HomeMy Public PortalAbout03-02-1995 /
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND. INDIANA. MARCH 2. 1995
1 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 2,
2 1995, in the Municipal Building in said City. Chairperson Dennis Grimes presided with Janet Hibner and Earnest
3 Jarvis in attendance. The following business was had to-wit:
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5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 23.1995
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7 Hibner moved for approval of the minutes of February 23, 1995, with a second by Jarvis and the motion was
8 carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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10 CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT
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12 Claims submitted by the City Controller's office totaled $528,005.77 for payroll and payroll taxes and a few
13 supplies and contractual services. Also $115,495.25 which included $100,000 for health insurance claim
14 payments.Chairperson Grimes moved to approve the claims,second by Hibner and the motion was carried on a
15 unanimous voice vote.
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17 REQUESTS
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19 A. Hibner moved to approve the requests for two new handicapped parking spaces made by Sophia
20 Taylor on North 16th Street and Edna Perkins on North I Street, second by Jarvis and the motion was
21 carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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23 B. Jarvis stated that a problem had been encountered by the Traffic Safety Division with the No Turn
24 On Red signage at North West 5th and Richmond Avenue. The report stated that the problem lies with
25 traffic headed north on North West 5th which catches the red light when wanting to turn east onto
26 Richmond Avenue.Traffic Safety Division discovered that the signage sits back from the intersection so
27 far south that it is not visible from the first few cars stopped at the light. The recommendation is to
28 relocate the sign and place it on the overhead signal support where it can be easily seen. Jarvis so
29 moved,second by Hibner and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
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31 C. Hibner read a request from the Sanitary District concerning the obstruction of traffic caused by
32 parked vehicles in the alley between North 10th and North 11th Streets and North C and North D
33 Streets. After checking the area, Traffic Safety Division recommended that all parking, not only in this
34 alley but all alleys in the City, be banned. Captain Mike Chambers requested the changing of the
35 Richmond City Code. Hibner read from the actual code which states: "No person shall stop, stand or
36 park a vehicle within an alley in such a manner or position as to block the alley or the entrance to any
37 abutting property or driveway." Noting that what Captain Chambers was asking was that the last part of
38 that code,beginning with the words"In such"be omitted and the Board of Works is not authorized to do
39 that.
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41 Hibner stated that, although it has not been a policy with this Board, is it possible to place No Parking
42 signs in the alleys. Jarvis noted that complaints are constantly being received about the alley in
43 question. Hibner asked Captain Chambers if the officers can issue tickets now and he answered that it
44 was possible to do so, but finding the person who owns the car often presents a problem, and he
45 added that it would make enforcement much simpler if the code was changed.
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47 At the request of Hibner, City Attorney Thomas Milligan who was in the audience, stepped forward to
48 state his opinion. Milligan said the City code should state that there should be no parking in public
49 alleys which gives the authority to issue tickets for cars parked there to the Richmond Police
50 Department. He said that provision should be reworded and a fine set forth,then published in the local
51 newspaper. Hibner recommended that the City should proceed with an ordinance change to remedy
52 the situation and clarify it with the proper language. She said the Board could take no further action but
53 the ordinance an be proposed for Monday night's Council meeting and cannot go into effect until it is
54 adopted and published.
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56 D. Jarvis said the Board had received a letter from Jean Irvin which had been forwarded by Bill Smith,
57 manager of the Street Division, noting the danger at the intersection of Dana Parkway and
58 Williamsburg Pike. She stated that vehicles coming off 1-70 and turning south onto Williamsburg Pike
59 are not slowing down properly and some fail to stop at the stoplight on Dana Parkway. After reviewing
60 the area, the Traffic Safety Division recommended extending the yellow cycle on the stoplight to give
61 motorists more time to slow down to a stop. It was also suggested that a No Turn on Red sign be
62 placed at the intersection and the warning sign stating Stop Sign Ahead be made larger and placed
63 farther to the north. Jarvis so moved, second by Hibner and the motion was carried on a unanimous
64 voice vote.
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,3a
Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
March 2, 1995
Page 2
1 CONTRACTS
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3 A. Chairperson Grimes stated that approximately a month ago the Board had approved a resolution to
4 increase the Richmond Firefighters' pay retroactive to January 1, 1995 in lieu of the actual signing of
5 the contract. Since that time, he stated, there has been an agreement between the City and the
6 Professional Firefighters Union agreeing to a 3 percent increase of the base rates of probationary
7 firfighter 1 and 2, engineer, lieutenant and fire prevention specialist which are all in the bargaining unit.
8 Additionally, he said, it was agreed that as a part of the City's obligation it would pick up one percent of
9 the pension liability leaving the firefighters with only five percent to pay. It was also agreed to make this
10 retroactive,Grimes said, adding that this is a part of Article 32 in the contract.
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12 In addition, he said, Article 28 speaks to medical insurance and the medical insurance plan for the City
13 is being reviewed and the employee contribution has been frozen while the premium for this year is
14 under review. He added that there is a significant increase in the City's portion to cover all medical
15 claims cost. It was agreed to include this language so that during 1995 members' share of health
16 insurance premiums for selected types of plan coverage shall not be increased above the premium
17 level that prevailed November 1, 1994. Chairperson Grimes moved to approve the contract addendum
18 for the compensation January 1 to December 31, 1995, second by Hibner and the motion was carried
19 on a unanimous voice vote.
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21 B. In bringing the McBride Stadium lease before the Board, Milligan explained that it represented
22 negotiations of two months between Richmond Baseball L.L.C., which is a limited liablity company of
23 private investors. He stated that the L.L.C. has been formed here in the City to bring a professional
24 baseball team, the Richmond Roosters, to town. It proposes to start operation April 1 at the Stadium,
25 with the first game to be played mid-June. Milligan said the Park Board voted Wednesday, March 1,to
26 approve the lease. He noted that Section 8 of the lease provides for a guarantee of the Park Board's
27 obligations under the lease by the Board of Works on behalf of the City , explaining that the reason for
28 the guarantee is that the improvements that are to be made on an interim basis for this year's season
29 with the idea they be in place for the 1995, 1996 and 1997 baseball seasons require an expenditure of
30 - funds and a good deal of professional staff time, particularly by the engineering division and overall the
31 Department of Public Works. Milligan said the commitment in this lease is that there be a renovation of
32 the facility, hopefully, in time for the 1998 baseball season.
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34 He said the City is in the process of trying to obtain Build Indiana funds from the state for these major
35 improvements. He explained that the facility was built in 1936, opened August 7 of that year and had a
36 professional team for two years. Then, in 1946, there was a professional team through 1952. Milligan
37 stated that this is the third lease for a professional team and means that Richmond will join Fort Wayne,
38 South Bend, Evansville and Indianapolis as cities in Indiana with professional baseball teams.The team
39 here will be a part of the Frontier League which has teams also in Ohio, West Virginia and
40 Pennsylvania. He stated that the lease provides for two three-year options beyond the original lease
41 period of six years so this lease could bind the City for 12 years.
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43 At the end of the first three years, he said, it provides for the City to negotiate with the lessee for a
44 percentage of gate receipts. He said the rent paid by the lessee will be a reimbursement to the City and
45 the Park Department of all the utilities presently being paid for by the City. Last year the electric power,
46 water and sewage represented about a $6,500 expense by the Park Department. He said this will be
47 fully reimbursed for the first time by the users to the City and as a result it will make that money
48 available to the Park Department for other programs and activities.
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50 Milligan said there will also be a negotiation of a concession agreement between the Park Department
51 and a professional food company for the period of six years during the initial period of the lease to
52 provide concessions and it is anticipated that the City will receive a percentage of those concessions
53 which will be divided between the City and the lessee. He said all users of the stadium will sub lease
54 directly from L.L.C. Principal users, Milligan said, will be other baseball operations such as the
55 Richmond High School baseball program, Earlham College and the American Legion and there will be
56 periodic uses of the stadium as an amphitheater for other types of events, particularly after the stadium
57 is renovated.
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59 Milligan said the user fees that will be charged by the L.L.C. to these sublessees will be subject to
60 approval by the Park Board. He said the Park Department will have no personnel on a regular basis
61 cleaning up and administering the lease and the City's obligation is the Sanitary Division furnishing a
62 dumpster next to the facility and periodic pickup. He noted that the obligation of the City as far as
63 capital improvements are set forth in in Schedule A with the prinicpal one being the conversion of the
64 north softball diamond immediately south of McBride Stadium into a parking area. He added that the
65 lights are already there and they will be getting other furnishings in place such as an office for the
lessee by April 1.
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Board of Works Minutes Cont'd
March 2, 1995
Page 3
1 That includes temporary structures housing public restrooms, locker rooms for the home team players
2 and the concession stand. All these things are being worked out now by the engineering division as
3 they will be working with the Board of Works because the contracts will be let by this Board which will
4 be providing the money for them. He said this does not add any additional burden to the park operation
5 because it places the responsibility for the day to day maintenance with the lessee. Milligan
6 recommended approval, noting that he had four copies of the lease for the signature of Chairperson
7 Grimes, adding that it will also be signed by the Mayor and delivered to Doug Oler, attorney for the
8 baseball club. Hibner so moved, second by Jarvis and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice
9 vote.
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11 C. Jarvis said the bid made by Midwest Fire & Safety Equipment Co. for $157,930 was the one
12 accepted after review by the Fire Chief. He said the company will furnish the City with a Pierce custom
13 class A triple combination firefighting apparatus mounted on a Pierce custom sabre chassis and will
14 provide three hose bed dividers and the unit will also include 60 gold leaf letters so the City of
15 Richmond logo will be on the side of the truck as it is on the others.Jarvis noted that this is a brand new
16 truck and since the City needs a truck right now the company will be loaning the City a truck and the
17 City is not going to be charged for its use for the next four months but it must maintain the insurance.
18 Jarvis moved to approve the awarding of the bid, second by Hibner and the motion was carried on a
19 unanimous voice vote.
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21 OTHER MATTERS
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23 Jarvis reminded those in the audience and the TV viewers of the April 29 Walk America to be sponsored by the
24 March of Dimes.
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26 ADJOURNMENT
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28 There being no further business, on a motion duly made seconded and passed and carried on a unanimous
29 voice vote,the meeting was adjourned.
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36 Dennis W.Grimes, Chairperson
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42 ATTEST:
43 Norma Carnes, City Clerk
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