HomeMy Public PortalAbout8/26/1996 specialCity of Greencastle
S City Hall
Four East Walnut Street
Greencastle, Indiana 46135
Pamela S. Jones
Clerk- Treasurer
GREENCASTLE COMMON COUNCIL
SPECIAL SESSION
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1996 5:00 P.M. TZOUANAKIS SCHOOL
Call to Order; Roll Call
The Greencastle Common Council met in Special Session for adoption of the 1997 City Budget,
August 26, 1996, 5:00 P.M. at Tzouanakis Intermediate School. Mayor Michael called the
meeting to order. On the Roll Call, the following were found to be present: Councilor Roach,
Councilor Hammer, Councilor Green, Councilor Baynard and Councilor Masten. City Attomev
John Zeiner was also present.
Public Petitions and Comments
® Ann Newton, a Social Worker for special needs children, addressed the Council regarding the
cut to the Pumam Counry Youth T.V. program. Ms. Newton stated that this is a wonderful
program and has served its purpose very well. Ms. Newton has referred children to this program
and it helps keep them off the street and gives them a sense of their own power and improves
self - esteem.
Kelsev Kauffman, Director of the Putnam County Youth T.V., expressed concern about the
future of PCYTV and Channel 2. Ms. Kauffman stated that the cut was a surprise and that the
City had always be a steady source of income. The City of Greencastle receives a franchise fee
from TCL The purpose of a portion of that money is to fund local services for local community
access T.V. at the Citv's discretion. PCYTV has used these funds to build up the ability to
broadcast - equipment is very expensive. Students are trained and paid minimum wage. If the
Citv cuts the budget from $15,000.00 to 56,000.00 it will be cutting out programs and cutting the
community out of local programming. The school could pick up some of the cost of taping
school functions, but they have not budgeted for this for 1997. Ms. Kauffman stated that this
money is not tax money - it is money from cable subscribers and should be used to provide
services and local programming for those subscribers.
Councilor Masten made it clear that the 5% tax is on cable subscribers and understands that.
Councilor Masten stated that there is no budget submitted by PCYTV, no paperwork or
oversight. The City has no idea of where the money is spent - requested a meeting and that did
not happen. If the equipment is in place - why can't the 56,000.00 go towards to programming?
" M s . K a u f f m a n s t a t e d t h a t t h e y h a v e t o h a v e m o n e y t o r e p a i r i f t h e e q u i p m e n t b r e a k s d o w n .
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b e e n c u t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c i t y b u d g e t a n d h e w o u l d l i k e t o s e e t h e B u d g e t l e a n e r t h a n w h a t i t i s .
C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n c o n t i n u e d t h a t n e x t y e a r t h e t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n a c t c h a n g e s e v e r y t h i n g a n d
t h e C i t y m a y n o t g e t f r a n c h i s e f e e s . I f t h e f r a n c h i s e f e e s a r e d e l e t e d - t h e r e w i l l b e n o f u n d i n g
f o r P C Y T V . M s . K a u f f m a n a s k e d t h e C o u n c i l t o b u d g e t 5 7 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 t o t a k e P C Y T V t h r o u g h
J u n e a n d t h e n r e v i s i t . C o u n c i l o r R o a c h s t a t e d t h a t a n a d d i t i o n a l a p p r o p r i a t i o n c o u l d b e m a d e i f
n e e d e d a n d i f t h e m o n e y i s a v a i l a b l e . T h e c i t y d o e s n ' t e v e n k n o w w h a t t h e b u d g e t w i l l b e
b e c a u s e w e h a d n o s o l i d f i g u r e s d u e t o r e a s s e s s m e n t . W e a l s o n e e d t o s e e w h a t c o m e s o f t h e
C a b l e n e g o t i a t i o n s . W e d o n ' t w a n t t h i s t o b e a p r o o r c o n d e b a t e o n t h e p r o g r a m . C o u n c i l o r
R o a c h t o l d M s . K a u f f m a n t h a t e v e r y o n e a p p r e c i a t e s h e r t i m e a n d e f f o r t a n d h e k n o w s p e o p l e a r e
w a t c h i n g - a l l o w u s t i m e t o r e c e i v e m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n . C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n a s k e d i f t h e C o u r t s
c o u l d h e l p f u n d - i f t h i s p r o g r a m i s t o h e l p a t r i s k c h i l d r e n - w h y c a n ' t t h e C o u r t c o n t r i b u t e ?
C o u n c i l o r H a m m e r s t a t e d t h a t h e h a s r e c e i v e d f o u r c a l l s a n d a l l h a v e b e e n i n f a v o r o f r e i n s t a t i n g
t h e $ 1 5 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 o r a t l e a s t f u n d i n g c l o s e r t o t h a t l e v e l . C o u n c i l o r R o a c h a s k e d h o w m u c h t h e
g r a n t f r o m P u m a m C o u n t y F o u n d a t i o n i s . ' M s . K a u f f m a n s t a t e d t h a t t h e P C F g a v e a g r a n t t h r e e
y e a r s a g o , a o n e s h o t d e a l , f o r e q u i p m e n t . T h e r e i s n o f u n d i n g f r o m t h e P C F . A f t e r m o r e
d i s c u s s i o n , i t w a s d e c i d e d t h a t a q u a r t e r l y r e p o r t n e e d e d t o b e m a d e t o C o u n c i l t o a c c o u n t f o r
r e c e i p t s a n d e x p e n d i t u r e s .
C o u n c i l o r R o a c h m a d e a m o t i o n t o a m e n d t h e b u d g e t f o r P u t n a m C o u n t y Y o u t h T . V . f r o m
$ 6 0 0 0 . 0 0 t o 5 1 5 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 p r o v i d i n g f i n a n c i a l r e p o r t s b e i s s u e d t o C o u n c i l o n a q u a r t e r l y b a s i s .
e T h i s m o t i o n w a s s e c o n d e d b y C o u n c i l o r H a m m e r . V o t e w a s a s f o l l o w s :
C o u n c i l o r R o a c h Y e a
C o u n c i l o r H a m m e r Y e a
C o u n c i l o r G r e e n Y e a
C o u n c i l o r B a y n a r d Y e a
C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n N a y
C o u n c i l o r H a m m e r q u e s t i o n e d t h e l a r g e i n c r e a s e i n p e n d i n g l i t i g a t i o n i n t h e l e g a l b u d g e t . C i t y
A t t o r n e y Z e i n e r s t a t e d t h a t i s t o t a k e c a r e o f p e n d i n g l i t i g a t i o n a l r e a d y o n g o i n g - L o n g l i t i g a t i o n ,
E E C O l i t i g a t i o n , R e s C a r e L i t i g a t i o n , e t c . A t t o r n e y Z e i n e r s t a t e d t h a t h e i n t e n d s t o k e e p
C o u n c i l u p t o d a t e o n a l l l e g a l i s s u e s .
C o u n c i l o r H a m m e r m a d e a m o t i o n t o a d o p t O r d i n a n c e 1 9 9 6 - 1 9 , s e c o n d r e a d i n g a s a m e n d e d .
M o t i o n s e c o n d e d b y C o u n c i l o r R o a c h . V o t e w a s u n a n i m o u s .
C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n q u e s t i o n e d w h o m a k e s t h e b u d g e t c u t s i f r e q u i r e d b y T a x C o m m i s s i o n e r s ?
T h e M a y o r , F i s c a l O f f i c e r o r C o u n c i l ? A t t o r n e y Z e i n e r s t a t e d t h a t t h e M a y o r m a k e s a
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , t h e F i s c a l O f f i c e r p u t s i t t o g e t h e r a n d s u b m i t s t o t h e C o u n c i l . C o u n c i l o r
M a s t e n a s k e d i f t h e r e w o u l d b e t i m e f o r a S p e c i a l S e s s i o n ? C o u n c i l o r R o a c h s u g g e s t e d t h a t
o n c e t h e h e a r i n g d a t e i s s e t w i t h T a x C o m m i s s i o n e r s t h e C o u n c i l s h o u l d s e t a S p e c i a l S e s s i o n
w i t h i n a d a y o r t w o o f t h a t h e a r i n g t o b e p r e p a r e d . A l l C o u n c i l m e m b e r s a g r e e d .
R e s o l u t i o n 1 9 9 6 - 2 2 , A R e s o l u t i o n A u t h o r i z i n g A T e m p o r a r y T r a n s f e r f r o m C u m u l a t i v e C a p i t a l
. I m p r o v e m e n t F u n d t o G e n e r a l F u n d a n d C e m e t e r y F u n d ( P e n d i n g T a x D i s t r i b u t i o n ) w a s r e a d b y
M a y o r M i c h a e l . C o u n c i l o r B a y n a r d m a d e t h e m o t i o n t o a d o p t R e s o l u t i o n 1 9 9 6 - 2 2 , s e c o n d e d b y
Councilor Roach. Vote was unanimous.
The next item on the agenda was a request for a street closing between Locust and College on
Hanna Street. The request was made by Rosalie Nataki Landrum, by letter, on behalf of the Pi
Lambda Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The request was to block the above -
mentioned street on Saturday, September 7, 1996 between 7:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. Clerk -
Treasurer Jones told the Council that she had talked with Doug Cox of DePauw Security and he
had expressed concern over access for emergency vehicles, etc. He stated that Hanna Street is
one of the busiest streets in the City and an alternative solution could be found. Councilor
Masten suggested the request be tabled and give the Mayor authority, along with Fire Chief
O'Hair, Police Chief Hanlon and Street Commissioner Wright to discuss this and make a
decision. Councilor Bavnard asked if Hanna Street had been closed before. Mayor Michael
replied that it has, but the length of time is the concern, especially for emergency vehicles.
Councilor Baynard asked if emergency vehicles could use Seminary Street instead. Councilor
Roach replied that alternative routes can be used, but it limits access to the general public.
Councilor Bavnard made the motion to allow Hanna Street between Locust and College to be
closed on September 7 from 7:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Councilor Green seconded. Councilor
Roachasked to amend the motion that Hanna Street be used only if College Street was not an
acceptable alternative. Councilor Baynard and Councilor Green accepted the amendment. Vote
was unanimous.
Attornev Zeiner presented the Council with information regarding the incorporation of
is Pumamville and told the Council that in order for Pumamville to incorporate, they need the
consent of the Council. This is just information for the Council to look at, if the process goes
any further, an Ordinance would need to be prepared for Council's next meeting.
Mayor Michael reminded the Council of the INDOT meeting and encouraged anyone available
to attend. Mayor Michael also reminded the Council of the tACT Conference in Merrillville and
the 1996 Local Government Award will be presented on Wednesday after the business session.
Being no further business, Councilor Roach made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilor
Hammer. Vote was unanimous.
t
Nancy A. Micha , Mayor
A,T,TEST:
CC.
Pamela S. Jones, Clerk -T y ea urer