Properties outside town limits no longer subject to municipal development regulation
Members of the Morgan County Council gave their approval to four resolutions that terminated the inter-local agreements between the county and the municipalities that had buffer zones.
The zones were approved in 2001 as a way for the municipalities to control development outside their boundaries. Residents in those zones complained their property was controlled by people for whom they could not vote. Those areas are now under county control.
More:Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past
Bottom Road problem
The council approved transferring around $34,000 from the highway department's contractual services account into the Right of Way Acquisition account to pay for property on Bottom Road.
The section where Bottom Road has a sharp 90-degree turn has been a point of contention for more than 20 years.
There has been some debate over ownership of the land. At times, property owners, who said they owned part of the road, attempted to block parts of it with large rocks or logs. For the county, the final straw was when a county snow plow hit a log frozen to the road and was knocked into the ditch.
More:Morgan County will use eminent domain to correct Bottom Road curve
After attempting to purchase the land, the county went to court to obtain a right of way. The court determined the price the county would pay for the property. After the county takes possession, the turn will be fixed to improve access and safety.
The commissioners asked the council to consider a line item in the commissioner's budget that would allow the county to purchase small areas of land. The commissioners previously had that in the budget but it was removed several years ago. The council said it would consider it around budget time.
Contract position questioned
The council was notified of the change in employment status for William (Bill) Dials, a county employee in the surveyor's office whose primary job has been making sure the county follows the rules when it comes to erosion control. Dials is retiring at the end of February, but the county wants to keep him on as a contract employee. Since the council provided funding for the department, the position would become contract instead of hourly.
Council members were unhappy with the proposed contract and that they had not been consulted before that night.
Council president Kim Meredith reminded council members that contracts are in the commissioner's area of responsibility and the council has no control over them other than approving funding.
There were concerns the Internal Revenue Service would not like the agreement and concerns the employee would have access to a county vehicle for his use.
After nearly an hour of discussion, the council agreed to the change.
Incentive pay for discussion
Council members spent time with Sheriff Rich Myers and jail commander David Rogers discussing a proposal for special duty incentive pay. They proposed a fund that would allow them to pay their employees, in the jail and on the road, additional money for receiving additional training or work. After discussing the matter, the council tabled it until a later date.
The next scheduled council meeting is Monday March 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the administration building.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Morgan County approves ending town control of outskirts development
