All right.

Good morning.

We will call to order the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners meeting, April 28, 2026.

I'll ask Madeline to call the roll.

Commissioner Gable.

Here.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Here.

President Elkers.

Okay.

Please join me in pledging allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic.

For which it stands.

One nation under God.

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

All right.

We'll start with first order of business.

John.

We have a notice notice to bid us notice to bidders, VC26-04-02, Charlotte Avenue Pipe Replacement.

Sealed bids will be received at the office of the Board of Commissioners in Room 305 of the Civic Center Complex until 9:30 a.m.

on May 26.

Charlotte Avenue Any additional comments on the Charlotte Avenue Pipe Replacement.

This is just replacing a storm sewer that's failed and it's too deep for the County Highway crews to get it with their equipment, so we have to contract it out.

Other than that, it's just basically a pipe replacement.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Who was we can hear you?

We may have somebody we have someone on the we did hear you, but we will hear you.

Was it Rachel?

Okay.

We have someone on the Okay.

Sorry about that.

All right.

We did hear.

All right.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

All right, number two, acceptance of street improvements, Green River Meadows, Section One.

Okay.

It's just the streets in the first phase of that subdivision.

It's on the west side of Green River, south of Kansas.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

Thank you, John.

First phase, yes.

All right.

Number B, drugs and alcohol deferral services.

Number one is contract with Jamie Carlson as substance abuse education class instructor.

This is for a new dad's program instructor.

Instructor, pardon me, paid at $45 an hour.

Okay.

B, drugs and alcohol deferral services.

Question number one is contract with Jamie Carlson as substance assistance.

Is this a new position or it is?

This is for a new dad's program instruction.

Instructor.

Yes, I believe.

Funding will be from the dad's line item.

So the uh prior instructor unexpectedly passed away.

So this is just to replace the new instructor.

Okay, so this will be clean for us as far as funding.

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

All right.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Yes, yes.

C, come on up, Vernon.

We got computer services.

And just talking a little bit here about the Civic Plus LLC statement of work addendum.

Okay.

This is the uh eGov is ending their support for uh the the government web page.

And uh sorry, I'm Vernon Luce, the CIO for those in the audience that don't know.

Thank you.

Um so they're ending that support, and so we were kind of forced into having to go get a new uh web hosting company.

And with the commissioner, we established a committee.

The committee, uh Commissioner Canterbury was on that committee, and uh we chose Civic Plus.

That's what the city is also using now for their uh going to be moving to.

So as an organization, the whole organization is moving to Civic Plus.

Uh Commissioner Canterbury was uh very uh influential in uh getting a couple of added bone benefits here in this uh agreement that uh ADA compliance, which is very important right now to make sure that we we have that so we were able to get all that in the uh contract.

So go ahead, please.

So yeah, we've got it all in the contract and the legal has reviewed, and the funding will be coming out of the computer services budget.

I've made allocations to pay for the amount uh by uh moving some funds around and uh just seeking your approval.

Appreciate that and also for your um really due diligence in the contract and the negotiations, Vernon.

So your leadership with the team was appreciate it.

The committee was very helpful.

Yes.

Thank you, Vernon.

Amy, uh are we set then on the page format?

So what we well, I'll let Vernon speak to this, but what was important to us in the county was that we did not lose the opportunity to be a city-county first stop, right?

And then we will all still go into to our own.

Yes, that was very important that we have a landing page that's one government landing page that you can choose as a citizen whether you want to go to the city side or the county side.

That was very important to us.

But there's some things that were within our current um web page that when a citizen went to the web page and tried to do a search, they got a little bit of everything.

It was clunky.

It was clunky.

And this one, they're gonna be able to narrow down those searches, and and we I think there's an AI bot that's gonna help us uh to where it's narrowly focusing on like county or city, and it's gonna just make it a lot easier for the citizenry.

Good, but anyone going to the site will go we'll either have we'll have a choice of city or county.

City or county.

Have a joint landing page.

Okay.

That's great.

Uh and clunky, isn't that the way government works?

We're hoping to bet improve and streamline it.

Thank you.

And also just to point out that Vernon did negotiate um a discount for the county on top of it.

So good work on there, we're appreciate it.

Okay.

Okay.

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

Thank you.

All right.

Now, Joe, Health Department.

So we are, I think we have an introduction to make this morning.

So please do so.

Yes, good morning, uh, Commissioners.

Uh so this is Dr.

Jason Bredenkamp.

Uh, and he has been um put forward as a uh the new health officer from the Board of Health.

They have approved his uh his appointment as a new health officer.

And the final step in the process is we bring that to the commissioners and uh ask that you appoint him as the health officer for Vandenberg County Health Department.

Well, let's take a second and let's get to know Dr.

Jason Bredenkamp.

We might not do this.

I'm kidding.

Hi, my name is Jason Bredencamp.

Uh I'm honored and privileged uh to be here and and have this opportunity uh to not only serve at the pleasure of the board uh but also uh uh take care of the fine people of uh Vanderburgh County.

I'm an emergency physician uh by trade, have been for 26 years from the area originally and uh came back home uh in 2021.

Um currently uh uh working at Ascension St.

Vincent.

I'm the chair of emergency medicine there and also the current medical staff president.

Uh I've always had an interest in public health uh and uh a hankering for politics, and I think that this position uh uh brings those two together and and I'm looking forward to uh the opportunity.

Fantastic.

All right.

So again, kind of back to Joe's point.

The Board of Health has selected Dr.

Jason uh Briggencamp to fill that health officer vacancy and is seeking commissioners' approval of this appointment as required by state statute.

Uh either one of you when will your tenure start?

So that's a good question.

Um because of uh county government clunkiness and the logistics of going through council as well and and making a couple changes, and then when we can start uh actually the employment date will be May 22nd.

So uh we also have to get things lined out with county insurance uh for Dr.

Breden Camp's uh malpractice uh insurance.

There's some other things that will get taken care of.

The auditor's office obviously we work with uh uh to start that that employment.

So yeah, just a just a couple few more weeks and then he will officially start.

Uh but we're gonna we're gonna start getting him uh at on the ground running here pretty quick.

Is Dr.

Spears still available or is he?

No, he he will be uh the technically the health officer until the 22nd when Dr.

Bredencamp can start.

Thank you.

Yeah, we're covered.

Good to know.

And welcome.

I'm seeking.

Okay, thank you.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

And Joe, an amendment number two to the Indiana Department of Health grant agreement, contract number 91512.

Understands an extension of the contract for the Indiana Department of Health to provide funding to the Health Department for a disease investigation specialist.

The specialist works to stop the spread of communical diseases through testing, treating, and contract tracing of certain diseases.

The amount has increased by 14,966 to 104762.

And this amendment takes us through June of this year.

And then there will be another amendment that we'll bring to the Commissioners later in the next month or two so that then it takes us through March of the following year.

So this is a grant we've had for many years and uh helps us you know cover uh disease investigations.

We appreciate you going to find those grants.

And the amount from the state has increased by this?

Correct.

Yes, yeah.

This is a statement.

That's unusual.

Well, yeah, it it's really just extending the original contract one more year.

So they found money for us uh available to to continue this position.

It's already a position we have, so we wanted to we asked them to continue to fund this.

So thank you.

I move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gables?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

Thank you.

You bet.

Thank you, Joe.

All right.

Recorder number E.

We've got an addition addendum and extension to computer system and software license sales agreement lifecycle to Fiddler Technologies.

This is a five-year extension for recording, indexing, and allowing public access to the county's property records and miscellaneous documents.

Russ?

Good morning, Commissioners.

Russ Floyd, uh Van Burke County Recorder.

And this had been brought forward at your last meeting.

And our county attorney looked at some of the provisions of the five-year renewal and uh we talked to Fiddler and and uh I don't know if Ryan, if you want to kind of go over the changes, but I think the changes to the addendum are to the benefit of Vanderburgh County.

Uh and this has been brought forward.

Uh that's that's accurate, Russ.

So the addendum has uh a better description and better warranties for the county, both on services and on the products.

Um provides um more beneficial remedies for the county in addition to mutual clauses and um provides the county indemnification for intellectual property infringement, uh negligence, and then um gives us a uh a governing law and venue clause that's um you know what we're trying to achieve across all contracts for the county.

So it it sets Indiana law as the governing law in the venue as Vanderburgh County for a dispute.

So Fiddler Technologies, they're in like five states, so they have you know multiple uh customers for their Laredo services, uh but I think tailoring this to Vanworth County is certainly a win for us.

They agreed to keep their pricing flat, 117,500 a year plus any add-ons that we would ask.

But that was the same pricing for the prior five-year contract.

So we think that's a win for the county.

It's the Laredo software.

There's been upgrades to it, and uh we think it's been a good partnership for Vanderborough County and uh Fiddler.

I would just add too that Fiddler was good to work with as well through the process.

So we had a Zoom call and a bunch of documents flying back and forth and uh they were responsive.

How long have we contracted with Fiddler?

I know it's been a number of years, and there's been a general Yeah, they've been with us since 94.

So really when it's been good for us.

They have been good for us.

So that's uh and they've gone through a couple ownership itinerations, but uh for Van Burke County uh they've been good for us.

They're in roughly 46 of the 92 counties, so they're about half the state.

Uh they have symposiums and training and things, and it's just worked out pretty well.

Well, thanks to both of you for working on this, and I move approval.

Okay.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canabury.

Yes.

Great, thank you.

And then I guess for signatures, we'll get with the county attorney.

Okay.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

They have some votes.

All right.

Next we have the sheriff.

Morning.

Good morning.

Hi, Noah Robinson.

Just love to get a signature on the uh Indiana Department of Natural Resources Marine Patrol Grant Agreement.

This is some free money from our friends at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to allow us to uh man the River Patrol craft this summer to $15,000.

Uh allow us to uh do operations on the Ohio throughout the uh summer boating season.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Thank you much.

Grants are great.

Grants are great.

Will you be able to use that for personal reasons on the weekends?

I uh I do like the idea of boats, but I get C6 and all that boat moves quickly.

I move approved.

I'll leave that to I'll leave that to more skilled people to operate than me.

Second.

Grants are great.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

All right.

Superintendent accounting.

Sheriff, I got to let me ask one other question.

Yeah.

Did you participate in over the edge this particular weekend?

No, no.

Um I wouldn't.

You know, I think I wanted to wait until I get the weight down a little bit.

I didn't want to want to test those lines this year.

Next year, maybe.

We'll see.

That's a fundraising event.

I think Craig knows a little bit about it, but thanks for doing that.

Sure, if I got it, I can answer.

No, I just mentioned in years past your uh Superman.

Your kids costume.

Is that correct?

Oh nice talking to you folks today.

Okay, number G, Superintendent of County Buildings.

We have uh professional services agreement with Helming Brothers Incorporated for roof inspection services at the old courthouse.

This is for Helming Brothers to provide annual inspections, complete minor repairs during inspections and report any deficiencies requiring more extensive repairs at a cost of $2,645 per inspection.

A move of approval.

Commissioner Gable.

Okay.

H memorandum of agreement regarding property tax phase in with SEZ Holdings LLC.

This is a seven-year phase in for the facilities construction of real property improvements at 15,000 Foundation Avenue.

A move of approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

And then I.

We have a memorandum of agreement regarding property tax phase in with PolyRam USA LLC.

This is a seven-year phase in for acquisition and installation of new manufacturing equipment and related personal property at the same facility at 15,000 Foundation Avenue.

PolyRam has committed to creating approximately nine full-time, nine new full-time permanent positions representing an estimated $710,000 in total annual salaries.

Fantastic.

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

All right.

And next we have a final reading of resolution.

C O.04.

This is a final reading.

Next we have a final reading of resolution.

Second.

Looking for a motion.

O.R.4-26-010.

Motion to approve.

How about that?

On the second and final reading.

Chapter 18.1.

And I have a second.

Now do we have public comment and discussion?

Good morning.

Morning, Commissioners.

My name is Bill Petkey.

I'm with the Southwestern Indiana Builders Association.

Welcome.

Thank you very much.

And I wanted to let you know that our organization supports this version of this ordinance.

Obviously, this regulation addresses standards for development, but also the discounting for flood insurance for our area.

The first take on this, I think really knocked us out as far as supportability for development.

And it really took a lot of work to get back to a fresh start here where we are now.

And Ryan, I really want to thank you and Craig for rolling up your sleeves, not taking everything that DNR and Idem had to say about this for granted and you really got into this.

And you also included the private sector, who are very important users of this kind of an ordinance.

The price without the private sector weighing in on it.

We had an ordinance that simply knocked our development costs out of out of the world.

It would have taken away half of our ground to use.

With the private sector, we've got an ordinance that's really good for development.

And is at the same time, we are probably going to qualify for better discounts for people that are required to buy the flood insurance for their mortgage packs through NFIP.

So just want to say, Ryan, thank you and Craig, thank you so much.

In the commissioners, it's not it's not common that we get a fresh take at an ordinance that that does this kind of stuff.

It really would have knocked us out.

So really appreciate the effort to get back to where we are now.

Thank you, Bill.

Well, and Bill, thank you for your organization's active involvement in it.

So much it certainly is the goal to make um every ordinance.

Um both for the residents, but also business friendly for our community as well, so we don't lose that plan for development.

So appreciate that.

Appreciate um uh your entire organization, certainly.

And then also the ongoing support for actively working to find ways that we can improve our our discount for our residents as well.

So thank you for that.

Yeah, I think that'll be great.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, and thank you for your partnership and input.

Okay.

I guess we'll call the role.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

Good deal.

All right.

Next we have Department Head Reports, and we have Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

Biennial report from Kevin Hinton, Southwest District Service Officer.

Yes.

Good morning.

All right.

Next we have Department Heads.

Southwest District.

What I handed to you.

Oh, excuse me.

My name is Kevin Hinton.

I'm the Southwest District Service Officer for the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs.

I have 19 counties in the Southwest, Vanderburgh being one of them.

What I handed you is the new Indiana code that uh went in effect January 1st.

It's uh 10-17-1-9, formerly known as SEA 433.

Um basically it's how the state of Indiana is going to govern and uphold the county veteran service officers in each county.

Uh it also requires the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs to brief all 92 county commissioners uh twice a year.

A lot of it is the county, Vanderburgh County is in compliance to this law.

A couple weeks ago, we were able to give out the first accreditation, state creditation to uh few of our county veteran service officers, and all three of your county veteran service officers, the county veteran service officers and the two assistants were awarded that accreditation for the state.

Uh it it requires thousand hours of work a year and uh some of the other is key performance and caters as we go along to make sure uh they're serving the veterans of our communities.

Um Vanderburg County is one of the best in my district.

They work hard.

Fantastic.

They work hard and keep uh they're very knowledgeable in the work they do.

Any questions?

No, I think you've just stated what we have been hearing all along that Tanya and her group really work well in veterans, and any veteran that needs help can come and be seen and walk away with their heads high, their chins high, feeling like, hey, there's somebody here locally in the government who's working for us.

So thank you for uh the recognition and Tanya, thank you.

Congratulations.

Yes.

All right.

Tanya, I think you're gonna come up and give us a quarterly report then as well.

So we'll officially congratulate you.

Accreditation and being one of the best.

All right.

So my name is Tanya Weber.

I am the veteran service officer for Vanderburgh County.

Uh our numbers were a little lower this quarter, mostly because whenever we get phone calls, if there are other service officers, like in Kentucky mostly, we just kind of been pushing them to their services.

That way they're not having to drive all the way to Vanderburgh County.

And as of right now, they do have service officers down there, so that's good.

Um, for the most part, other than that, mostly because you know, we're we're just pushing along.

Um we do have, and I know Kevin didn't mention it, but we do have the new property tax reform act for 2026.

I believe you guys got a copy of this.

Um this goes into effect after July 1st.

We are every single veteran that has a uh service connected disability, whether it's war time or peacetime, has to get a new exemption form.

We're gonna be busy in July.

And how long do they have to get it until the end of December?

Okay.

So um and it'll be good for next year.

We there's gonna be some sort of media blitz that's gonna be.

I was gonna say, is there a press release or something that we're going to do?

And we are going to go right down the list.

I we're working with BJ in the auditor's office.

Um she's giving us a list of all of the uh veterans that have an exemption.

We're gonna try to reach out by phone, by mail, all the things.

Um, so we can make sure everybody gets the proper property tax exemption.

The biggest thing that changed this year was if you're a hundred percent weather wartime or not.

If you're peacetime wartime, you get a hundred percent of your property taxes exempted.

Doesn't matter what the value of your property is.

So before, if it was 240 or under 240,000 or under, you got a certain amount of an exemption.

Um so that's good.

Good for the hundred percenters.

Uh a lot of other people are complaining.

We're getting some phone calls because you've got a lot of guys that are peacetime that were getting 10% for hearing loss, and now they're gonna have to pay um a little bit of property tax.

So we're still working out those kinks a little bit, and I heard that they are hearing those veterans that are now going to have to pay.

Um we've been told that the that they're starting to hear them, and then they're the VFW is kind of getting involved as well, trying to see what they can do.

Um so this may change, may not.

I don't know.

I I just know what we're we're supposed to be doing as of uh one July with those tax exemptions.

Have you heard anything different?

It will be through the legislation process next year.

Yeah.

Right, right, until next year.

But so other than that, um we're just pushing along.

Um I don't think I have anything else other than what we've been doing.

So in January, we went out during the great uh snow of January.

We were at the armory, um, and of course they were on uh alert.

So we got uh we got we did get to give a good um presentation to those veterans that were there on their benefits.

Uh we've been doing uh we've been going out to different places, you know, trying to get get our names out there.

I have shut the office down a couple times for just a couple hours so we can go to the VA and kind of get in touch with those guys.

Um we've been getting our faces out there more, so hopefully I it just still surprises me that people don't know we exist in the county.

This absolutely surprises me.

Um we have 9,889 veterans in our county that we know of.

Oh wow.

So um, and that's per the 2024 report.

I have not gotten the 2025 report just yet, so just under 10,000 veterans in our county.

Um so we stay pretty busy.

Absolutely.

Do you guys have anything for me?

Uh I was wondering if you had a spare copy of that.

Tax.

I do.

This year I gave mine away and he's already been down to see you.

Yep, I got you.

Thank you.

I have not gotten it.

It's okay.

So for folks, I was I know you're doing an outreach, but where would folks find this form?

Would it be on your right now?

I mean, we can I I I can probably get it put on our site.

I need to work on that site anyways.

Uh right now we've been just going out to the VA.

Anybody that comes in that is a disabled veteran, we've been handing them a copy of that.

I've got stacks of copies at the office.

So and then letting them know if you know of anybody, let them.

I'm just afraid we're gonna miss somebody, and then comes, you know, December 30th.

Right.

If they don't get it turned in.

I think our auditor's office kind of gives them a little bit of wiggle room in the beginning of January.

Uh but I'm afraid somebody's gonna get, you know, lost in the state.

This probably needs more several reminders throughout the rest of the year.

Absolutely, but there is gonna be a media blitz.

We've been told by the IDVA that they are gonna put it out.

I don't know if it's gonna be radio or television, but there's going to be something, and then I've put it out on social media.

I'm gonna keep doing that.

Um and then, like I said, just word of mouth, usually veterans talk to other veterans.

So we've been out to um the American Legions, the VFWs and all that, getting it out there.

So those are great support groups.

Okay, okay.

Absolutely.

Yep.

All right, guys.

Thank you.

Thanks for your excellent work.

I think we do.

All right, do we have new business?

Like I said, usually veterans talk to other veterans.

Old business.

All right.

Do I have a motion to approve consent items?

Motion to approve.

Thank you.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

All right.

Public comment.

Shannon.

Oh.

I have a motion to approve the consent.

Good morning, Commissioners.

My name is Shannon Yarborough.

I live at 7322 Greenborough Drive, Evansville, Indiana.

47710.

I'm here today just to uh do a little follow-up check up on the project that we have in my subdivision on Greenburgh.

We had a flooding issue.

Um we've had the surveyor's office, they've been very, very helpful.

Mr.

Ward has been uh on top of things.

I'm just doing the follow-up check to see where the uh planning officer, which would be Jesse, I believe.

I don't know his last name.

Um he has told us that he had a couple of plans that were designed and uh uh we need to follow up on it.

He was waiting on to come see you guys to get permission to locate a water line.

Um we need to get the vacuum truck out there to locate said water line to find a depth of it before we can put in the drainage problem over on 7322 Greenborough.

The problem is is that there's three drains that are adjacent to the west of my property.

Um it backflows and then there's no pipe that is connected to those drains, which comes right up in front of my driveway.

So it backflows and comes down my driveway, metric tons of water.

So I'm every time it rains, I have to go out and double check the the drains to make sure that they're not clogged up.

I'm tired of doing it.

So I was just wanting to, you know, grease the wheel a little bit more to find out where we are in what stage uh of planning that we can get started on this project so that I don't have to get up at two or three o'clock in the morning to go check said drains.

Okay.

I don't see Linda or Mr.

Ward was here, but I don't know if he's still here or not.

Is Mike back in there?

Okay.

Oh, I didn't you're you're hidden behind Mac.

So okay.

Yeah.

They're doing a great job.

So thank you.

Good morning.

How are you doing, Matt?

Mike Ward, Deputy Surveyor.

Um the last time we went out uh with Jesse Swain from the County Engineers Office was to locate the pipe.

At the time we were there, the water line had not been located, um, or at least not well enough to where we felt like they could do the excavation.

Um I know Jesse had spoken to uh the guys, you know, about redoing the locate.

I saw an email earlier this week um from them asking when they wanted to reschedule, and that's really about all I know on that.

John can tell you a little bit more maybe.

Okay, thank you.

And we've got several of these type projects that we're dealing with right now.

One of them was the Charlotte Avenue pipe replacement.

We've got this one, we've got another one out in Deerfield, so we're working on it, but that's still a work in progress.

Um the issues on this particular one is it connects to pipes that typically are not maintained by the county because they're outside the public right-of-way.

So that's another issue we'll have to talk about as well on how to proceed with that.

But anything that's in the street goes off the right-of-way, and that's another another issue that will get worked out once we get a firm game plan on how to uh address the problem.

So, John, these pipes are not the county, I mean they're not maintained by the county.

They're outside the public right-of-way as well.

Part of it is, yes.

Part of it is one's in the right-of-way.

This is an older subdivision, so it's like all the old old subdivisions where there was no ordinance that established any county responsibility on any pipes outside the right-of-way.

We had the two dollar per foot fee ordinance that started in 94, but this subdivision predates that.

So there was nothing on the books that establish county maintenance responsibilities for this.

So that's another issue we'll have to work through relative to how to make this work.

Okay.

So then we'll once you have that, we'll it comes to back to us or the drainage board to do that.

It'll go through the commissioners for bidding once we get to that point.

We'll have to work with Mike's office relative to the utilities and then come up with a plan and then figure out what how to make it work relative to the on right-of-way versus off ride-of-way issues.

All right, thank you.

All right, thank you very much, Commissioners.

Appreciate you.

Thank you for all the great work.

Okay, and so did you sign the don't forget your property tax relief form.

Uh yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

I'm all over the top of that.

Thanks for your service.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Pleasure, sir.

Thanks very much.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

I'll all over the side.

Thanks for your service.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Pleasure, sir.

Good morning.

Please state your name and address.

My name is Darlena Lancaster, 4600 Detroit Road 47720.

And I want to talk about clunky government.

This nuisance ordinance, if you finally got passed, it only took nine months to get passed.

Very clunky to me.

I hope you do understand my sarcasm because I've been trying to get a house next door to mine condemned and get the nuisance taken away for six years.

Everybody passes the buck.

Now that it is started with the nuisance ordinance, we've had the inspectors out.

They're supposed to come out, send a letter, give them 30 days, send another letter, then come out and inspect again.

A second, and a third time.

The third time was supposed to be the 14th of December, which didn't happen until after the first of this year.

I would like to know what the progress is, what the plan is to get this enforced, and to get it moving.

Six years of this is more than enough to have to look at it.

Came between one and six a.m.

on Easter Sunday morning when they pulled in another RV, backed it in so that people can't see that it's got an expired license plate, does it run?

No water, no electric to this property in over six years.

And I think we have six or eight cats unfixed, so they keep multiplying.

The houses in the state that the foundation has collapsed.

The roof has got leaks in it, there's raccoons living in the house.

The drywall is ripped out and it's full of black mold.

And I really like to see it gone.

Do you have the exact address again for us?

4612 Detroit Road.

And Noah can also attest.

He's been out there before.

At one time, this house was a meth house.

So I put up with this house for the problems in that house for probably 30 years.

And it's been vacant for at least six.

We had to have the health department come out and make it so that they could not live on the property because they were living in it with no water and no electric, and even had their kids living in the yard barn one winter with no electric water.

So what's the status on getting its moving, please?

Ma'am, thank you for coming down today.

Uh we very much appreciate it.

My name is Ryan Schultz.

I'm the county attorney.

Sorry that you have to live next door to that.

Absolutely.

Um we'll make sure that the House will file if we haven't already.

I believe there's a bit of lawsuit filed already on this.

I don't know, but it's this is also it's been sold on tax sale, redeemed, and been sold on tax sale again.

And from what I can tell from the Indiana ordinances, if it's been sold on tax sale a second time, the tax sale was supposed to have been finalized in January.

That hasn't been finalized either.

And I'm sorry, I don't have that information off the top of my head relative to the process.

I understand.

But what I will tell you is is that with everything you've just explained, um it sounds like it's a property that I mean the the county's in the process of just so you know the county is in the process of setting up hearings.

The hearing has been set.

I believe the first hearing is set for June the third.

Um but but your property um that this property will be made um a priority.

It it already is a priority just so you know.

Um and I understand if I'll have to go back and look at our records because there are there are a handful of these properties in the county that we're addressing right now.

But we'll get some I I believe Kenny, the uh building inspector has been out there several times.

Um so we'll have this property addressed on short order.

But understand I say short order, short order short order means it's clear.

You file a lawsuit, the lawsuit takes, you know, you give the the defendant an opportunity to respond.

That takes a period of time.

Um but we have people that are addressing it right now.

So if afterwards you give me your number, I will we'll be in touch with you and we'll make sure that you're um apprised of what's going on with that.

Thank you very much.

I do think you probably ought to be aware that we just passed the home inspection or for the county.

That's working now with the building commission and just started, so it's a work in progress.

Well, I don't know.

We're we're trying on our end to get uh some rules for the county that benefit homeowners and get rid of nuisance property.

So it it's not gone on deaf ears, but since we talked last, this position has been created.

So we are trying to work for you.

Do you want to see the sorry that what you've had to go through?

All right, next we have uh a rezoning first reading of uh uh rezoning ordinance vC-5-2026.

The petitioner is Chow Corporation, Alan Braun VP, address 5925 and 6001 Covert Avenue and adjacent parcels, and this is a request to change from PUD R1 and C2 to R3.

So I'm looking for a motion to approve and send to the Area Plan Commission for their hearing on May 7th.

So moved.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

And this is a request.

Okay.

Motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn, yes.

Okay.

All right, and we'll have the drainage board next.

Second.

Yes.

Good morning, Mike.

Sorry, I didn't see you back there.

Can't believe part of the H time.

All right, we'll have the drainage board next.

So we had to do the judicial process.

Well, but I think this case is a good idea.

Let me get um, maybe it's about it.

Commissioner is this version of your face.

Uh no, I have the address.

All right, let's call the Vanderburgh County Drainage Board to order for April 28, 2026.

Madeline, you'll call roll, please.

Commissioner Gable.

President Canterbury, here.

All right, please join me in pledging allegiance.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

To the Republic that we stand one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right.

Mike.

Okay, first of all, do I have a motion for the approval of previous minutes?

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

President Canterbury.

Yes.

All right.

Okay.

Mike, good morning.

Morning.

The uh first item is for Eagle Point.

It's subdivision on Volkman Road is final drainage approval presented by Cash Wagner.

Cash Wagner submitted the final drainage plan for a single family residential subdivision.

Proposed the Zagle Point for their client SB Development Group LLC.

The proposed plan consists of 24 lots and its associated approvements.

Preliminary approval was granted on February 24th of this year.

And per the drainage report submitted, the earthwork and utility infrastructure construction will be completed in one phase.

The county surveyor and the county engineer's office feel that this plan meets the code and ask the board for a motion to grant approval.

Move approval.

Second.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

President Canterbury.

Yes.

And on ditch claims since the last meeting of April 14th, 2026, there were five claims submitted for the amount of 11 or $1,127.

The claims are for previously approved contracted work from 2025 and 2026.

I asked the board for a motion to approve the submitted claims retroactively.

And there's a table at the bottom.

Move approval.

Second.

President Canterbury.

Yes.

And last couple of things, uh informational only.

The Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission, its next regular meeting will be held on Monday, May 18th, 2026 at 10 a.m.

in uh this room here.

And the other thing involving the petition to remove an obstruction from a natural surface water course or drain for Mark Norman, 8400 Church Hill Court.

Uh an update on that petition.

We're still working on uh notifying and getting in touch with all the other landowners who weren't present at that last meeting and hoping to have that resolved in time for the first meeting in May.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Any other business?

Water course and drain.

Public comment?

Uh update on the motion to adjourn.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mike.

Thank you.