Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-07-2002PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, MONDAY, JANUARY 7 2002 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., Monday, January 7, 2002, in the Council Chambers in said City. President Bruce Wissel presided with the following Councilmembers present: Howard "Jack" Elstro, Etta J. Lundy, Karl Sharp, Bing Welch, Larry Parker, Phil Dickman and Sarah "Sally" Hutton. The following business was conducted: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRAYER BY COUNCILMEMBER PARKER ROLL CALL Eight present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the meeting of December 17, 2001 were not available. PRESENTATION OF REMONSTRANCES, PETITIONS, MEMORIALS, INTRODUCTIONS MOTIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS COMMUNICATION FROM THE MAYOR Mayor Shelley Miller commented that Greg Pipes, the newly appointed Police Chief, is in the audience tonight. She also stated that the City is officially in fact finding with AFSCME regarding negotiations for a contract. She said she had contacted several citizens who are considering being a part of that process but they have not gotten back with her as yet. She said she would be bringing those names to Council as early as possible so as to move forward with that process. She also stated that she would like to briefly discuss with Council the economic development target area, noting that the Economic Development Commission had met Friday, January 4, 2002 and approved and made a recommendation that would come to Council in ordinance form. She said the ordinance had been prepared based upon the discussion at the EDC meeting held on Friday. Some of the things that are included in the ordinance include the geographical boundaries of the target area, to target businesses and the type of improvements to be abated, the length of abatements and the measurement standards and the financial contributions that may be requested. She said the main purpose of designating this economic development target area would be to allow abatement for retail establishments, office buildings and residential properties in a specific area which are now prohibited under the statute unless so designated in an economic development target area. She said that ordinance is not on the agenda tonight, but she requested that Council amend the agenda to allow it to be introduced on first reading tonight. President Wissel said that copies of that ordinance were given to Councilmembers just prior to the meeting tonight. Councilmember Welch moved to amend the agenda and add Ordinance No. 7 — 2002, second by Councilmember Dickman and the motion was carried on a voice vote. Councilmember Elstro stated that he had received a phone call this afternoon concerning the residences at 318 and 320 South 1 Vh Street where several cars and trucks are parked in the yards and alley. He said the President of the Vaile Neighborhood Association, Warren Hawley, said he had called the Mayor's office last week to report the problem. Mayor Miller said she did recall that Hawley had talked with Stephanie in the Mayor's office who immediately forwarded that to the inspectors. The Mayor said she would follow up on this and talk with Inspector Wayne Jackson and she would give Councilmember Elstro a call tomorrow. REPORT FROM BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFE President Wissel said the minutes of the meeting of December 6, 2001 were in their packets. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES REPORTS FROM SPECIAL COMMITTEES REPORTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS Councilmember Parker said that most of the citizens of Richmond are aware that Reid Hospital is planning on building a new hospital and issued an invitation to anyone who is interested in being involved in the pre- planning. He said the first session is set for 3:30 p.m. Thursday, January 24, 2002, adding that he would give the phone number to the Clerk so that those interested could call or they could call Reid directly. Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 7, 2002 Page 2 MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS President Wissel said there were several items to be addressed in this area tonight. He announced that since the third Monday of this month falls on Martin Luther King Day, Council will meet on Tuesday, January, 22, 2002, Since Council does not have a procedure in place to notify those who have been appointed to committees, the Clerk has designed certificates for that purpose. Also, a form will be designed for Councilmembers who sponsor anyone to be on a committee to fill out stating his or her name and address as well as a brief biography and telephone number so they can be notified. President Wissel said he received a request made by Reid Hospital that Councilmember Parker be re- appointed to the Hospital Board and since that is an elected position he asked for a motion. Councilmember Hutton so moved, second by Councilmember Dickman and the motion was carried on a voice vote. He said he had received a notice from Vanessa Orr who resigned from the Board of the Urban Enterprise Association because of a conflict in her work schedule. He reminded Council that the person to fill that vacancy needs to be a resident of the North Side Neighborhood Association. Councilmember Hutton submitted the name of Bobby Rutherford of 727 North 12'' Street and moved that he be appointed to replace Vanessa Orr, second by Councilmember Parker and the motion was carried on a voice vote. President Wissel said Ordinances No. 18 and 28 — 2001, which have been tabled, will be placed on the agenda on second reading at Council's next meeting on January 22, 2002. He explained that these ordinances deal with the police and firefighter widows' pensions. Councilmember Sharp said he had checked on Pastor John Walker of the First English Lutheran Church who Council appointed to the Police Citizens Review Committee in November to see if he lived in the City which is mandatory for that committee and found that he does not. In the meantime, he said, he had contacted Pastor Rick White of the Cornerstone Christian Fellowship and he has agreed to serve on that committee. He made the motion to appoint him to that committee, second by Councilmember Dickman and the motion was carried on a voice vote. Councilmember Sharp suggested that Council have a Committee of the Whole meeting to hold a Visioning Session to offer an opportunity for the citizens of Richmond to participate in that. Misty Hollis of the Community Development office reminded them that sessions are being held in January and February. She also added that Tim Jackson, a senior at Centerville High School, will be serving as an intern in the Community Development office and will be helping schedule these sessions. President Wissel said he would assign this project to Councilmember Welch who, as Vice President of Council, will be in charge of setting up the Committee of the Whole meetings. Councilmember Sharp mentioned the copies of a letter Councilmembers received from City Attorney Bob Bever which was written by Bench Billboard Co. December 20, 2001. Bever explained that the letter was in response to the notice he had sent to the company November 29, 2001 regarding its advertising benches. He said in that notice he had advised the company that it had 30 days to remove those benches, pointing out that they represent two types of violations. One, he said, is that they are on the public right of way, and the others, which are on private property but exceed the amount of signage allowable by the new sign ordinance. Bever pointed out that in its December 20 letter the company disputed that the City has the right to take them out and that they had been there for "years" serving the citizens of this community, adding that they thought they would be legal non conforming signs. Bever said that is wrong and the City is within its rights to ask that the benches be removed. He added that he had taken action today, in response to this letter, starting tomorrow initiating fines of $100 per day for each of their benches and the street department will be picking up those benches ,in the public right of way. Bever said he is quite sure the City will receive litigation from the company about that action. Bever added that for those on private property he has initiated an injunction request with the local courts getting the interpretation that he believes is favorable to the City requiring those be removed while the company is being fined $100 per day. ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING Councilmember Elstro moved to read Ordinance No. 1 — 2002 and Ordinance No. 7 — 2002 by title only, second by Councilmember Welch and the motion was carried on a voice vote. ORDINANCE NO. 1 - 2002 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 1— 2002 — A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6-1.1-12.1 Councilmember Sharp said he talked to three people today from R2 J2 Investments LLC., adding that the tax abatement is for a 41,250 square foot warehouse to be leased to Spartech. Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 7, 2002 Page 3 President Wissel said second reading on this ordinance will be held at Council's next meeting on January 22, 2002. Jack Belfus, representing R2 J2, explained that this is not part of Enviro Tech but will all be separate with R2 J2 Investments LLC. He said they will be building the building to the east of Spartech and it will be a separate building solely for the use by Spartech. ORDINANCE NO.7 — 2002 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 7 — 2002 — AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING A CERTAIN AREA AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TARGET AREA Explaining this ordinance was City Attorney Bob Bever who said he had sent to Councilmembers a cover letter setting forth some of the background on it. He said the area targeted is bordered by the Whitewater River on the West side; the middle of North and South 12'h Streets on the East side; the middle of North A Street on the North side; and the middle of South A Street on the South side. All of this area is shown on a map known as Exhibit A and attached to the ordinance. He explained that any owner of real property located in that area may seek certain deductions from the assessed value of redeveloped and/or rehabilitated real property. He said the time period may be for a period of one to 10 years as determined by Common Council in each ordinance approving a specific Statement of Benefits; provided, that no period of time shall exceed 5 years unless the work performed as part of the application significantly includes work performed to the upper floors and/or outside structure of the subject real estate. He explained that "significantly includes" means at least 40 percent of the cost of the project shall be attributed to work performed in such upper floors and/or to the outside structure. Any business allowed by Indiana law shall be permitted to apply for the relevant deductions within the Economic Development Target Area, but shall be subject to any criteria and/or conditions previously established by Richmond Common Council. Although a supplement to the Statement of Benefits from will request similar details as required in other Economic Revitalization areas, including, but not limited to the projected cost of the project, number of jobs created and/or retained, salaries, etc. the primary purpose of allowing the additional deductions within the Economic Development Target Area is for the improvement of real estate in the Uptown area, and not necessarily new jobs. President Wissel said this ordinance will come back before Council at its next meeting on January 22, 2002. ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING AND ENGROSSMENT ORDINANCE NO.93 — 2001 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 93 — 2001 — A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6-1.1-12.1 President Wissel said this ordinance is the one that is currently on hold until action is taken on Ordinance No. 7 — 2002. ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING There were none. President Wissel presented a gavel to Councilmember Sharp in appreciation of his leadership of Council during 2001. CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, on a motion duly made, seconded and passed, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M. Bruce Wissel, President ATTEST: Norma Schroeder, City Clerk