County Council signs Homestead Credit ordinance
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

With the State of Indiana's elimination of the Inventory Tax and the county's replacing it through EDIT, Ripley County Council members decided to distribute the approximately $600,000 difference through a uniform Homestead Credit Ordinance.

This means for the year 2006, Homestead Credit will be given to all homesteads and not more than one acre of ground at a uniform rate.

Much discussion took place at the Tuesday, December 13, meeting of the council to determine the most fair way to distribute the money. It was pointed out that everybody in the county pays income taxes, but only property owners will receive the Homestead tax credit.

In response, one of the council members noted that renters also do not pay property taxes.

The motion from Council member Ed Armbrecht received a second from Council member Mark Busching that the county sign the ordinance prepared by County Attorney Neil Comer adopting the uniform method of distribution.

At the beginning of the meeting, discussion continued on the rental of the Ripley County Park's showmobile. Bill Neal, who represented the Ripley County Parks & Recreation Board, said, "We would like to see it used much more than it is."

Neal said the board would like to be able to rent the showmobile to nonprofit organizations in Ripley County for $250 the first day and $100 for each day thereafter.

This would mean the county would need to subsidize the difference in what is charged now - $650 for the first day and $375 for each day after.

Council member Armbrecht moved that the county subsidize the $400 difference for the first day and the $275 for each day after for nonprofit organizations in Ripley County. The financing would come from the Ripley County Community Foundation Endowment Fund.

A second by Council member David Simon brought a unanimous 6-0 vote. Council member Dephane Smith was not present for the meeting.

Neal noted that the board hopes to publicize the availability of the showmobile so that more organizations will take advantage of its use.

In other business, the council voted to approve the encumbrances from each of the county offices and to approve the additional appropriation requested by Ripley County Sheriff Bill Davison. This was for $12,500 for uniform vests, funded through a grant from the Criminal Justice System.

Earlier a grant for $6,000 from the Rising Sun Regional Foundation covered the other part of the uniform vest expense, the sheriff said.

Council members approved the meeting schedule for 2006 presented by Auditor Mary Ann McCoy. Council president Donald Dunbar announced the first meeting will be in January as an organization meeting.

They also re-appointed Lisa Barrett to the Batesville Memorial Library board of directors and Melvin Black to the Osgood Library board. Paperwork for Cathy May's appointment was also signed although her appointment had come earlier.

Other council members present for the December meeting included William Dramman and Benjamin Peetz. Commissioners Robert Reiners, Chuck Folz, and Lawrence Nickell were also present.

Commissioner Reiners informed the council members that the county will save approximately $38,000 on health insurance with Anthem, who has provided a 5.68% decrease for the year at a guaranteed rate.

The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.