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