BEDFORD — The Lawrence County Commissioners are required by law on a periodic basis to review and approve voting districts for the Lawrence County commissioners and council.
The commissioners are required to do this before the end of 2021.
The commissioners voted to pass an ordinance that established the following commissioner districts:
District 1 will be comprised of Indian Creek North, Indian Creek North, Indian Creek South, Perry, Marshall 1, 2, and 3, Shawswick 1A, 5B, 7A, 7B, 10, 12, 13, 15A, and 16.
District 2 will be comprised of Bono, Marion 1, 2, 3, 4, 5A, and 5B, 5C, and 6, Spice Valley North, and Spice Valley South.
District 3 will be comprised of Pleasant Run, Guthrie, Shawswick 18, 2, 3, 4, 5A, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14A, 14B, and 15B.
The commissioners also passed an ordinance on the Lawrence County Council districts. The changes were based on the current council districts and voting census in each of the four voting districts and were adjusted due to population increases.
The County Council District 1 will be comprised of Indian Creek North, Indian Creek South, Spice Valley North, Spice Valley South, Marion 1, 2, 3, 4, 5A, and 5B.
County Council District 2 will be comprised of Marion 5C and 6, Bono, Guthrie, Pleasant Run, Shawswick 3, 11, 14B, 15A, and 15B.
County Council District 3 will be comprised of Marshall 1, 2, 3, Perry, Shawsick 2, 12, 13 and 14A
County Council District 4 will be comprised of Shawswick 1A, 1B, 4, 5A, 5B, 6, 7A, 7B, 8, 9, 10, and 16.
In other business:
The commissioner voted to renew the county’s liability, workman’s compensation, insurance policies. Miles Parker, of Parker Insurance, told the commissioners the renewal policies came in 5 percent under budget.
Highway Superintendent David Holmes reported highway crews are cutting brush, performing culvert work, and hauling sand for the upcoming winter weather.
Officials continue to work on securing the right of ways needed to complete work on Bridge 150 on Mill Creek Road.
The bids for repairs on Bridge 138 on Oolitic Road will be open at the next commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Lawrence County Chief Deputy Gregg Taylor reported there were 164 inmates at the jail this morning, of those 135 are males, 29 are females, 13 Department of Correction holds, no parol holds, and one Level 6 felon.
The Lawrence County Commissioners, President Rodney Fish, Vice President Dustin Gabhart, and Wally Branham attended the Indiana Association of County Commissioners.
Commissioner Dustin Gabhart will serve on the Lawrence County Preservation Committee to regulate and vote on improvements at the fairgrounds.
The commissioners did not address the complaint that Bedford resident Bill Raines filed with the Indiana Public Access Counselor’s Office accusing the commissioners of breaking Indiana’s Open Door Law.
The complaint alleges the commissioners illegally held executive sessions over the last several years without properly communicating to the public the purpose of those private meetings beforehand.
State law mandates that any governmental body that decides to convene for an executive session must inform the public of the time, place, and purpose of the meetings. A 48-hour notice before an executive session occurs is also required. Executive sessions are meetings that are not open to the public and the conversations that take place during these meetings remain confidential.
