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Home My Public Portal About01-08-1998 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,INDIANA,JANUARY 8,1998 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond,Indiana,met at 5 p.m.Thursday,January 8,1998,in the Municipal Building in said City. Chairperson Bob Goodwin presided,with Bruce Metzger, Robin Henry and Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe in attendance. The following business was had to-wit: APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes oft the December 23, 1997 meeting were approved on a motion by Metzger second by Chairperson Goodwin and carried on a unanimous voice vote. CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT Henry stated there were three sets of claims for payment which included December 30, 1997,for $620,902.79,December 31, 1997,for$20,918.65 and January 2, 1998,for$384,390.20.She moved to approve all three,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. REQUESTS A.Jan Hibner brought before the Board the modification of the city health plan,explaining that in 1996 the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability commonly known as H.I.P.A.was adopted and most of the changes mandated by H.I.P.A. are effective for all health plans January 1, 1998. She said that is the reason for the new document. Highlighting the major changes,Hibner said in regard to pro-existing conditions,these no longer exist for anyone who has lost their insurance coverage under another plan.Also,she said, pregnancy used to be considered a pro-existing condition but is no longer.However,she said,there is still a pre-existing condition in place if an individual had no insurance and they come with several problems which could be considered as pre-existing and that carries a 12-month waiting period or 6 months with no treatment. Hibner said the other major change is in the mental and nervous equity and that states you cannot provide lesser benefits for those conditions than you provide for other types of benefits on the regular plan.The new plan,she said,will cover 21 days of in-patient treatment,meeting the deductible and 80 percent co-pay per year and will cover 21 outpatient visits at a 50 percent level in one year with deductible and co-pay.Hibner said the difference in that and the old plan is that before,it did not accumulate to the out-of-pocket expenses. She went on to explain there is an out-of-pocket limit of$1,000 for a single and$2,000 for a family plan and once these expenses have been met,the plan will pay 100 percent should that be exceeded.Therefore,she said,it accumulates to the out-of-pocket. Minor changes which the City has placed there include the Gateway Card Care recognition and the Police and Fire Contracts which have a phrase in both stating that a retiree who subsequently obtains other employment may elect to carry two insurance policies provided the City policy is secondary.She said language has been inserted in this document which allows that to happen. Henry moved to approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 33 Board of Works Minutes Cont'd January 8, 1998 Page 2 B.Captain Melody Truitt of the Traffic Safety Division stated that a request had been received by her department from Jerry Scaff for a handicapped parking space in front of his residence at 1222 Sheridan Street.She said the request had been reviewed and the premises examined and it was found to meet the requirements because it has no garage nor off-street parking.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carded on a unanimous voice vote. C.A request had been received by her department,Captain Truitt said,from Jeannette Eilar at 100 Elks Road for the placement of warning signs for hidden drives in the 200 and 300 blocks of Elks Road.Captain Truitt said after reviewing the request it was recommended signs be placed for both north and southbound traffic at the approach to the curve from each direction.Henry moved to approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. D.Captain Truitt said the park and load zones in the new uptown area including those on South 6th.7th, 8th,9th and 10th had been reviewed by her department.She said she and Captain John Farmer,the former head of the Traffic Safety Division,had talked and he had advised her that the following had been approved by the Board of Works and have not been aftered.These are the two spaces on South 6th Street and the fourth and fifth spaces on the west side of 7th Street north of main.She said those on 8th and 9th streets which are both on U.S.Highway 27,have already been approved by the state and have not been aftered. Captain Truitt said the park and load zone on North 10th Street needs specific approval because it is new and has been altered by the renovation project.She said that is located just north of East Main Street on the west side of the street and covers the second and third space north of East Main, with the first space being a handicapped space.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. E.Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe brought before the Board an agreement between Mrs.Ellen Smith and the City which was prepared at the request of Smith.He said Smith is engaged in harvesting plants for the preservation of species of endangered plants and this agreement allows her to do that within City-owned rights of way.He said this gives her permission to collect for preservation purposes and contains stipulations which include no parking of vehicles to obstruct traffic,it indemnities,releases and holds harmless the City from any and all liability associated with the wildcrafter's activities,no plants will be collected for profit and to harvest no more than 25 percent of any individual botanical species located on the property during any calendar year. President Goodwin said in his conversation with Smith,he had learned she works with different wildcrafters from all over the United States and plant species prominent here are not so in other areas so they exchange them and replant certain areas which perhaps might have been native to the area at one time.Rabe said Smith also has agreements with the state and Cardinal Greenways as well as private landowners.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. BID OPENING A.Chairperson Goodwin stated that the Board had anticipated the opening of bids on the housing needs assessments but none had been received.He said that had been done once previously and only one bid was received so it was rebid.He said the lack of a bid this time indicates that different ways will be looked at to handle that. (b\ Board of Works Minutes Cont'd January 8, 1998 Page 3 CONTRACTS A.Chairperson Goodwin said an invoice for$720.80 had been received for doing an environmental impact analysis of the area where Industries Road bridge is being constructed.He explained that on behalf of the Redevelopment Commission,as the Board of Works and Safety,the Board handles their week to week account as far as administrative duties.He said this is an agreement between the two bodies and one of those responsibilities is for the City Engineer to go through the invoices received from engineers and contractors working on projects which are financed through redevelopment and other sources.He said City Engineer Bob Wiwi sent a checklist which he initialed showing the work was completed November 30, 1997 and the bill was approved by the City Engineer's office December 1, 1997.Now,he said,the bill has come to the Board to sign off on.Henry moved to approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. B.Chairperson Goodwin said the renewal for the towing rotation contract has come before the Board,stating that this provides an avenue for companies who do towing to share the opportunity to do work with the City and is handled through the 9-1 -1 service.Rabe said the companies are the same as those used in the past.They are Christopher Auto Repair,H&H Wrecker Service,Pardo's and Stamper's.Rabe recommended approval.Metzger so moved,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 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: Myra Miller,Deputy Clerk