JEFFERSONVILLE — The Clark County Board of Commissioners unanimously increased the rates on the county’s cumulative bridge and cumulative capital funds at a Thursday meeting, citing deteriorating infrastructure and disaster relief as the reasons for the increases.

The cumulative bridge rate was increased from $0.008 to $0.05, which will increase the amount in the fund from about $300,000 to about $1.9 million annually.

“The concern I have for the safety of all persons traveling across our bridges, especially school buses carrying children, has convinced me that an increase in the cumulative bridge fund is a matter of public safety, not a political question,” wrote Commissioner John Perkins in a letter submitted into the public record after the vote to pass the ordinance increasing the rate.

Perkins cited Clark County Bridge Inspection Report, Phase 2, 2012, submitted by Clark Dietz Engineers. The report calls for the immediate replacement of two bridges at the total cost of $2.7 million.

However, as both bridges have sufficiency ratings of less than 50 on the state’s 100-point scale, the state will pay for 80 percent of the repair costs, with the county covering the balance. Add in nine rehabilitation projects and $2 million in repairs on other bridges, and the total price tag comes in at $5.2 million.

The commissioners posted photos of the bridges in the worst state of disrepair on the wall outside of their office in the County Government Building and encouraged residents to come look at them.

The cumulative capital fund went up from $0.018 to $0.0333, the maximum allowed by state law. Board President Les Young said the funds were needed to help pay for recovery efforts in Henryville and Marysville.

Perkins and Young both initially denied the rate increases to the two funds would affect taxpayers.

“What we did tonight is inside the levy,” Perkins said.

He went on to say the rate changes would come out of the county’s general fund.

County Councilman Brian Lenfert disputed Perkins’ claim after the meeting.

“That would only be the case if all homeowners were at the 1-percent cap,” Lenfert said. “If a parcel — a taxpayer — is not at the 1-percent cap, then this will be a tax increase.”

County Councilman Chuck Moore added that other government entities within the county would be adversely affected.

“It’s just too much. And for the ones that are at 1 percent, it’s cutting into the other municipalities also,” Moore said. “I know a lot of the people inside the city are at 1 percent, and what that’s going to do is take away from cities — Sellersburg, Charlestown, anywhere like that. When the commissioners get control of the funds, I really don’t want them taking money away from anyone else.”

The county council is holding its budget meetings Aug. 14 and 16 for county departments. Moore said the council could use its authority to approve the budget to oppose the commissioners’ efforts.  



INSURANCE DEAL DONE

The commissioners unanimously approved a worker’s compensation insurance plan through the Indiana Public Employers’ Plan, or IPEP. The plan will cost $296,718, up from $291,586 over the previous year.

The plan includes insurance for the county sheriff’s department. Neace Lukens insurance representative Pepper Cooper explained that dividing the sheriff’s department from the rest of the county for insurance purposes did not save the county any money. The commissioners had asked Cooper to explore that possibility at last week’s meeting.

The county’s previous insurer, Bituminous Insurance, wanted a renewal premium of $317,354.



RECORDS COMMISSION MAKES RECOMMENDATION

Judge Dan Moore and Clerk of Courts Barbara Haas presented the preliminary plan for the county to free up space in the records room by digitally scanning and storing documents off-site. Moore said the Public Records Commission is leaning toward Louisville-based InfoResources for document storage and DocuWare for document management.

See the accompanying story in today’s edition for more information.