All right, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order.

This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting.

We it is December 16th, 2025, approximately 2 p.m.

And we are in room 260 of the city county building.

My name is Joseph O'Connor.

I'm the president of the county commissioners, and we'll start off with introductions on my left.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I am Milo Eldridge.

I have the privilege of serving as the Marion County Auditor and as secretary for the Commission.

Good afternoon, and thank you, Mr.

President.

My name is Powerville Marvin, I'm the nearby county treasurer, and I'm the vice president of the commissioners.

Thank you.

The first thing on the agenda will be to approve the meeting minutes for the November 18th, 2025 meeting.

Do we have any additions or corrections?

Harry Now entertain a motion.

Move approval.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion to approve in a second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Oppose, same sign.

Minutes are approved.

Looks like first thing on the agenda.

We have a public hearing.

Mr.

President, do we have another month's worth of meetings to approve?

Are we moving that to the next meeting?

They were sent today.

Okay.

Okay.

They're not on the agenda, but they are sent.

Yes.

Is it the November 5th meeting?

Yes.

Okay.

That was our special meeting.

I'll ask legal just about they didn't make it to the agenda for this meeting.

Is it okay?

Should we put put them off?

Let's address it at the end.

Okay.

And we can see if anybody has anything to say.

And because it's not a contentious issue, I think it will be okay.

Okay.

All right.

So public hearing, public comments, support our opposition of the transcript county owned surplus property.

We go ahead and Ryan, are you presenting?

I am good afternoon, commissioners.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Today the Department of Metropolitan Development is requesting the transfer of six properties.

These properties represent six vacant lots that DMD has deemed suitable for redevelopment.

These parcels were offered in the 2024 Marion County tax sale and did not sell.

And we have Matt here on behalf of DMD to answer any questions.

Are these going to be part of the vacant to vibrant initiative?

Yes, these will be a part of vacant to vibrant.

And I assume they are not market, they are low to moderate or so uh we do have various uh application types.

We do have a standard application which would which are priced uh at a market reflective price.

Uh then we also have uh an option for affordable uh applications where uh it would be a flat five thousand dollar uh fee for those, and then also homestead, which would offer a 20% discount on top of the uh standard so it's some involved.

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

And just out of curiosity, are there any more parcels that you're interested in that you're looking at?

I know uh I know I've spoken to Ryan about uh additional surplus that uh you know we're just kind of keeping an eye on from my understanding.

The uh surpluses still within the redemption period yeah for 2025.

So uh I think you know we as we take a look at these properties, we're typically looking at properties that are uh developable, uh ones that we think uh could either fit into one of those categories, either a homestead or uh a market-based uh redevelopment or or one that uh the nonprofit development community would would see as as being uh you know appropriate for for redevelopment.

Okay, and I notice that all of these lots are vacant.

Do you guys your primary interest in vacant lots?

We do I guess they're easier.

Yeah, we do both uh uh vacant lots and improved properties.

So and essentially what we within or through the vacant viber program, we rely on our applicants to say, you know, we want to build new construction or we want to do a rehab of this property.

Uh so it's really up to the applicant to say uh you know this is our intention for this property, and then we do have a review committee that meets on a monthly basis to review those applications to make sure that they are uh that the proposals are the highest and best use for that property, and um and also we we request that the applicants submit a scope of work, proof of funds, and if it's new construction, we require them to submit architectural plans for what they plan to build.

And we do have a a architectural review process as well, where we have the uh our city architect take a look at the applications based on uh or um in uh in light of the infill housing guidelines to just make sure that what's being built is appropriate for the for the context of the neighborhood.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

Any other questions?

Uh DMD will be sorry to interrupt if you oh no, go ahead.

DMD will be adopting a resolution in support of this intergovernmental transfer.

I assume at your January meeting.

Yep, yeah.

Um at this time, staff recommends approving the transfer of the six parcels referenced on the agenda to DMD.

Are there any questions for staff?

Is there a fee associated with these properties?

Yes, it is 1500 for improved parcels, which none of these are, but there were some for back in August, and then 600 for each lot.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other questions or discussion?

Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion.

Mr.

President I move approval of the uh resolution to transfer six parcels to the Department of Metropolitan Development and pending any public comment, of course.

I second.

Okay, we have a motion to approve and a second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

I pose same sign.

Motion carries.

Congratulations.

I would provide a resolution at the conclusion of the meeting.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next, we have public hearing for nonprofit program.

Looks like we have one.

I have another friend today.

Hi there.

Hello.

So today uh a spire house is requesting one parcel through the not-for-profit program.

That parcel is 1014130, located at 1006 U Dell Street.

Um, just I copied from their website because it's such a beautiful blurb.

Uh, the Aspire Hire Foundation strives to establish vibrant community spaces and innovative programs in the near Northwest neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana, where residents can live, create, and connect.

We actively work to uplift our community by revitalizing the built environment and establishing new assets, including affordable housing and public art.

We embed artists, educators, and wellness practitioners in the community offering life enriching experiences for youth and seniors.

Uh here is an overhead of the parceling question.

This uh pictometry image was taken March of this year.

Um, but according to PVD, the property has been demolished over the summer.

So it is slightly outdated, but there's no more no reason.

Um this parcel was originally transferred to the Department of Metropolitan Development as part of resolution 2025 03 during the August 19th Commissioners meeting, where it was one of the 43 parcels included on exhibit A for that resolution.

They passed an identical resolution at their September 3rd, 2025 meeting in order to help Aspire House meet a deadline for solar installation tax credits.

DMD has agreed to release their interest in the property so that Aspire could pursue it through uh the commissioners.

Uh the properties at what uh 1002, 1014, and 1018 Udell are all already also owned by a Spire.

So this would create a continuity of ownership.

Um Aspire House intends to use the parcel to develop a green energy learning lab, including a solar canopy, a tree forest, an outdoor community gathering space, as well as to provide off-street parking for community events.

Um in the folder, I did include printouts of the I believe they're two different site potential site plans.

Um I did not put them in the PowerPoint though, I did not think of that.

That's cool.

So it's gonna be uh outdoor learning lab curning lab.

You said learning lab curning lab.

Yeah, it'll be that and um adding back trees.

That lot was pretty decimated.

So um because it had been neglected for so long with that burned out house, burned up a lot of the trees.

So we'll um adding back that tree canopy and then um just increasing the space for mainly our seniors and our youth to be able to access and um to use for programming.

Yeah, it'll be a nice space.

What's your timeline?

Um our timeline for for solars we've been under the gun, um, is um to start it by the end of the year, and then in Q1, we would complete the first solar canopy that'll help offset for the gardens and then our building next door.

Um for the tree canopy um food forest, that would be in spring, so Q2 into Q3, um, where we would get to plant uh most of those trees in the late spring summer to get those going, and then the rest of the development would be through the fall.

What is what is a solar canopy?

Um it's like a carport.

Okay, yeah, it's quite busy because our building is um on the national register, we couldn't put solar panels on it.

Oh, okay.

Um so acquiring this lot allows us to to have those solar panels, but it also provides parking for us, which we have no, we only have street parking, and we have a um pocket park across the street from us, so it gets pretty pretty busy.

Yeah, I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.

It looks like it's gonna be a cool site.

It sounds like it's gonna be a cool.

We've been we've been working on it for a couple years and hoping that that house would get um torn down because it's at there burned out for about three years.

Yeah, this is really fascinating.

I love the drawings for including if you have some sort of rotten breaking or ribbon cutting, please keep this in mind because I love doing those things.

Yeah, absolutely.

And this is a great project.

Yeah, I too think that it's a great project.

However, I may have been reading over the materials.

I missed who you are.

I'm sorry, I did not introduce myself.

This is Sharon Clark from Aspirehouse.

I'm Sharon Clark.

Nice to meet you, thank you.

Yeah, co-founder and executive director at Aspire House.

Um very nice to meet you.

And again, it sounds like it'll be a great project for that area.

Thank you.

All right, any other questions from the commissioners?

Mr.

President, hearing no further comments or we have some conditions first.

So these here are the conditions.

Um I'm actually going to read them off the deed itself, so I don't have to keep turning my head.

Uh, the outside of the property must be kept up to and meet all standards required by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services and Health and Hospital Corporation throughout the timeline of the project.

All construction and rehabilitation must be completed within a two-year period from the time of conveyance and meet all standards required by DBNS and Health and Hospital Corporation.

Progress reports will be due to the commissioners at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months from the time of conveyance or once rehabilitation or construction is completed.

Upon completion, a disclaimer of these conditions is to be requested, at which time the commissioners require that all costs of the project be noted and proof of completion will be required.

For two years after this conveyance, no citations may be placed on the property from any governmental entity.

If new citations are placed on this real property, the property will revert back to the county's control.

Uh property taxes on all spire house properties are to be kept current and pursuant to IC 6-1.1-24-6.7.

The real property shall revert back to the county if the grantee nonprofit fails to comply with any of the terms and conditions set forth by the county commissioners.

If the nonprofit has any property reverted back to the county, then they will be no longer be considered an eligible purchaser through this program.

At this time, staff recommends transferring parcel 1014130 to a spire house with the previously listed conditions and that the applicable fee.

Are there any questions for staff?

Oh, just one question, uh, easy one.

How did you come up with the design?

Did you model it after something or did you just yeah?

So on my staff, we have an arborist who's actually here.

Um so we worked with um an architect or landscape architect, and then additionally we modeled after uh food forest and solar uh group out of Bloomington.

Oh wow, yeah.

So we tried to find something that would fit in the urban landscape and be complementary in the neighborhood.

Yeah, yeah, it looks like it checks those boxes.

Yeah.

Love to see more stuff like this going up in the city.

All right.

Mr.

Chair, I have another question again.

What was the time frame for the project?

Um to start Q1 of 26, and then um through Q4.

Uh we should have we should be completed.

So all of 2026.

Um and then if if we run into any hurdles, then we would go into the I'm just curious a project of this nature, the amount of time that I know that you say you model um a project of this nature from like some somewhere in Bloomington.

Yeah, and it's just for my own personal uh knowledge.

Yeah, thank you.

And of course, even though even though the deed conditions say that they have two years, um, if they finish early, they can request early.

All right.

Go ahead.

So at the end of the meeting, I will be presenting a um a resolution amending resolution 2025-03 for you to sign to cross the T's and not that I to get that parcel off of that list.

Off the DMV list.

Yes.

Okay.

Yeah.

Is a motion appropriate now?

I think it is.

You're done, Brian.

Yes, anything else?

Okay.

Uh Mr.

President, I move approval of the resolution as presented to transfer the property to Aspire House for the purposes of the solar canopy.

I second.

Okay, we have a motion to approve in a second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Close, same sign.

Motion carries.

Congratulations.

Thanks for watching.

Look forward to seeing it.

Once it's finished.

We will send an invite.

Yeah, that'd be great.

Thank you very much, Commissioners.

Next on the agenda, we have uh one of our appointments, Thomas Hannafee from the Health and Hospital Board.

Good afternoon, sir.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair, I'm uh I'm Tom Hannah, I'm Tom Hannafee.

I identify myself.

Uh Thomas Hannafee.

I'm had just finished my I'm finishing my uh four-year term on the Health and Hospital Board, and I'm submitted a request and a little brief update um uh uh to be reappointed.

Um and if I may just make a comment.

Yes.

Um well first of all, thanks for appointing me.

This has been a tremendous learning experience for me, and uh and I I think I've contributed at the board.

I've I've attended all but two meetings.

Um one was because I couldn't get in virtually, the other one was uh we could due to an illness, but I've attended all my meetings.

What I've learned is that work that Health and Hospital does for our community, our neighbors, and our neighbors that have the most need, it it's inspiring what happens there, and they need support from the commissioners and a good board of trustees.

Um and they also have a large budget and they need proper oversight, and we're blessed with uh some very talented people on the board, uh, especially right now we have a full board.

Um the chairman right, current chairman uh Bob Lazard and Vice Chair uh Carl Drummer.

Um they take this uh the fiscal responsibilities very serious, and um and I I've been part of some of those committees of the of the fiscal committees, and I've learned so much, but it's it's uh it it's important.

The commitment of the staff is over the top.

I mean, some of the best people you could ever have working for uh frankly less money than you would at so-called not-for-profit hospitals, other not-for-profit hospitals in the city.

I know don't want to pick on anybody like IU.

But um, but but uh, but they they they are and also I want to mention to you to to the commissioners uh the challenges right now.

We lost substantial resources due to changes in government leadership in in in at the state and the federal level and these challenges.

Um the leadership on the board and in the executive uh staff have identified these things, and we've been working very hard to maintain our services with the diminished diminished the reduced resources from the state and the federal government.

Um not the good news, but the good news is this was anticipated, and we've and we we saw it and the leadership especially uh saw this.

Um Paul Babcock and and Bob Lazard um identified this, and we're working on it, but in control in cooperation with everybody, the whole team over there.

So that I just want to point that out to you, and and you really thank you for the privilege of and ask that I be reappointed and represent you on that board.

Yeah.

Any questions for Mr.

Hannafee?

Yeah, I don't have any questions, but I just wouldn't like to commend Mr.

Hanaby on the great job because he represents us well, and I uh appreciate that.

And there is a great team over there.

You mentioned Bob Lazard, someone I've known for a very, very, very long time.

Paul Babcott and Carl Drummer all are amazing people, so there is a great team over there.

And I just want to say thank you for representing us very well.

And those three may not be the best.

They're excellent.

There's some big people up even more impressive that um Kelly Durset, who's just recently appointed, is just remarkable young woman.

I mean, she's just uh yeah, really enjoyed getting to know her a little bit and uh and others.

And and and um uh anyway, but but not for that.

But I but it's it's just a privilege, and and I do I do know I represent you, and so call me anytime if you have an issue, a question, or uh a challenge.

Um, and or if I do something wrong, I want to hear about it.

Please.

Thank you.

Yeah, and I I echo what Madam Auditor says, you know, thank you for your service.

I do think this is an important board, if not the most important board we appoint to, just because it affects people's health and their daily lives so much.

Um you know, I'm glad to hear we have good people serving on that board, making sure that you know the the people that need the most service are getting that.

That it is the people that we're gonna lift people up.

It's education and health.

And that's what we gotta do in our communities, lift out community our neighbors up.

I don't know how else to say it.

This but as a firefighter, a 40-year firefighter, I I saw firsthand inside those homes.

Anyway, this is another extension of that that service.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

Okay, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to reappoint.

Mr.

Chair, I move Mr.

Chair, I move that we reappoint Tom Hannevie to the Tom Hannafee to the Health and Hospital Board.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second to reappoint Thomas Hannafee to the Health and Hospital Board.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye, oppose, same sign.

Motion carries.

Thank you, and I we are gonna swear you in.

Do you want to do this?

I'll swear all day long.

I think you can stand right here.

And there's a microphone there.

And I'll just go ahead and read this.

Raise your right hand.

And uh I state your name.

I Thomas Hannafee.

Do you solemnly swear you solemnly swear that I will faithfully perform that I will faithfully perform my duties as a member of the Health and Hospital Corporation Board?

My duties as a member of the Health and Hospital uh Corporation Board.

In the County of Marion, in the carrying of Marion, state of Indiana, state of Indiana to the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

I will uphold the constitutional laws.

I will uphold the constitutional laws of the United States, of the United States, and the state of Indiana, and the state of Indiana.

And that I will dutifully discharge the function of this office.

The function of this office.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Sorry.

Go ahead and get your signature right here, Tom.

Yes, sir.

Trying to get away from it.

I think that's it.

Good to see you.

Thank you.

And that aspire programming was inspiring.

Yeah, well.

Yeah, it was.

Submission statement.

Okay, next we have the extension of the township trustee poor relief hearing contract with Jackie Butler.

I know she's not present today, and just give a little uh so we have uh this hearing uh poor relief hearing examiner is hired by the county commissioners to uphold the appeals when someone goes to seek town seek assistance from the township trustee and is denied, they have due process uh that uh involves filing an appeal with us, um, and we uh hand that appeal over to our hearing examiner to uh arbitrate or or uh yeah arbitrate that uh decision.

So um just a little bit of uh explanation to the public and everyone listening, just you know what this contract uh entails.

Um, you know, Jackie, she's given us a report for the 2025 breakdown.

Um so each of the commissioners should have that uh to review.

Um I know um, I guess that's it.

Uh so I guess all is there any questions or comments uh about extending this contract for another year to Jackie Butler.

Uh Mr.

Chair, I just have a comment to make um after reading over uh the um summary or the report that Jackie has provided that this is a pretty huge job.

She's representing all nine townships, and she does do an amazing job.

Um, but I just wanted to uh for the record uh note how important it is, and again, it's a very large job because of representing all nine townships.

Yeah, I agree.

All right, any other questions or comments?

Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to extend the contract.

Mr.

President, hearing no other comments or questions, I move approval of uh the extension of the contract with Jackie Butler for the township assistance appeals hearing officer, and I'm happy to second.

Okay, we have a motion to approve and a second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Pose same sign.

All right, contract is extended to through 2026.

Looks like our next meeting will be January 20th at 2 p.m.

Is the same room?

We're booked in the same room or up.

We gotta we gotta deal with the uh we have the minutes from the special meeting that was held in early November.

Well, it's not on the agenda, and I wouldn't make this practice.

I think the board can go ahead and approve it if it should, otherwise, we can leave another vote.

Okay, uh, we'll go ahead and for the record.

Did we all receive a copy of the meeting minutes from the November 5th in our package today?

I believe so.

So we do all have a copy.

I know that they were in the email.

I know we received an email.

My question is do we receive a copy of the meeting minutes in our packet today?

No, okay, thank you.

Okay.

Well, we can go ahead and I'll I'll entertain a motion to approve those minutes.

Mr.

Chair, I'm make the motion to approve the meeting minutes from the November 5th special meeting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll second that.

Okay, we have a motion to approve in a second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed, same sign.

Minutes are approved.

Looks like that is the end of the business on their agenda today.

Like I said, our next meeting is January 20th, 2 p.m.

Are we in the same room?

Do we know?

I did the calendar for next year.

I have not approved the reading.

Oh, no worries.

Um okay.

Well, seeing or hearing other business coming before the board today, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Uh so moved.

Okay, we are adjourned.

Thank you.