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Home My Public Portal About01-03-2012PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, JANUARY 3, 2012 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in regular session January 3, 2012 in the Council Chambers in said City. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRAYER BY COUNCILOR CRUSE- NICHOLSON President Quinn called the meeting to order and the following business was conducted: ROLL CALL Present were: Howard 'Jack" Eistro, Kelley Cruse - Nicholson, Bruce Wissei, Clayton Miller, Larry Parker, Misty Hollis, Ron Oler and Phil Quinn. Also in attendance were Walt Chidester, City Attorney; Sally Hutton, Mayor; Karen Chasteen, City Clerk; Tony Foster, Director of the Department of Metropolitan Development; Jeff Plasterer and Gary Saunders, Wayne County Council. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Parker moved to approve the minutes of the meeting held December 19, 2012, supported by Mr. Miller. Upon a vote viva voce, the motion passed. PRESENTATIONS, MEMORIALS OR REMONSTRANCES, PETITIONS AND INTRODUCTIONS, MOTIONS, RESOLUTIONS None COMMUNICATION FROM THE MAYOR Street Department handled the clearing of streets in the recent snowfall very well. REPORT FROM BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY Minutes of the December 15, 2011, meeting was accepted as presented. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS, STANDING COMMITTEES, SPECIAL COMMITTEES and/or ORGANIZATIONS Committee assignments will be announced at the January 17, 2012 meeting. ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING Mr. Elstro moved to suspend the rules and read Ordinance Nos. 39 & 76 -2011 on first reading by title only, supported by Mr. Parker. Upon a vote viva voce, the motion passed. ORDINANCE NO. 39 -2011 - A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR A CERTAIN PARCEL FROM OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL (OC) DISTRICT TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (GC) DISTRICT Common Council Minutes January 3, 2012 Page 2 of 3 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 39-2011 on first reading by title only. Presented by Mr. Foster, this Ordinance is a petition to rezoning 4307 National Road West to allow the property owner to expand the business, Jefferson Soft Water Services. General Commercial would provide less burdensome setbacks and more accurately reflect current property use. Ordinance No. 39 -3011 was referred to the Advisory Plan Commission for public hearing on January 26, 2012. ORDINANCE NO. 76 -2011 — A SPECIAL ORDINANCE ALLOWING AN ALTERNATIVE ABATEMENT DEDUCTION SCHEDULE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS OBTAINING DEDUCTIONS FROM ASSESSED VALUE OF CERTAIN PROPERTY WITHIN AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA The Clerk read Ordinance N .74-20 on first reading by title only. Presented by Mr. Foster, th rdinance would amend the City's tax abatement procedure. Due to a change in State Code, the City can allow a more flexible abatement schedule. Ordinance No. 76 -2011 would set parameters for the use of an altemative abatement deduction schedule. Ordinance No. 76 -2011 will be heard on second reading and public hearing on January 17, 2012. ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE NO. 74 -2011 — A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6 -1.1 -12.1 (Wayne Machine Manufacturers) The Clerk read Ordinance No. 74 -2011 on second reading by title only. Presented by Mr. Wissel, this Ordinance is a petition of Wayne Machine Manufacturers, Inc. for a ten -year tax abatement on equipment valued at One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($120,000.00). Due to the fact Wayne Machine does not offer health insurance benefits, Mr. vessel moved to amend Ordinance No. 74 -2011 to an abatement for nine years in lieu of ten, supported by Mr. Parker. Upon a vote viva voce, the motion passed. The Tax Abatement Committee recommended approval as amended. Council President Quinn declared Ordinance No. 74 -2011 as amended on second reading and public hearing. There being no comments for or against the Ordinance, Mr. Parker moved for engrossment of Ordinance No. 74 -2011 as amended, supported by Mr. Miller. Upon a vote viva voce, the motion passed. Mr. Wissel moved to advance Ordinance No. 74 -2011 as amended to third and final reading and suspend the rules and read by title only, supported by Mr. Miller. Upon a vote viva voce, the motion passed. The Clerk read Ordinance No. 74 -2011 as amended on third reading by title only. Ordinance No. 74 -2011 as amended was adopted with an 8-0 roll call vote ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING None MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS The following is text of a memo distributed and read into the minutes by Mr. Quinn: r � Common Council Minutes January 3, 2012 Page 3 of 3 On December the 14th, Representatives from Richmond Common Council met with representatives from Wayne County Council in an attempt to better understand how each unit worked. We received a copy of each other's budgets and found out what each elected office holder or department head did & what committees were formed and their duties. While this meeting only lasted a couple of hours, everyone agreed that more meetings should be held and that topics be generated for more in -depth review. Wayne County Council members present were: Gary Saunders, Jeff Plasterer, Al Dillon, Tony Gilliam & Monica Bums. Members from Richmond Common Council present were: Bruce Wissel, Larry Parker, Diana Pappin and 1. Also in attendance were newly elected council members Pete Zaleski, Ron Oler, Commissioner Ken Paust and Denny Bums as well as several city and county department heads. Key discussions included. Abatement philosophies, the two mile fringe, joint purchasing and personnel. Current examples of collaborative efforts between the City and County are: Geographical Information Systems, Wayne County Emergency Management, Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County and 911 Dispatch. Finally, a future meeting date has tentatively been scheduled for February. We all realize the vital executive role Mayor Hutton and the Wayne County Commissioners have in these units and their recently appointed commission is equally important to finding a better move elklent way to use tax dollars. The commission and these administrators understand the pressure as already the 2013 budget process is underway. Because of that fact, a majority of Common Council members are asking that a list of questions be answered by June 301h. The Mayor has been provided this list and we will work together to get these answered before considerations are made to the 2013 budget. You might very well call this our agenda that was set by the voters in last years' election: Priority 1. Health Insurance- What is our plan to keep costs low? What has been discussed in labor negotiations? Are wellness programs in place and welcomed by employees? Priority 2. Finding the Best Purchasing Process. Between the county and city which process for purchasing and contracting for services is most effective? Buying cycles are a natural part of the purchasing process. We'd like to know what those buying habits are and are there any similarities? Specifically, would consolidated buying be more efficient than a joint office between departments like, Information Technology, Street, Engineering, Development, etc. Priority 3. From a planning, zoning, development, & permitting, perspective, what processes are in place that makes Richmond and Wayne County a friendly place to do business? Would recent business development in the last year agree? This will be a critical year for productivity for this City and as the President of Council it will be my job to keep agendas short, meetings concise and any debate moving forward CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, on a motion duly made, second d passed, the meeting was adjourned. dA ew Quinn, President ATTEST: ren C hasteen, IAMC, MMC City Clerk A recording of this meeting is on file in the Office of the City Clerk's.