The City of New Castle, Indiana

COMMON COUNCIL

DECEMBER 1, 2008      7:00 P.M.

 

MAYOR SMALL OPENED THE MEETING WITH A "WELCOME BACK"  TO JOSEPH C. TOMPKINS, POLICE OFFICER, WHO HAS JUST RETURNED FROM ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD, SERVING IN IRAQ FOR THE PAST YEAR.  OFFICER TOMPKINS AND HIS SON OLIVER, STOOD AS THE AUDIENCE GAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND WELCOMED HIM HOME.  OFFICER TOMPKINS LEAD THE AUDIENCE IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

 

PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY REV. CRAIG BROWN, PASTOR OF THE WHITTIER LANE BAPTIST CHURCH.

 

ROLL CALL:

SANDY YORK                                                PRESENT                    

ANGIE GOODMAN                                         PRESENT

JAMES KIDD                                                 PRESENT

MARY MALONE                                             PRESENT

MARK KOGER                                               PRESENT                                     

VAUGHN REID                                               PRESENT

RICHARD HAHN                                             PRESENT

 

RESOLUTION: 

AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ("CDBG") APPLICATION TO THE INDIANA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; RECEIPT OF CDBG FUNDS; AND ADDRESSING RELATED MATTERS WAS READ IN FULL BY SANDY YORK.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION.  COUNCILMAN KIDD: SECOND.   ROLL CALL VOTE: SEVEN VOTES AYE.   PASSED AND ORDERED.

 

RESOLUTION:

TRANSFERRING FUNDS WITHIN A DEPARTMENT FROM ONE BUDGET CLASSIFICATION TO ANOTHER WAS READ IN FULL BY SANDY YORK.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION.  COUNCILMAN HAHN: SECOND.  ROLL CALL VOTE: SEVEN VOTES AYE.   PASSED AND ORDERED.

 

RESOLUTION: 

DESIGNATION OF AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA WAS READ IN FULL BY SANDY YORK.

COUNCILMAN REID MOVED TO PASS RESOLUTION.  COUNCILMAN KIDD: SECOND. 

DISCUSSION:  ATTORNEY JAMES MILLIKAN, REPRESENTING WESTMINISTER COMMUNITY CENTER INCORPORATED, APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO PRESENT A SIMPLIFIED DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA THAT IS TO BE DECLARED AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA.

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

 

RESOLUTION: 

RESOLUTION GRANTING TAX ABATEMENT TO WESTMINISTER COMMUNITY CENTER INCORPORATED, AND ITS ASSIGNS WAS READ IN FULL BY SANDY YORK.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION.  COUNCILMAN HAHN: SECOND. 

DISCUSSION:  ATTORNEY MILLIKAN STATED THAT THEY HAD JUST HAD THE DISCUSSION ON THE PROCESS AND YOU CAN'T GRANT A TAX ABATEMENT

UNTIL, IF AND WHEN THE AREA HAS BEEN DEFINED AS AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA.  THIS IS A PRELIMINARY RESOLUTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING. 

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

 

ORDINANCE #3552

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE VII, CHAPTER 74, SCHEDULE V OF THE NEW CASTLE CITY CODE BY REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT ON SOUTH MAIN STREET AND "S" AVENUE WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY ON THIRD READING.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE.  COUNCILADY GOODMAN: SECOND.  ROLL CALL VOTE: SEVEN VOTES AYE.    PASSED AND ORDERED.

 

COUNCIL REPORTS:

COUNCILMAN REID ASKED ABOUT THE PARKING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 14^TH STREET, BETWEEN VINE AND WOODWARD. 

 

COUNCILMAN REID ASKED ABOUT THE NEWLY PAINTED WATER HYDRANTS.  HE

WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THERE WAS A FIRE, WOULD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BE ABLE TO BREAK THE SEAL TO GET WATER?  THE WATER DEPARTMENT WILL CHECK ON EACH HYDRANT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE WORKING CORRECTLY. 

 

COUNCILMAN REID ASKED THAT EACH COUNCIL PERSON BE GIVEN A COPY OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE.

 

COUNCILMAN HAHN DISCUSSED THE ROBBERIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON BROAD STREET AND ASKED POLICE CHIEF NICHOLSON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND IF THERE WERE ANY SUSPECTS.

     CHIEF NICHOLSON STATED THAT THE POLICE HAVE AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON AND HE COULD NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THAT.

 

CITIZENS:

 

JOE THOMPKINS PRESENTED A CERTIFICATE AND FLAG THAT FLEW FOR THE IRAQ FREEDOM.  THE FLAG WAS FLOWN IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY ON JULY 4, 2008.  THE CERTIFICATE AND FLAG WAS PRESENTED TO POLICE CHIEF JIM NICHOLSON.

 

NICK GOAR, BUSINESSMAN, APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL STATED THAT HE WAS A TAX PAYER AND HE DIDN'T WANT ANY MORE POLICEMEN LAID OFF.

HE SAID HE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THAT AND FELT THAT POSSIBLY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITY EMPLOYEES COULD GIVE UP PART OF THEIR SALARY TO KEEP FROM LYING OFF POLICEMEN OR ANYBODY.  NEXT MR. GOAR ASKED WHY A GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANAPOLIS WAS HIRED AS BUILDING INSPECTOR.  HE WANTED TO KNOW IF THE TAX PAYERS WERE PAYING FOR HIS TRANSPORTATION, MILEAGE AND HOSPITALIZATION.  WHY WASN'T THERE SOMEBODY FROM AROUND HERE HIRED?  HE SAID HE FELT THAT THE MAYOR SHOULD BE PROVIDING HIS OWN TRANSPORTATION. 

     MAYOR SMALL SAID THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CUT 14%THIS YEAR.

AS FOR AS HIS VEHICLE, HE HAS SAVED THE CITY MONEY.  HE PAYS FOR ALL OF HIS GAS THAT HE USES.  THE VEHICLE USED FOR CITY BUSINESS HAS REGISTERED 6,000 TO 7,000 MILES AND IF HE WOULD HAVE BILLED THE CITY FOR

MILEAGE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER $2,000.00.  HIS VEHICLE IS A 2001, NOT A NEW ONE.  HE SAID HE WOULD BE GETTING A W2, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHICH HE WILL BE PAYING TAXES OF APPROXIMATELY $1,500.00 WHICH IS THE VALUE OF THAT VEHICLE.  HE SAID HE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS RIPPING THE CITY OFF.  WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE AND PROTECT THE CITY.

AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, EACH POLICE CAR WILL HAVE A LAPTOP SO REPORTS CAN BE DONE RIGHT AWAY AND AN OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE TO LEAVE THE STREETS TO DO A REPORT.

     AS FOR THE BUILDING INSPECTOR, YES HE DOES LIVE PRESENTLY IN INDIANAPOLIS BUT CONSIDERING MOVING TO NEW CASTLE.  I HIRED HIM BECAUSE HE WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED.  YES, HE IS ENTITLED TO HOSPITALIZATION AS ANY OTHER FULL TIME EMPLOYEE WITH THE CITY

GETS.

     MAYOR SMALL SAID THAT 2009 IS GOING TO BE A BAD YEAR.  WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR BUT ALL BETS ARE OFF FOR NEXT YEAR.  WITH THE OPTIONS WE WILL TAKE, CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO PAY CUTS.

 

 

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED FOR ADJOURNMENT.

COUNCILMAN KIDD:  SECOND.