HomeMy Public PortalAbout07-11-1968 Bd. of Works Minutes 7-3-68
Mayor Byron E. Klute on recommendation from City Attorney Andrew Cecere appointed Mr.
Kent Klinge to be Assistant City Attorney for the remainder of 1968 at a salary of
$1500.00.
Indiana Association of Cities and Towns has asked City Officials to send to them
suggestions for new State Laws. These suggestions will be considered at the next
convention. Mr. Hoskins suggested that Mr. Cecere write some resolutions to be pre-
sented to the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.
There being no further business on motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting
adjourned. , C:
/s/ Joseph Hoskins, President
ATTEST: /s/ Harold W. Ryan, City Cl4er
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE
CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, JULY 11, 1968
The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met in regular
session in the City Hall, Thursday, July 11, 1968, at the hour of 9:00 o'clock A.M.
(EST). Mr. Hoskins presiding with the following members being present: Mr. Cecere
and Mr. Cook. The following business was had to-wit:
Mr. Cook moved the Minutes of the previous meeting stand as read, seconded by Mr.
Hoskins and on unanimous voice vote was carried.
Fire Chief Donavon Johnson presented the following to the Board:
1. Recommended that Roland Walls be assigned to the rank of Battalion Chief.
2. Recommended that Robert Demps be assigned to the rank of Assistant Chief.
Mr. Hoskins moved that these recommendations be accepted, but withdrew his motion
when he failed to get a second. Mr. Cecere stated that he could not second this
motion at the present Board Meeting because he was unaware of the change being con-
templated. The Board then decided to bring this matter up again at their meeting
July 18, 1968.
Battalion Chief Robert Demps made the following report of inspections for District #2.
HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTIONS
DISTRICT #2 REPORT
A total of 87 junk autos and trucks were found.
A total of 5 refrigerators were found on property. !
A total of 131 properties were found to be in need of attention concerning trash,
rubbish, weeds and grass.
A total of 5 homes were given special attention by: the Fire Prevention Bureau.
We are now ready to inspect District #3.
Dr. Walter Crum of 411 South 27th Street presented a petition to the Board signed by
12 residents of the neighborhood requesting the City to remedy the dangerous traffic
situation at South 27th and "E" Street. This was referred to the Traffic Division for
a survey and recommendation and will be taken up at the next meeting.
Mr. James Ferguson, the Dog Warden, recommended to the Board that the Animal Welfare
Shelter should have 10 to 12 more pens to care for the dogs properly. He also stated
the dogs should have rabies shots before they are released from the animal shelter.
This could be added to the fee paid by the owner when the dog is claimed. The Board
suggested that this be taken up by the Animal Welfare Board.
Mr. Russell Robbins presented maps to the Board for their approval of the Hale Terrale III
• Fourth Addition. Mr. Cook stated that sanitary and storm sewers are already installed.
and moved the addition be accepted, seconded by Mr. Hoskins and on unanimous voice vote
was carried.
Attorney David Dennis and Councilman Kenneth Paust appeared before the Board to protest
a July 18th deadline issued previously by the Board to demolish the Paust Printing Shop
which was damaged in the April 6th explosion. Mr. Dennis read the Board a letter from
the insurance adjusters stating they would not pay the claim by a civil condemnation
and that they would like to have more time to meet with their insurance company. Mr.
Cecere moved for a 30 day extension on the demolition of the Paust Printing Company on
South 6th Street, seconded by Mr. Cook and on unanimous voice vote was carried.
Mr. John Longfellow, a representative of the General Telephone Co. , asked the Board's
permission to run a telephone cable under the Williamsburg Pike and Northwest "V"
Street and along the Northwest "V" and Rich Road to the new Mercury Record Plant.
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Bd. of Works Minutes 7-11-68
This permission was granted by Mr. Hoskins, seconded by Mr. Cook and on unanimous voice
vote was carried.
Fire Marshall Fred Klotz of the Fire Prevention Bureau presented the following Wednesday
report of his meeting with the Gas Company:
FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU AND GAS COMPANY MEETING
JULY 10, 1968
Six crews of Miller Pipe Line still working in Richmond.
Gas Company still checking bar holes and diggings daily for.possible gas leaks.
III Will dig Monday, July 15, at 712 Main Street to_,replace a leaking bell and spigot and
then will fill all diggings in that block according to the State Specification.
The new main between South 5th, "E" to "G" Street,, is OK - main was soaped and tested with
a 3 lb. air test.
The complaints of gas odors from the public have fallen off to almost none.
The gas odor in the UMCA boiler room is being corrected by the gas company, an engineer
from Indianapolis, and Niewoehner Heating Contractors.
Bar holes, 9th to 10th on Main Street - tested OK
Mr. Klotz stated they are getting cooperation from the Gas Company.
Mr. Robert Clay, a representative of the Gateway Shopping Center, appeared before the
Board and stated that they are cooperating with the Fire Marshall on keeping the aisles
open in the stores. His statement was confirmed by Fire Marshall Klotz who also presented
Mr. Clay with a copy of the Fire Code for further information.
Street Commissioner Elmer Toschlog recommended the bid of Dow Chemical Company be accepted.
The bid is:
Type II Pedadow 94-97%, 80 lb. bags tariff minimum truckload delivered price,
truckload 36,000 lbs. , Unit Price $55.90, Amount $1,006.20
Mr. Hoskins moved this bid be accepted, seconded by Mr. Cook and on unanimous voice vote
was passed.
111 Mr. Toschlog also recommended the bid of Commons Lumber Co. for cement be accepted. The
bid was:
Class .1-A Cement in VB Bags, 500 bags or more (for all cement delivered in 1968)
$1.29 per bag
Mr. Hoskins moved this bid be accepted, seconded by Mr. Cecere and on unanimous voice
vote was carried.
Mr. Toschlog told the Board he would like a meeting with the Gas, Telephone and Water
Companies at the next Board of Works Meeting to discuss the resurfacing of the streets
they are digging. Mr. Hoskins stated he would inform the companies to be present at
the next Board Meeting.
The following street lights were approved by the Board for installation:
1. South "L" St. , between So. 5th St. and Liberty Ave. - install 5
2. Southwest "G" St. , S.W. 1st to College Ave. - install 10, remove 2
3. North 8th to North 12th Sts. , No. "F" to North "J" Sts. - install 40, remove 15
4. South "L" St. - South 5th to South 9th, South 16th to 22nd - install 14, remove 7
Mr. Cecere moved these lights be installed, seconded by Mr. Cook and on unanimous voice
vote was carried.
W. A. Brennen, Inc. , Indinapolis, Indiana requested permission from the Board for two curb
IIIcuts on North "H" Street for access to shopping center at North 10th and "H" Streets. Mr.
Hoskins moved this be referred to the Traffic Division, seconded by Mr. Cook and on unanimous
voice vote was carried.
The Clerk showed Proof of Publication for a panel truck to be used by the Engineer's office.
Mr. Cecere examined Proof of Publication and moved it be filed and accepted, seconded by
Mr. Cook and on unanimous voice vote was 'carried. The following bids were opened:
Raper Sales, Inc. $2185.00
Fred First Fors, Inc. 2304.65
Mr. Cook referred these bids to the Engineer' s Department for tabulation and recommendation,
seconded by Mr. Cecere and on unanimous voice vote was carried.
Bd. of Works Minutes 7-11-68
The Building Commissioner Claude Goins presented the following report to the Board:
Board of Public Works and Safety
City Building
North 5th Street
Richmond, Indiana 47374
Gentlemen:
The following is the report from the Bureau of Buildings for the month of June 1968.
Month No. Dwellings Evaluation Total Permits Total Cost
111
June 1968 6 $112,000.00 178 $ 379,057.99
June 1967 15 $235,000.00 193 837,655.00
May 1968 11 $197,500.00 182 1,162,949.00
Total Permit Fees for June 1968 $1,112.00
Total Permit Fees for June 1967 $1,931.00
Total number of buildings or structures condemned in June 1968 - six (6) dwellings
and five (5) outbuildings.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Claude E. Goins, .
Commissioner
The Board ordered the City Clerk to prepare an Ordinance for $30.00 for Judge Robert
Burton.
Mr. Cook presented plans for street and storm sewers for the Crestdale Ninth Addition.
Mr. Cook recommended these plans be accepted, seconded by Mr. Cecere and on unanimous
voice vote was carried.
Mr. Duncan McKinnis presented the following report to the Board on weed control:
Total Complaints - 167
Not Contacted Yet - 51
Completed Cutting - 75
Working on weeds - 25
(Incomplete)
Have not cut weeds
although warned - 16
Total 167
Mr. Cecere told the Board that the No. 1 Fire Station is first on the priority list
for downtown. He stated that it is impossible to redevelop 5th and Main or North 5th
without the demolition of the old City Building. He also stated we have pointed out
to the Chamber of Commerce and the Councilmen that we need money now. We have suggested
that in asmuch as the City owns the R.P. & L. , money could be transferred from R.P.U.
to the City to meet this need and would be legal. It would not jeopardize in any way
the operation of the R.P. & L. The R.P. & L. has set aside $200,000.00 for a new down-
town office. The City could .give R.P. & L. the office space needed to pay bills in the
new City Building. Mr. Cecere also stated that the building of a No. 1 Fire Station is
a dire emergency and this should go on record to make available $400,000.00 to construct
the No. 1 Fire Station and proper alarm systems. He stated that the Richmond Commonc.
Council is the Board of Directors for the R.P. & L. and should make these funds available
for this emergency. Mr. Hoskins seconded Mr. Cecere' s statements.
In response to Declaratory Resolution No. 3-1968 based on a request by Common Council
asking for a formal hearing on the April 6th explosion, Mr. Cecere prepared a formal
complaint against the Richmond Gas Corporation which was signed by the members of .
the Board of Public Works to be sent to the PSC which is as follows:
BEFORE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF .INDIANA _
CITY OF RICHMOND,
INDIANA, A Municipal ) •
Corporation, )
PETITIONER ) COMPLAINT --
FOR INVESTIGATION
VS ) AND FORMAL
HEARING
RICHMOND GAS CORPORATION)
An Indiana Corporation )
UTILITY )
77
Bd. of Works Minutes 7-11-68
Comes now the City of Richmond, Indiana, by its Board of Public Works and Safety,
and by way of complaint against the Richmond Gas Corporation, alleges and says:
1. That the City of Richmond, Indiana, is now and was on the 6th day of April, 1968,
and for many years prior thereto, a municipal corporation, duly organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Indiana.
2. That the Richmond Gas Corporation is a "public utility" as defined under the
"Public Service Commission Act"; and as such the holder of an indeterminate permit to
operate within the City of Richmond, Indiana, and all times herein mentioned said utility
was in the business of furnishing gas to consumers within said City of Richmond, Indiana.
III3. That on said 6th day of April, 1968, a catastrophe occurred at or near 6th
and East Main Streets in Richmond, Indiana, which said catastrophe was attended with the
loss of forty-one (41) human lives and which directly or indirectly arose from or was
connected with the maintenance and transmission of natural gas by the said utility. The
service line leading into Marting Arms, the site of the explosion, is now known to have
been corroded and leaking gas.
4. That since said date and continuously thereafter leaks have been discovered in
the transmission lines or mains of the said utility in many areas of the City, many of
which were located blocks and even miles away from the sites of the explosions; that the
majority of said leaks were registered at explosive levels; that the transmission lines
of the utility are corroded, pitted and broken, leaking gas in dangerous quantities.
5. That the streets in the downtown core area of the City of Richmond have been
excavated, filled and re-excavated in an endeavor to secure the many leaks; but to this
date, the transmission lines or mains in the downtown area continue to leak gas and are
unsafe and are creating hazardous conditions; the leakage experience of this system since
April 6, 1968, is dangerous.
6. That people of the community are insecure in using the streets of the City,
especially in the downtown core area.
7. That the continuing transmission of gas by said utility in the lines and mains
now employed is unsafe, and an emergency exists.
III8. That said utility has failed to remedy the conditions that became apparent on or
after April 6, 1968. That more than ninety (90) days have elapsed since said explosions
and said utility has failed or been unable to remedy the conditions which were found to
exist after said explosions.
9. That to permit the continued transmission of gas through the lines and mains
of this utility in their present state of corrosion, deterioration and disrepair is unsafe
to the general public and presents a potential hazard of gas explosion.
WHEREFORE, your petitioner prays that the Public Service Commission forthwith, and
without notice, issue to the said utility an order to immediately cease and desist the
transmission of gas into the downtown core area of the City of Richmond, Indiana, and
further that a formal investigation be made pursuant to the Statutes of the State of
Indiana, to-wit, Sec. 54-713, Burns Indiana Statutes, Annotated, to inquire into any
neglect or violation of the laws of the State of Indiana or ordinances of the City of
Richmond, Indiana, and further, pursuant to Sec. 54-408, Burns Indiana Statutes,
Annotated, to determine or ascertain whether the transmission of natural gas in the
City of Richmond, Indiana, is unsafe; that a formal public hearing be conducted; that
notice be issued to said utility of said public hearing and pursuant to Statute set a
time and place for a hearing, and for such further and proper relief as deemed proper
in the premises.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY
OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA
III BY: /s/ Joseph E. Hoskins
/s/ Donald R. Cook
/s/ Andrew Cecere
There being no further business on motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting
adjourned. y / Pi
.0;;;;A:Ipve2ve.
/s/ Joseph Hoskins, President
ATTEST: /s/ Harold W. Ryan, City Cle