Union Township Development

There will be a meeting of the Boone County Area Plan Commission on Wednesday, September 5th, at the 4-H Grounds Community Building, in Lebanon, at 7 PM. The Agenda includes the golf practice center on 421, south of CR 200 South and the proposed development at CR 300 South (146th Street) and 421; formerly Woods Edge Nursery and Greenhouse.

Click here for APC reports and orther information.

Meeting Date Change

The budget hearing originally scheduled for this Thursday, the 16th, has been rescheduled for Tuesday the 21st. We had a conflict with the open house and ice cream social at Union Elementary School.

The business meeting and public hearing will be at Union Elementary at 7 PM on August 21st.

Property Taxes – Assessed Value?

The 2006, for taxes due in 2007, assessed values have been sent to the state and are available on the Department of Local Government and Finance’s website. Unfortunately right now, if you look at the Property Record Card on the Boone County website and look at your Total Assessed Value on the DLGF website, the numbers are NOT the same, if you live in Union Township.

We have been told that the values at he DLGF are accurate as there was an error in the “neighbor factor” for most of the township, which reduced the Total Assessed Value around 15% in general.

The county is working on updating the township’s property record cards to reflect the correct amount so that when they produce tax bills they are computing them from the same assessed value that the state has. (From a past life in data processing – the same set of data, 2 different numbers – SCAREY)

I would be sure to check the DLGF website and make note of your Total Assessed Value for reference when you get your tax bill.

Please ignore the post on August 8th of what the township’s assessed value is?/was!, as I am uncertain as to which set of data it was computed from.

So much for the court decision on making the assessment process clearer and more transparent for the local taxpayer.

Comprehensive Plan Meetings

Please, PLEASE do attend the Boone County Comprehensive Plan workshop this next Monday evening, August 13th, at 6:30PM at the Zionsville High School. Your ideas and input are so important.

As an elected official, it is so frustrating to only see public participation that seems to be negative or NIMBY when developments or land use changes are proposed and not at the front end of the process. Growth in the township will continue, see the Planning post to this blog on May 21st of this year. It is your responsibility to say what Union Township should look like and what the quality of life should be in next few years and longer.

The last workshop session will be on Wednesday, the 15th, at the 4-H grounds in Lebanon.

2006 Assessed Valuation

The Assessed Valuation for Union Township has been sent by the county to the state. The 2006 assessed valuation is $223,549,640 which is a 40% increase in value from 2005 to 2006.

Do look at the “Tax Info” link on the township’s website (click here) for information on how to look at your Property Tax Record card to see what your property is assessed at. It is extremely important that this is a realistic number, so that the expense of government is fairly shared by all.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the office at 769-5641.

Boone County Comprehensive Plan

Below are the dates and times for Public Input meetings for the update of the Boone County Comprehensive Plan. Your input is crucial to planning what Boone should look like 20 years from now.

Monday, August 6th @ 6:30-9pm Lebanon High School Room B14

Tuesday, August 7th @ 6:30-9pm Western Boone High School cafeteria

Monday, August 13th @ 6:30-9pm Zionsville High School cafeteria

Wednesday, August 15th @ 6:30-9pm 4-H Fairgrounds Lebanon

I can’t stress how important these meetings are. Please try to attend one, your input is very important to the future of the county and Union Township.

Property Tax Assessment

The “Tax Info” web pages on the Union Township website have been updated to show how to get prior years Property Tax Assessment information.

These records are available from the state Department of Local Government Finance. Click here for to link to the site. It is pretty self explanatory.

Alternative Locations for the Union Township Fire Station

Several township residents have expressed the desire to hold a public meeting to discuss the location of the Union Township Fire Station. As you know, the current location is at 100 S and US 421.

Other locations that have been suggested are:

• Old Union Elementary School
• Woods Edge Property
• Property previous offered at Indianapolis Executive Airport

Old Union Elementary and Woods Edge have been ruled out because of the School Corporation wanting to retain the school property and the cost of the property at the Woods Edge is much more than we can afford.

Hamilton County Board of Aviation made an offer in 2007 of 5 to 7 acres they would donate of airport property for a fire station. Since the change from Hamilton County Board of Aviation to the Hamilton County Airport Authority, they cannot deed the land to Union Township, but will lease the land for 50 years renewable every 50 years. Also under the Authority there are several more restrictions placed on the Township and Fire Station.

There are pros and cons to this location, and they need to be discussed in a public forum. This discussion also will be held Thursday, July 19th, at the Indianapolis Executive Airport.

In my opinion, Federal funding may be available for the fire station whether or not the fire station is located on the airport property. However, any funding will take time and human resources to search for grant proposals and funding sources. This process needs more involved township residents other than the Union Township Board and Trustee.

Our bond agreement requires that construction be in process no later than the end of August, so any changes in location must be decided at this meeting and the necessary legal amendments handled in an expedited fashion.

Fire Emergency Loan

June 28, 2007 I appeared before the Local government Tax Control Board to request an emergency firefighting loan of $221,961. This is down form the original request of $274,000 due to allotting all the COIT money the township will receive being applied to firefighting. The estimated tax rate for the loan repayment is $0.1360, based on the current assessed value.

While preparing for my appearance on June 28th, I was really amazed at the amount allotted for firefighting by the DLGF. Since before 2003, we were only getting $12,000. Over the years this has increased to $17,000. You cannot secure fire services for $17,000.

Things that should of happened even three to four years ago was to borrow for fire service so a new rate could have been instituted. Many borrowing windows and debt changes have happened to where it will not be as easy for the taxpayer to handle, nor will the township be able to reap some benefits due to indebtedness any longer. We missed some opportunities that would have been “softer” to the taxpayer.

There will be a public meeting Thursday, July 19, 2007 at the Indianapolis Executive Airport for public discussion concerning this matter.

Peggy Sanders

Peggy Sanders
May 27, 1927 – July 3, 2007

Peggy Sanders passed away July 3, 2007 at the age of 80. Peggy was the Union Township Trustee from January 1, 1987 until December 31, 1998.

While reviewing old township minutes, Peggy was professing the need to buy a fire truck and have our own station many years ago.

Peggy will be sadly missed and Union Township residents owe her a debt of gratitude for the years she served as Union Township Trustee.