Payments will help school funding
County Council approves provisional tax bill
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

  • Speaking on behalf of Ripley County Treasurer Earline Copeland, Auditor Mary Ann McCoy prevailed upon members of the Ripley County Council to approve a resolution allowing the county to send out
  • provisional tax bills for 45% of last year's property tax assessment to the county's property owners.
  • As part of new business at the county council meeting on Tuesday, August 17, Auditor McCoy updated members on the tax situation based upon what she had learned from Dearborn County officials recently.
  • "We may not get our tax rates from them until March," McCoy noted.
  • "Meanwhile schools are dying. They are having to borrow; they need the money."
    According to state officials, the county can do a provisional billing, asking for 45 or 50% of what the property owner was billed last year.
    "This gives us a chance to get money in to help the schools. I'm asking for your opinion concerning a resolution to do a provisional billing."
  • "I don't think we have any choice," said Council Member Ed Armbrecht, who added he felt taxpayers would rather have the provisional bill so that they would still have two payments during the year.
  • After discussion, Armbrecht moved to instruct the treasurer to send out a provisional bill for 45% of last year's tax assessment. Council Member Dephane Smith seconded, and the motion passed 7-0.
  • Auditor McCoy explained that Treasurer Copeland was attending a state meeting and could not be present for the discussion.
  • All council members were present when President Donald Dunbar sounded the gavel at 7:00 p.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Ripley County Annex. County Attorney Neil Comer and Commissioners John Little, Chuck Folz, and Robert Reiners were also in attendance.
  • Under new business on the agenda, EMS Director Scott Melling discussed the possibility of hospital inter-facility transports as a way for additional funding for the county's EMS program.
  • Noting that Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville estimates 300 runs per year from that hospital to a larger facility, Melling said, "Ideally, a combination of part time employees and full time employees would be utilized to maximize human resources."
  • A listing of costs and reimbursements which Melling distributed to council members indicated the estimated cost for personnel would be $26,552.25 and the potential income could reach $333,000.
  • "This would be a partnership with existing services. I am bringing this to you for your consideration," said Melling. "Getting the patient to a higher level of care would be the goal."
  • With commissioners in support of the program, Melling told council members, "All we need is your blessing. The EMS Advisory Committee also approves."
  • Commissioner Reiners said, "We can't really say it's going to generate $50,000 ­ it may be more or less ­ but it will help the program."
  • Whether it was a matter for council or commissioners, the resulting poll of council members indicated support for the transport program from Dephane Smith, Lawrence Nickell, Juanita Bauer, David Simon, and President Dunbar.
  • William Dramann and Ed Armbrecht said they were not in support at this time.
  • During the early part of the meeting, additional appropriations received unanimous approval for the Ripley County Highway Department, the Ripley County Health Department (Bio-Terrorism Grant and Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program), and the Ripley County Probation Department.
  • Transfers were approved from the Prosecutor's Victim Assistance budget to Personnel Services and from the Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program to fund the Sheriff's Department's "Butt Out Program."
  • Before the 8:30 p.m. adjournment, Auditor McCoy presented council members with budget materials to prepare for budget hearings on Monday, August 30; Tuesday, August 31; and Wednesday, September 1. These public meetings are scheduled for 7:30 a.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Annex.
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