HomeMy Public PortalAbout02-20-1997 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, FEBRUARY 20, 1997
1 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met at 5 p.m. Thursday, February 20,
2 1997, in the Municipal Building in said City. President Robert Goodwin presided with Robin Henry, Bruce
3 Metzger and Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe in attendance.The following business was had to-wit:
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5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
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7 The approval of the minutes of February 13, 1997 was postponed until the next meeting.
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9 CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT
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11 Claims for payment submitted by the City Controller's office were read by Henry who noted they totaled
12 $267,128.77 and moved to approve,second by Metzger and carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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14 RESOLUTION NO.2
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16 A. City Attorney Bob Bever explained Resolution No. 2, giving the background to this date. He stated
17 that this is regarding the purchase of the two lots downtown that was not adopted by the Common
18 Council at its meeting February 18, 1997. Explaining the procedure now to be followed by this Board,
19 Bever said state law allows a City to declare a desire to purchase any real estate for the use of the
20 municipality and following the resolution of desure there is a public hearing held by this Board of Works
21 initially for the actual acquiring.
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23 He further stated the Board gives public notice as well as notice to the property owners, to be run two
24 consecutive weeks, a week apart in the local newspaper, and at least 10 days after that second notice
25 would be the hearing whereas this Board would hear remonstrances from those interested or affected
26 by the proceeding and at that time the Board would either take final action either confirming, modifying
27 or rescinding any original resolution of appropriation condemnation of the subject real estate.
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29 After that action the damage portion is a second action which this Board determines what damages
30 those parties that are affected which, in this case, would be the two property owners, what those
31 damages would be. He said there had already been two appraisals done which would be a starting
32 basis for the Board to submit what those damages are to those owners, and the Board would serve
33 notice on those owners on what damages it believes they will suffer as a result of that taking. Then,
34 Bever said, another hearing would be held 10 days after that notice to those property owners for them
35 to come in and argue or agree to consent to the damages the Board is offering to pay.
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37 At that hearing, the Board can confirm the prior damage determination, modify it to some degree and
38 that then becomes your final damage amount to award to them and if they are not happy with that,then
39 it is up to the property owner to initiate and appeal with the local circuit or superior courts arguing that
40 the damage is more, in fact,than what has been awarded them.
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42 Bever explained that what is before the Board tonight is a resolution expressing the desire of this
43 Board, if it so wishes, to appropriate and or condemn the two relevant lots which are the vacant
44 commercial lot in the 0 to 100 block on the east side of South Ninth Street and the vacant lot on the
45 north east corner of North 10th and Main Streets. He said this resolution would be the initial stage if this
46 Board wants to proceed with the appropriation and or comdemnation of these two lots and following the
47 passage of this resolution the Board would go about the formal notification to the owners and place an
48 ad in the newspaper to set the works in motion.
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50 Bever said the earliest date for the first public hearing would be March 13 and the second date would
51 be March 27 if all goes according to schedule. He stated that this Board has previously approved the
52 Mayor's plan for the downtown redevelopment and that plan included the appropriation of these two
53 lots, but needless to say, that prior approval ratification did not specifically go through this statute to
54 appropriate and or condemn certain real estate parcels and that has to be done with this separate
55 resolution.
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57 Metzger moved to approve the resolution, second by Henry and the motion was carried on a
58 unanimous voice vote.
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60 BID OPENING
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62 A. Henry read a bid for the repair of plaster where the receptionist station was removed on the second
63 floor of the city building, noting it was submitted by Kutter Construction of New Paris, Ohio. She said it
64 was for patching all the holes in the ceiling, restoring the ceiling finish to match the original as closely
65 as possible and painting the entire ceiling in the lobby area but the opening for ceiling lights would not
be sealed.The cost for that work would be$1,140.
Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
February 20, 1997
Page 2
1 Henry further stated that the bid included a voluntary alternative which is to remove the wall fabric from
2 the north reception area wall and patch the surface and install new fabric of the owners'choice at a cost
3 of$750. President Goodwin gave the bid to City Engineer Bob Wiwi to review.
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5 REQUESTS
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7 A. Captain John Farmer stated the request received from James Gray at 410 Pearl Street for a
8 handicapped parking space had been reviewed and found that it did not meet the specifications set out
9 by the ordinance. He said the residence has a two-car garage that is accessible and appears usable as
10 well as an apron from the alley with adquate parking space for two vehicles. Henry moved to deny the
11 request, second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. Metzger stated
12 that he noticed in his material submitted by Captain Farmer that a notice of denial had been sent to
13 Gray telling him that the Board would be discussing the request at this meeting.
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15 B. Captain Farmer reported to the Board that the traffic signal at North 15th and E Street had serious
16 malfunctioning problems and he requested authorization from this Board for the four-way stop signs
17 that have been erected there.Giving some background on that traffic signal, Captain Farmer said that a
18 study had been made of it a few years ago and the City had been advised by RP & L that the signal is
19 quite antiquated and repairs are most likely impossible. He said a traffic study was done at that same
20 time and the numbers did not support a signal at that location. He added that to replace the signal
21 would run into at least five figures. However, he said, the first priority is to give RP & L adequate time to
22 determine if the signal is repairable,then, if it is not, he said he will be coming back to this Board with a
23 recommendation as to how to proceed.
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25 President Goodwin said he would hope the procedure would be to contact the businesses and the
26 neighborhood if it is not repairable and see what alternatives are desired and select the most practical
27 of those. He also suggested that it may be practical to work with the neighborhood association and
28 Captain Farmer replied that they may be dealing with two neighborhood associations since the location
29 is right on the line. Henry moved to approve the temporary four-way stop signs,second by Metzger and
30 the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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32 C. Captain Farmer brought before the Board a request from Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
33 for approval of placing directional signs on City poles. He said the signs would provide information
34 directing people to the location of the church. He said the church would provide the signs and the Street
35 Division would place them to ensure standardization of the sign placement and that it be done in a safe
36 manner. Captain Farmer said there are existing poles in the area that can be used so the cost involved
37 would be that of labor for the installing. In answer to a question posed by President Goodwin, Captain
38 Farmer said the poles he,mentioned belong to RP & L and he would have to get their permission if the
39 Board approves the request.
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41 Metzger asked if any guidelines or standards exist to address this issue. Captain Farmer said most of
42 the signs are specific to the location but there are no guidelines other than those in the normal standard
43 manual used for everything, which is the National Safety Transportation manual. Metzger said if every
44 business downtown wanted to get signs up on the poles there would be quite a clutter. Captain Farmer
45 said this Board would be busy in here, too, for this is where all the requests come to. Metzger asked if
46 this Board is going to set a precedent here? Captain Farmer said the Board has already granted that
47 permission to the art association last fall and there are other entitities out there. He added that there is
48 always a possibility of it becoming a problem but this is quite probably something that could be
49 addressed with the signage ordinance that he believes is being worked on in the City Attorney's office.
50 Responding, Rabe answered that the Law Department is working on a signage ordinance but this
51 particular area is one that had not been discussed, adding that the current ordinance does not address
52 this issue. President Goodwin said the zoning ordinance for signs only deals with those on private
53 property.
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55 Metzger said he feels this Board needs to develop some kind of policy as to when it allows this to
56 happen because he can see it mushrooming. President Goodwin said the Board could take it under
57 advisement and establish fair and equitable guidelines. Metzger moved to table the request and work
58 on developing a policy then revisit the request, second by Henry and the motion was carried on a
59 unanimous voice vote.
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61 D. Fire Chief Mike Allen brought before the board a request for three promotions. He said those
62 pertaining to Joseph W. Pierce and Michael Crawley were brought about by recent retirements and he
63 asked for their promotions to lieutenant and each would serve a six-month probationary period. He
64 asked that Oscar Abner, who has served his six-month probationary period, be placed on permanent
65 status. Henry moved to approve the request, second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a
unanimous voice vote.
Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
February 20, 1997
Page 3
1 CHANGE TIME AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING
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3 A. President Goodwin said he and Henry will be out of town Thursday and requested the next meeting
4 be moved to 4 p.m. Friday, February 28. Henry moved to approve, second by Metzger and the motion
5 was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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7 ADJOURNMENT
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9 There being no further business, on a motion duly made seconded and passed and carried on a unanimous
10 voice vote,the meeting was adjourned.
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15 Robert Goodwin, President
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20 ATTEST:
21 Norma Schroeder, Clerk
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