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HomeMy Public PortalAbout06-18-1970 v\ BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, JUNE 18th, 1970 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met in regular session in the Municipal Bldg : , June 18th, 1970 , at the hour of 9: 00 a .m. Mr . Cecere presiding with Mr . Howell present . . The following business was had to-wit : Mr . Howell moved the minutes of the previous meeting be approved, se- conded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried . Dale Jacobs representing the State Construction Co. of Muncie, Indiana asked the Board approve the replat of the Medler Subdivision at S . 13th and . "J " Sts . , including five lots . Only single-family dwell - ings are coritemplated . The area is zoned R-2 Mr . Howell moved. the Board approve the replat of Medler Subdivision, Seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried . A number of residents , with Sam Dicken as spokesman, appeared -to , complain that the section of street on S. 17th between "G" and "F" Sts . has been torn up and not .been finished . Mr . Dicken said the street is in an unsaafe condition . Dale Jacobs former , City Engineer , explained thatthe street improvement of S . 17th was a Barrett Law project and that the City had orginally intended to finish the piece of street in gyestion, but was unable to buy the rights of way necessary to connect the piece to the existing street . Street Commissioner Elmer Toschlog said he Wbailldc;gee the street repaired as soon as possible. The citizens then asked to have an estimate presented to them of the cost of paving the street, rbut they were stillireluctant to give up any of their property . Commissioner Toschlog said he would look into the situation and report to them. Plianning Director Rick Freeman asked about the progress on the impounding area for junk cars . Mr . Howell said he was waiting for some informa- tion on procedure to follow. Mike Sbrocchi , Zoning Inspector , said he needed am_ impounding area in order to tow away some cars which are occupying a public alley. Mr . Cecere told him to contact Mr . Glazer for storage of the cars acid get them off the street . Bids for construction of S . "A" St . between 4th and 5th Sts . Mr . Howell moved to approve the proof of publication, seconded by Mr_. Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried . Bid for Ben Dee, Inc . , Richmond, $29,764.00 . Mr . Howell moved the Board take the bid under advisement, seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried . Fire Chief William Berry recommended the Board promote Probationary Fireman Stephen Sebert to Regular Fireman, effective June 9, 1970, Fireman Sebert having successfully completed his year of probation. Mr . Howell moved the Board approve the promotion, seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried . Chief Berry recommended the Board order fire hydrants installed as follows: 1 . On the southeast corner of the entrance drive of the new housing complex on S . "L" St . 2 . 500 feet from the hydrant on the corner of South West 21st and "F" Sts . , going south . L3 Board of Works . June 18th, 1970 Page 2 3 . On Hidden Valley Lane, 500 'feet west Of the intersection of ' . Hidden ' Va1ley Drive and Hidden Valley Lane. • Mr : Howell moved the Board approve the order for fire hydrants , seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote 'the motion was carried . Chief Berry reported having participated in an inspection, together with the Building Commissionerts Dept . , and the Health Dept . , of 400 Fort Wayne Avenue, a building owned by Nick- Sena, and ' found to be in deplorable condition and recommended that it be condemned : San- itarian Tom Atkinson reported that the building is -now empty and pad- locked . Mr . Cecere said condemnation proceedings should be started and should be started and should be posted . • Building. Commissioner Ed Goins reported that he- has had -additional - conservations with Mrs . Joe Bolt but had no satisfaction in getting a commitment concerning their property . He said he has received many complaints regarding the property from neighbors . The Board ordered him to advertixe for bids to have the building removed, and report back to 'the Board after the required ten days so the Board may award the wrecking contract if the building is still up at that time.-- Commissioner Gains_ presented the following report • MONTH . NO . OF DWELLINGS EVALUTION TOTAL PERMITS May 1970 5 $103 ,000 .00 254 May 1969 - 7 ' $192, 500 .00 156- Abr i 1 , 1 970 , . • 8 ` $1 57,000 .00- 178 - TOTAL COST May. 19/0 : $845',447 .00- • • - • - - May 1969_ $597, 531 -.00 _ . -. Total Permit Fees for May 1970 $2,1 58-.00 - . . . Total Permit- Fees for May 1 969 - $1 , 379-:00 Total number of inspections made"- by this department- in month of May 1970-285 • ' ' .. . Dwellings condemned in May 1970. 3 Outbuildings -Condemned in May 1970 2� Number- of- dwellings razed in May 1970 . • . • • ' Number of outbuildings • razed ' in May1970 2' - Improvement Resolution. No. 1092-1970 . Mr . Howell moved to approve . proof of ' publication, seconded by Mr . Cecere-and -on unanimous voice vote the motion` was- car-ri'ed .- No remonstrators appeared and- no written remonstrances were filed .• - The estimated: total cost its on file in the City Engineer ' s office. Mr . Howell moved the Board confirm Im-- provement- ResOlution. No. 1092-1970 and set July 16, 1970, for opening of bids for the project . , seconded . by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous- voice- Vote the- Motion was carried . . ' - . • Mr , dowel l read a letter from Mr . . Cl yde' Wi l l i ams , attorney for Mr. and Mrs . Howard Wise, ' requesting an -extension of one week on the matter of fi l i ed. drai nage ditch . Mr .- Howell moved the Board request an appearance on June 25 , 1970 at 10: 00- a'.m. , seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. Police 'Chief Don' Strahan recommended- the Board -appoint Ronnie Evan Williams as probationary police Officer, effective June 18, 1970 . Mr . 'Howel1 ' moved the -Board ,confirm the appointment, seconded by 'Mr . Cecere and on unan:i,'mous- vbi ce- vote the moti on was carried . Board of Works Minutes June 18th, 1970 Page 3 . Traffic Captain Paul Martin reported that he has received bids for painting all on-and-off-street parking stalls in the City from Richmond Parking Lot Striping. and , Painting Co. , for $600 .00 and - from Mr.. Pardo for $1 ,'250 .00 . . Mr . Howell moved the Board take the bids under advisement, seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the .motion was .carried., Captain Martin presented.. a. di agram .showing the i1hocat i ons . of . the request- ed signs for the Museum to 'be instal'led : at the cost Of the Museum. Mr . Howell moved the Board grant permission to the Museum to install _the signs , seconded by Mr . Cecere and . on ' unanimous voice vote- the motion was carried . . Officer Terry Bledsoe appeared 'on. charges of vcbblating Police Depart-:. ment Rule and Regulations , Article VII General Disciplinary Rules, No. . 4, "Neglect of Duty" and No. 7 "Inefficiency!'. The charges were read by Mr . Cecere, and he was asked ' whether he}was represented by counsel , to which he answered that he. was not . . Captain Charles. Givens was sworn in and testified. that he. had heard from police officers that Officer Bledose spent much time at certain filling stations . On June 5, 1970., he decided to check it out for himself and went to the filling station at S .• 5th and 'S: "E"' Sts . where he observed the- cycle, parked with the motor off and. Officer Bledsoe standing in' the doorway . He returned after :30 minutes and saw the ccyele parked and Officer Bledsoe sitting at a table inside the station' reading something . He then returned to' headquarters and called Officer Bledsoe in to ask why he spent so' much time at the filling station . He was told- by Officer Bledsoe that the cycle got hot and the helmet gave him` a headache and he stopped to cool off . Captain Givens asked him how long he spent cooling off, and he was told that Officer Bledsoe did not pay attention to the lenght of time it took . Mr . Cecere asked Captain Givens whether the cycle has a radio and was told that it does . Mr . Cecere asked whether the' radio was on, and Captain Givens said that it had' been, since Officer Bledsoe answered time checks, but the motor was not running,. which he knew because the motor noise' can be heard over the radio.. Mr . Cecere asked whether a written reprimand had been issued by him, and Captain Given answered that it had and that' Officer . Bledsoe' told 'him that he did not think he deserved it . Upon questioning by Officer Bledsoe, Captain. Givens said that he did not know whether Officer Bledsoe had left the filling - station and returned between the two times he was ' observed there. Lieutenant Norman Seikel appeared as the next witness and was sworn in . He testified that he had once seen Officer Bl'edose. 'at the filling station at 9th and "E" Sts . with" his feet on the` desR . He, sa i d he had talked to the managers of the Shell Station at 1 .6th and Main Sts . an:d• the station at 5th and ''E"' Sts . and both—had told him they felt Officer Bledsoe was spending too much time" in their stations , and that they had had 'complaints from some of their cus.tomers .. The Shell manager had reported to him that .o.n one" occasion 'teenagers were climbing all over the cycle and Off"icer ' Bledsoe made no effort to "run- them off".. Upon being questioned about .the attitude.' of Officer Bledsoe, Lieutenant Seikel said that' the officer had said to 'him that he was not interested in h i s ' job and felt it was. a good ' pl ace' to kill time until he found other employment . ' " Sergeant Thurlow Harter ' was sworn—in and testified that he Was asked to check out the filling stations at .9th and S . "E" St . , 5th and S .' "E" and 16th and Main S.ts . He observed Officer .Bledsoe inside the station at S . 5th 'and ''E" Sts .' four ' times within the period of 1 2 hours, with the 'cycle parked .' He was present at the "i ssuei ng of the reprimand and said OfficerBledsoe did not 'seem concerned, that . he felt he had done nothing wrong . He said upon questioning, whether he checkdd the mileage' on the cycle, that he had and 4 Board of Works Minutes June 18, 1970 Page 4 that the mileage showed 16 miles traveled during the eight-hour ' ' shift, which he consideredvery low. Herschel Braughton, owner of the Shell station at 16 and Main was sworned and testified that he alsways encouraged police officers to stop at h-is station and that Officer Bledsoe was -one who did visit his station. He said he had talked to Lt . Seikel and told him he stopped in often and was ther-e a lot . The Officer ' s motorcycle was sometimes not running properly and Braughton felt that if the Officer was there "overly long" it was because he was having- trouble` with `the cycle, but he never had his helmet off . About the incident of the youngsters on the motorcycle, Mr . Braughton said tha-t the Officer was on the cycle and the youngsters werethere and when they became noisy, he Braughton,' told them to leave . He said he felt the officer was in charge of the cycle but he was not paying attention to them until they got noisy . Upon questioning -Braughton testified that Officer Bledsoe stopped at his ' station possibly two or three a day but he did not count the times he stopped. He does not -think Officer Bledsoe spent an excessive- amount of time at his station. He said he considered anything over 15 minutes excessive. Normally he 'would be there for no more than five minutes at a time. Officer Bledsoe asked Mr . Braughton whether other officers spent- more time at his station than did he, and Mr, Braughton said some have made lenghty phone calls at his station . He said Officer Bledsoe had never used his phone -to his knowledge. Police Chief Don Strahan was sworn and testified that a patternhad been established in Officer Bledsoe ' s behavior at which point Officer Bledsoe interrupted and objected• to other reprimands being brought up on the grounds that the evidence was incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial , and in view of the objections the eveidence was not heard. Chief Strahan testified. that he discussed Officer Bledsoe ' s future in the Department with him. Officer Bledsoe recalled Sgt . Harter to aske him whether the motorcycle was riding was always mechanically sound, and was told that it -was not . Mr . Cecere asked- whether any-' malfunctions had 'been r reported to him on June •8, 1970, and he said it had not . Officer Bledsoe was sworn in and read the following statement: Mr . President and Members of the Board: ' On Thursday, June 11 , 1970 I received from the Board of Public Works and Safety a- letter advising that charges have been brought against me, as follows : For violating the Department Rules and Regulations , Article - VII, General - Disciplinary Rules No. 4, "Nelgect of Duty" and No. 7, "Inefficiency". The letter stated that e complaint had been made to Chief Strahan by Captain Givens and Sgt . Harter , that I was observed on Friday June 8-; 1970; spending long periods' of time off the motorcycle - which I had been assigned to and not patrolling my district as . required . -May the record clearly -show that -I plead innocent- to - the charges brought forth- against me . There are mitigating circumstances concerning the offenses in question which in all fairness should be considered by the Board as extenuating and reducing the degree of culpability . 440 Board of Works June 18, 1970 Page 5 The failure of -Captain Givens in not advising me that in his opinion I was neglecting my .duty and not patrolling my route as required .is in direct conflict with the general provisions of the Police manual as follows :— Duties—of Officers .' Section .I,;: p. 5 Rule No. (c) , ."When it appears that any -person ,under his- captains supervision i s' ignorant. of his dities,- -he shall "i-nst.ruct the person 'in, the, proper `discharge of his :duties-", and i-f= there is no improvement he shall , report his observation to .the chief . If I .had thought my actions' were' negli.gible', I would have conducted myself differently . I, am very -conscious of public opinion and do not want to bring ill -favor upon myself or to discredit the department . To keep myself better, prepared mentally, and physically to perform my duties ,. -I _did occasionally stop at various filling station s. on Friday June 5; 1970, and on Monday June 8, -1970, long enough to drink a coke :or .to use the restroom, but I did not spend an excessive amount of time :off the .motocycle._ With the Board ' s permission at this time I would like to enter into evidence defense exhibit (A) a signed statement which reads as follows : "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN " ` Office-r. Bledsoe of the Richmond Police Department did while. on duty occassionally stop at my place of business on Friday - June 5, 1970, and on Monday, .June 8., 1970, long enough to drink a coke or use the restroom but did -not spend an excessive amount of time at 'my' filling l l i�ng station . " . /s/ Carl White . May the record show that Mr. Carl White is an attendant at- Herschel ' s Shell Service, 1605 East Main Street, Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, and that he was so employed on the above dates . I would also- like entered into evidence defense exhibits -('B) 6. ( C) identical statements signed by Mr John=Jones and Mr . Clyde Smith,, . attendants employed at Larry. Cole ' s Sunoco Service Station :iocated at 501 South "E" Street', Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana . . Immediately after roll call on the dates in question, I proceeded promptly to my post and patrolled within the limits of my route . I answered all calls that were given to me by the radio-dispatcher. . My conduct was -in no way subversive to good work. I made a- regular and repeated circuit within_ .the limits. of, my route, to protect the' rights of persons and property, perserve peace, prevent crime, detect and arrest offenders, and enforce and prevent the. vio- lations of alloordinances and laws in force in the City . • As a law enforcement officer, my' f.undemental duty is to serve .mankind, to safeguard lives and . property . I have constantly strived to achieve these objectives and ideals , and have dedicated myself to my chosen profession, law enforcement . I have been true to the ethics of the police service and have been honest, efficient, and faithful in the performance of my police duties : ' ' i G1 Board of Works June 18, 1970 Page 6 • It is important that citizens form a good opinion not only of the officers, but of the entire Department . I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith . I have conformed .to all the rules and regulations of the Depatment, observed the laws and ordinances and rendered my services to the City with zeal , discretion, and fidelity . The complainants have not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. I To the contrary, preponderance of evidence as presented here today has clearly shown that I am innocent of the charges brought forth against me. For that reason the board should find in my favor and dismiss the case . I request that the entire above defense be entered into the ,minutes and made Public Record . - Sincerely , /s/ Terry F. Bledsoe Officer Bledsoe. said he felt that prior reprimands had been given for only minor infractions and weee only mentioned to confuse the issue. He said that Mr . Cole has never talked to him about spending too much time -in his station . Upon questioning he said that he told Captain Givens at the time he was given the reprimand that he did , _ not feel he had done anything wrong . He testified that he wants to make law enforcement his career that he is concerned about public relations and he did not remember making the statements to which Lt : Seikel had testified . He said he enjoys the motorcycle. When asked whether he actually was at the station at 5th and 6th for 12 hours , he said he did not remember the day, but he never stayed - in any station that long . When asked whether he thought it was proper to return to one station four times within that time span he said he was ill one day . He said he occassionally stopped at various stations . 111 Upon questioning, -Officer Bledsoe said the youngsters had not been climbing all over his cycle, but were asking him questions about it . He said he did not know what the average mileage would be for an 8-hour trick, but if the cycle was defective he .did not consider 16 miles excess- ively low. He said dhe did not feel it necessary to report the cycle out of order because his superior knew it was . Captain Givens then said that the _ mechanic reported to him that there has been trouble with the throttle, but that the cycle could be used without too much trouble and that it had been used on the same day by another officer . At the conclusion of the hearing, Mr . Cecere moved the Board would take the decission under advisement, Mr . Howell seconded and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. At the request of the Police, Department proceedings to compel Mr . Cole whoc had been subpoenaes but did not appear , will not be instituted . Mr . Howell moved the Board take the request by the Hi -Y organization of the Richmond YMCA to hold a Richmond High Homecoming Parade on Saturday, Oct . 3, 1970 under advisement, . seconded by Mr . Cecere and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. - - There being no further business on motion duly made, seconded and passed, the meeting was adjourned . /a/ Andrew Cecere, President ATTEST: Lotte Hoskins