By LOU ANN MILLETT
Tribune Correspondent
Tipton County Council members passed Ordinance 2024-12 on the first reading. This action transferred the deed for the 69+ acres (the Stroup property) from the Board of Commissioners to the Redevelopment Commission at the council’s September meeting. The BOC received the deed to this property from INDOT; the time was right for the RDC to receive ownership as it works to bring businesses to the 28/31 intersection area.
Following the first reading approval, council members suspended the rules, had a second reading of the ordinance and approved and adopted the ordinance.
In other actions, after a public hearing where no one commented, council members approved a BOC additional appropriation of $250,000 for roof repairs which are to be paid from ARPA funds. (American Rescue Plan Act (which must be used by the end of this year.)
With no public comment at another public hearing, council members approved a BOC additional appropriation of $50,000 for HVAC repairs on newly acquired property on Market Road. This too will be paid with ARPA funds.
Being advertised for the additional appropriations at the October council meeting will be requests from Community Corrections and the County Clerk. Community Corrections has requested its Opiod Settlement funds be appropriated for three areas: $35,000 for professional contracts, $20,000 for operation supplies and $7,900 for travel expenses. The County Clerk is seeking $120,000 as the final payment for the court records being scanned to be digital. Councilman Jim Ashley wondered what fund the County Clerk had used to make the other payments for the scannings – General Fund and/or ARPA.
A transfer of $1,300 from lease-purchase to travel/conference was approved for the County Treasurer.
Council members approved the appointment of Joe Mahaney to the County Board of Zoning Appeals. Mahaney replaces Weston Nichols for the remainder of Nichols’ term.
With the realization that the advertisement for an additional appropriation for the County Highway had been advertised incorrectly, arrangements were made to re-advertise for the October council meeting. This is for an additional appropriation of $40,000 for the County Highway’s Garage and Motor category to be spent on maintenance and repairs to county vehicles. This money will be funded by the 1176 fund, not ARPA.
Likewise, there will be a re-advertisement for the request for an additional appropriation of $225,000 for the County Dispatch to purchase Caliber, a computer aided dispatch and record management program. This upgrade will allow all county law enforcement entities to have county-wide connectivity as well as state and national connectivity. The additional appropriation will be re-advertised to come from the County General Fund, ARPA, or the 9200 line.
Beginning budget work sessions were scheduled for 5 p.m. on both Oct. 1 and 8 in the first-floor meeting room of the Court House. Jackie Clements will advise the council on the budget.
The next regular county council meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the first-floor meeting room of the Court House.
