The City of New Castle, Indiana

COMMON COUNCIL 

OCTOBER 18, 2010        7:00 P.M.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.

PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY FORMER MAYOR TOM NIPP..

MAYOR SMALL OPENED THE MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL.

ROLL CALL:

SANDY YORK                                             PRESENT                  

ANGIE GOODMAN                                     ABSENT

JAMES KIDD                                                PRESENT

MARY MALONE                                          PRESENT

MARK KOGER                                             PRESENT

VAUGHN REID                                            PRESENT

RICHARD HAHN                                         PRESENT

MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

MAYOR SMALL READ A PREPARED STATEMENT EXPLAINING THAT HE WILL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL HIS GOALS AND THAT HE WAS NOT PLANNING ON RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2011.  A COPY OF HIS STATEMENT IS ATTACHED TO THESE MINUTES.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE.  COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND.  ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE.     PASSED AND ORDERED.

     COUNCILMAN REID ASKED THAT THE SALARY ORDINANCES FOR 2010 BE PUT ON LINE FOR A COMPARISON.

      ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE.                      PASSED AND ORDERED.

DISCUSSION:  THERE OR NO CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THIS ORDINANCE FROM 2010 FOR THE EMPLOYEES IN THE CLERK-TREASURER OFFICE/2011.

      MAYOR SMALL SAID THIS ORDINANCE WILL ALSO BE ON LINE AS WILL 2010.

ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE.                     PASSED AND ORDERED.

COUNCIL REPORTS:

COUNCILMAN KIDD ASKED ABOUT THE CLOSING OF RAILROAD CROSSINGS.  HE SAID HE HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY CITIZENS THAT LIVE ON THORNBURG STREET.  HE ASKED IF THERE WAS A WAY TO CHANGE THORNBURG STREET CLOSING TO 17^TH STREET.

     MAYOR SMALL SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR ALONG INDOT WAS.  HE SAID ABOUT A YEAR AGO, HE APPROACHED THE COUNCIL ON THIS.  AT THAT TIME, WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE RANDY NEAL WOULD BE LOCATED AND WE OPTED NOT TO CLOSE 17^TH.   WE ENDED UP CLOSING THORNBURG AND 22^ND ST., IN RETURN WE COULD GET A RAILROAD CROSSING AT THE NEW GARNER STREET.  THE STATE HAS RECEIVED MONEY FOR SIGNALS, ONE BEING THORNBURG.  HE SAID HE CAUTIONED THEM THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

      COUNCILMAN REID SAID HE HAS A QUESTION.  HE SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE HOUSES RIGHT UP AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS ON THE NORTH SIDE.  IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY THERE, GETTING ACCESS  TO THEM ONCE THAT CROSSING IS CLOSED, CAN WE HAVE OUR STATE REPS LOBBY WITH INDOT TO CLOSE ONE FOR ONE?  HE SAID 23^RD AND 24^TH ARE CLOSED, 21^ST IS A MAIN THOROUGHFARE,  22^ND SERVES AS THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.  WE HAVE HOUSES DOWN THROUGH THERE.  WE JUST KEEP CLOSING OFF AND THEY WERE DESIGNED TO BE THROUGH STREETS.  HE SAID NOW THAT RANDY NEAL IS GONE, HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BETTER CHOICE.

      COUNCILMAN REID'S CONCERN WAS THIS ECONOMIC ISSUE, YOU HAVE HOUSES THERE AND WHEN THAT GOES THROUGH, WHAT PROPERTY VALUE DO THEY HAVE?  IT IS GOING TO DECREASE.

      CONCERNS ON EMERGENCY VEHICLES WAS DISCUSSED.

      PRESIDENT YORK SAID AS A COUNCIL, MAYBE WE COULD APPROACH THEM AND SEE ABOUT THE TRADE OF 17^TH ST.

      COUNCILMAN REID SAID IT HAS BEEN APPROACHED TO US, ABOUT GETTING THE STOP LIGHT PUT BACK AT 21^ST AND BROAD. 

      PRESIDENT YORK SAID THAT WAS A STATE HIGHWAY AND THAT WAS THERE CALL.

      COUNCILMAN REID ASKED IF THAT STOP LIGHT WAS REMOVED IN EXCHANGE FOR WHEN THE NO LEFT TURN SIGNS WERE PUT UP.

       PRESIDENT YORK SAID NO.  THOSE SIGNS 21^ST AND BROAD AND 16^TH AND BROAD WERE REMOVED WHEN THE STATE WORKED ON STATE ROAD # 38.  THE COUNCIL REQUESTED THOSE SIGNS BE PUT UP BECAUSE OF THE CRUISERS.

COUNCILMAN HAHN TOLD HOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN KOKOMO WAS HELPING WITH THE UNITED FUND DRIVE.  HE TOLD THEM THEY WERE GOOD, BUT TOLD THEM HOW GREAT NEW CASTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS.

PUBLIC:

JOHN DAVIS,1543 THORNBURG STREET, APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL ALSO TO DISCUSS THE RAILROAD CROSSING ON THORNBURG STREET.

DAN BRAY, 818 SPRING ST., HAD A CONCERN ABOUT AN ABANDON HOUSES.  HE SAID HE HAD RAN CHILDREN AND TEENS OFF FROM 2 HOMES THAT WERE WIDE OPEN AND HE WAS AFRAID FOR THEIR SAFETY.  OWNERS SHOULD GET THOSE HOUSES SECURED.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO ADJOURN.

COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND