HomeMy Public PortalAbout03-25-1971 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, MARCH 25, 1971
The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond,
Indiana, met in regular session March 25, 1971 , at the hour of
9:00 a .m. in the Municipal Building of said City . Mr . Cecere
presided with Mr . Howell and Mr . Benner present . The following
business was had to-wit:
Mr . Howell moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting
seconded by Mr . Benner , and on unanimous voice vote the motion
was carried .
Mr . Cecere reported having had a dog complaint on Indiana Avenue
from Mr . John . Dodson. Dog Warden Jim Ferguson said he had twice
asked the people to come before the Board and they- did not appear,
but he would check it out . He reported that the complaint from
Councilman Blackwoodhad been taken care of . He said he had
been off the streets for four days because he was having his
truck painted. --
Don Brown of the Richmond Medical _Supply, 45 North 8th Street,
requested the Board authorize the painting of a yellow curb in
front of his establishment since his business deals with many
elderly and handicapped persons . He asked that a sign_ reading
"10-Minutes For Medical Supply Only", be erected. Traffic
Captain Paul- Martin said he is .against restricted parking and
there is no way to enforce it . Mr . Cecere said the City could
not provide on-street parking for private merchants . Mr . Benner
said he sympathized with the problem but it should have been
considered in the choice of location . Mr . Howell said the
Board could not set the precedent of providing on-street parking
since all merchants would request it . The request was denied.
Francis Daniels requested the Board authorize the closing of
South 10th Street from L to M Streets, as a hazard since it is
not used and not paved . The Board took the request under advise-
ment until next meeting .
Street Commissioner Elmer Toschlog reported that the C & 0 Rail -
road has started working on its crossings which need repair ,
but no reply has been received from the Penn Central ° Co. to the
Board ' s complaints regarding their crossings . He said the
crossing near AVCO is particularly bad-. Mr . Cecere called the
Cincinnati Office of Penn Central and told railroad officials
that the Board would patch' the crossing temporarily but if
nothing was 'done by the railroad, the Board would order the
track closed .
Building Commissioner Ed Goins reported that a house at 737 North
16th Street, owned. by' Walter Jenkins , Kelly Hotel , on North "E"
Street, was- condemned December 11 , 1969 and is still standing.
He asked the owner be notified by the Board to appear before it
to show cause why th.e order of the Building Commissioner should
not be carried out and the building be demolished . Mr . Howell
moved the Board approve the request, seconded by Mr . Benner, and
on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried.
Commi-ssioner Goi.ns._r.equested the Board approve the attendance of
Thomas Koorsen at the Indiana Spring Inspector School , Apr-il 19,
20, and 21 . Funds ar.e available. Mr . Howell moved the' Board
approve the request, seconded by Mr . Benner, and on unanimous
voice vote the motion was carried.
Mr . Cecere reported that the order to sell bonds- -for the RP&L
power station has been approvedby the Public Service Commission
last Friday , advertisements would be made March 31 to April 7 ,
he will go to New York for ratings March 30 , and bonds will be
sold April 15 , . 1971 .
Board of Works Minutes
March 25, 1971
Page 2
Mayor Byron Klute read the following letter:
State of. Indianapolis
Public Service Commission
901 State Office Building .
Indianapolis 4, Indiana
March 23, 1971
Mr . Andrew C . Cecere
City Attorney
City of Richmond, Indiana
Dear Mr . Cecere:
In accordance with our understanding of several weeks
ago, I have discussed the Richmond Water matter with
Mr . O 'Day and Mr . Groves . The Water Company has vol -
untarily suggested that they will seek a corrected order
establishing billing for the new rates only for water
consumed after the new rates went into effect . Proper.
credits will be given to adjust previous billings .
Sincerely,
/s/ George B . Jeffrey
Commissioner
Mr . Howell moved the Board order a Street light installed on
an existing pole on North "B " Street between North 17th and 18th
Streets , as per requested from Councilman Blackwood, seconded
by Mr . Benner , and on unanimous voice vote the motion was
carried.
Police Chief, Donald Strahan, read the following charges to the
Board members:
Pursuant to Statute, I hereby formally wish to prefer charges
against Officer Timothy Michael Tevis for the following causes:
1 . Disobedience of orders (four counts ) .
2 . Leaving post before being properly relieved .
3 . Leaving post or station or being absent from duty
without permission .,
With regard to charge 1 .
(A) Counts number 1 and 2 .
On Thursday morning March 18, 1971 , Officer Tevis on reporting
to duty at Police Headquarters, Municipal Building, was assigned
by Lt . Bailey to patrol district four . At about 7: 15 a .m. Officer
Tevis drove his vehicle to the Police Garage on South 4t-h Street
for gas , aconversation ensued between Officer Tevis and Captain
Blose, a Superior Officer and his Trick Captain . Captain Blose
ordered Officer- Tevis to return immediately to his assigned
district (District Four) . Instead of returning to his district
(beat) , Officer Tevis drove his cruiser to Police Headquarters
Municipal Building, which is not a part of his assigned district,
parked his cruiser, contacted Lt . Bailey, who informed Captain
Blose that Officer Tevis was at Headquarters and had refused his
(Bailey ' s) direct order to return to his assigned district;
Officer Tevis did not report to his assigned district (beat) .
(B) Count_number 3 .
Subsequently on or about 8: 14 a .m. on March 18, 1971 , Captain
Blose returned to Police Headquarters at the Municipal Building
and found Officer Tevis in the Squad Room playing cards .
Captain Blose then gave Officer Tevis a direct order to return
to his district which during all of this time was unprotected.
Officer Tevis said "I won' t go"and refused to return to his
district and did in fact not return to his district or beat .
Board of Works Minutes
March 25, 1971
Page 3
(C) Count number 4.
On Friday morning March 19, 1971 , Officer Tevis reported•
to Police Headquarters at 7: 00 a .m. He was assigned to District
Four forhis patrol by Lt . Bailey. He refused to go to his
assigned district, and did not go to h.is assigned district .
(Refer to page 15 Article VII General Disciplinary Rules #8 of
111 the rules and regulations as set out in the Manual for Department
of Police Richmond, Indiana - adopted the 15th day of June, 1967
by the Board of Public Works & Safety of the City of Richmond . )
With regard to charges 2 and 3 :
(A) On Thursday morning, March 18, 1971 , Officer Tevis left
his post , the patrol of District Four , and drove to Police
headquarters , Municipal Building, which is outside his assigned
district, parked his vehicle, all without being properly relieved
and without permission to leave his assigned district, having
left said district without any patrol or protection. (Refer to
page 12 Article VI General Rules and Regulations , Paragraph E -
and pages 15 and 16 Article VII General Disciplinary Rules #10
and #11 as set out in the Manual for Department of Police Richmond,
Indiana adopted the 15th day of June, 1967, by the Board of Public
Works and Safety) .
Submitted by,
/s/ Donald L . Strahan
Chief of Police
City Attorney Cecere moved that the charges filed by the Chief of
Police be made a part of the minutes of the meeting, seconded by
City Controller Howell .
City Attorney Cecere moved and City Controller Howell seconded,
that, pursuant to statute, Officer Tevis be served with a written
notice notifying him that the Board of Public Works and Safety will
conduct a hearing on the charges preferred, on• Wednesday, April
14, 1971 'at 10: 00 a .m. , . in the Municipal Building- of Richmond,
Indiana, and further , that a copy of the written notice sent to
Officer Tevis be incorporated herein and made a part ofthe minutes
of this Board, and said notice shall read as follows:
Board of Public Works & Safety
Richmond, Indiana-
March 25, 1971
Officer Timothy Michael Tevis
930 Sheridan Street
- Richmond, Indiana
Dear Officer Tevis:
Please be advised that .on. Thursday, March 25, 1971 , you -
were charged before this Board with the following:
1 . Disobedience of orders ( four counts) .
2 . Leaving post before being properly relieved.
3 . Leaving post or station or being absent from
duty without permission .
Enclosed please find a copy of the charges , and the
explanations thereof, the same having been filed with this
Board, and incorporated into the minutes of said Board and
made a part of the record of said Board . Please be further
advised that the minutes of the Board, which include said
charges and original of the enclosed letter, are filed at
the office of the City Clerk .
Board of Works Minutes
March 25, 1971 •
Page 4
(Tevis letter .cont ' d. )
Please be further advised that pursuant to- statute,
Burn' s Indiana Statutes., Annotated, Sec,.-. 48-.6105, notice
is hereby given that the Board of Public Works & Safety .
•of the City of Richmond, Indiana , will conduct a hearin.g; . .
on the above charges on Wednesday , April 14, 1971 , at. ten
o' clock, a .m. , est, at the Board of Works room in the
Municipal Building . Your appearance is requested.
Sincerely,
/s/ (Mrs . ) - Lotte- Hoskins
• Clerk of the Board •
•
Trafff-c Captain Paul Martin reported that a 22 ton truck hit a
• tree limb on - Hunt Street, knocking the driver out of the cab,
resulting in requests to have the trees trrimmed . Mr . Cecere
suggested that 'the trees are easily visible and- drivers 's-hould
take care- to avoid them.
• Captain Martin recommended- the Board authorize changing the turn
arrow at S . W. ist Street and` National Road from a trailing arrow
to a leading arrow for north-bound traffic, eliminating the left
turn only arrow. State Highway had indicated they would- approve
the change . Mr . Benner moved the Board approve the request,
seconded by Mr . Howell 'and on-unanimous voice vote the motion was
carried .
Chief Strahan reported that everyting is normal at the High School .
Captain Martin reported that the signing . of 10th end- 11th Streets
for one-way has been delayed due to the Water Company digging
on Main Street .
•
Mr . Howell r.eported.. that he had had complaints regarding broken
glass. in the alley at S . W. -.3rd Street and "D" Street, near
Sonsini.' s grocery . Mr . Howell moved the- Board order the Street
Commissioner .to clean the alley and notify-.the-. grocery store
- owner that. it is his responsibility to police the area,- seconded
by Mr . Benner, . and . on unanimous voice vote_- the mot-ion was carried.
Mr . Howell announced that Monday , March 29, 1971 , the dog tags will
go on sale at the City Building switchboard. Present tags expire
May 31 , 1971 .
Mr . Howell announced he had sold five of the used cars owned and
for sale by the City . •
-
Mr . Benner reported that he has met with the County Engineer and
four consultants with a veiw to hiring one of the consultants to
do a feasibility study for replacing the North 19th Street grade
crossing with a new bridge, to go across 20th Street and provide
access to the north. west industrial. area .
There being no -further business on motion duly made, seconded and
passed, the meeting was adjourned .
•
Andrew -C . _Cecere, - President
IIP
•
ATTEST: Lotte Hoskins, City Clerk