Sewer expansion, Music Center funds spark debate at commissioners’ meeting

Local News X Sewer service for Bean Blossom and Lake Lemon and future profits from the Brown County Music Center were among the major topics discussed during the May 6 meeting of the Brown County Commissioners. One of the longest discussions involved a proposed resolution supporting expansion plans by the Helmsburg Regional Sewer District. The issue stems from ongoing efforts to bring sewer service to the Bean Blossom area and eventually parts of the Lake Lemon area, something local officials have discussed for decades as a way to improve water quality and support future development. Helmsburg Regional Sewer District board member Kyle Myers told commissioners the district is asking for support as it explores expanding its service boundaries east toward Bean Blossom and west toward Lake Lemon. Myers said the district’s new wastewater treatment plant was intentionally designed so it could eventually be expanded to serve additional customers outside Helmsburg. The discussion became complicated because the Brown County Regional Sewer District has already spent years working on sewer plans for Bean Blossom and Lake Lemon. Officials from that district said they were caught off guard by the proposed resolution and wanted commissioners to delay action until they had an opportunity to explain their side publicly. Brown County Regional Sewer District board member Richard Hall said his board supports getting sewer service to Bean Blossom no matter who ultimately completes the project, but he objected to moving forward without more discussion between the two sewer districts. “We’re all about water quality,” Hall said. “If Helmsburg can get something done going east, all the power to them.” However, Hall also said his district has already secured funding opportunities and invested significant time planning for sewer expansion around Lake Lemon and did not want to lose control of that territory. “We would, as a board, fiercely defend our right to develop the Lake Lemmon area,” Hall said. Brown County Regional Sewer District board member Mike Leggins said the Bean Blossom sewer effort has been in development for years and that the district believed it was close to moving forward before state officials changed direction late in the process. Leggins said state revolving fund officials unexpectedly required Helmsburg to move forward with a smaller treatment plant than originally planned. That smaller plant no longer included immediate capacity for the Bean Blossom project, which disrupted years of planning between the districts. Helmburg Sewer District board member Myers agreed both districts were surprised by the state’s decision. “We had no ideas or no inclination leading up to that meeting that they were going to make the decision for us to put in a smaller plant,” Myers said. Commissioners spent considerable time debating exactly what the proposed resolution would do. Commissioner Kevin Patrick said he was initially comfortable with a simple “letter of support” encouraging conversations between the districts but became concerned after the county attorney explained the wording of the resolution was broader than that. The attorney told commissioners the resolution supported Helmsburg’s “plans for expansion through the construction of the project” and authorized commissioners to take actions supporting that expansion if needed. Patrick said he did not want the county appearing to take sides before the sewer districts had fully negotiated with each other. “There has not been a meeting of the minds,” Patrick said. Commissioners ultimately voted to table the resolution. Brown County Regional Sewer District representatives are expected to make a formal presentation during the commissioners’ 6 p.m. meeting on May 20, with possible action delayed until June to allow more time for discussion between the districts. Commissioners also revisited an ongoing dispute involving excess revenue generated by the Brown County Music Center. The issue has been debated publicly for months and centers on how profits from the Music Center should be distributed. Under the current administrative agreement, 75 percent of excess revenue can be distributed to the Brown County Community Foundation if allowed by law. Community Foundation grants funded through that revenue have supported nonprofit organizations and community projects throughout Brown County. Commissioner Tim Clark has repeatedly argued the arrangement may not be legally appropriate because the money ultimately belongs to the county and should be controlled by elected officials rather than appointed boards. Clark said the amendment being proposed would simply remove one sentence from the agreement and place distribution decisions under the county council. “All this thing does is take out one sentence in the admin agreement,” Clark said. Commissioner Ron Sanders urged caution, saying there did not appear to be support from the various Music Center boards for changing the agreement and warning that forcing the issue could create division within the community. “This is a small community,” he said. “This is going to cause a rift between us.” Several residents addressed commissioners during public comment. Resident Dana Patrick questioned whether commissioners had truly attempted to work cooperatively with the Music Center management group and called for more transparency regarding legal opinions connected to the agreement. Brown County Community Foundation board chair John Elliott defended the current arrangement and said the Music Center revenue has helped the foundation fund more local nonprofit requests than it otherwise could. “We funded a larger percent than we would have otherwise,” he said. Commissioners Clark and Patrick eventually approved an amended resolution changing which commissioner would handle negotiations with the Music Center boards. Instead of Commissioner President Tim Clark leading those discussions, commissioners voted to place Vice President Kevin Patrick in that role moving forward. Commissioner Sanders voted against the resolution. Another topic discussed was the long-closed Indian Hill railroad crossing near Helmsburg. Clark said the county is exploring whether the crossing could first be reopened for pedestrians and trail users before eventually reopening it for vehicles. Clark said the county recently requested engineering estimates to determine whether the project could be split into phases. He estimated a complete engineering study could cost around $400,000, while full reconstruction to modern standards could cost another $1.5 million. The county is also considering using remaining proceeds from the former sock factory property sale to help fund early work on the project. Clark said those funds currently remain in a county account and previous commissioners already used part of the money for a stormwater project in Helmsburg. Highway Superintendent Sandra Pool told commissioners paving work on Grandview Road should begin soon after patching work is completed, weather permitting. She also said work on Hoover Road Bridge is progressing ahead of schedule and could reopen around May 12 or 13, roughly a month earlier than expected. Commissioners also briefly discussed the county’s ongoing ambulance service review involving IU Health. Quality of Life Advisory Board member Pam Gould told commissioners Brown County has been selected for Indiana University’s Sustaining Hoosier Communities program, which could provide research and statistical analysis related to emergency medical services and ambulance needs in the county. Gould encouraged county officials to coordinate with the university group so work is not duplicated. Featured Local Savings