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HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-26-1993 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND. INDIANA.AUGUST 26. 1993 1 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met at 9 a.m. Thursday, August 26, 2 1993, in the Municipal Building in said City. Chairperson Janet Hibner presided with Earnest Jarvis and Dennis 3 Grimes in attendance. The following business was had to-wit: 4 5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 19.1993 6 7 The minutes of the August 19, 1993 meeting were approved on a motion by Jarvis, second by Grimes and 8 carried by a unanimous voice vote. 9 10 CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT 11 12 Claims submitted by the City Controller's office were for$697,082.58 most of which was for payroll and payroll 13 taxes;also claims for$50,984.35 which included $21,478 for Contractors United Inc.for hot coal mix to pave the 14 city streets; and $78,415.22 which included $75,000 for payment of health insurance claims. Grimes moved to 15 approve the claims,second by Jarvis and the motion was carried by_a unanimous voice vote. 16 17 REQUESTS 18 19 A.Jarvis read a request from McDonald's Restaurant asking for approval to block 60 feet on both South 20 17th and South 18th Streets to park two hauling trailers for a special event to be held at McDonald's at 21 1725 East Main Street from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on September 7, 1993. Seven race cars, including the 22 two McDonald's nationally sponsored drag racing cars and locally owned cars,will be displayed.Jarvis 23 read the report from the Traffic Safety Division which did not recommend the blocking of streets.Jarvis 24 noted that McDonald's west side location has much more area and he suggested that site be 25 considered instead of the one at 1725 East Main Street. Jarvis moved that the request be denied, 26 second by Chairperson Hibner and the motion was carried by a unanimous voice vote. 27 28 B. A request submitted by Patrick Chimenti, director of the Prevention Education Resource Center at 29 Indiana University East, was read by Grimes. Permission was requested for one lane of West Cart 30 Road be restricted while runners and walkers are on the road participating in the I.U. East Chancellor's 31 Challenge Run and Racewalk from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, August 28. The Traffic Safety Division 32 report stated that there was no objection to the run on the part of West Cart Road that is within 33 Richmond jurisdiction, noting that it is not a heavily traveled road. However, the report stated that as 34 long as participants abided by pedestrian traffic laws and sayed to the side of the road there should be 35 no need to restrict the road. Grimes moved to approve the request, second by Jarvis and the motion 36 was carried by a unanimous voice vote. 37 38 C. Jarvis read two requests for blocking streets for neighborhood block parties. The first was for the 39 900 block of South 17th Street on September 7 and the second for the 300 block of South West 4th 40 Street on September 10. The time for both requests was from 5 to 9 p.m. The Traffic Safety Division 41 report noted no objections as long as nothing was placed in the roadway to impede the movement of 42 emergency vehicles in case they were needed.Jarvis noted that, as in the past,the Board encouraged 43 block parties with neighbors getting together but he was concerned about the lateness of the hour and 44 moved to approve the requests but only from 5 to 8 p.m.,second by Grimes and the motion was carried 45 by a unanimous voice vote. 46 47 D. A letter was read by Grimes written by Nancy Mulick, principal at Vaile Elementary School, 48 requesting crossing guards again this year at South C and South D intersections on South 13th Street 49 during the Vaile Community Fall Festival from 5 to 8:30 p,.m. Friday,September 24.Grimes noted that 50 Captain Cross of the Richmond Police Department stated that he would get volunteers to work 51 overtime to satisfy the request. However, Grimes added that the Board of Works budget has been 52 restructured and there is no personal services area in the budget. He moved that the Richmond Police 53 Department budget be used to cover the cost, second by Jarvis and the motion was carried by a 54 unanimous voice vote. 55 56 E.The request for a handicapped parking space made by Cleo McGunegill which was tabled last week 57 was approved based on further information received by the Board through a motion by,Jarvis, second 58 by Grimes and carried by a unanimous voice vote. — 59 60 F. Grimes read a request from the Richmond Professional Firefighters Local 1408 noting that Jerry 61 Purcell and Tim Brown are Richmond Area Coordinators of the MDA Fill-The-Boot fundraiser 62 scheduled to take place at various locations from 5 to 9 p.m. September 3 and September 4 and from 63 noon to 4 p.m. September 5. Truck locations included Walmart, Kroger Say-On, Kmart east and Kmart 64 west and Gateway Mall. Purcell spoke about the importance of the event, noting the good that is being 65 done through this worthwhile cause. Fire Chief James Sticco also spoke in favor of the local department's participation in this annual event. Grimes moved to approve, second by Jarvis and the motion was carried by a unanimous voice vote. Board of Works Minutes Cont'd August 26, 1993 Page 2 • 1 G.Jarvis read a request from the Traffic Safety Division regarding the painting or re-painting of school 2 crossings at the following locations: North 20th and E, South 8th and J, South 9th and J, Third and 3 West Main, Third and Richmond Avenue, South 9th and C, South 8th and C, South West 18th and,A 4 and 17th and West Main.Jarvis moved to approve, second by Grimes and the motion was carried by,a 5 unanimous voice vote. 6 7 CONTRACTS 8 9 10 A. Through a motion by Chairperson Hibner, second by Jarvis and a unanimous voice vote,the Board 11 adopted a resolution for authorization of City Controller Dennis Grimes and Eileen Burtzlaff, personnel 12 benefit and E.E.O.C.person for the City,to be signators for the acceptance of pension liability. 13 14 B. Prefacing her introduction of Rich Cody,General Manager of TCI,Chairperson Hibner explained that 15 there are certain requirements that cable companies are required to notify customers as well as the 16 franchise authority, which is the Board of Works, prior to September 1 in regard to new cable 17 regulations. 18 19 Cody said he would like for TCI's customers to understand that this particular market, even though it is 20 located in Indiana, is designated by the FCC and the federal government as Dayton,Ohio.That means 21 that TCI is required to carry the Dayton channels. He said TCI will be placing Channel 22, which is 22 WKEF, and Channel 14, which is WPTO out of Oxford, in the channel lineup as of September 1 and 23 removing Lifetime and Prime Sports. Cody said TCI has been negotiating with the Cincinnati and 24 Indianapolis markets but unfortunately has come to an impasse with some particular broadcasters 25 because TCI is taking the,position that it will not pay for TV programming that other people receive via 26 antenna at no charge. He said by October 6 it will have been determined which channels, if any,will not 27 remain on the cable system here in Richmond. He added that TCI wants to have available for its 28 subscribers what is available now as well as federally mandated,but it that doesn't happen those 29 stations will cease to exist on this cable system. 30 31 Alluding to the letter sent to customers, Cody said it is TCl's intent to bring Channel 6 back to this area 32 but that was before the FCC rulings which means that may or may not happen now because everything 33 is back on the table. (The letter in its entirety is on file in the City Clerk's office). He added that it all 34 depends on what happens between now and October 6. He said all Indianapolis market stations are 35 subject to negotiation, adding that broadcasters have an option of must-carry or re-transmission 36 consent. If they elect the must-carry it is a simple process in that there is , for example, Channel 22 37 which wants to be carried and wants Channel 3, and that is the end of the negotiations. However, if 38 they elect,re-transmission conent they could have come to TCI with other terms. The distant channels 39 in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, however,do not have that option, Cody said, noting that they cannot 40 require TCI to carry them under the must-carry rules but have to allow TCI re-transmission of their 41 signals. If that isn't done,then,by federal law,TCI will have to drop them. 42 43 Cody said TCI will carry ABC, NBC and CBS. He added that Trinity Broadcast and WIPB Muncie both 44 fall under the blanket of must-carry for Richmond. He said that is federally mandated and is purely a 45 matter of distance. 46 47 Chairperson Hibner noted that residents of Richmond are oriented to the state of Indiana and she 48 expressed her concern about the possibility of the lack of Indianapolis coverage of government news. In 49 answer to a question posed by Jarvis, Cody said it is possible to have cabe and an antenna at the 50 same time, noting that TCI will make available what is called an AB switch as a matter of convenience 51 to its customers. Jarvis remarked that those having an antenna would be able to get those stations if 52 TCI loses them through negotiations.Grimes requested that Cody keep the Board of Works informed of 53 all future changes within the realignment process. . 54 55 Cody said TCI will be doing its channel realignment the evening of Tuesday, August 31, noting that it 56 will be effective September1. He said there is no magic way to make it happen and TCI has elected to 57 start at 10 p.m.Tuesday and it will be a"10-to 12-hour process of re-wiring. He said that Wednesday 58 morning the channel lineup will be effective as a result of what has transpired overnight. In answer to 59 Jarvis's question about paying for over-air transmission in Indianapolis; Cody said it would vary 60 anywhere from 25 cents to $2 per channel per customer per month. Cody said someone from TCI's 61 corporate:°office is negotiating'with Indianapolis and-Jarvis asked:Cody to make sure that person 62 understands the interest local citizens have in Indianapolis. Cody assured him that that message has 63 been relayed many times. • . 64 65 Giving a rebuild update, Cody said it is 75 percent complete and if it had been finishedTCl wouldn't be looking at taking the two channels off right now. He said the target for eompletion is the end of October, barring unforseen circumstances. Board of Works Minutes Cont'd August 26, 1993 Page 3 1 Cody said once the rebuild is completed TCI will look at adding some other channels and will be doing 2 surveys, asking customers what would they would like to see. He added that the benchmark rates 3 established by the federal government will have some bearing on the channels to be carried. He said 4 basic and expanded basic rates for Richmond area residents will be increased in the amount of 39 5 cents. Howev er, the overall impact to the customer will vary by the services they have. Cody said it 6 was determined at the onset that TCI would lose between $140 to $160 million dollars with the 7 benchmark rates established by the FCC, but based on the rates as they are here TCI will realize a 8 decrease of $17,000 in revenue per month. To offset that there was a changing of the product, Cody 9 said, noting that the basic and expanded basic rates are regulated by the FCC, however pay services 10 are not. Cody said he is personally responsible for six different power sites and every rate in every 11 community is different. 12 13 Grimes commented that the increase would be $1.24 instead of 39 cents for those who are basic 14 subscribers only. Cody responded that in this market 98 percent subscribe to both the basic and 15 expanded basic which would mean only a very small percentage would be receiving that amount of 16 increase. 17 18 OTHER MATTERS 19 20 A. Grimes read a letter of recommendation from Fire Chief James Sticco for the promotion of Michael 21 Parks and Edward Hallen from Engineer to Lieutenant. Both have been on the department since 1982 22 and are eligible through their qualifications and seniority in the bid system, Sticco said, adding that at 23 the end of their six-month probationary period he would be returning to the Board to ask for their 24 permanent assignments. Grimes moved to approve,second by Jarvis and the motion was carried by a 25 unanimous voice vote. 26 27 B. Responding to a question raised by the Board last week about traffic stopping for school buses,Sgt. 28 Janice Passmore said all four lanes of traffic are required to stop on Chester Boulevard. She noted that 29 state law interpretation is that a divided highway is one that has an unimproved intervening space or a 30 physical barrier that cannot be crossed. In other words,she added, it is a dividing section constructed to 31 impede vehicular traffic. She told Jarvis, in answer to his question, that she had talked with the driver 32 who stops at a location on North West 5th Street that had been discussed in a previous Board meeting 33 and it had been determined that the safest place for the students to disembark was at the bottom of the 34 hill after traveling southbound over the bridge. Sgt. Passmore said with the start of school the local 35 Police Department will be doing some selective enforcement at the bus stop locations to ensure that 36 everyone was stopping where they are supposed to. • 37 38 C. Jarvis said he had been in touch with Councilmember Etta Lundy who said she had received 39 complaints that drivers southbound on North 12th Street are having visibility problems at North 12th and 40 J Streets because of a new facility built by Primex Plastics. He asked Sgt. Passmore to investigate the 41 area and report back to the Board. 42 43 D. Chairperson Hibner said she would like to remind Richmond citizens that the Board adopted a 44 resolution two weeks ago stating that complaints dealing with the cable TV issue should be written and 45 sent to the City Clerk's office. She added that, from there, they would be forwarded to the 46 Telecommunications Council for investigation. Cody asked that he also receive copies of these 47 complaints to given him an opportunity to speak to them. Chairperson Hibner directed the City Clerk to 48 comply with Cody's request. 49 50 ADJOURNMENT 51 52 There being no further business, on a motion duly made seconded and passed and carried on a unanimous 53 voice vote,the meeting was adjourned. 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 Janet Hibner, Chairperson 62 63 - 64 65 ATTEST: Norma Carnes, Clerk