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HomeMy Public PortalAbout8/08/2000City of Greencastle City Hall Four East Walnut Street ® Greencastle, Indiana 46135 GREENCASTLE COMMON COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2000 7:00 P.M. Pamela S. Jones Clerk - Treasurer CITY HALL The Greencastle Common Council met in Regular Session Tuesday, August 8, 2000, 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Michael called the meeting to Order. On the Roll Call, the following were found to present: Councilor Roach, Councilor Hammer, Councilor Crampton, Councilor Liechty and Councilor Rokicki. Also present was City Attorney Laurie Robertson. Public Petitions and Comments Don Flint stated he would like to address the Mayor and Chief of Police regarding the continuing traffic problems on Shadowlawn. Mayor Michael stated the Police Department continues to patrol the area and write tickets. Mr. Flint stated he has not seen any citations in the Putnam Scanner for quite some time. Councilor Rokicki stated maybe we should revisit the possibility of speed bumps in that area. Department Reports Mayor Michael welcomed new City Engineer Glen Morrow, Fire Chief Bill Newgent stated they are finalizing the specs to go to Board of Works for the purchase of a new fire truck. The funding mechanisms for this are coming together with the Cum Fire Fund and the Township Trustee commitment of $100,000.00. They would like to have the bid awarded by October. Councilor Crampton made the motion to move forward with the purchase of the fire track, seconded by Councilor Roach. Vote was unanimous. Chief Newgent publicly thanked the Red Cross, McDonald's, Cloverdale Fire Department, all City Departments and anyone else who helped throughout the storm. Street Commissioner Thomas Miles stated the current bucket truck cannot be certified and it cost the City $196.00 everytime street lights have to be changed by Midwest Electric. Street Commissioner Miles requested the monies left from the Street Sweeper lease be used to start a lease program for a bucket truck. Motion to allow additional monies to be used for the purchase of a bucket trick made by Councilor Rokicki, seconded by Councilor Roach. Vote was unanimous. Street Commissioner Miles stated his main objective after the storm is to open the streets and to ensure the safety of the citizens. Commissioner Miles stated brush will be picked up later and asked the citizens to be patient. ® Mayor Michael gave an update on Jackson Street stating bids were let in July and they came in approximately 5100,000.00 to S140,000.00 over estimates. The State can rebid in August, but there are no guarantees prices will come down and the work cannot be started until October. The • contractor can petition the State to have grace days for December through March or April. We really don't want to start on this project and have Jackson Street torn up all winter. Councilor Roach stated he is receiving good comments on the paving in the City. Park Director Staton stated there was tree damage in the park with an approximate clean -up cost of $4,000.00. Cemetery Superintendent Robinson stated the Board is petitioning the Putnam County Foundation for a grant to repair stones and foundations in the old part of the Cemetery. Superintendent Robinson stated there were seven trees down in the Cemetery. Councilor Hammer questioned Water Superintendent Dale regarding internal controls being put in place to make sure we don't have the problem of meter readers not reading meters anymore. Superintendent Dale stated there are several possibilities being discussed: other employees and himself spot checking routes and also rotating routes. Chief Hendrich stated his report was placed on the table tonight for each Councilperson. City Attorney Robertson stated she has been working on personnel issues, WWTP, parking issues, etc. • City Engineer Glen Morrow stated he has been working on some small projects, looking at Franklin Street to get ready to do RFQ's for the second phase and working with Charla Wagle retarding the west side drainage project. Motion to approve minutes from May 31, 2000, Executive Session; May 31, 2000, Special Session; June 5, 2000, Special Session; and June 13, 2000, Regular Session, made by Councilor Crampton, seconded by Councilor Rokicki. Vote as follows: Councilor Roach, yes; Councilor Hammer, yes; Councilor Crampton, yes; Councilor Liechty, abstain and Councilor Rokicki, yes. Charla Wagle, Consultant for Community Focus Funds, stated income surveys have gone out to First Ward residents with the exception of Asbury Towers. Ms. Wagle stated she has met with Mary Brown of Asbury Towers to assist with collection of that information. Ms. Wagle stated she is working with City Engineer Morrow to develop a statement of request for qualifications to hire an engineer for the project. Mayor Michael stated the cost is covered under the grant. Ms. Wagle stated the Council needs to select an evaluation committee to go through the applications received and interview prospective Engineers. By consensus the Council agreed to move forward with the request for qualifications and gave the Mayor authority to appoint an evaluation committee. Motion to approve City claims made by Councilor Liechty, seconded by Councilor Rokicki. • Vote was unanimous. Jake Gross from DePauw University Religious Life Center was present to request the closing of Spring Street from Seminary to Poplar on the afternoon of Sunday, August 27, 2000, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Motion to approve made by Councilor Hamner, seconded by Councilor • Crampton. Vote was unanimous. A letter was presented from the Greencastle Park Board requesting an Additional Appropriation for the 1999 Non - Reverting Capital transfer. Clerk- Treasurer Jones stated this has been done out of the Miscellaneous Disbursement line for the past two years with no exception being taken by State Board of Accounts. Park Board member Leslie Hansen stated she talked to Charlie Pride at State Board of Accounts and he said this is the way it should be done. By consensus the Council agreed to doing an Additional Appropriation. Ordinance 2000 -15, An Ordinance Establishing the Size of Departments of City Government of the City of Greencastle, Indiana, Fixing Salaries for the Employees of Such Departments and Fixing the Salaries of Certain Other Appointed Officials for the Year 2001, second reading. Mayor Michael stated the 911 merger issues have been resolved and the merger will take place September 17, 2000. With this taking place it was questioned if the dispatchers and part-time dispatchers should be deleted from the Salary Ordinance. After some discussion it was decided it was best to leave these positions in since there has not been an agreement signed for the merger at this time. Mayor Michael then discussed a second secretarial position for the Police Department to work from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. to midnight for any walk -ins. It was decided not to incorporate this second secretary at this time due to not having any discussion on it prior to this meeting. It was decided that instead of having a separate line for "Humane • Officer" this could be included in the Patrol Officer line by increasing the number from six to seven. Motion to approve Ordinance 2000 -1.5, as corrected was made by Councilor Rokicki, seconded by Councilor Hammer. Vote was unanimous. Ordinance 2000 -17, An Ordinance Amending Section 2 of Ordinance 1999 -10 An Ordinance Establishing the Size of Departments of the City Government for the City of Greencastle, Indiana, Fixing Salaries for the Employees of Such Departments and Fixing the Salaries of Certain Other Appointed Officials for the Year 2000, second reading. Motion to approve with intent and the change from "Humane Officer" to "Patrol Officer" was made by Councilor Roach, seconded by Councilor Rokicki. Vote was unanimous. Councilor Roach stated that the Animal Control is now officially the Police Department's. Chief Hendrich stated he is not technically ready. Councilor Hammer stated the two Departments should work together. Ordinance 2000 -18, An Ordinance Amending and Replacing Article 3 of the Greencastle City Code, second reading. City Attorney Robertson handed out some additional items to be considered in this Ordinance which include: - Section 6 -20 i should read as follows: Wild animal means an animal whose species usually: 1. lives in the wild; or, 2. Is not domesticated. - Section 6 -21 b should begin as follows: Every owner shall exercise proper care... • Section 6 -22 add the following language: d. An owner may redeem his /her animal upon showing of proof of vaccination or prepayment of vaccination at the humane shelter. Animals impounded under any section of this Article shall be released only upon the approval of, and a the sole discretion of the Humane Officer, upon his(her determination that the animal is not a health or safety threat. - Section 6 -25(b) add the following language: Any dog that has bitten or attacked any person or other animal shall be considered vicious and shall be.... Motion to approve with changes made by Councilor Roach, seconded by Councilor Rokicki. Vote was unanimous. Ordinance 2000 -19, An Ordinance Amending Section 6 -95 of the City of Greencastle City Code (Trash Fee Increase), first reading, was read by Mayor Michael. Motion to approve made by Councilor Crampton, seconded by Councilor Hammer. Vote was unanimous. Ordinance 2000 -20, An Ordinance Amending The Greencastle Planning and Zoning Ordinance, first reading. Motion to waive reading made by Councilor Roach, seconded by Councilor Hammer. Vote was unanimous. Mayor Michael stated this Ordinance addresses mixed uses on the same property. Motion to approve made by Councilor Crampton, seconded by Councilor • Roach. Vote was unanimous. Resolution 2000 -23, A Resolution Appropriating Insurance Reimbursement for the Eire Department, was read by Mayor Michael. Motion to approve made by Councilor Roach, seconded by Councilor Hammer. Vote was unanimous. Resolution 2000 -22, A Resolution Authorizing Transfer of Appropriation in the 2000 Budget of the City of Greencastle, was read by Mayor Michael. Motion to approve made by Councilor Hammer, seconded by Councilor Crampton. Vote was unanimous. Mayor Michael discussed leasing space in City Hall. Councilor Roach voiced two concerns; one being we don't want to fill the space too quickly just in case we have the opportunity to share a Planner with the County, and don't really want to get into the private sector. Councilor Roach further stated that Main Street has a vacant office building (Opera House). Councilor Rokicki stated he is concerned about the parking issue and if this is explored further the tenants must use the parking lot on Franklin Street. Mayor Michael discussed the expenses for renovating the old Industrial Park for the Waste Site and stated the West Central Solid Waste District does not have a line item to pay these bills and the City needs to pay them. Mayor Michael stated the County did pay $500.00 on the building of which the district paid $2,000.00 and she has asked the County for help with these expenses, but • has not received any feedback to this point. Council consensus was to bring back a Resolution to expend the money. Mayor Michael stated she and Chief Hendrich have made an agreement with the County to merge 911 and City Dispatch and distributed a copy of the agreement. Councilor Crampton stated the original agreement included a walk -up window and vestibule at 911, these are not in this • agreement. Mayor Michael stated these items were agreement busters and she didn't feel they were worth giving up the whole deal for. Councilor Crampton stated he feels this should have come back to Council for discussion before she made the decision to accept this agreement as he felt this was a very important addition. Councilor Crampton stated he wanted his complaint noted in the record that this agreement was entered into unilaterally without Council consideration and without the opportunity to revisit this issue. The wishes of the Council were not carried through. Mayor Michael stated the Council needs to pass a Resolution to send monies to the County for this merger. Councilor Rokicki stated the City did not get the vestibule or the utility calls and we do not have to make an appropriation and no agreement has been made for us to send monies to the County. Mayor Michael stated she did not give the County Council any reason to think we would not send money to cover three dispatchers for the remainder of the year. Councilor Roach stated he does not think we should throw this responsibility on the County without funding. Councilor Rokicki stated 911 has excess finds and they can fund this if needed. Mayor Michael then stated that a second person at the Police Department, second shift, is a good alternative. Motion to adjourn made by Councilor Hammer, seconded by Councilor Leichty. Vote was unanimous. • Give• (� Nancy A. Mic ael, •