HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-18-1982 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, OCTOBER 18, 1982
• 1 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met in regular
2 session October 18, 1982 at the hour of 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers
3 in the Municipal Building in said City. President Mills presided with
4 the following members present: Messrs. Elstro, Williams, .Ms. Henry,
5 Hankinson, Welch, Parker, Carter and Paust. Absent: None. The following
6 business was had, to-wit:
7 -
8 DEVOTIONS
9
10 Councilman Hankinson gave devotions.
11
12 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER 4, 1982
13
14 Councilman Hankinson moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting
15 as receivecN :sieconded by Councilman Williams and on unanimous voice vote
16 the motion was carried.
17
18 PETITION
19
20 City Clerk JoEllen Trimble presented a petition to the Street Light
21 Committee signed by approximately forty-seven (47) residents of Oak Park
22 requesting street lighting.
23
24 RESOLUTION
25
26 Resolution No. 10-1982
III 28
29 Councilman Welch moved to suspend the rules and read Resolution No. 10-
30 1982 by title only, seconded by Councilman Williams and on unanimous
31 voice vote the motion was carried.
32
33 The Clerk readiby title only Resolution No. 10-1982 - A RESOLUTION IN
34 SUPPORT OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA STATION.
35
36 Speaking for Resolution No. 10-1982 was Mr. Matt Stegall, 222 North 10th
37 Street, noting the old Pennsylvania Depot area should be recognized as
38 an historical district in the community and the building should be stabi-
39 lized for use today and in the future, as the station is the key element
. 40 in the area. He is trying to win the cooperation of the railroad and
41 requested the support of Council in this matter.
42
43 City Attorney Ed Anderson noted the 1st WHEREAS should be changed as
44 the property has not yet been purchased by the Norfolk & Western Railroad
45 to read "is being" purchased. In the 5th WHEREAS "the" property owners
46 should be changed to "several" property owners as a newspaper article
47 indicated some businesses in the area wish to remain as they are.
48
49 Councilman Elstro so moved, seconded by Councilman Carter and on unanimous
50 voice vote the motion was carried.
51
52 In response to Council questions, Mr. Stegall noted they are not looking
53 to renovate, but to stabilize the old station. Councilman Parker warned
54 Mr. Stegall that there are no monies available for this type project.
55 Councilman Williams noted if the building cannot be preserved, condem-
56 nation proceedings should be started for the demolition of it.
57
58 Councilman Elstro moved for adoption, seconded by Councilman Williams.
59 The motion carried with Councilman Hankinson voting no.
60
61 REPORT TO COUNCIL ON CITIZENS ATTENDANCE AT GAS COMPANY RATE INCREASE
62 HEARINGS
63
64 Mr. Bobby Smith, 1109 North "I", read from a prepared statement concerning
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October 18,. 1982
Page 2
1 testimony before Rep. Phil Sharp's Congressional Subcommittee. He noted
2 an agreement between Panhandle and Canada and Algeria has raised Richmond
3 Gas customers 44% in the months of September and October. Panhandle is
4 now asking Federal approval for 10% more. He stated Panhandle is a
5 monopoly that is using that power with Algeria's high price gas as an
6 excuse to raise their domestic gas. He stated a representative of
7 Richmond Gas Co. testified that Panhandle's hike discriminated against
8 his 13,000 customers because Panhandle is Richmond's sole supplier. He
9 noted the uncollected bills of the poor, whose subsidy will not pay their
10 total bill, will result in higher rates for paying customers when the
11 company seeks a rate increase from the IPSC in two (2) years. Mr. Smith
12 stated the Richmond Gas Co. will not lose any profit. The only losers
13 will be Richmond consumers who will pay for this monopoly conspiracy. He
14 requested Council seek out the support of the Richmond Gas Co. , businesses,
15 unions,churches, leaders of both political parites, citizens groups and
16 IPSC. Also, request the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reinstate
17 controls over Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co.
18
19 President Mills informed Mr. Smith that if he wanted a Resolution pre-
20 sented to Council he should get with the City Attorney to get one drafted.
21 Mr. Smith stated he would bring one to the next Council meeting. Council-
22 man Williams noted this Council has no jurisdiction over the Gas Company
23 and recommended Mr. Smith bring a resolution to the City Attorney.
24
25 STUDENTS FROM CENTERVILLE
26
27 President Mills welcomed the Centerville High School students.
28
29 RICHMOND HOUSING AUTHORITY - Keith McGathey
30
31 Mr. Keith McGathey, 2943 Strader Road, Director of Richmond Housing
32 Authority, stated he will be bringing a resolution to the next meeting
33 requesting Council approval to submit to the HUD area office for thirty-
34 eight (38) additional Section 8 units. At the present time they are
35 managing two hundred eleven (211) units.
36
37 BOARD OF WORKS REPORT
38 Petition from area of N. W. 5th & Richmond Avenue
39
40 Mr. Meredith noted the Board has observed the area and they are doing
41 work there and have building materials on the property. There has been
42 some work done and the people are trying to get the area straightened up.
43 The Board will check back in a month or so. Councilman Welch noted he
44 has observed this property for two (2) years and they have been in the
45 process of repairs.
46
47 REPORT FROM OTHER COMMITTEES
48
49 President Mills announced that City Court was abolished in December, 1979
50 due to its being limited to City Ordinance cases only by legislatation.
51 Home Rule now allows for the resestablishment of this court. President
52 Mills recommended a Committee of the Whole meeting be set to discuss
53 an ordinance for the reestablishment and invite judges, the prosecuting
.54 attorney and other attorneys for their input.
55
56 Chairman Parker set Thursday, October 28 at 7 :30 p.m. in the Board of
57 Works room for this meeting.
58
59 ORDINANCES ON 2ND READING
60
61 The Clerk read on second reading Ordinance No. 36-1982 - AN ORDINANCE
62 TO APPROPRIATE WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
63
64 City Attorney Ed Anderson examined proof of publication and found it to
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October 18, 11982
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1 be in order. Councilman Welch moved the proof be approved and placed on
2 file, seconded by Councilman Parker and on unanimous voice vote the
3 motion was carried.
4
5 Explaining Ordinance No. 36-1982 was City Controller Don Meredith.
6 President Mills announced this ordinance is on public hearing. There
7 being no one speaking for or against this ordinance, Councilman Hankin-
8 son moved for engrossment, seconded by Councilman Welch and on unanimous
9 voice vote the motion was carried.
10
11 Councilman Welch moved to suspend the rules and read Ordinance No. 36-
12 1982 on third and final reading by title only, seconded by Councilman
13 Parker and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried.
14
15 The Clerk read on third reading by title only Ordinance No. 36-1982.
16
17 Ordinance No. 36-1982 was adopted by the following vote:
18 AYES: Elstro, Williams, Henry, Hankinson, Welch (9)
19 Parker, Carter, Paust, Mills
20 NOES: None (0)
21
22 In response to Councilman Elstro's question concerning. outside attorney
23 fees, Mr. Meredith noted year to date spent by the City including Com-
24 munity Development and Redevelopment is $16,562. The average per year
25 for the four (4) previous years is $29,216.13. The Sanitary Department
26 year to date for 1982 is $119,770.70, which includes $90,606.51 for the
27 attorneys administering the grant from Washington; bond issue for 80
28 & 81 attorney fees was $35,260.75; other attorney fees for 1982 were
29 $42,936.64 with $40,516.40 for grants. The average for the three (3)
30 prior years was $2,420.24.
31
32 PRESENTATION BY RP&L ON DISTRICT HEATING AND COOLING FEASIBILITY STUDY
33
34 Project Manager Jim Mays, 3401 Glen Hills Drive, introduced Jock Pitts,
35 Energy Director for the City of Richmond and former Director Ann Cline.
36 District heating is a heating and cooling system that starts in a central
37 location and distributes heat through pipes to the surrounding area.
38 Richmond was one of twenty-eight cities chosen for this study through
39 - HUD. Resource Development Associates, consultants, were hired to do the
40 study. Mr. Mays stated they wanted three (3) things to happen: 1) good
41 for Richmond 2) good for RP&L and 3) economically feasible. Mr. Mays
42 feels RDA did a terrific job and gave as good a study as he has ever seen
43 done. Mr. Bill Hanselman and Mr. Elliott Jennings, RDA representatives,
44 presented a slide presentation showing how district heating could work
45 in Richmond. It was noted either steam or hot water are carried through
46 the pipes. The principle of district heating is to use h- gh. quality energy
47 to meet high quality needs and low quality energy to meet low quality
48 needs. Costs of various energy sources were projected through the
49 year 2000 pointing out the need for district heating. On a study of
50 West Richmond, it was noted Richmond State Hospital uses a coal fired
51 burner producing more energy than they can use and E. G. Hill Co. uses
52 oil. It would be possible to pipe energy from the hospital to the rose
53 company. Mr. Gene Darby, Administrator for Richmond State Hospital,
54 noted if the hospital could sell excess energy at a fair price to Bills,
55 it would be a benefit to both by providing cheaper energy to Hills and
56 recover part of the hospital's energy costs. He has recommended to the
57 Department of Mental Health to participate in a feasibility study. Mr.
58 Lindley Mann, President of E. G. Hill Co. , reported he had an accounting
59 firm analyze their profitability four years ago to make future projec-
60 tions. This made them aware of the need to cut energy costs or by 1985
61 they would be losing 1.5 million. They considered moving their plant
62 but decided instead to try to cut energy costs. They started investing
63 a quarter of a million dollars three (3) years ago every year in energy
64 conservation. This lowered their consumption considerably but price
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October 18, 1982
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1 increases and more severe winters have caused escalation in the total
2 costs causing operating at an loss. He is anxious to pursue the pos-
3 sibility of using excess energy from the State Hospital.
4
5 Councilmembers were presented a copy of the study.
6
7 ADJOURNMENT
8
9 There being no further business on motion duly made, seconded and
10 passed the meeting was adjourned.
11
12 Kenneth Mills
13 President
14
15 ATTEST: JoEllen Trimble
16 City Clerk