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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. \rb Board of Works Minutes Cont'd October 8, 1998 Page 2 • 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. 3-5 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. • 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