Commissioners address ditch fund
July 12, 2022 at 7:48 p.m.
Franklin County surveyor Rob Seig sought a solution to past due ditch assessments at Franklin County Commissioner's June 28 meeting.
Commissioners called a drainage board meeting to discuss the James Boyle Ditch that runs through four properties in the northeast corner of Franklin County before continuing on into Union County. When ditches are in need of maintenance or repairs, an assessment can be placed on affected properties to fund that work. In the case of the James Boyle Ditch, Franklin County is responsible to collect the assessment from the impacted Franklin County property owners and forward to Union County, which is responsible for management of that ditch.
Seig has been working on sorting out several issues with the county's ditch funds, including an overdue assessment from the James Boyle Ditch owed to Union County. In conjunction with county legal counsel Grant Reeves, Seig is preparing to contact those property owners explaining the situation and requesting payment of the past due assessment. Seig explained the assessment was not collected in part of 2017 and the entirety of 2020 and 2021.
The county has enough money in the general ditch fund to pay Union County, but Seig wanted to make sure there was a plan to recover the funds before proceeding. Commissioners agreed to move forward.
Also discussed:
-Commissioners appointed Mike Biltz to the Franklin County Cemetery Board, filling a seat vacated by John Estridge.
-The Indiana Department of Health has extended funding for COVID-19 testing through the end of the year, Franklin County EMS has agreed to continue testing locally through the state grant. The Franklin County Health Department is stocked with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for residents six months and older.
-Franklin County auditor Karla Bauman brought concerns of some county employees about the county's mileage reimbursement rate to commissioners. The county current reimburses $0.38 per mile and the state was at $0.585 but recently dropped to $0.49. Bauman suggested adopting a policy that would simply track the state's reimbursement rate. Commissioners agreed to ask Reeves to review the county's policy.
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Franklin County surveyor Rob Seig sought a solution to past due ditch assessments at Franklin County Commissioner's June 28 meeting.
Commissioners called a drainage board meeting to discuss the James Boyle Ditch that runs through four properties in the northeast corner of Franklin County before continuing on into Union County. When ditches are in need of maintenance or repairs, an assessment can be placed on affected properties to fund that work. In the case of the James Boyle Ditch, Franklin County is responsible to collect the assessment from the impacted Franklin County property owners and forward to Union County, which is responsible for management of that ditch.
Seig has been working on sorting out several issues with the county's ditch funds, including an overdue assessment from the James Boyle Ditch owed to Union County. In conjunction with county legal counsel Grant Reeves, Seig is preparing to contact those property owners explaining the situation and requesting payment of the past due assessment. Seig explained the assessment was not collected in part of 2017 and the entirety of 2020 and 2021.
The county has enough money in the general ditch fund to pay Union County, but Seig wanted to make sure there was a plan to recover the funds before proceeding. Commissioners agreed to move forward.
Also discussed:
-Commissioners appointed Mike Biltz to the Franklin County Cemetery Board, filling a seat vacated by John Estridge.
-The Indiana Department of Health has extended funding for COVID-19 testing through the end of the year, Franklin County EMS has agreed to continue testing locally through the state grant. The Franklin County Health Department is stocked with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for residents six months and older.
-Franklin County auditor Karla Bauman brought concerns of some county employees about the county's mileage reimbursement rate to commissioners. The county current reimburses $0.38 per mile and the state was at $0.585 but recently dropped to $0.49. Bauman suggested adopting a policy that would simply track the state's reimbursement rate. Commissioners agreed to ask Reeves to review the county's policy.