County Council passes balanced 2006 budget
Hears tax abatement proposal
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

After months of meetings and public hearings, the Ripley County Council passed the 2006 budget at their Tuesday, September 13, meeting in the Coutny Annex.

According to County Treasurer Mary Ann McCoy, "We do have a balanced budget - for the first time."

The total budget for all funds was $15,721,174.00 with the General Fund listed as $6,015912.00, a reduction of over $500,000 from the 2005 budget.

Voting in two separate motions, council members Mark Busching, Donald Dunbar, Benjamin Peetz, David Simon, and Dephane Smith cast favorable votes. Council member Ed Armbrecht voted against both the salary ordinance and the budget.

He explained his vote was based on an employee salary incrase he did not believe should be given. "We made a very specific motion that we were not going to make salary increases. I'm going to stick by that."

Armbrecht was pleased that the council had been able to propose a balanced budget and believes that "what we did with the budget this year we should be able to do something for our employees in 2007."

Earlier in the meeting council, members heard a proposal from Pam Sander, director of Ripley County Economic Development, and Brian Ahaus, spokesperson for a winery project, for a partial tax abatement.

Sander explained the new business would benefit tourism in county and would do both retail and wholesale business.

In speaking for Tom Ertel, owner and developer of the winery project, Ahaus requested the tax abatement for 10 years, noting that the area on County Road 1100 North will employ from six to eight people with plans to increase to 20 employees.

Explaining that site development has been completed, Ahaus said there are already 10 acres of vineyards with a total of 60 acres that are tillable.

After discussion, County Attorney Neil Comer told Sander and Ahaus that the business owner would have to adopt a resolution for an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) and suggested hiring an attorney to take care of this procedure.

In showing approval of the project contingent upon the ERA resolution, council members suggested the spokespersons return at the October meeting.

During the meeting council approved unanimously additional appropriations for Ripley County Clerk Ginger Bradford; Ripley County Sheriff Bill Davison; Ripley County Highway Department; Ripley County Communication; and Ripley County Health Department.

Transfers approved included a request from Tad Brinson, Ripley County Area Planning, and Pat Thomas, Ripley County Health Department.

During the new business part ofthe agenda, Bob Brewington, one of five state supervisors for Soil & Water Conservation, requested the use of a $5,000 grant to be divided between the district administrator and the assistant. "This won't cost the county anything," said Brewington. "We are losing employees because they can make more other places."

Council member Armbrecht said he was not in favor because the council had made a very specific motion "that we were not going to make salary increases. I'm going to stick by that."

Adding to the discussion, Council member Peetz told Brewington, "We didn't list the $5,000 as a salary line item. You aren't going to lose it. You have access to it as a district."

In summary, Council President Donald Dunbar appointed Armbrecht and Peetz to meet with Brewington to figure out what the county can do to bring a solution to the problem.

The meeting ended at 8:12 p.m. In attendance were Ripley County Commissioners and other county officers. Council member William Dramann was not present.