HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-08-1998 35
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF
THE CITY OF RICHMOND,INDIANA,OCTOBER 8,1998
The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond,Indiana,met at 5 p.m.Thursday,October
8, 1998,in the Community Room in the Municipal Building.Chairperson Robert Goodwin presided,with
Robin Henry,Bruce Metzger and Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe in attendance.The following
business was conducted:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the October 1, 1998 meeting were approved on a motion by Henry,second by Metzger and
the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT
Claims for payment from the City Controller totaling$1,146,933.05 were reported by Henry who moved to
approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
PURCHASE OF STATE LAND
Mayor Dennis Andrews and City Attorney Bob Bever appeared before the Board to explain the background
of this agreement.The Mayor said this process has lasted several months and actually pre-dates this
administration.Bever said it started with legislation to allow the City to acquire the property owned by the
Richmond State Hospital.
The Mayor said the acreage and the effort is what is important for the economic development for the City,
adding that the City has been fortunate to have a good deal of help by the County Commissioners and Jim
Hizer,director of the Economic Development Corporation.The Mayor said he first met with the state about
a year ago and had discussion with them for the purpose of confirming that they were willing to sell the
property and to confirm what property they were and were not willing to sell.
The Mayor said the block of ground that is owned by the state hospital east of Round Barn Road was
annexed by the City,but another 160 acres west of Round Barn Road was not annexed.He said he learned
during those discussions that the state is willing to make that land available at such time the City might be
interested in pursuing that.He explained that is not part of the City but in the statute,the City was the only
entity that could acquire the land from the state.He said that was part of the negotiations and although the
City is not moving on acquiring that now,it has an option to do something with it later.He said he is
hopeful that the agreement will be signed by the end of the year.
In giving additional background,Bever said the General Assembly passed this special statute allowing the
Mayor of a City to designate ground outside of it.It just so happened that Richmond was the only City that
fit all the parameters because it was done for that particular purpose.With that,he said,Mayor Andrews
has designated this initial acreage of 382.943 which is the portion east of Round Barn Road and the City
acquired an appraisal that came in at$1,500 per acre.However,the state did an appraisal that came in at
$2,050 per acre,but with negotiations,arrived at a figure of$1,800 per acre and this is the purchase
agreement before the Board tonight.
Bever said the state granted the City an option to purchase 171.095 acres west of Round Barn Road and
locked in the same$1,800 per acre price for a two-year period.He added that since the Board of Works is
the body that makes acquisitions for the City,this is the proper body to approve signing the purchase
agreement,which will then be submitted to the state for its signature.Bever stated that the financing has
already been approved through the application with E.D.C.which is providing the money for that,and the
application has already been approved for the money for the other acreage on the west side.That means,
Bever said,the City could use that if it chooses to exercise the option to purchase the land within the next
two years.He said the E.D.C.had provided the money for the survey and the appraisal.
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Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
October 8, 1998
Page 2
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In answer to a question by Metzger as to whether or not the City would ultimately retain title to the
property when it is developed,the Mayor said separate from this purchase agreement between the City and
State,is a lease option and a kind of management agreement between the City and E.D.C.He added that the
E.D.C.would oversee the development of this area and parcels,then the entities that might become
interested in acquiring the parcels would go through E.D.C.However,before any changes in ownership in
that property,the City would go through the Board of Works to approve it before any transfer could occur.
The Mayor explained that it would become a City industrial park,publicly owned,with the overseeing of
development done by the E.D.C.He said there is the hope that each of those parcels will become privately
developed and all of that park will eventually be on the tax roles.He said actually what is being done is the
taking of a piece of public land and transferring it from one public ownership to another to work in the
direction of that being privately held.
Bever said within the next month,the Board would be presented the lease with E.D.C.so they can manage
and develop the land.He said they can bring to the City the prospect and either sublet it or sell it,based
upon the approval by the City through the Board of Works then,the transfer of the title would go to E.D.C.
to sell to the prospect.He said other terms would be worked out in a joint meeting with the E.D.C. and the
County to protect the third party,adding that the intent is to get people in there who would bring jobs and
bring economic development to the area.
Bever said the next document would be the lease with the E.D.C. in which there is an option to purchase,
then,hopefully,after that time,they will be bringing the City documents which will show parcels being
leased and/or sold.Metzger moved to approve the proposed purchase agreement,second by Henry and the
motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
REQUESTS
A. Councilmember Dennis Rice brought before the Board Linda Smith,who explained that she is
a resident of Hunter's Pointe and read the petition signed by five of the six residents in the
homes between the entrance to Hunter's Pointe and the Wynfield Addition on Hodgin Road.
In the petition,those residents requested the painting of double yellow no passing lines on that
stretch of roadway. Chairperson Goodwin said the petition would be passed on to Captain
Melody Truitt of the Traffic Safety Division who he had had some conversation with about
some radar being done in that area.
B. Captain Truitt brought a request from Star Bank before the Board for the placement of a
dumpster on Saylor Street at the rear of the main branch at 800 East Main Street.She said the
dumpster would be provided by the Recycling Center and would be in place through the day
on October 12.Henry moved to approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a
unanimous voice vote.
C. Another request,this one made by Student Activities Director Wilda Jones and Chairperson
Cera Runyan,to conduct a"Take Back the Night"event Sunday,October 25. She said the
event is to protest sexual assaults and domestic violence and is scheduled to run from 7 until
approximately 11 p.m.She added that the candlelight vigil walk,which is expected to last one
hour,would involve approximately 100 to 150 people with the route beginning at the main
entrance of Earlham and ending at the Municipal Building. Captain Truitt said since this will
take place on a Sunday evening when the traffic volume is expected to be light she saw no
problem with a recommendation to the board for approval.Metzger moved to approve,second
by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
October 8, 1998
Page 3
D. Captain Truitt brought a request before the Board made by St.John Lutheran Church,
explaining that there are two signs already in place in the 500 block on South 7th Street,on the
east side of the street,for reserved church handicapped parking.She said one of those signs
somehow has never been approved,but she learned that the church is filing an official request
for a second handicapped replacement.
In addition,she said,the church is having some difficulty with those spaces being misused
and is requesting yellow curbing to be painted in the location of those two spots which run
due north of their lot entrance in the 500 block of South 7th Street on the east side.She said
the church is also requesting that those two signs be designated for the church only.She said
she had spoken with the neighbors and there is only one neighbor who has a need for
additional public parking and she feels like the public parking that will remain will be
sufficient.She recommended approval of the second sign to be recognized by the Clerk's
office as well as the yellow curb painting and,if possible,the street division to add"Church
Only"signage to both handicapped locations.Henry so moved,second by Metzger and the
motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
BIDS
A. City Engineer Bob Wiwi said only one bid had been received for the second phase of the
contractual street tree removal contract and it exceeded the budget available to spend.He
asked the Board to reject the bid and have the project re-bid,explaining that an error occurred
in the project.He said the contractor who bid the job misunderstood how he was going to
have to pay for the dump site and at this time the information had been corrected so it needs to
be re-bid to allow for the bid to be responsive.Metzger so moved,second by Henry and the
motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
B. Wiwi alluded to a letter written by Larry Carlson,one of the staff engineers,outlining the
bidders for the U.S.40 East and U.S.27 South beautification project.He said the five bids
had been received and reviewed by Purchasing Manager Vicki Stevens,Carlson,the Street
Tree Commission and himself.The low bid,he said,that met all requirements was made by
Brower Garr Nurseries for$19,089.He recommended the Board approve the bid as the
lowest,most responsive.Henry so moved,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on
a unanimous voice vote.
AGREEMENTS
A. Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe explained the TCI Franchise Transfer Agreement before
the Board.He said he had distributed a memo dated September 25 to the Board members and
members of the Telecommunications Council,discussing a request of TCI of Indiana Inc.He
said the memo discussed a resolution authorizing a transfer of the City's cable franchise from
TCI to Insight Communications of Indiana LLC.
He said that in a recent meeting the Telecommunications Council had discussed the transfer
and the memo and voted to recommend that this Board adopt the resolution as presented by
TCI.He said he had reviewed the current franchise agreement with TCI as well as the
documents that would affect this transfer of ownership and explained what is happening.
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Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
October 8, 1998
Page 3
He said a new company,which is Insight,is being formed,of which TCI would be a 50
percent owner.He added that in the resolution it states that Insight would be responsible for
any obligations under the current contract and,in addition to that,the current contract states
that if the franchise would be transferred to another entity,that the other entity must become a
signatory to the franchise.
Rabe said his recommendation for approval is on the condition that Insight becomes a
signatory to the current franchise agreement.He said Rich Cody,manager of the local TCI
branch,brought a memo from Insight to the Telecommunications Council meeting expressing
its willingness to become a signatory to the contract.Rabe explained that this is part of a
restructuring of several cable franchises here and in other parts of the state.
He recommended approval subject to Insight becoming a signatory to the current agreement,
adding that the Telecommunications Council had also recommended the signing of the
resolution which would be given a number when it is filed in the Clerk's office. (That is on
file in the Clerk's office as Resolution No. 8— 1998).Henry moved to approve,second by
Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed,and carried on a unanimous
voice vote,the meeting was adjourned.
Robert Goodwin,Chairperson
ATTEST:
Norma Schroeder,Clerk