Wanda English Burnett
Editor

After a request was first tabled by the Ripley County Council members, this month it was denied.
Clerk Mary Ann McCoy had asked for $10,600 to be appropriated for scanning and filing in her office at the February meeting. This was for work for the circuit and superior courts that needs to be preserved, according to McCoy.

Last month council members formed a committee consisting of Ed Armbrecht, Juanita Kaiser and Bill McDonald, to look into how other county clerks are handling this office procedure.

According to McDonald, who was the spokesperson for the committee, they checked with 31 counties who use the CSI computer system. He said through their findings the other counties did not put on additional help and the recommendation was to deny McCoy’s request to hire an additional part time employee.

McCoy told the council that in 2009 there were 2,703 cases filed; in 2010 2,835 cases filed; and so far this year 453 cases have been filed. She said the workload was too much for her staff and she too had talked to other county clerks concerning the matter.

The vote was five to one to deny McCoy’s request. Bill Warren was the lone vote to support the request and give McCoy the additional help. Juanita Kaiser was absent at the regular meeting held Monday, March 21.

“We could use the help, but if you’re not going to give it to us, I don’t know what we’re going to do...I wish you would reconsider,” McCoy told the council members.

In other business:

• Additional appropriations were unanimously approved for $12,355 for a walk-in freezer at the Ripley County Food Bank; and $50,000 for the courthouse annex. Both came from grant money from the Rising Sun Regional Foundation.

• The salary amendment for the nurse was approved with a five to one vote with Bill Warren abstaining. This means the county nurse will keep the $7,000 that was initially cut from the budget for her salary.

• It was noted that county attorney John Ertel had met with Juanita Bauer to talk about buying her property. This is the last piece of the puzzle to be in place before the annex is bought. The property is located on the north side of the square. Bauer was instructed to get a list of appraisers and the county will do the same. Then they will each pick one from each list and the two chosen will be the ones for the job. This will be discussed at the next council meeting which is scheduled for April 18 at 7 p.m. at the county courthouse annex in Versailles.

The meeting lasted 30 minutes.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO Clerk Mary Ann McCoy stood before the county council Monday night, requesting for the second month to use $10,600 to hire part time help for her office. This person would do filing and scanning. This request was voted down 5-1.