Two issues dominate Jasper Utility Service Board meeting

Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz presented several initiatives last night at the Utility Service Board Meeting, which helped extend the meeting to almost three hours in length.

Seitz first presentation was to bring before the board a contract for legal services and representation by the firm Shaneyfelt and Bohnenkemper. The existing contract is in its sixth week and expires at the end of March.

Seitz told the board that the firm has submitted a contract for the remainder of the calendar year to continue to provide services as needed by the city. The contract is both fiscally responsible and all encompassing in its coverage of necessary legal representation – with one exception: Shaneyfelt stated that he and his firm will not provide advice on policy decisions. They will give legal advice only.

Several members of the Utility Service Board expressed concern about the contract and a possible lack of expedient response times during the last six weeks.

Shaneyfelt, who was in attendance at the meeting, defended his firm’s reaction times to requests and told the board that he and his partner are giving the City of Jasper the best service that is possible and he feels that they have performed admirably since taking over for former full-time lawyer, Sandy Hemmerlein – who left the position at the end of the year.

Mayor Seitz told the board that he also is convinced that the firm has performed professionally and sees this as an opportunity for the City to get as much value as they can for their legal outlay. He told the board that the budgeted amount for legal services is around $172,000 for the year and that the contract submitted by Shaneyfelt is around $168,000. And, Seitz wanted to present the contract to them so that they don’t find themselves rushed into a decision in next month’s meeting.

The board decided to wait on making a decision on the contract so more time could be devoted to making sure it is what they need.

The second topic from Mayor Seitz was the formal introduction of the Leadership Development and Strategic Planning Initiative. Seitz says that private donors have come forward to fund Phase 1 of the project – without submitting the actual cost. Phase 2 and 3 would require an outlay of $52,520.00 for the City to complete the entire program.

Chorus Incorporated President and CEO Mike Evans made a presentation to the board that laid out what the program would do and how it works. The board asked questions afterwards and also decided to delay a decision on an expenditure to cover their costs for the 4 or so members of the board that would be involved in the training. Wayne Schuetter and the six department heads. The USB will also be able to appoint six other employees to attend that training.

Mayor Seitz thanked the board for considering the program and said that they could take up the discussion in their next meeting as well.

One announcement that was made at the end of the meeting last night is that Healthy Dubois County has filed a notice of appeal in the court case against the City of Jasper. This decision does not mean that the organization WILL appeal, but they have left the option open. It was also announced that Healthy Dubois County has retained the services of an Appeals Lawyer from northern Indiana who would be the one to file an appeal if the decision is made to do so going forward.