levy 00:08:39
such a high tax. And so I ask all of you all today to vote no on this. I believe it's ridiculous. And especially for you 00:08:47
Republicans out there, I would like to say that if you vote yes. 00:08:55
I maybe you should be sued as well, so thank you. 00:09:04
Scott, I can't make up the OK. 00:09:15
Yep. Hey, state your full name and address and if you don't mind, not a problem. Scott Venture 3425 Royal Lake Dr. Floods Knobs, 00:09:18
Indiana. I've been here for a while, long while. Did you hear the way I said that? 00:09:25
This is my second time coming down in front of you guys. The last time I was here was around the LIT and you all slid in this 00:09:34
disgusting little tax of a LIT at the last possible moment. And I heard Mr. Striegel bring up the point that our budget had to be 00:09:39
approved because we've got only until October 31st. 00:09:45
Which means we're looking at the budget at the last possible moment. I see a trend growing here. We got 15 days. We can do 00:09:51
something about it. I. 00:09:55
But I came down here at the LID because I thought that was the wrong tax to do. And I felt like it was there to offset the monies 00:09:59
given out to him, increase the salaries, not that that wasn't deserved. I think we're standing here again where we've got a fund 00:10:07
that you're talking about getting a $500 income tax, meaning once again that the the tax is going to be on the people who are 00:10:14
already paying most of the taxes, but you're going to try and raise $500.00 for a public safety tax. 00:10:21
And if I'm not mistaken, you could have easily taken that, cut it in half and passed an EMS tax. They would actually go to nothing 00:10:29
but EMS. And instead this $500 is not only going to fund 6 ambulances or three. I think 3 is the right number. Some reason 6 being 00:10:35
budgeted. 00:10:40
But it's also going to send money over into New Albany, which might make some members of the council very happy. 00:10:47
But I'm not certain that it meets the needs of what it's intending to do, which is improve the EMS service in Floyd County. 00:10:52
So I ask you to not vote on this. I ask you to vote a no. 00:11:00
And if you don't, I'll remember that when I pulled the lever in a couple of weeks because I'm very familiar with all your names 00:11:05
and I'll be happy to share that with my friends when they pull the lever, before they pull the lever. 00:11:10
But I asked you to vote no on this. And if and if these monies are necessary, and if you can't cut it out of these other budgets 00:11:17
in the 10 minute discussion you had on them, then find other ways to grab the money. Because I think we're spending too much and 00:11:22
you're taking too much of my money. Last time I told you you were printing money. After I left, I realized that's not true. You're 00:11:28
not printing money. You're pulling money out of my wallet. 00:11:33
So stop, please, and rethink how you want to attack this. Look at an EMS tax. Don't make it a slush fund and make it very 00:11:40
specific. Thank you. 00:11:45
Cale. 00:11:55
GAIL Manhattan, 2635 Henry Rd. 00:12:02
The poor part of county, Georgia. 00:12:05
Why hurt such fun? I think I was the first one brought that up a year ago. I've heard that from everybody tonight. Can't say much 00:12:08
because a lot of stuff's been said that I was going to say, and these are more professional speakers than I am. That's on top. 00:12:14
But you guys? 00:12:21
The biggest tax increases this counties have. 00:12:23
That's what you're all at. 00:12:26
And it it's, it started. It started and we're here because. 00:12:28
For 15 years we didn't do it. 00:12:33
Let's hear now. Don't put it on my kids, and don't put it on me. 00:12:35
It's too much. It's too much. I can move, sell my farm and move to Harrison County. 00:12:39
Save a lot of money on taxes. 00:12:45
In the LIT, everybody thinks you ******. 00:12:48
We have to pay at the end of the year. If it wasn't for this county local tax, I probably wouldn't be paying any. 00:12:51
State income tax. 00:12:57
It's all lips is what I paint. For state income tax that goes to the county. 00:12:58
And again, I'm glad everybody else talked. You, you guys, it's too much. It's it's too much. It's not transparent and it is a 00:13:04
slush fund if you look at it. Thank you. 00:13:09
Ed does it go it? 00:13:20
I'm a little taller, so I should just a little. 00:13:30
Ed Gullet, 1168. Copperfield, Georgetown. 00:13:33
And I want to begin by saying thank you to Jim Fryberger. 00:13:38
For standing up against the rest of the Council. 00:13:42
Because I'm trying to do the right thing. 00:13:45
I worked in business for 30 years and I've sat in a lot of budget meetings and I've never seen as many people come unprepared to 00:13:51
discuss the details of their budget. 00:13:57
Whenever you ask a question of them. 00:14:04
They should know that, and if they send a representative, they should know that, and if they don't? 00:14:06
You shouldn't approve the budget until you know every. 00:14:12
Every, every, every piece of it. Because what I heard a little bit ago is nothing more than kicking the can down the road. 00:14:15
In this conversation, technically and from my perspective. 00:14:24
Should have been had prior to a budget meeting so you know the funds that you're going to have available. 00:14:28
Now we've got a budget that's pretty much set. 00:14:33
And now we got to figure out a way to fund everybody who's put the pork barrel in there. 00:14:36
And that's, that's my biggest concern about what I heard and what I've seen. 00:14:40
And Mr. Bagshaw, I spoke to you at Harvest Homecoming for probably 10-15 minutes about this very subject. 00:14:45
And my concern is that I think by pushing it to the levels we are right now. 00:14:53
It is creating a major, major problem for the individuals in this county who are already hurting because of inflation, and I know 00:14:59
we hear that. 00:15:04
But a lot of us are feeling it every single day and whenever you're paying the extra amount for gas and food and trying to decide, 00:15:09
do I put my kids in daycare or do I eat? 00:15:14
These are things that need to be considered and yeah, we think of it as a very, very small amount per person. 00:15:20
But the reality of it is, and this is a big, big amount of money, if what I hear in the funding is 1.4 million a year in expense. 00:15:26
And the income off of it is 14 and a half million. 00:15:35
And this is for a two year term as I hear it. Wow, it's nice to. We talked about a slush fund, two or three or four other people 00:15:40
talked about it. I wish I had $26 million extra in two years to decide how do I want to spend it or not spend it. 00:15:47
And from my perspective, you can do a lot of things with 26,000,000. Of course the county can. But you know what? So can we as 00:15:55
taxpayers. 00:15:59
We need to take care of our families as well. What I would ask is if we just feel like this needs to happen. 00:16:04
Let's limit it and let's not try to put the full extent in, in one given year because that is a huge amount of money. And then 00:16:11
let's reassess down the road in a year or two to see if it's if we've handled it appropriately or if there needs to be more funds 00:16:17
appropriated at that point in time. 00:16:23
And that's that's what I wanted to share. 00:16:29
Thank you. 00:16:32
Greg from her. 00:16:38
Hello, my name is Greg Park where I live at 7240 Bayonet Rd. Floyd Knobs. 00:16:47
I came up here. 00:16:54
For the sole purpose. 00:16:56
Of not. 00:16:59
We don't want your taxes. 00:17:04
Everybody here. 00:17:06
Has. 00:17:07
Set it. 00:17:09
Wait, so I'm just gonna leave it at that? 00:17:11
Mark Huber. 00:17:20
Hello, my name is Mark Huber and I live at 6898 Pete Andrews Rd. 00:17:31
And I just wanted to Ditto everything else. 00:17:36
Everything everybody else said, but I guess the thing that I'd like to understand before you vote is how's this money going to be 00:17:40
spent? 00:17:44
In the last meeting. 00:17:48
I think Denise. 00:17:50
Many times, what's the budget? How did we come up with these numbers? How are we going to spend this money? And there wasn't any 00:17:53
answers. And so I'd like to hear. 00:17:57
What that answer is before you vote tonight. 00:18:02
Thank you. 00:18:07
OK, that's the end of public. 00:18:13
Comment. 00:18:16
We are on to old business #1 modifying tax rate. Second reading of Ordinance 2024, O 8. 00:18:19
Make a motion that Council approves Ordinance 2408 with the .5 minutes. 00:18:26
On the public safety test. 00:18:33
We have a motion and a second. 00:18:35
Can I ask Gloria to share with the public and the rest of the Council, although I think you don't see this. 00:18:40
Sorry. 00:18:49
My mic wasn't on. I'm asking Gloria to share a spreadsheet I'll put together that shows. 00:18:51
What we need and the two scenarios. 00:18:59
I presented these. I had four scenarios. I presented these at the last meeting, but I wanted the public to be able to see these. 00:19:04
The first scenario, Scenario B was the first line is what I think we need to shore up everything. 00:19:12
In our budget for 2025 and 2026, we need 1.4 million for the EMS services contracts that we put in place for the next two years 00:19:22
where we have about a $2.1 million deficit in our general fund. I don't really think it's going to be quite that big, but that's 00:19:31
what the numbers show at this point. We have a jail lit that needs about $1,000,000, so we need about $4.5 million. 00:19:40
What is being proposed as a public safety PSLIT? 00:19:50
A .5 that generates $6.4 million for us or thereabouts, but we are going to give the city. 00:19:55
Right around $8 million. 00:20:04
So while it's a $14 million tax, the county is only going to get. 00:20:06
$6.4 million of that. 00:20:13
I have another scenario that I think could generate the revenues that we need. 00:20:16
And make the make this a much less burdensome tax on the taxpayers. The one scenario that I just presented is $500 on 100,000. 00:20:23
Scenario D that I put together is the same needs across the top line and then let's skip the public safety. Well, let's talk about 00:20:35
the public safety IT I'm saying let's put it in for point 1%, which is what one of the gentlemen said. Let's go at this in. 00:20:44
And bites. Let's not go. 00:20:54
Out and put a full tax in place let's go at it invites so we need 1.4 for our EMS. Let's put a public safety lit in place that 00:20:57
generates the $1.4 million that we need. We also have the ability to put a judicial let take it from .04 to .07 which is the Max 00:21:07
on that tax. We suggested this last year Ironically Connie and Danny neither one voted for. 00:21:17
.70 tax last year. This is a tax that would only cost the constituents $15 a year. 00:21:27
We get to keep every bit of that tax that we generate from our taxpayers. We don't have to share it with the city. 00:21:36
The next one is the jail lit tax. We can take that from .2% to .3% and generate another $3,000,000. While this we can't vote on 00:21:44
this tonight because it wasn't advertised, we can still vote on it this year and start collecting that tax. 00:21:53
Next year and it will generate the amount of money that we need. We can generate $5.3 million and only cost our constituents $155 00:22:03
a year versus generating 6.4 million and costing our constituents $500 a year. And the reason for that is that we're giving $8 00:22:11
million to the city. 00:22:18
So I want the I want. 00:22:27
All the public to understand that, and I'm pretty sure that the people sitting at this table are ready do understand that. 00:22:30
Well, I will. I am going to take exception with some of the language. We're not giving the city anything. 00:22:39
That the state splits that up. We're we're not cutting the city a check for $8 million. I understand that. But the statute as 00:22:44
well, that's where that money comes from. They are part of the county. 00:22:51
Yeah, they are part of the county. My my second point is. 00:22:58
I've heard people suggest the EMS lit and. 00:23:06
From at the beginning I was on board with that, but. 00:23:11
When you do an EMS lit the 1.4 million a year. 00:23:14
Becomes 2 million a year because. 00:23:20
We're collecting money from city residents that we have to actually cut a check back to the city for, so that cost will be 00:23:23
inflated. 00:23:27
And. 00:23:34
Mister Man, I don't wish for you to leave Floyd County. I would love for you to stay, but if you move to Harrison County, they 00:23:36
already have a public safety lit. 00:23:40
Clark has a public safety lit and an EMS lit. 00:23:44
So I don't think it's, I don't think this is something that we want to do. 00:23:47
Like we're eager to to pass this tax. This is something that and there's a lot of stuff not accounted for here. I appreciate you 00:23:54
bringing this Denise for the breakdown, but. 00:24:00
I was talking to Stan today and talking to the actuaries. 00:24:07
The sheriff's pension fund is 2.8 million. 00:24:11
To bring it correct. 00:24:14
There's 2.8 million that we can't ignore that. I mean, it's, that's the maximum funding. Is that the maximum funding? We don't 00:24:17
have to, we do not have to fund the pension at Max. We do not statutorily we do not. So I, you know, my proposal would be that we 00:24:23
do. 00:24:29
400,000 over the next seven years to to bring it into compliance. 00:24:36
There's there are things. 00:24:41
This is surface level what we're seeing here. There are things that we've discussed before. 00:24:45
That this county desperately needs. 00:24:50
That we don't do this tonight. We are going to be back here every year for the next three to five years, nickel and diming. This 00:24:54
is a generational. 00:24:59
Lit that we will not have to come back. 00:25:06
I Danny, I would love to see the plan for the next 5 years of how you're going to spend this extra money and then I'll consider it 00:25:11
and then I will consider it. But you don't have a plan. And if you do have a plan, then give it to us. There's no transparency 00:25:18
here. I've, I've presented. 00:25:25
Things that we know are coming. This is not even things that. 00:25:33
Could happen. These are things that we know we're coming, OK? 00:25:37
The plan is up to us how to split it up. That is the council's decision. I'm one vote. The council's decision is do we fund the 00:25:42
sheriff's retirement fund at 400,000 a year or do we only do it at 100,000 a year? That's our decisions I have presented. 00:25:50
Well, more than what this tax will bring in. 00:25:59
For the appropriations that are needed. 00:26:04
We have the health department. That's a capital project. You do not put an operating budget in place to fund a capital. 00:26:07
Plant, I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm not disagreeing with you, but this frees up money for capital. This frees up money for 00:26:17
the projects that we need. 00:26:23
We're all paying for it. We're all paying for it. I'm paying for it too. 00:26:32
My kids live here in this county. They're paying for it, too. 00:26:36
I'm going to start. I want, I want to debunk a few rumors. 00:26:42
Regarding the public safety tax and the EMS tax. 00:26:46
It is a public safety tax, not an EMS tax. 00:26:53
This is for the entire public safety. 00:26:57
PJ, you read some of the code. 00:27:01
Some of the other code says that. 00:27:04
Police, law enforcement, firefighting and prevention systems. 00:27:09
Emergency ambulance, medical and so on. 00:27:12
There is no rush. 00:27:18
We have a deadline to meet per the state guidelines so that we can start collecting. 00:27:20
I asked it to fix it and they won't fix it. 00:27:26
Till tomorrow. 00:27:29
It's awful noising. 00:27:33
Yeah, that. He'll fix it tomorrow. 00:27:39
Sorry, that way you don't have to hear all the racket. 00:27:45
There is no rush. We have a deadline to meet, per the state. 00:27:50
The county wide fire based EMS will cost more than the $1 million rumor that I keep hearing about. 00:27:54
There will end up being upfront costs for that model to get off the ground as well. 00:28:02
I've spoken to, I've spoken to many firefighters and EMTs. Not all of them are willing to be cross trained to do both services. 00:28:08
You can't make them do that. You're going to disrupt our good fire departments that we already currently have. 00:28:16
There are plans for the future of our county and that's why this proposed tax is very important. 00:28:24
Putting the proverbial cart before the horse is how planning for the future of the county is being described. 00:28:32
I need. 00:28:40
For you to understand that the text will be used for a public safety. 00:28:42
This is police. This is law enforcement. 00:28:46
Our county, including the city, need to be able to hire and retain the best law enforcement officers available. 00:28:50
Retention is huge. We need to retain who we have because to hire a new police officer is roughly twice, three times the amount. 00:28:58
For your salary. 00:29:08
We need to have fully staffed departments. 00:29:11
Again, including the city. 00:29:15
They are part of this county. 00:29:17
Emergency ambulance and medical services. 00:29:20
Our county deserves the opportunity to get an adequate number of ambulances on the road, staffed with trained and dedicated EMS 00:29:25
staff. 00:29:30
We are under covered at this point under the current contracts. We need more ambulances on the road. The Fitch study done years 00:29:35
ago stated that this could have all been rectified four years ago when the commissioners had the opportunity to go ahead and do 00:29:41
the fire and EMS. 00:29:47
But they didn't. They wanted to get put together a task force and whatever, but if they would have just made the decision to four 00:29:53
years ago, they had the two votes, they could have passed it. 00:29:59
Probation and community corrections. These departments also need access to reliable and effective equipment to perform their 00:30:07
duties and hire the people that can do those jobs. 00:30:12
This tax will help departments free up monies in our general fund so that we continue to plan for the future. Government, like any 00:30:18
private business, cannot successfully function without a brick and mortar and a staff to complete the daily tasks on hand to 00:30:24
maintain at the level of standard expected. 00:30:30
I believe that a smaller tax years ago could have prevented the need for this tax. With the correct correct tax past years ago, we 00:30:37
could have been paying fair wages to our county employees all along instead of taking such a large hit all at once. 00:30:45
I also believe. 00:30:53
With the correct text past years ago, the county building may have been updated prior to having to do a complete overhaul or a new 00:30:57
build. 00:31:01
Without passing this tax at the current proposed rate, future councils will have no choice but to increase or implement new taxes 00:31:06
every year at budget time to cover the deficit. 00:31:11
A responsible council member in the future will and should lower the rate as the needs change. 00:31:18
I ask. 00:31:28
I asked my fellow council members, are you willing to put Floyd County in the same position 10 years from now? Not by planning for 00:31:33
the future, Colas. 00:31:38
Are you willing to plan for the right EMS service with the industry standards suggested for our county? 00:31:44
Do you want to continue to be reactive to the changes or issues we face as a county, or do you want to be proactive with a plan? 00:31:50
Well, I've got a lot of things I want to respond to that. For one, we'll need to pass a tax where we show what we need and if 00:32:02
needed, something down 2 years down the road, we can increase that taxes. Let's go that route. Let's don't start it out high and 00:32:08
drop it 'cause we know that I'll never drop it. 00:32:14
There, there's just so many things here. I mean, this thing, this, this plan for this EMS hasn't even been passed by the 00:32:23
commissioners. It's a special task force that Jason Sharp started and had a special committee that pushed this forward. 00:32:30
We already had comments from Al Knabel. 00:32:37
Saying that this thing probably will take till early to mid next year to even get on page what they want to do. They haven't even 00:32:41
decided they want to do a county base. No one's even said proven to us why the current EMS that we have in place with Ameripro and 00:32:48
Highlander fire is not working at this $1.4 million. So I don't understand. Somebody needs to prove something to me. I know 00:32:54
everyone in this room has asked for numbers. We still haven't heard them yet tonight. 00:33:01
The thing, the only thing I heard was some pensions for the Sheriff's Department, which I know we don't have to do 100% fund 00:33:08
which. 00:33:11
Hardly anybody in the state does. And I find it ironic that we're even going to ask for pension increase when we did a benefit 00:33:14
study and all of you voted against putting it back on the commissioners and cutting pensions for the employees. We do 3%. That's 00:33:21
not required by the state. That's over $500,000 a year. We can cut right now this budget. 00:33:28
I'm curious about something was here. Maybe I'm totally misunderstood this. I thought the EMS service was included in our deficit 00:33:36
of $2,000,000. I thought that was part of the two million. Am I totally wrong on that? 00:33:42
It's just two million, it's not 3.4 million. 00:33:50
OK. So there's so much that you can go in here like right now we just had the last meeting, Brad brought this up, we don't even 00:33:54
spend 100% of the budget. So if we only spend 98% of the budget based on what the budget expenses are, that's almost a half a 00:33:59
million there. 00:34:04
We got riverboat money that's not not designated 220,000 it's another 200,000 that's 700,000 more off of this budget that we're 00:34:11
talking about, this deficit we're talking about. Nobody wants to touch these things. That's let alone more the things I brought up 00:34:17
these additional raises that begin this year for like prosecutors, public defenders, that's totally unnecessary because they got 00:34:22
all those raises two years ago. So I don't understand why we're doing all this. We can keep these things down, but nobody will has 00:34:28
the guts to do it and we. 00:34:34
All the taxpayers sitting here and I keep talking to people and they don't want this thing. I don't want this thing. I don't. 00:34:40
For my family, I don't want for anybody. So I understand if you're running for office, and I have to say right now, Dale, you're 00:34:46
the one up for election, explain how you can justify this thing. Tell these people how you can justify. It's crazy. 00:34:55
Pass something lower. I think it takes guts to say this is what we need and I know that nobody likes it. I don't like it, but it 00:35:05
is what we need. I've heard from 90% of the department heads I have heard from. 00:35:12
The sheriff I have heard from community corrections, I've heard from probation. 00:35:20
Do you want a county to function to the level that you want it to? 00:35:27
If you don't. 00:35:33
Then we won't pass the tax. We'll just keep fighting. We'll just keep fighting the bullet every year to try to pinch pennies. None 00:35:36
of our employees are going. None of our and again, none of our employees are going to. 00:35:45
Come to work anymore because they're not getting their fair rates. 00:35:54
Who's gonna run the government? That's the problem. This is a bigger picture than what you all are looking at. 00:35:59
This is not public comment, Tom. Thank you. We just did the salary thing two years ago and it got them all based on that salary 00:36:06
study now. 00:36:10
We're not charging enough and yet we won't make these cuts so that. 00:36:16
We're not doing anything to these employees that are going to run them off of here. We're just trying to get them in the middle of 00:36:22
the road where the rest of these counties are. We're not cheating them of anything, but if you don't continue the COLA, they're 00:36:28
going to be back in the same boat. I understand that. But what about next year and the following year? 00:36:35
We'll, we'll cross. You know what? We'll have plenty of money next year. If we just do what I say, what I said, which cost the 00:36:41
taxpayer $155. We will be able to do colors again next year. 00:36:47
President, can we get a little order and maybe go down the line? There's a lot of jumping around here. 00:36:54
We need to, we need to wrap up comments, man. I'd like to say some stuff, but I've been waiting for it. Only if you want to speak, 00:37:03
we'll start right down there. 00:37:06
Go ahead. 00:37:12
So. 00:37:15
I'll briefly say what I said last week, which is. 00:37:17
You know, and Jim brought it up. 00:37:20
The proposed $2,000,000 deficit that our fiscal agent said we had, our general fund, I don't believe exists at first glance. We 00:37:22
get an additional $500,000 of the spend rate from the Community Foundation. That was hospital money that was put in there. We're 00:37:29
going to get $4 million this year, this next year in 2025, but only three and a half million is accounted for. So that's actual 00:37:36
cash on hand. You add in some insurance surplus of 700,000. 00:37:43
4 to 500,000 in riverboat and then you know we don't spend all of our budget. 00:37:50
100% of our budget typically at all so. 00:37:55
That right there, if you Add all that up, the $2,000,000 proposed deficit goes away and that's before any cuts or anything else 00:37:59
that you look at. 00:38:03
There are some needs that are on the table that. 00:38:09
That need to be addressed. 00:38:12
The thing that the biggest thing that confuses me is last year when we were in a position to look at. 00:38:14
Writing Writing the the the the getting the the the proper tax structure in place. 00:38:24
We looked at. 00:38:29
A judicial lit that had a very small increase to the taxpayer. 00:38:31
And that was. 00:38:36
Debated and even then vigorously opposed by some members of the Council, so much so that. 00:38:39
It got cut in half and only half the rate was put in. 00:38:46
And now this year. 00:38:50
The you go from one end of the spectrum all the way to the other. 00:38:53
Go into a $14 million tax. 00:38:57
With the highest tax increase I think Floyd County has ever seen. 00:39:00
To me that something is not right with that. Where last year it was fought against, this year it is a big ask and I don't, I don't 00:39:03
want to interrupt, but. 00:39:09
But just to be clear, it's Danny and Connie who are completely against that last year and this year. 00:39:15
A complete turn around. 00:39:21
And so. 00:39:24
To me. 00:39:26
The budget that was passed and where we are for next year, if the tax doesn't go through there, the public safety is not at risk. 00:39:27
There is a budget put forth that is sustainable for the 2025. And I believe that it's our responsibility each year when we adopt A 00:39:35
budget to look at it and and see about making adjustments up or down. But I'll be honest, government rarely goes down. 00:39:44
To, you know, to match the the the budget. 00:39:54
To match the needs because needs change from year to year. 00:39:57
You know this to me is too big of an ask and there is so much that is not being said with why the about face from last year being 00:40:02
a 100 spectrum for this year being on the other. 00:40:08
Nothing new. 00:40:17
There is no, there's no new items. You know, Danny, we, we've had some discussions with the workshops and you know, there's some 00:40:21
things on the board there, but there is nothing new. 00:40:26
From this year, from last year, as far as needs, we knew the hospital, I mean the. 00:40:31
Health department needs needs a building. We we know that. 00:40:37
You know, there was, there's a lot of things on there in regards to. 00:40:43
EMS, that's the big, I think that's the catalyst that's driving this tax. 00:40:50
Because nothing else makes sense to me and. 00:40:55
The day of the first vote last week. 00:41:00
That that that day is when we got the price tag of a county run EMS service. 00:41:05
It's just, you know, it's just a little suspicious that it comes out on that day. Maybe that was when it, you know, when it was 00:41:13
ready. But typically I don't like having to make a decision when data comes in the day of the vote. 00:41:19
That just doesn't seem right. So there's a lot of unanswered questions for me, Ezra, in regards to this. There's a lot of other 00:41:26
things I agree with. It's been said too big of an ask. 00:41:31
Not, not, not a clear path forward, not a plan for this, for this money and it's not. I think there's other ways that to tackle 00:41:39
what we need in Floyd County besides this big ask because it is extremely large and the largest 1 Floyd County has seen and what I 00:41:45
hear is. 00:41:52
There are needs for the future that we're planning for. Well, I can tell you if you give, if you give the pot of money to the 00:42:00
government. 00:42:04
They'll find a way. 00:42:09
To spend that money. 00:42:11
Denise. 00:42:18
I've said pretty much everything I need to say. I I will thank Ben Kraft for stepping up to the podium. And I one of my comments 00:42:19
been was, is this really your fiscally conservative Republican Party? Are you? Is this it? 00:42:28
Sure. Thank you. Ben, is there a relationship that you need to disclose? OK, Connie, you're up. Not at all. 00:42:39
I'm gonna explain the judicial list. Last year when it was proposed, the language was very loose. 00:42:48
My interpretation was not nearly as broad as your interpretation and. 00:42:54
Per the person who actually wrote the bill in the State House. 00:43:00
The way that you guys interpreted it and passed it was not the way it was intended. 00:43:06
We are now grandfathered into that. 00:43:12
That is why I was against that tax, because. 00:43:14
We were trying to use it the way it was not intended and and I'm not good with that. 00:43:18
What what it was? 00:43:25
Intended for her. 00:43:27
We wouldn't have gotten enough under the judicial lit so. 00:43:29
That's why, again, that's why I voted against it. It was not. 00:43:33
It was not passed. 00:43:39
Per what the person who wrote the bill intended it to be passed for. 00:43:42
However, it is working the way that it was passed. It has been grandfathered in, which from my knowledge I guess maybe you guys 00:43:48
have done some of that before and got things grandfathered in that way, which is fine, but I'm not good with that. 00:43:54
This year is different than last year. 00:44:01
You're right, it is good for our constituents, but what if they didn't offer to grandfather that in there? 00:44:14
What if they didn't? They have the ability to not just so you know. 00:44:21
But I'm not going to pass a tax that is. 00:44:27
Boasted and inflated. 00:44:32
When that's not the language of the bill, I'm not sorry. And this year is different than last year because our EMS bill is huge 00:44:35
compared to last year. 00:44:40
It is what, 4 times as much? 00:44:47
Public safety, you're correct, Brad. It's not at risk. It's not. We've got a great Sheriff's Department. We've got great fire 00:44:53
departments. The EMS contracts are working like they're supposed to. 00:44:58
However. 00:45:07
In two years, be it either a countrywide standalone EMS or your firebase county wide EMS, how you going to pay for upfront costs? 00:45:08
How you going to pay for ambulances? You realize ambulances can run two years? 00:45:16
You order them now, you won't have them for two years. Some of them are even longer than that. We're going to have to have 00:45:24
ambulances. 00:45:27
In two years, regardless if it's fire based or if it's county wide. 00:45:31
With no plan. 00:45:41
Or a way to fund it? Now we're going to be stuck in two years under another wasted contract for our EMS. 00:45:44
I'm done. 00:45:55
I'm glad they're all. 00:45:58
Yeah, I reiterate, I don't know why we have to change the current system we have right now, why we have to put out additional 00:46:01
money. I mean, we got got. 00:46:05
Calendar out there. We got Ameripro. 00:46:09
We're not having to put any any extra money. 00:46:12
No one's given me any data why this is not going to continue to work after the two years. I'm befuddled by that. But the other 00:46:15
thing I just wanted. I made several points here, but let's just go back at a couple things. We asked a lit tax last year. There 00:46:21
was ACCD tax pass last year. We've had property taxes of over 10% the last three consecutive years. Now we know the commissioners 00:46:27
are planning to raise the city county building. 00:46:33
Very soon they're going to try to get this on referendum as quick as they can, $40 million. 00:46:40
We know that's coming down the pipe. Why do we want to keep burden the taxpayers even more? I just say no. We got to just say no. 00:46:45
For the sake of time, I've I've said what I'm going to say. So Mr. President, I I just wanted I thought we were well, we were 00:47:00
starting with you that that that's OK. Brad had started and I yielded to him. But I just want to say that it's obvious that the 00:47:06
needs our county is growing. 00:47:13
And so is the needs of our county. 00:47:20
I've talked with people in within my district that I represent. 00:47:23
And I think after talking with them, because I was not at the place where I am tonight, but after talking with them, I understand 00:47:28
that it gives us more options that that they will benefit from and it gives us a greater ability to use. 00:47:37
In our budgeting, that would help us. 00:47:48
In the long run. 00:47:52
So. 00:47:54
Thank you. 00:47:58
My name's Ben, referenced there several times tonight. 00:48:00
All right. Well, First off, Mr. Freiberger, we've tried cuts. 00:48:07
Last year and we found out the commissioners ain't budget. 00:48:12
So we can. 00:48:17
They're not they they made it clear they're not budgeting. 00:48:18
And so and then, by the way, for the. 00:48:22
Public as the one that brokered. 00:48:26
Lowering the tax last year from 7% point 7A point O 7 to .04, I brokered that deal and now we say that would have fixed it last 00:48:29
year. 00:48:35
It had we went to full amount. I brokered him out because I wanted to give some members on this body the ability to make cuts that 00:48:42
they said that he that should be made while the commissioners kind of slapped our hands, said stay in your lane, that that's our 00:48:48
purview and we're not prepared to do it. I've heard it very clear from the commissioners that they're not prepared to make those 00:48:54
cuts that we suggested making, which was about Jim, I think. 00:49:00
Couple of $1,000,000 if I recall. 00:49:07
And so therefore that. 00:49:10
That didn't happen. I don't foresee that happening. 00:49:12
And a couple of things. It's my intent to be a public safety. I'm pretty transparent. I believe local governments should provide 00:49:16
for public safety and infrastructure. 00:49:21
And just to throw out a question, do you know we're not required to provide the Ms. service by the state statute? And I think it's 00:49:26
the right thing to do, but we're not required. 00:49:31
So. 00:49:36
I just think it's I do agree that we need to and and Denise, your plan, it's it's a good plan, but it don't provide anything going 00:49:38
forward. We know we have a contract that's going to be up in 2027 and ever how the commissioners go, we need to be able to build 00:49:44
that system. And to Mr. Freiburg's point, I've been around long enough to know that that it's a good system. Now the private 00:49:49
provider, but. 00:49:55
AMR for, I mean Ameripro for example, they could leave, they could invoke their sixty day clause. 00:50:02
And we'll be out without an ambulance service. AMR did it, Yellow did it, and we could be without an annual service. So I think 00:50:08
it's prudent that we do build, and I haven't always been this way. 00:50:13
We do build a county base, either fire base or county stand alone. 00:50:19
But however, if we build a fire base, we still have to procure equipment. And that's the FIT study told us like six years ago. And 00:50:25
it's going to be about 2 1/2 to $3,000,000 to procure equipment to start it up, plus the labor cost to hire the employees. And I'm 00:50:32
sorry, Miss Gumpa, your proposal just doesn't provide for that. 00:50:39
And that's a few years out. 00:50:47
Dan, I hear everything you're saying. And what I just want to say to that is as soon as I get the numbers, as soon as I get how 00:50:50
many people we need to all in favor say aye, aye. Any opposed? 00:50:57
I also make a motion for 3A and BI was contacted by the EMA department. They're not able to be here tonight, but it is also grant 00:51:05
money. 00:51:09
I'll second. 00:51:14
Any discussion? 00:51:19
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:51:21
That carries community corrections. 00:51:25
Driest for the transfers. 00:51:31
I just need to transfer money a grant money so I don't. 00:51:34
Lose it and return it to the county. I wanna make sure. 00:51:38
I wanna make sure we spend it in the county. Motion to approve for a second, a motion and a second for 4A. Any questions for 00:51:41
Darius? 00:51:44
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:51:50
Thank you, Carries. Thank you. 00:51:53
Operations in OK, Mr. Nick Creeby. 00:51:56
I can go through these if you want for for time sake. If you have questions then that would be the better way to. 00:52:03
Let's let's see if we have a motion and then we'll motion to approve all of item A. 00:52:10
I'm sorry. 00:52:17
All of Adam 5. 00:52:20
And I'll second it. We have a motion and a second for Actor 5, ABC and D. 00:52:23
Any questions for Mr. Creeley? The only thing is on the state 911 does that. 00:52:28
Does that plan have a negative balance in it? 00:52:36
Yes, it currently does. 00:52:39
It gets a quarterly. 00:52:41
We had to pause. 00:52:45
Receding for 10 days. 00:52:48
Yeah, it's gonna be processed in. 00:52:52
Stan. 00:52:55
I didn't hear. 00:53:02
Oh, oh, thank you. Thank you, Stan. Any other questions for Nick? 00:53:05
All in favor for item 5 say aye. Any opposed? 00:53:11
Carries motion for 6A. 00:53:15
2nd. 00:53:21
We have a motion in a second for the health department. Any discussion? 00:53:22
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:53:28
Item 7. 00:53:33
It's strictly grant funded and you should have received a letter. 00:53:35
Stating that the state did award us the amount that I put in the budget. If you have any questions. Motion to approve 7-8. 00:53:39
******. We have a motion and a second for 7A. Any discussion or questions? 00:53:48
All in favor say aye. Any opposed? 00:53:55
That carries. Thank you. Thank you girls, for sitting with us. 00:53:58
Go ahead. I just have transfers. I have one transfers within my budget to. 00:54:09
Take care of some shortfall that we had in the taxing software line due to the fact that. 00:54:14
Our our tax and software on boarding got delayed, so we wound up spending a little bit more on retaining. 00:54:21
Flower and then also the financial software in retaining here as we were supposed to on board off of Harris in June. We didn't on 00:54:30
board until this past Monday. Motion to approve 8A. 00:54:34
2nd. 00:54:40
That's different. That's better. Motion to 2nd grade 8, any discussion? 00:54:43
All in favor say aye. Any opposed? 00:54:48
Motion for 8B, Yeah, I'm just covering for Miss Morty. Second, it's just a transfer. Thank you. We have motion a second for 8B. 00:54:51
Any questions or discussion? 00:54:56
All in favor say aye. Opposed. 00:55:01
Motion for 9A. 00:55:05
Performance 2024 Dash 11 and a second We have a motion a second for. 00:55:08
The ordinance for transfers Any discussion? 00:55:13
All in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:55:17
That carries. 00:55:21
Diana, I just got a comment. Did you change the format on these? 00:55:24
Is that loud? 00:55:28
Yeah, I noticed. I said that's been changed. Funds are all the same, but the format's been changed. 00:55:30
Okay. 00:55:36
Any committee reports? 00:55:38
I just want to I have mentioned that. 00:55:43
Sina told me that they went live on the new Lao system this week and that is a big, big deal. So thank you very much for spending 00:55:46
the extra time Stevie too. Yes, thanks for coming in doing that that that's that's an awesome step forward for our council. Diana, 00:55:54
she had her team come in on thunderstorm. So I just want to thank. 00:56:02
Thank you. 00:56:13
For business, yesterday for tax. 00:56:17
I would just like to say that J rec. 00:56:24
Grants have been reviewed and given to the. 00:56:28
I don't know if it's a secondary group on the J rack. It will be voted on by the full J Rec board on Monday. 00:56:35
Taken to. 00:56:42
The commissioners at their next meeting and should have some public notice going out for who gets those grant monies. 00:56:44
Alright, anybody else? 00:56:54
I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. 00:56:57
So moved any public comment at the end, I'm sorry I didn't. 00:56:59
Trying to trying to clear the room. Any public want to speak at the end? 00:57:06
Come on up if. 00:57:11
If if that's you, Yep, Yep, it's on. 00:57:12
I know I should have gotten up earlier, but this didn't quite pertain to the EMS thing, but I was wondering if I could get an 00:57:15
answer to a question that's gotten a lot of newspaper and television coverage. 00:57:22
What's the status about our mayor and Silver Creek Dam? 00:57:30
Have you ever gotten any kind of a figure of what he has spent up there on that and and what what is going to happen? 00:57:35
City Council, you know what we know? 00:57:45
That's the City Council, and I don't even think our, yeah, our trusty reporters would like to know the same answer to that. Well, 00:57:48
it looks like someone, whether it's council or whatever. 00:57:55
You can say, hey Mayor, we need a damn answer. 00:58:04
I don't disagree with you on that. 00:58:08
I don't disagree with you on that. 00:58:10
We don't. Yeah, we don't have. 00:58:12
The city. I'll talk to you more about that after the meeting. Thank you very much. Anybody else in the public want to speak? 00:58:16
Motion to adjourn. 00:58:23
We are adjourned. 00:58:25
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