May10, 2004

BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

The Board of Commissioners met in a regular session with Chairman John E. Taylor and Commissioners Fred E. Ferguson, Donald C. Hay, Donald R. Stottlemire and Donald E. Waymire present.  

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Taylor at 8:30.

Commissioner Waymire moved and Commissioner Stottlemire seconded to go into an executive session for 10 minutes at 8:35 for attorney client privileges with Board and Blaine Finch present.  All voted “yes.”  Chairman Taylor opened the meeting at 8:45 and reported no action taken, no decisions made.

Blaine Finch, Craig Davis, Ted McCurdy, Brad Gilges and Jason Parks presented a report of the radio communication task force.  They discussed hand held radios and the trouble with reception.  Vehicle coverage is approximately 90% or better.  Hand held radio coverage is approximately 60%.  The problem with the hand held radios is due to the fact that the signal strength from hand held radios is not powerful enough to reach the receive antenna out on Old 50 Highway.  The only way to improve this coverage problem is to boost the transmit signal in the hand held radios.  The options for increasing coverage are 1) increasing the height of the two transmit antennas on the tower on Old 50 Highway or 2) is to purchase four voting repeaters and locate them at strategic points throughout the county.  The radio communication task force group recommended option 2.  They recommended funding for this project to be paid from 911 funds and general fund equipment reserve.  The task force group recommended sending out requests for proposals to secure a base bid for the project. 

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to get bids for four voting repeaters and back up tower.  All voted “yes.”

Craig Davis discussed a request for Brad Gilges to attend a 911 and wireless training in Salt Lake City.  They have received a grant for most of the conference expenses.  The estimated cost to Franklin County is $150.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve the training for Brad Gilges in Salt Lake City.  All voted “yes.”

Craig Davis discussed that one of his officers is being called to active military duty.  The employee wants to keep his children on the county health insurance while on active military duty.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to keep Jeff Curry on the County health insurance while he is on active military duty and allowing him to pay to keep his children on the County health insurance while he is on active military duty.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to approve the minutes for May 5, 2004.  Chairman Taylor and Commissioner Ferguson, Stottlemire and Waymire voted “yes.”  Commissioner Hay abstained.

Commissioner Waymire moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to include 104 S. Cedar into the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve payroll change 04-247 for Leona Adams with Solid Waste.  All voted “yes.”

Open tire bids at 10:00.  Five were received.

Vendor                   Bid 1                       Bid 2

GCR                        $180.25 per tire      $425.00 per tire

Wingfoot                 $225.00 per tire      No bid

Becker Tire             $199.06 per tire      $458.75 per tire

D & D Tire             $225.00 per tire      $430.00 per tire

Mid-States              $228.00 per tire      $478.37 per tire

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Stottlemire seconded to accept the low bid from GCR for bid 1 and bid 2.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to accept an easement between C.H. and Sue Briggs Eyerly Trust, Sue Briggs Eyerly Trustee and Franklin County for an easement located in Section 29, Township 17, Range 21 (see easement for complete legal).  All voted “yes.”

Sara Caylor discussed putting signage on the window of the door of the CASA office on the second floor of the Courthouse.  Board agreed.

Board discussed budget guidelines for 2005.  Blaine said the mill levy, raises and new initiatives (creating new departments) needs to be discussed.  Board discussed funding for the newly created emergency preparedness department and funding to create a human resource department.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to have Blaine Finch draft a job description for a Human Resource Director.   All voted “yes.”

Blaine Finch discussed cost of living and merit increases.  Blaine said that City Managers ask departments for a list of their big tickets items and then it is decided which items to fund.

Deb Barker gave a presentation on the Franklin County Historical Society.  The Historical Society was founded in 1937.  Their mission is: to preserve the rich history of the area through the encouragement of preservation, local historical research; to present Franklin County’s history to the public by means of museums, archives, creative and educational programming and publications and to promote cultural tourism as an effective means of communicating the lessons of history to visitors and citizens of Franklin County.  The Franklin County Historical Society has been hit hard on funding over the past few years and they are requesting that the Commissioners fund the Historical Society at the full .5 mills that is allowed by law.

Tom Weigand said the Commissioners have a hard decision on setting levies.  The Historical Society needs to have full time staff members and support to maintain the Old Depot Museum and Dietrich Cabin.  Tom asked that the Commissioners grant the full .5 mill levy.

Bob Hill said we should be thankful that we have Deb Barker as the director and that the City and County need to support the Historical Society.

Michael Cornwell said they have had to deal with financial difficulties; they have good volunteers, but need professional paid people.

Jack Beauchamp said the Commissioners have a tough job and they need more funding to have a successful Historical Society.

Carolyn Kaiser said they have worked very hard to get the Old Depot where it is today with working board members and volunteers.  They need to have paid professional employees.

Pat Vining echoed what has been said.  She said people in the south part of the County do support the Historical Society and our history is very important.

Louise Dietz said we need to appreciate the Historical Society.  The County has culture and history and people need to pay to keep it or we will lose or history.

Linda Marks asked if you can imagine Franklin County without the Old Depot or Dietrich Cabin.  The new kiosks would not be on Main Street without the Historical Society.  They are working with bare bones funding.  They need full support and presently they receive no funding from the City of Ottawa.

Freone Hollinger said that there needs to be someone to keep track of things and make sure they don’t get destroyed.

Chairman Taylor said if there is any way they can fund the .5 mills they will.

Jason Camis discussed that the Historical Society has a lot to do with tourism.  Kids do not want to listen to history they want to see it.

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to go into an executive session at 11:55 for 15 minutes for non-elected personnel with Board and Blaine Finch present.  All voted “yes.”  Chairman Taylor opened the meeting at 12:10 and reported no action taken, no decisions made.

Board, Blaine Finch and Shari Perry discussed concerns, job duties and personnel issues of the county.

With no further discussion the meeting was adjourned at 1:00.

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                                      Clerk                                                                                                 Chairman