Commissioners meeting, 6-6-2016

The June commissioners meeting was fairly routine and not nearly as contentious as the Drainage Board meeting later in the day. After approving a couple buried cable requests for the north part of the county, they heard a request for a speed-limit sign for 1100N between 1100 W and 1200 W. The road has a lot of houses, a lot of traffic, and hills. The commissioners told the three people making the request that a change in a speed limit requires a public hearing and that they would schedule one for the next meeting on July 5.

Brad Cozza gave a quick airport update. The fuel farm, which has been over a decade in the making, will have its ribbon cutting at 11:00 on July 9, during the annual fly-in. Although he will begin work at his new job on July 5, he will return for the event.

The commissioners approved the rezone of the property that Rose Acres would like to use for an egg-laying operation that will be an attraction for the Fair Oaks Farms experience. It also approved adding a regulation for manure incorporation to the UDO. Both had been recommended by the Planning and Development Board.

They made an appointment to the BZA to replace a member who has resigned but did not have a candidate for the Animal Control Board.

The County Highway Department had some rule that they wanted signed so that it would allow them to obtain funds from some federal program. There was also a discussion of how to budget highway funds.

The Sheriff had received a bid for sealing the parking lot at the jail that the commissioners approved. He asked for permission to move people around to fill holes in resignations and absences of communication officers. He said that the new communications tower should be in operation on or about July 1. The jail hit a maximum census of 104 during May. As of the end of May, the county has had three confirmed deaths from heroin overdoses and four others that may be deemed caused by overdose depending on lab results.

I left for a funeral during the next item, a woman who maintained a driveway that neighbors were using as a result of a driveway permit they had obtained. Even though she had constructed the driveway, apparently the county had an easement on the property. I left before the issue was resolved.

After the funeral at SJC, I stopped by Halas Hall to take a picture of the new roof being installed. A similar roof will be installed on Gallagher Hall, which has the same design as Halas.

On Monday US 231 was closed south of SJC so that a culvert could be replaced. One of the traffic control guys said it was about two miles south. In the College Mall, Fastenal was mostly empty as the store moves to Drexel Drive.