Marion County Commissioners Meeting - April 16, 2024
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Marion County Commissioners Meeting - April 16, 2024
The Marion County Commissioners met on April 16, 2024, at 2:05 PM in Room 260 of the City-County Building. President Joseph O'Connor presided, with Commissioners Milo Eldridge and Barbara Lawrence present. The meeting focused on approving prior minutes and receiving updates from two appointed board members: Carl Drummer (Health and Hospital Corporation) and Patricia Payne and Ray Biederman (Indianapolis Public Library Board).
Consent Calendar
- Approved the January 16, 2024 meeting minutes unanimously via voice vote.
Discussion Items
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Carl Drummer – Health and Hospital Board Update
- Drummer reported making nearly 100% of board meetings and highlighted the new Eskenazi Health campus at 38th and Arlington. He noted the hospital’s commitment to diversity: city goals are 15% MBE, 8% WBE, and 3% VBE; current performance was approximately 17% MBE, with VBE at 4.8% and disabled-owned at about 1%. He expressed a desire to reach 25-30% diversity participation.
- He addressed the ongoing nursing shortage and a new program to recruit and train nurses. Drummer also chairs the public health committee and praised Eskenazi’s leadership under Dr. Harris and Dr. Kane.
- Commissioners thanked him for his service and noted the positive impact of the new facility on the neighborhood.
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Patricia Payne – Indianapolis Public Library Board Update
- Payne has served on the library board since 2014, currently as chair of the finance committee, board secretary, and a member of the executive committee. She reported that staff have completed a two-day racial equity training provided by Indianapolis Public Schools.
- She advocated for higher salaries for library staff and encouraged commissioners to donate to the Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship Endowment, which supports employees earning a master’s degree in library science. Payne personally donated $100.
- Commissioner Eldridge asked about stability after recent challenges; Payne acknowledged ongoing efforts to unify the board but said she is not completely satisfied.
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Ray Biederman – Indianapolis Public Library Board Update
- Biederman has served since January 2020 and is vice president of the board, chair of the diversity, policy, and HR committee, and liaison to the library foundation. He reported that a new CEO has been hired and a strategic plan is underway.
- The board is conducting a wholesale review of policies, including removing outdated gender pronouns. Two new branches opened in the past 12 months: the Lawrence branch (with facilities for autistic children) and the Glendale branch.
- He discussed staffing challenges and the need for increased operational funding from the city-county council. He noted that the library has taken a strong stance on intellectual freedom in response to external pressures and is actively working on literacy initiatives.
- Commissioner Lawrence praised the autism-friendly design, and Commissioner Eldridge commended the board for surviving the CEO search.
Key Outcomes
- The meeting minutes from January 16, 2024, were approved unanimously.
- The next Marion County Commissioners meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2024, at 2:00 PM in Room 260 of the City-County Building.
- No votes or formal actions were taken on the updates; the presentations were for informational purposes only.
Meeting Transcript
All right, we're gonna I'm gonna go ahead and call the meeting to order. This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting. It is April 16th, 2024, approximately 2.05 p.m. And we are live and in person in room 260 of the city county building. My name is Joseph O'Connor. I am the president of the county commissioners, and we'll start off with introductions on my left. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Milo Eldridge, serving as the Marion County Autor Auditor and as recording secretary for this great commission. Thank you, Mr. President. My name is Barbara Lawrence, and I'm privileged to serve as American County Treasurer and I am the vice president of the Marion County Commissioners. Thank you. The first order of business will be to approve the meeting minutes from the January 16th, 2024 meeting. Do we have any additions or corrections to those minutes? Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. Mr. President, I move approval of the minutes as presented. We have a motion to approve and a second. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Minutes are approved. Madam Auditor, it looks like we have no correspondence today. Is that correct? And looks like our new business will jump to is really our only business today. Is just a friendly update from some of our appointment appointments that could make it. Um it's good policy, good government. Um, that this commission has decided we're gonna try and get all of our appointments um brought before this commission to just give us an update of what's going on in board board business. Um so first up we have Carl Drummer who is our health and hospital board appointment. Oh sorry. No, it's yeah. He seems cloned. That's scary. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, Mr. Commissioner and Commissioners. Um thanks for having me and and thanks for allowing me to go first. Um, as I share with you, help and hospital meets today. We're meeting now, the board meetings starts at two, so I'd like to at least be able to call in. Absolutely. I believe that I've probably made 99, if not 100% of my meetings. Um and Health and Hospital is so busy with committees, things of that nature. I know that you have met with um trustee Hannafee, and um he's probably brought you up to speed on a lot of things that are going on. But I'd like to share with you guys first and foremost, thank you for um entrusting me to be your appointment on the board. Um, it's a very diverse board, and you know, one of the key things that I like to um support um is is D and I and and MBWE XB participation. Um I would like to believe up under my tender um we've done a much better job. Um they they had always done a fair job, but we've done a much better job, and it makes a difference when you have somebody watching, looking and and then asking the tough questions, quite frankly. Um, so you know, I I will share that you know we have a five-year plan in for you know the health and hospital corporation that we're working on now. Um, most of you have heard if you haven't, I encourage you to go out and see the new campus, 38th in Arlington.
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