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HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-22-1988 - Special Meeting 113 PROCEEDINGS OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND. INDIANA. AUGUST 22. 1988 1 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in special session August 22, 1988 at the hour of 2 7:25 P.M. in the Council Chambers in said City. President Morris presided with the following Councilmembers 3 present: Elstro,Williams, Brookbank, Hankinson, McBride, Parker, Hutton, and Paust. Absent: None. The 4 following business was had to-wit: 5 6 STATEMENT BY COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS 7 8 Councilmember Williams commented on the recent visitors at the Wayne County Courthouse (KKK). He 9 requested the City Attorney to investigate if it were legal to draw up a resolution that the City of Richmond is 10 not in favor of groups demonstrating in our community if their intentions are racist. He said if this is legal he 11 would like to have a resolution at the next meeting of the Council. 12 13 Mr. Barden said that he was being provided a sample resolution from another community and he would 14 investigate. 15 16 RESOLUTIONS 17 18 Councilmember Paust moved to suspend the rules and read Resolution No. 11-1988 by title only, seconded 19 by Councilmember Hutton and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. 20 21 RESOLUTION NO. 11-1988 22 23 The Clerk read by title only Resolution No. 11-1988-A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE 24 CITY OF RICHMOND,INDIANA. 25 26 President Morris asked for comments on Resolution No. 11-1988. 27 28 Councilmember Williams said he had not read the Resolution word for word, but had sketched over it and 29 since these are low interest rate, tax exempt bonds, there should be safeguards that all persons including 30 those eligible for medicaid, medicare would be eligible for the benefits. He said if they cannot accept 31 medicaid, medicare patients he will not be able to support the resolution regardless of any jobs to be created. 32 33 Councilmember Paust, responding to the reference by Councilmember Williams to Heritage Regency,stated 34 that Friends Fellowship Community and Heritage Regency were different situations and should not be 35 confused. 36 37 Speaking for Resolution No. 11-1988 was Mr. Ron Cross, Attorney at Law, 2 North 8th Street. Mr. Cross, 38 representing Friends Fellowship Community, Inc., responded to Councilmember Williams that Friends 39 Fellowship Community is not qualified to serve Medicaid/Medicare patients. He said this is private pay and the 40 proposed expansion is mostly to accommodate the residents of Friends Fellowship Community in order to be 41 able to provide all levels of care for the residents. 42 43 Mr. Cross commented that Medicare/Medicaid serves one area of need and this project will address another 44 level of need. He added that this is not to say, they may not attempt to qualify to serve Medicaid/Medicare 45 I patients in the future. 46 47 I Councilmember Williams said he felt this was discriminatory and he would not support the resolution if it did 48 not include all segments of people. 49 50 Mr.Cross said the facilities are open to all citizens as private pay beds. 51 52 President Morris asked for clarification regarding the addition and renovation being mainly to accommodate 53 the residents of Friends Fellowship that need special care. 54 55 Mr. Cross said that was essentially correct,but that occasionally Reid Hospital will make a referral for a patients 56 needing private pay facilities. 57 58 Mr. Cross explained that Friends Fellowship Community, Inc.,was a Not-for-Profit affiliated with the Society of 59 Friends and provides four levels of care for their residents. He said the 28,000 square foot addition will 60 provide seventy beds and the existing thirty-eight bed facility will be converted to residential apartments. 61 62 Mr.Cross said the$3,200,000.00 project will create thirty-five new positions and the Economic Development 63 Commission has determined there is no adverse competitive impact from this project. Mr. Cross said they will 64 also encourage local labor and contractor involvement and all but one contractor involved is union. 65 1 14. Common Council Minutes Cont'd August 22, 1987 Page 2 1 Mr. Cross said that Bank One is committed to the sale of the bonds and will act as trustee. Mr. Cross 2 explained to the Council that the bonds must be designated Qualified Tax Exempt Obligations and the issuer 3 must not issue over$10,000,000. within a calendar year. 4 5 Mr. Cross reminded the Council that the bond issue will have no impact on the tax rate of the City and the 6 principal and interest on the bonds are paid by the applicant. 7 Councilmember McBride asked what kind of wages would be paid for the new positions to be added and Mr. 8 Cross stated they were jobs in the service industry and would require some skilled nursing positions with the 9 rest being unskilled and some being part time. 10 11 Councilmember Williams asked about fringe benefits for employees and Mr. Cross explained that the 12 employees had pro-rated benefits based on hours worked. 13 14 Councilmember Hankinson said he saw no conflict with the Medicare/Medicaid and the Friends Fellowship 15 Community, it was just not the type of compensation engaged in by Friends Fellowship. 16 17 There being no further discussion, Councilmember Brookbank moved for adoption of Resolution No. 18 11-1988, seconded by Councilmember Hankinson and on a voice vote with Councilmembers Elstro and 19 Williams voting no,the Resolution was adopted. 20 21 ORDINANCES 22 23 ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING 24 25 ORDINANCE NO. 48-1988 26 27 Councilmember Elstro moved to suspend the rules and read Ordinance No. 48-1988 on third and final 28 reading by title only, seconded by Councilmember Williams and on unanimous voice vote the motion was 29 carried. 30 31 The Clerk read on third and final reading by title only, Ordinance No. 48-1988 - AN ORDINANCE FOR 32 APPROPRIATIONS AND TAX RATES(1989 BUDGET). 33 34 Mr. Barden examined the Proof of Publication and found it to be in order. Councilmember Brookbank moved 35 to accept the file the Proof of Publication, seconded by Councilmember Hutton and on unanimous voice 36 vote the motion was carried. 37 38 President Morris invited comments from the Council. 39 40 Councilmember Elstro commented that he did not feel the Council had done a good job with the budget,. 41 He said Mayor Waltermann had done a good job presenting the budget and he will support the budget since 42 the City needs a 1989 operating budget. Councilmember Elstro stated that Mayor Waltermann had done his 43 homework, but he felt that 100,000.00 could be cut from the budget and leave ample excess for appeal 44 before the State Tax Commission. Councilmember Elstro warned that he would be watching the transfers 45 next year. 46 47 Councilmember Williams announced that he would be supporting the budget. He said that many may not 48 want to give Mayor Waltermann the credit due, but he had worked under several Mayors and had the highest 49 regard for former Mayor Klute,but Mayor Waltermann was the only Mayor to run the City like a business. He 50 said people should take a look at what's going on in the City. 51 52 Councilmember Williams said he would be taking a look at salaries next year and be careful how he votes. He 53 commented that Mayor Waltermann was not a spendthrift nor did he spend foolishly. He said the Mayor's 54 door is always open,and it may be that the Council has chosen to stay away. Councilmember Williams said he 55 appreciates what the Mayor has done for the City. 56 57 Councilmember Parker said he would be voting for the budget. He said it was not perfect,but the City needs 58 an up to date budget. He said he felt the Tax Board was allowed to set the budget ad the Council should be 59 responsible for budget cuts not the Tax Board. Councilmember Parker said he would also be mindful of 60 transfers next year. 61 62 Councilmember Paust said he would be supporting the budget. He said Mayor Waltermann had presented a 63 fair budget and given the departments funds to operate. Councilmember Paust said all taxing units in Wayne 64 County need to be taken into consideration next year and the total impact on the taxes from all units 65 considered. Councilmember Paust said he felt city employees should make good salaries in order to get Common Council Minutes Cont'd August 22, 1987 Page 3 1 good people and hire the best qualified,but they should not be paid more than private industry. 2 3 Councilmember Paust said he had spoken with City Controller, Marge Sweet about transfers and that she 4 would be able to furnish the Council a record of transfers in order that the Council could make decisions on 5 funds that were continually unused and transferred. 6 7 Councilmember Hankinson said his sentiments had been expressed by the other Councilmembers and he 8 was concerned with tax increases to the little guy. He said he felt that Council was remiss in not cutting the 9 budget, but he would support the budget. 10 11 President Morris reminded the Council it was also their responsibility to establish their priorities and make then 12 known. 13 14 Councilmember McBride ask what would happen if the funds were not available to support the budget and 15 Ms.Sweet said they would not be able to spend the money. 16 17 Councilmember Brookbank stated that she had flown back from Washington especially for this meeting to 18 support the budget. She said she felt there were some healthy raises given this year and she will not be 19 willing to raise salaries again next year. 20 21 President Morris stated there had been amble time given during the budget process for Council to express 22 their concerns and none had been expressed. She said that since 1971 every budget presented had 23 included the 5%thaw allowed by the State. She said the 1989 budget had absorbed cuts from Richmond 24 Power&Light and federal and state funds and no means allowed to regain the funds. She said it would seem 25 appropriate to ask for the taxing situation to be changed. She added that the Council should also express 26 their concerns to the Mayor. 27 28 Mayor Waltermann offered his thanks for the support of the Council and also expressed his gratitude to Marge 29 Sweet for all her work on the budget. The Mayor said that the City has still continued to offer expanded 30 services with less resources and they will continue to do so. Mayor Waltermann also thanked the Council on 31 behalf of all City employees. 32 33 Ordinance No.48-1988 was adopted on the following call of the roll: 34 35 Ayes: Elstro,Williams, Brookbank, Hankinson, McBride, Parker, Hutton, Paust and Morris (9) 36 Nays: None. 37 38 ADJOURNMENT 39 40 There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed,the meeting was adjourned. 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Lynn Nepote Morris,President 49 50 ATTEST 51 Mary Merchanthouse,City Clerk 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 n6