[0:21] I'd like to welcome everyone to the
September 3rd Jefferson County
[0:25] Commissioners meeting.
Join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to
[0:28] the flag.
I pledge allegiance to the flag
[0:33] of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands,
[0:38] one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all. Thank you,
[0:44] everyone.
>> [clears throat]
[0:50] » Okay, I would entertain a motion to
approve the minutes from August 20th.
[0:55] » I'll make a motion to approve the
minutes from the August 20th meeting.
[0:58] » I second.
>> All those in favor,
[1:00] » signify by eye.
Eye.
[1:02] » Motion to approve the accounts payable
vouchers.
[1:04] » I'll make a motion to approve accounts
payable vouchers.
[1:07] » I second that.
>> All those in favor, signify by eye.
[1:10] » Eye.
>> And a motion to approve the payroll
[1:13] vouchers as submitted.
>> I'll make a motion to approve the
[1:15] payroll vouchers as submitted.
>> I second.
[1:17] » All those in favor, signify by eye.
>> Eye.
[1:20] » Okay.
Now, you want to run with this Terracon?
[1:24] » So, we sent out a request for proposals
to do phase one environmental site
[1:29] assessment for the property for the new
campground project. Um Terracon was
[1:34] selected. Um
we did some scoring. They were
[1:39] up there and their price is very
agreeable. The price is $5,006
[1:46] for the phase one assessment. And they
submitted an an agreement. We've had our
[1:51] attorney look at it. There's some
comments. We've got those
[1:54] changed. So, I think we're ready to move
forward with
[1:57] this phase on
environmental site assessment.
[2:02] So, I'll make a motion we approve the
agreement with Airfoam for these
[2:06] services.
>> I have a motion.
[2:08] » I'll second.
>> I'll second.
[2:10] » Okay.
Any discussion?
[2:13] All those in favor signify by I.
>> I.
[2:16] » Motion carried.
Okay.
[2:24] WTH status here. I think you probably
want to run with that.
[2:27] » Yeah. So, um we have several
um agreements like this. Basically, it's
[2:34] CoreLogic, which is um
a mortgage servicer. They do a lot of
[2:41] escrow payments for people
that have their property mortgaged. They
[2:46] are needing information from WTH. They
will pay WTH, then WTH will pay us in
[2:52] return for that data.
[2:56] Pretty
standard.
[2:58] » Pretty straightforward.
>> Yeah.
[2:59] » Okay.
[3:02] » [clears throat]
>> I'll make a motion we approve the data
[3:05] share request for CoreLogic.
>> I second that.
[3:09] » I have a motion and a second. Is there
any other discussion?
[3:12] Hearing none, all those in favor signify
by I.
[3:14] » I.
>> Motion carried.
[3:17] Okay.
[3:21] John, looks like you have the floor,
sir.
[3:29] » I'm here to ask for permission to apply
for CDBG. I have a final or financial
[3:35] commitment letter
for each of you to sign.
[3:38] Uh we have to have approval from from
them
[3:41] uh and you guys to fill out the form.
So.
[3:55] » We do the seat here.
>> Yes.
[4:25] So my next one is going to be a It's
going to be a sent us agreement.
[4:30] We've done several of them here past
couple months.
[4:34] It's a 60 months term agreement.
It's basically going to knock our bill
[4:40] down from
187 to about 150 weekly.
[4:46] I'm going to be able to
>> [clears throat]
[4:48] » outfit every employee that we have in a
uniform on this agreement.
[4:54] That's what we would like to do.
If we would stay with our original
[4:59] pricing,
it would put us in a rough shape,
[5:03] for sure.
So this will help out quite a bit. If we
[5:07] would have stayed with our, you know,
our original supplies, we would have
[5:10] went from 186 to $40 a week.
So which is, you know, that's a big
[5:16] number.
But, you know, adding uniforms will help
[5:20] quite a bit.
So.
[5:23] Put this here.
[5:26] I think I just need I just need one
signature.
[5:28] » Is it $40 a week or did you mean more or
less?
[5:30] » So under under what we have now as
supplies we get from from them, it would
[5:36] knock it down to $40 a week. But I've
added uniforms, so it's going to put us
[5:40] to about 145 to 150 a week.
>> So no uniforms now with the We're just
[5:47] trying to understand
>> Yeah, no uniforms at all right now at
[5:49] the county highway. This This would
actually give each person 11 uniforms a
[5:53] piece.
>> Standard
[5:56] » Standard across
>> Unity all the way across.
[5:58] » across the board. Um,
mechanics already have them. We already
[6:02] paid for that. Um, the going on this
program will actually make theirs
[6:05] cheaper also.
[6:09] » I probably didn't do that in the first
>> Yeah.
[6:12] » So, I'll make a motion we approve the
contract with Cintas for the county
[6:16] highway department for
>> Uniforms, what else? Rugs and stuff,
[6:20] too, or
>> It'll be uniforms and supplies.
[6:22] » Supplies?
>> Yes.
[6:24] » I'll make a motion we approve the
contract with Cintas for uniforms and
[6:27] supplies.
>> I second.
[6:29] » I have a motion and second. Any other
discussion?
[6:32] Hearing none, all those in favor signify
by
[6:35] » Aye.
>> Aye.
[6:36] » Thanks for your research.
>> Yep. Thank you, guys.
[7:08] » Department heads down here.
>> So, I should have stayed up there.
[7:12] » Do you want to go?
>> I'm sure. Go ahead.
[7:16] » What were you going to say?
>> Get out of the way.
[7:18] Unless Brandon really wants to get up.
[7:22] Um
So, just a little update, we are still
[7:25] chip sealing.
Um, we're
[7:27] pretty close to wrapping up.
We've probably got I'd say a couple more
[7:31] weeks and we'll be done.
Uh, we're still mowing.
[7:35] We're having some issues with some
tractors right now, so with the heat,
[7:38] that don't help at all.
Um, but we're trying to keep them on the
[7:42] road. Get get to everybody as quick as
we can, for sure.
[7:45] Uh
I'm going to go ahead and have, you
[7:48] know, with the with that CCMG, we do we
do pull from a fund called 9102. Uh we
[7:54] wanted to have it, you know, on record
if State Board of Accounts ever needs
[7:58] anything. So.
>> That is where the match is coming from.
[8:03] » Yep. Yep. Yep.
Um and I will give you a little update
[8:07] on FEMA. Um they are providing us with
some money for our poor little Brushy
[8:11] Fork on the side repair. Um so we'll be
tackling that here pretty soon, once we
[8:17] get the funds. Should be about $90,000.
So.
[8:24] Any questions?
>> And make sure that guys watch this heat.
[8:29] » Yeah. Yeah, we've we've been stocking up
on water.
[8:32] » Plenty of breaks, I mean.
>> Yeah. We've been stocking up on water
[8:35] pretty good, especially being out on the
chipper cuz it gets hot, real hot.
[8:39] » Yeah.
>> Uh
[8:41] Yeah. Yeah.
>> Safety first. We can get the roads
[8:43] later.
>> Mhm.
[8:44] » [clears throat]
>> Yep.
[8:45] Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[8:51] Brandon.
[8:54] What what I talked tonight.
>> Yeah. How's Brandon?
[8:57] » He's all right. Yes.
>> He did good.
[8:59] » Um so currently we have we have four uh
four new CAD PCs being installed. And
[9:05] he's here for the training up now. Um
We also got a a board this week.
[9:12] Uh excellence in training award.
[9:16] Um so
Rapid SOS, the the software that I told
[9:21] you we recently implemented. Um
We were recognized for uh
[9:26] excellence in training. We were the
second in the nation to receive the
[9:29] award.
And Clark County, so that was pretty
[9:33] pretty awesome.
[9:36] Also uh
tender
[9:39] the
There is a rate contract um
[9:42] that was coming due um this year.
Uh I went ahead and extended it 5 years.
[9:48] I wanted to get you guys' blessing for
it. Um I I didn't want the coverage to
[9:52] lapse and then us be out. So, I went
ahead and did it in the meantime.
[9:56] Um but but I I did the 5-year
um that would make it the $7,548
[10:03] a year, which is just a marginal
increase from what we were paying for
[10:07] it.
Um
[10:09] We do have some training scheduled. Um
we have to
[10:13] better utilize the rate system. We have
There's some
[10:16] different agencies are using it for
different reasons. Um we we kind of
[10:20] see that we're underutilizing it, but
we've got some training uh scheduled to
[10:24] to hopefully utilize it better
and and notify people.
[10:28] Yeah.
[10:31] Other than that, that's all I've got.
>> Okay.
[10:36] I need a motion.
>> I'll
[10:40] I'll
I'll upgrade contract.
[10:43] » Yeah, I just read it from the memo.
>> I'll make a motion to
[10:46] the rate contract for 911.
[10:52] Well, I say we don't want it to lapse.
>> Yeah, that's that's why I went ahead and
[10:55] did it. Um they were a little bit late
on getting it to me and then they said
[10:59] it would lapse on the August 31st and it
wouldn't give me time to to get here.
[11:03] So, I I went ahead and
did that.
[11:07] » Mhm.
>> And sure everything was
[11:10] » I second that.
>> Okay, I have a motion and a second. All
[11:13] those in favor signify by I.
>> I.
[11:17] » Any question?
[11:22] Research you got.
>> Congratulations on the award to you.
[11:25] » Yeah, we need this done.
>> And I'll have to fix
[11:29] » I don't have anything. I'll try to keep
it as expeditious as you guys have
[11:33] anything for me.
>> No, I don't think so.
[11:35] » I went to football.
[11:42] » Good morning, everybody.
Um
[11:45] just giving you guys um just some
general updates. So, we did get um
[11:50] our two grant letters. We don't have the
actual contracts yet, but we got letters
[11:54] from uh Office of Court Services. Um so,
basically this year they gave us $2,002
[12:02] and $391,
which essentially is the amount they
[12:06] gave us last year plus the supplemental
grant. So, we are very grateful for
[12:10] that. That um additional helps us with
drug court. Um however, it still doesn't
[12:16] negate the other 100 and something that
we were cut through DOC. Um but they did
[12:21] help with funding with um our drug court
grant that we normally get 4,500. We
[12:25] ended up getting
Exactly.
[12:31] Well, you know, oh, 44,208. So, that's
extremely helpful. And then so, that
[12:35] helps supplement the salary that was cut
by DOC not funding that. Um we have
[12:41] currently we have I think one more
interview for the field uh or for the
[12:45] pre-trial officer position.
My field officer retired
[12:50] uh last week, 2 weeks ago. So, we are
posting uh that's in the second position
[12:57] and then we're moving to part-time. So,
we will be posting that um
[13:01] in-house first and then opening that up
if there are any county interests. Um
[13:06] other than that, things continue to go
well. We continue to move forward with
[13:11] um
our third JCAP. Uh
[13:13] we have lots of The next cohort will be
males. We have the most applications
[13:18] that we have had, which I think is good.
Um we've got a lot of partnership
[13:21] between
pre-trial and drug court. Um that that
[13:25] process has smoothed out. I feel like
that there are
[13:30] that continuity of care starting in jail
and with kind of that understanding of
[13:33] potentially them wanting to go to drug
court. I feel that that's helping keep
[13:36] them in that service and treatment
bubble. So, those are all awesome things
[13:40] with that.
We're continuing to grow numbers in our
[13:44] drug court.
And
[13:47] I think that's it for now. We're still
waiting on the justice partners, which
[13:50] is the federal grant that started 91.
So, hopefully I'll get that allocation
[13:56] soon.
And I did request that additional
[14:01] unspent funding from office of court
services.
[14:05] They
back and I sent another request of all
[14:09] the things that we changed hoping that
that may be different, but I fully
[14:12] expect that money to go back to the
state.
[14:16] So, but other than that, we continue to
operations with continuous normal poll.
[14:20] Our drug coordinator is going to run
that until he gets somebody hired in.
[14:23] So, we will still have someone at the
the jail every day.
[14:27] Questions and comments?
>> Keep up the good work, yeah.
[14:32] » Thank you, gentlemen.
>> You got it. Paul's a good guy.
[14:34] » Yeah, he is. I'll keep him.
>> You got it. I would.
[14:39] Anybody else back there?
Brian.
[14:44] Come on down.
>> Excuse me.
[14:48] All right, just a couple things real
quick.
[14:50] Uh update on the park plan. So,
Don sent an update a few days ago. The
[14:57] data gathering is mostly complete. The
public survey we were doing, that ended
[15:02] August 31st.
Um
[15:05] It closed at roughly 190 responses.
It was pretty good.
[15:10] Pretty good turnout on that. Um
You should have an interim report on the
[15:14] survey results in the next couple of
days.
[15:17] And he plans to have a draft of the plan
available for us to review by the end of
[15:21] the month. So, that'll It's progressing
pretty
[15:24] well, right on schedule.
But, it's pretty aggressive schedule,
[15:27] too.
Uh as far as the animal shelter, our
[15:31] ready funding
is still under uh
[15:35] Ernst & Young compliance review.
So, I did get another request yesterday
[15:40] for some some more information.
Not really a
[15:44] request for a request for some
clarification on some information. So,
[15:47] it's nothing as significant. Um
It's frustrating to keep getting these
[15:52] requests, but it does show that they are
looking at it and that is in the review
[15:56] process, so. I did speak to someone with
the RDA today. They They anticipate
[16:00] it'll be done in a few more weeks before
you hear anything, so.
[16:04] I'm thinking
more than a few, but
[16:08] we'll see.
>> But, I mean, we found out with the when
[16:10] we were having the same issues with the
campground, everybody else is having
[16:13] these same issues. It's not just us,
unfortunately.
[16:16] » No, it's not just us. Uh but but it is
progressing and they are not them off
[16:20] the list from what I hear, so.
As the list gets whittled down, we
[16:24] should get more attention on personally.
Hopefully, it'll accelerate a little
[16:27] bit.
Um [clears throat]
[16:30] Our architect, Bill Carr, he's going to
be here September 14th with an update on
[16:35] the design and cost estimates.
Um
[16:39] I think he sent you guys around the
meeting
[16:42] invitation. So, I'm not going to be able
to make it that day, but uh
[16:46] but he'll share all of this information
if you can make it to.
[16:49] And then, later that evening, Bill's
going to present our setback variance to
[16:53] to the city BZA.
And don't really anticipate any issues
[16:56] with that.
And
[17:00] last thing, since Trisha's not here,
uh
[17:04] the Friends of the Jefferson County
Animal Shelter are having a fundraiser
[17:07] on September 12th, Saturday.
It's a walk and wag.
[17:13] And it means
I think it's all walk. Yeah. I I looked
[17:17] up there's information on it. You can
find details and an application.
[17:22] If you wanted to join
the jcasfriends.org
[17:26] or their Facebook page. But it's going
to be around the hospitals. You can
[17:30] bring your dog. You don't have to You
don't have a dog you can come anyway.
[17:34] But there are some I think there are
some restrictions on dogs if you got to
[17:37] have
you know, vaccinations valid or current
[17:40] and all that. So anything like that.
It's on their Facebook page if anyone
[17:44] wants any information on that. It's a
way to support the New Hanover shelter.
[17:47] So.
That's about it. Any questions for me?
[17:51] Okay. You've been busy. All right.
You have Thank you. Thank you. Thanks.
[17:58] Thank you. That's good for the
department news, isn't it?
[18:02] I don't see anybody else. Good food.
[18:07] Eric? Anything?
Come on.
[18:11] » Okay. They want to be counted.
>> Yeah. They're gone.
[18:14] They're gone. Goodbye. Yeah.
>> Tell us how you really feel.
[18:20] » Sir?
Mr. Lee.
[18:24] Plugging along with the Yuby Center
re-remodel. We've met with Josh today
[18:28] and got some more new numbers.
Moving along.
[18:36] So we published the request for proposal
qualifications for the design and
[18:41] construction of the campground. That
went out on Friday.
[18:44] And uh they have
six weeks, I believe, before the
[18:48] proposals will come in. So they got some
time.
[18:51] Got a few questions. Got a few letters
of interest. So already. But so it's
[18:55] moving forward.
>> Okay.
[18:58] » I don't have anything.
>> [clears throat]
[19:01] » So we will go into public comment.
Go to the podium. State your name and
[19:06] address.
Three minutes.
[19:15] » Or is there anyone else?
>> If no one else.
[19:18] » No one I'm the only one to speak.
>> You have the floor, sir.
[19:21] » All right, sir. Appreciate it.
Warren Oxford, 3611 West Ohio River
[19:26] Road. I'm here as a plan commission
member and I'm speaking as a plan
[19:30] commissioner.
I am not speaking for all of the other
[19:33] plan commissioners as such. So you'll
hear I in this quite a bit, but
[19:38] however, I am very aware that um
our other plan
[19:43] commissioners took very similar steps as
to what I'm going to outline in my
[19:47] comments to you this evening.
And uh
[19:51] want to start There have been concerns
in our community about my giving a
[19:54] prepared presentation on the data
moratorium question. After closely
[19:59] listening to all the public input at
last night's plan commission meeting, I
[20:03] determined that there had not been any
new information presented which changed
[20:07] the conclusions I had previously
included in my presentation document. I
[20:12] want to assure the public and the
commissioners I carefully considered all
[20:17] of the public input and four more before
coming to my conclusion that a data
[20:22] center moratorium is not in the best
interest in the county's best interest
[20:26] at this time.
I read each of the emails which were
[20:29] sent to the plan commission, many of
them several times, and I reviewed the
[20:33] material which was included with the
emails. I went online and I listened to
[20:38] the numerous data center moratorium
comments made at commissioner's meet at
[20:42] past commissioner meetings and the
commissioner's response to those
[20:46] to the public. [clears throat]
I reviewed the record of the public
[20:50] comments which were made at the B at A
BZA data center appeal hearing. I
[20:54] reviewed all the court filings which
have been made to date in the BZA appeal
[20:59] case. I reviewed Indiana statutes and or
past court cases regarding the adoption
[21:04] of the moratorium. I consulted with the
plan Commission attorney on moratorium
[21:08] legal procedures. I reviewed the
county's comprehensive plan, unified
[21:12] development ordinances regarding land
uses, future land uses, development
[21:17] standards and heavy industrial
districts. I revisited and studied the
[21:21] nine-page Planning Commission
administrative staff report determining
[21:25] data centers are allowed use in heavy
industrial district. I brought up the
[21:29] county GIS map and aerial views of the
two industrial districts to determine
[21:34] the makeup of the adjoining properties
and the potential impact on them. I
[21:38] determined that the data center
moratorium would only affect the Marble
[21:42] Hill property, which consists of less
than 1/4 of 1% of the land area in the
[21:48] county's zoning jurisdiction.
I did online and offline research on the
[21:52] potential negative effects of data
centers on surrounding properties and
[21:56] communities in general.
I then summarized my conclusions and
[22:00] supporting rationale in the presentation
document I used at last night's meeting.
[22:05] I am sorry that my prepared presentation
gave the impression I did not consider
[22:09] the public input we received. However, I
will not apologize for preparing for a
[22:14] meeting, considering more than the
public's input, and reaching a different
[22:19] conclusion than some wanted.
After the meeting, I was told I was a
[22:23] coward. I can assure you it takes more
courage to say no to a loud public
[22:28] outcry than it does to just go along
with it. I want you all to know that I
[22:32] take my position and the public to know
on the Planning Commission very
[22:36] seriously. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[22:38] » Thank you.
>> [clears throat]
[22:56] » Ann Hester,
again,
[22:58] State Road 56, Jefferson County
resident.
[23:02] You may wonder why I'm being so
relentless, why I keep showing up.
[23:06] Because I'm worried about the negative
health and environmental impacts of data
[23:09] centers.
The effects will be felt far wider than
[23:13] just the percentage of the county that
they are being built on.
[23:17] They're not just confined to those zoned
areas and property lines. Eminent domain
[23:22] means
infrastructure build-outs, pipelines,
[23:25] high voltage transmission lines, roads
affected for years, additional traffic,
[23:30] storm water systems, construction water,
waste water, construction dust.
[23:35] That's going to affect more than just
the footprint of the build site. After
[23:39] completion, the noise, the low frequency
noise, the generator noise, and the
[23:44] lighting does not just stay on the
footprint of the build site.
[23:49] It will affect adjacent properties,
people, and wildlife.
[23:52] All these negative effects, if we don't
put in protections, they're going to
[23:56] have your names on them. I'm sorry. The
people who are supposed to protect us.
[24:02] It seems no one in the public office who
could do something about negative
[24:05] impacts wants to. Our concerns are
treated like they are of no consequence.
[24:10] We can't ask questions and get answers.
What does that tell people who voted for
[24:15] you? Seems like we're being silenced at
every turn.
[24:19] The BZA hearing,
they would not answer questions.
[24:23] Commissioner meetings, now we get 3
minutes.
[24:26] If I at last time I asked a question at
the end of 3 minutes, but I didn't get
[24:29] an answer. I I immediately went and sat
down, but nobody answered my question.
[24:34] My time was up. The plan commission
president decided the public um the plan
[24:39] commission meeting was
not going to be a question and answer
[24:43] session, and there would not be any
public comments. Only those who made the
[24:47] agenda were allowed to speak. Only after
we got there were we told we would be on
[24:51] a timer.
What does that say to the public? It
[24:54] seems to say we don't want to hear from
you.
[24:57] There should be a public hearing where
the public gets to speak their concerns.
[25:01] Five members of the planning commission
seem to not want to do this for the
[25:05] public.
It seemed to be that they It was
[25:08] presented that they already knew what
you, the commissioners, were going to
[25:11] decide on that.
We followed the process that we were
[25:14] told to follow by the county attorney
for a moratorium.
[25:19] It seemed to be a foregone conclusion
that you were going to not have an
[25:24] appetite for that.
And they were not swayed by public
[25:28] opinion, but what about facts? What
about valid facts concerning data center
[25:32] effects? It seems there's a clear
message that no one wants to hear from
[25:36] the public about data centers. I didn't
think this was how things were supposed
[25:40] to be done in local government, but I
haven't been involved with local
[25:43] government only since April.
It seems very short-sided to allow data
[25:48] centers to come into this county without
any protective ordinances. Our UDO does
[25:53] not even mention data centers one time.
That is no longer acceptable for our
[25:58] county.
So, my three questions tonight,
[26:02] can you guarantee that data centers are
only allowed in those two heavy
[26:06] industrial zoned areas? Because in lots
of other places, farmland is being
[26:11] bought, it's being rezoned, and data
centers are being They're taking up
[26:15] farmland.
That's not good.
[26:18] Has anything been submitted for a data
center at Marble Hill to anyone in our
[26:22] local government?
Yes. No.
[26:26] » No.
>> No. Correct.
[26:28] Who can add data center safety
ordinances to the UDO?
[26:31] » Who can add data center safety I mean,
you know
[26:33] » ordinances to the unified development
ordinances? Is that you guys? Is that Is
[26:37] group What Who can do that?
>> have to start If the planning commission
[26:40] thought they wanted to add some, they
could add it, and then it would come to
[26:42] the commissioners for final approval.
>> And will our future data centers only
[26:48] allowed in those two zones?
>> According to the UDO, yes.
[26:53] » Okay. No farmland can be zoned for
destination
[26:57] » Nothing is acceptable other than those
two.
[27:00] » Those two places are
>> uh heavy industrially zoned areas.
[27:05] » I do have a motion to put
>> Picture this.
[27:17] » Okay.
Anybody else?
[27:27] » Hi, my name is Tonya Hess. Good evening.
I'm on Pleasure Ridge Lane, Madison,
[27:31] Indiana.
Good evening. My public comments tonight
[27:35] have to do with county government and
ethics. In researching, I tried looking
[27:38] up if Jefferson County had a standalone
independent local ethics commission or a
[27:43] singular comprehensive ethics policy
document. I could not find one. So, I
[27:48] wonder does the county officials rely on
the ethical framework in the Jefferson
[27:52] County code of ordinances coupled with
Indiana state law and what is Indiana
[27:56] code? Specific administrative policies
and state statutory compliance would be
[28:02] best. But, as a reminder, a county
government official should follow
[28:05] conflict of interest guidelines and
statutory compliance.
[28:09] County officials and employees are
strictly subject to Indiana state
[28:13] conflict of interest laws. Indiana code
35-44.1-1-4.
[28:19] And as far as disclosures, members of
county boards such as county
[28:22] commissioners are required to formally
submit conflict of disclosure forms,
[28:26] which must be voted on and accepted
during public meetings if a private
[28:30] financial interest intersects with
public duty.
[28:33] Hypothetically speaking, once upon a
time, there was a 501c3 nonprofit with a
[28:38] completely volunteer board of members
within an unincorporated township of a
[28:42] county jurisdiction. That nonprofit held
countless meetings and logged in lots of
[28:47] hours securing many grants for a
particular project to be housed in a
[28:51] local abandoned building in this rural
community.
[28:54] A lease of that building had to be
secured first in order for that
[28:58] nonprofit to secure the grant funding.
The grants were awarded, but in order to
[29:02] be dispersed, the nonprofit needed the
building lease in its name.
[29:07] Also, this nonprofit, in order to secure
some grants, would need a sponsorship,
[29:11] like the county commissioners to help it
out.
[29:13] The particular project was guaranteed
grant money in the millions. This
[29:17] nonprofit's hard work was paying off. A
feasibility study had been completed to
[29:22] say such abandoned building could be
used for the community as a nonprofit
[29:25] wished. The community building would
have benefited many. It was slated to be
[29:29] multi-purposed.
I think we would all agree we need to
[29:32] address rural health issues and the
health and needs of our veterans in this
[29:36] country.
Well, like in this story, this
[29:39] hypothetical nonprofit had interests
from a public health department and a
[29:43] veterans group to be housed in their
dream building, along with other
[29:46] organizations, which would have
benefited that community's mental and
[29:50] physical well-being. But this nonprofit
could not secure the lease from the
[29:54] township, which owned the building. What
gives?
[29:57] This nonprofit could not get a board,
like the county commissioners, to issue
[30:01] the sponsorship. Well, that's weird.
The nonprofit was very puzzled on this
[30:05] lack of progress. Whatever could be the
hold-up? What is more important than
[30:10] backing something that could benefit an
entire rural community, which has vast
[30:14] needs?
It would be a conflict of interest and
[30:17] unethical if a public official was
blocking the attempts for a project that
[30:22] would have uplifted so many in a public
rural community under his or her purview
[30:27] all for an exclusive private pet project
that would have benefited him or her.
[30:33] It would be a conflict of interest if
that official would try to piggyback on
[30:36] the grants already awarded to said
building, coupled with the promise of
[30:40] some funds from a data center project,
which also in the future could have been
[30:45] under his or her decision-making
purview.
[30:48] Some stories have sad conclusions, like
this story. Instead of the board members
[30:53] resigning from the hypothetical 501c3
nonprofit, the nonprofit has dissolved.
[30:59] It is no more. Grant money all forfeited
and/or returned. The local abandoned
[31:04] building still sits with the community's
hopes and dreams.
[31:07] Moral of the story, hypothetical story,
ethical choices matter.
[31:12] And with my remaining time, I just have
a question for Commissioner Lee. Could
[31:15] you tell us why your fellow county
commissioners all across our state in
[31:19] many counties, including two just today
Jason to Jefferson County, have recently
[31:24] adopted data center moratoriums? Both
Clark and Switzerland adopted theirs for
[31:28] 12 months, but some counties have issued
theirs for four to six months as well.
[31:38] » Moratorium if that's what they want.
That's what they do.
[31:42] » I just wanted
stuff for them.
[31:55] » Well, when no one stood up, I almost
start timing people, so
[31:59] » Bill Kelly foreign 762 West 3rd Street.
I'll take a lot less 3 minutes.
[32:03] I just want to point out and note that
this I have been involved in local
[32:07] government for
most of my life here in Jefferson County
[32:11] and it just feels like hot potato. Feels
like no one is taking our concern
[32:15] seriously. I teach research. There's a
method of research where you you look
[32:18] for things to confirm your already
concluded
[32:24] » [sighs]
>> opinion and kind of felt that way last
[32:28] night. Uh there's you're stating that
only 0.1% of land uh would be involved
[32:35] in the moratorium, but a moratorium is
meant to
[32:40] pause so we can consider the future. We
don't know if other projects will come
[32:45] in. We don't know if the Board of Zoning
Appeals will will change zoning on other
[32:49] farmland. And so that that is why we're
asking and it's really frustrating to
[32:53] get these appeals to ignorance where we
say, "Well, we don't know what's going
[32:55] to happen and they're not going to do
bad things. These companies aren't going
[32:58] to do bad things."
I mean, look at history, y'all.
[33:03] Yes. It's just It's
It's just really frustrating and
[33:08] um
It's really all I got to say.
[33:10] Didn't take 3 minutes to say that.
[33:17] » I'd like to say something if I could.
Are you going to need that either or
[33:21] that meter?
My name's Dan Ernst and I'm Jefferson
[33:24] County resident.
Been with my wife, I'm still married,
[33:27] and four kids. They all live here except
one.
[33:31] And I'm sorry that someone called you a
coward the other night. I was here.
[33:35] I think it takes a hell of a lot more
bravery to come up and speak from the
[33:38] side who's getting squashed all the time
cuz you're all officials. You got that
[33:42] power. You got that power right there.
And you take that seriously.
[33:47] And I think it's a complete disrespect
of these people who come out here with
[33:51] their time and their opinions and their
heartfelt reasons, good reasons, why
[33:55] they want to pause on this and they're
totally ignoring us all.
[33:59] I take it as a personal insult
and it makes me angry.
[34:04] And I'm coming from a person who doesn't
consider himself very religious, this
[34:09] may seem odd to end with,
but my favorite story in the Bible is
[34:13] when
Jesus showed anger and flipped the money
[34:16] tables cuz this is all about money and
you all know it is.
[34:20] It makes me wonder how many of you
people get paid off.
[34:23] » You're you're already going over.
[34:29] » Here. Here.
[34:34] » You know
[34:37] » My name is Clark 82 North Olive Lane. I
don't have a prepared speech. As far as
[34:41] the moratorium, as I believe Danny said
about being safe in the heat, very
[34:46] important, very sweet comment.
Safety, everything revolves around
[34:50] safety. That's all all a moratorium is
is common sense safety. Do the research,
[34:56] do the studies. You get online, you
Google something and you get two
[35:00] separate answers right after that or
from the same Google using the same
[35:04] words. I've done it many times.
Everything online, in business, in life,
[35:09] in business, if business is good,
everybody wants to be involved.
[35:14] These data centers have to come in and
lie, cheat, steal, and pry
[35:19] and often sue
to get into a community. Only a
[35:22] community that feels desperate in need
of cash
[35:26] bends over
>> Yes.
[35:28] » Yes.
>> for
[35:29] a data center. And nobody wants them.
You know, these are the facts. Why would
[35:35] anybody in their right mind, as you
said, safety. Don't get on asphalt or
[35:39] concrete. Correct, 100% gold.
But you you don't want to invest in a
[35:45] company that's going to change the
character of community, destroy your
[35:49] roads,
require infrastructure build out. You
[35:53] can't maintain the roads you got now. I
went to Big O Tires to get wheels and
[35:56] they said, "No, don't put aluminum
wheels on this. They'll bend on you."
[35:59] Okay, county roads.
We need to maintain what we have before
[36:04] we try to do this. I've heard on the on
the internet it would take 7 years to
[36:09] even get the electrical line out to run
this data center. It won't even be
[36:12] feasible by before construction is
complete.
[36:17] And if they do away with Indiana
property taxes, you won't even get any
[36:20] taxes out of it.
>> Yes.
[36:22] » And depending on how far this is from
the 2-mile jurisdiction, I wouldn't be
[36:26] surprised if court court he doesn't try
to to
[36:29] annex that into city limits and get that
sit that tax money coming into the city.
[36:35] » All right.
>> You know, you all are dealing with
[36:37] criminals. I understand it looks good.
But when a business looks really good,
[36:43] everybody lines up for it.
If if that data center is legitimate and
[36:47] honest one, they would go and say, "Hey,
this is me. This is my company and this
[36:51] is what I can do for you.
And you'll never find anybody do it
[36:54] better and if you do, I'll come back and
do it again."
[36:57] You know, a data center is like, "Don't
worry about that.
[37:01] But this is this is what I can do for
you."
[37:04] And you prove that, don't worry about
it. How you going to do that? Don't
[37:06] worry about it.
We just need to get in here
[37:09] and get it done. That's why they're
rushing. They want to beat legislation
[37:12] [clears throat]
and that's it.
[37:14] There's no common sense protections. So,
that's all moratorium it is. It may not
[37:18] change anything. If they're legitimate,
all you got to do is say we're going to
[37:21] do a moratorium and if they're upright,
they still build the data centers and
[37:26] everything's good to go with nothing to
worry about. If they don't, everybody
[37:30] knows that you guys are not reflecting
the wishes of the majority of the
[37:34] public.
You're only doing you're walking around
[37:38] like you're saying, "Well, I went
through all the rules and bylaws or
[37:42] whatever
and this is not our deal."
[37:45] Yeah, probably half of the counties in
Indiana, it's their deal
[37:50] and they're the same commissions.
So, what's the difference?
[37:53] » You need to wrap up.
>> Uh
[37:55] » You need to wrap up.
>> Okay.
[37:57] Out of respect for you all, I will
because I have respect.
[38:00] » Thank you for your comments.
[38:11] » Okay.
>> What is the deadline to get on the
[38:13] agenda for the next commissioner
meeting?
[38:17] » Normally, I post agendas on Tuesdays.
So, before next Tuesday or before the
[38:22] » We We meet every two We meet every two
weeks, so
[38:25] » So, 15th next time.
That's right.
[38:28] » 16th.
>> That's 16th. So, for deadline
[38:32] » So, it have to be that Monday.
>> Monday, yeah. Yeah, Sunday. Okay.
[38:37] Thank you.
[38:40] Thank you, Byron.
[38:44] Okay. I know we've asked you this
before, and I'm not going to ask you if
[38:48] you've signed an NDA, but I am going to
ask you if you've signed any agreement
[38:53] or had any private communication, such
as meetings, phone calls, text messages,
[38:59] emails, with any developer, company,
land owner, or representative regarding
[39:05] any current or potential projects that
could affect Jefferson County. Mr.
[39:10] Braymer?
>> Sure. I mean, I've had discussions about
[39:13] the campground. There's a project that's
>> No. No. This is
[39:16] » You said any project that affected
Jefferson County. So, yes, I have.
[39:20] » I'm talking about the data center.
>> Well, you didn't say that.
[39:23] » Well, this is what I I've corrected
myself. So, yes or no?
[39:26] » Sure. I've had people call me, ask about
projects.
[39:29] » Mr. Little?
>> Yes.
[39:33] » Well, people with integrity do not
conduct business in the shadows. They do
[39:37] not profit off the decline in the
quality of life of others. The choices
[39:43] must be made by the people, not for the
people. Data centers of this scale are a
[39:49] crime against our community and the
natural world. This is a quote from Mr.
[39:54] Hubbard from Payne Hall.
The selfish man wants more than his
[39:58] share,
a higher seat at the table than he is
[40:01] entitled to.
Your job is to protect and preserve.
[40:07] Taking time to understand the real costs
and benefits is not anti-growth. It is a
[40:13] basic due diligence, and that is your
job
[40:18] to stand behind us, to represent us. Who
do you represent? Do you represent large
[40:24] large corporations or do you represent
the tax-paying people of Jefferson
[40:29] County because we're the ones that live
here and we are the ones that are going
[40:32] to have to suffer for the consequences
of this.
[40:37] And also, are you planning on putting
solar fields between the battery and the
[40:44] proving ground? On that ground, has
there been any discussion on that?
[40:49] » No, I'm not.
>> Has there been any discussion? Because
[40:53] » And while while you're up there, I want
you to I want to ask you a question.
[40:56] Explain profit.
>> Profit?
[40:59] » Yeah, how am I going to profit?
>> I'm not saying
[41:02] » No, you said and you when you read it,
you said to profit.
[41:06] Explain that.
>> Profit is to take away from the our way
[41:12] of life.
>> No.
[41:13] » Our land love of nature. And because,
you know, you've got $3 million and
[41:19] you've got it for that campground. Well,
that's wonderful if you do it right, if
[41:24] you protect the species that are up
there. But, if you put a data center in
[41:29] there, just like if it goes in next to
Big Oaks,
[41:35] » Have you ever Have you ever camped at
Cliff Falls?
[41:38] » You asked me that before. I live next to
Cliff Falls.
[41:41] It has no
>> It's a mile It's less than a mile to the
[41:45] It's less than a mile to the power
plant, right?
[41:48] » Man, that's old. That's old.
>> You asked me that before and have no
[41:53] relevance to this subject.
>> Yes, it does. If you think if you think
[41:57] there's a It's a bad idea to be next
>> comes directly across that from the data
[42:03] center and the noise,
it's just a waste. It's a waste of $3
[42:08] million. It would be a wonderful if you
didn't have a monstrosity next to it.
[42:12] direction is the the campground at
Clippedy Falls from Clippedy
[42:17] electricity generation plant? Do you
know
[42:20] I can't that would make mega? It would
make
[42:24] 12 IKEs, maybe more. It has no relevance
in the connection whatsoever.
[42:31] » No.
>> No, I told you that before, yeah.
[42:34] » Yeah, let's go look at the stacks at IKE
and look at what's
[42:38] » Well, we see those stacks every day.
What are you talking about, sir?
[42:42] » So, what comes out of them, sir?
>> What comes out of what? Steam vapor,
[42:46] mostly. I've worked down there for many
years.
[42:51] » All right, I'm Ronald Black.
>> Ronald Black, 2188 Long Branch Road.
[42:56] With the status center and everything,
several times. I have driven through the
[43:01] proving ground these last several weeks.
And I don't think anybody's road driven
[43:06] out there and what.
Um, you know,
[43:10] the city mass is cleaning hazardous
materials tank out there.
[43:14] Nobody was saying anything about that.
City mass owns that company.
[43:20] So,
y'all should really think about what
[43:23] you're You need to think about the whole
thing.
[43:26] And originally when they when they
wanted solar panels and or they wanted
[43:31] to put solar panels in Jackson County,
everybody said, "Move to proving
[43:35] ground."
Well, now they moved something to
[43:37] proving ground, now we're
having an argument about that. So,
[43:41] that's all I've got to say. Just drive
through the proving ground and see
[43:44] what's out there. Go check out what
they're doing. And including the place
[43:48] that's owned by my where I retired from,
the Urban Jungle, all those rail cars
[43:52] over there.
That were That were being
[43:55] » Ronald Black, I think you have special
interest here.
[43:59] » No, I don't have a fire department.
>> Yeah.
[44:01] » I don't have no special interest.
>> I don't think you do.
[44:03] » I don't think you
>> Hey, hey, please state. Hey.
[44:05] » We're done.
>> We're done. We're done.
[44:08] » We we We don't We don't let people from
the community speak speak to you when
[44:13] you're speaking, so please don't, okay?
>> Well, you do it all the time. You men
[44:17] have wrapped my wife numerous times.
You're rude.
[44:21] Very rude.
>> There's a lot of stuff in Jefferson
[44:23] County that nobody said anything about.
So, I'm just making a point that
[44:26] I'm just making a point that I think as
residents, and which I've done that as a
[44:31] resident, not as a fire department
member.
[44:34] I've done that as a resident because
[44:38] I'm also big on safety.
And
[44:43] the my my position on that is is that we
would set up new protocols if you want
[44:48] to know about fire department side
protect the first responders from
[44:51] getting hit from people
driving to accident scenes and not
[44:55] slowing down.
So,
[44:57] everything I do is about safety. So, I
did some of my research by just driving
[45:03] through to see what this was all about.
That's all I did. Had nothing to do with
[45:07] fire department.
>> I drive through there all the time.
[45:09] » So, but now this is imperative to have
Anyways, the hazardous patrols out
[45:13] there, you really need to check into
that.
[45:15] » Good. Thank you.
>> I have a question for I have a question
[45:18] for you. It says no trespassing in the
JPG, so we don't just drive through
[45:22] there. But if you want to
>> Those are Those are Those are old signs
[45:25] from when the proving ground was open.
>> No.
[45:30] » We're done.
We're done.
[45:35] » You were saying that you had