The City of New Castle, Indiana

 

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY ALL IN ATTENDANCE.

PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY PASTOR MICHAEL DEES, SUNNYSIDE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE.

MAYOR SMALL OPENED THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL.

ROLL CALL:

SANDY YORK                                              PRESENT                  

ANGIE GOODMAN                                      PRESENT

JAMES KIDD                                                 PRESENT

MARY MALONE                                          PRESENT

MARK KOGER                                             PRESENT

VAUGHN REID                                            PRESENT

RICHARD HAHN                                         PRESENT

 

MAYOR SMALL SAID HE HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE ABOUT SOME GRANTS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING IN TO.  HE SAID BY LAW, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD ON THE ONE GRANT.

MAYOR SMALL SAID THAT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE APPLIED FOR A ONE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FOR THE SEPARATION OF STORM WATER PROJECTS.  THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN 100% FUNDED BY THE GRANTOR.  UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT GET THAT GRANT.  OUR FALL BACK POSITION AS OF THIS EVENING, WAS TO APPLY FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF GRANT, A GRANT CALLED THE C F F GRANT.  THAT GRANT WILL ONLY GIVE US $600,000.00 AND THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO MATCH THAT MONEY.  $360,000.00 FROM THE STORM WATER UTILITY FUND AND $400,000.00 FROM AN EXISTING SEWER BOND.  THE C F F GRANT WOULD COST US A LOT OF MONEY AND NOT GET US AS MUCH FOR THE BUCK IN SEPARATING THE STORM WATER FROM THE WASTE WATER.  FRIDAY, WE LEARNED THAT THE DR2 GRANT WAS GOING TO BE OPENED UP AGAIN FOR THE REMAINING APPLICANTS, WHOM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL THE FIRST TIME AROUND.  THIS WOULD BE A 100% GRANT SOMETHING FOR US TO APPLY FOR, PERHAPS RATHER THAN DOING THE C F F  GRANT WHICH REQUIRES SUCH A LARGE MATCH.  HE ASKED THE COUNCIL TO DO WHAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED, TO HAVE A BRIEF PUBLIC HEARING, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, ON THE C F F GRANT AND THEN HE SAID HE APOLOGIZED TO THE COUNCIL AND OFFERED A RESOLUTION THAT HE HAD JUST RECEIVED THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE APPLICATION FOR THE C F F GRANT.  MAYOR SMALL SAID THE RESOLUTION WAS AUTHORIZING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT.  HE SAID HIS GUT FEELING IS THAT WE WILL NOT APPLY FOR THIS GRANT BUT IT IS BETTER TO HAVE PAPERWORK IN HANDS THAN JUST IN CASE WE FIND OUT THE LAST MINUTE THAT WE CAN'T FOR SOME REASON, APPLY FOR THE DR2 PLUS GRANT.  THE C F F GRANT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 2^ND.  WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO PASS A RESOLUTION.

     COUNCILMAN REID ASKED, THIS $400,000.00, ARE WE REFINANCING A BOND AND GETTING THE ADDITIONAL $400,000.00 OUT OF IT OR HOW DO WE PULL $400,000.00 FROM THE EXISTING BOND?

      CITY ACCOUNTANT CUPP SAID THERE WAS $45,000.00 FROM THE BOND IN 2006 AND WHEN WE DID THAT BOND, SO MUCH WAS FROM THE STORM WATER SEPARATION.

      COUNCILMAN REID SAID SO WE ARE NOT GOING OUT AND REFINANCING OR GETTING ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

 

MAYOR SMALL SAID THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING SO IF ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK OR ASK QUESTIONS, NOW IS THE TIME.

      MS. CUPP SAID THERE IS ABOUT $310,000.00 IN THAT STORM WATER FUND AND THE CITY OWES THE FUND     $1,500,000.00 WHICH WILL BE PAID BACK AT THE END OF THE YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR.

      COUNCILMAN REID ASKED IF THIS WAS DONE EVERY YEAR.  HE SAID SAY WE DON'T APPLY FOR THIS BUT APPLY FOR THE MILLION DOLLARS%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026

      KENT ANDERSON,  KENNA CONSULTING, SAID THERE ARE TWO ROUNDS EACH YEAR.

      PRESIDENT YORK ASKED IF THIS WAS GOING TO DELAY OUR STORM WATER PROJECTS.

      WASTEWATER SUPERINTENDENT HAMILTON SAID NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.  HE SAID THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.  HE SAID HE HAS TO WAIT ANOTHER 6 MONTHS BEFORE HE COULD DO THE PROJECT.  HOWEVER, IF WE DO GET THE MILLION DOLLAR, NO MATCH, IT WILL SAVE THE CITY $400,000.00.  WE CAN GO AFTER ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR DOWNTOWN AT THE SAME TIME.  PUTTING ALL THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES DOWN, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO BACK OUT.  THIS DECISION WILL BE BETTER FOR THE CITY.  HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO BE A YEAR BEHIND ON THE PROJECT BUT WITH THE $400,000.00 SAVINGS, WE CAN USE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. 

 

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

 

PRESIDENT YORK MADE THE MOTION TO AMEND  THIS ORDINANCE PURSUIT TO INDIANA CODE 36-4-7-2, SHE  SAID SHE WANTED TO RESEND THE AMENDMENT BASED UPON THE FINDINGS OF THAT INDIANA STATUTE .  SHE READ FROM THE STATUTE,  THE COMPENSATION OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL MAY NOT BE CHANGED IN THE YEAR FOR WHEN IT IS FIXED, BUT MY BE REDUCED AS FIXED FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS.  THE ORDINANCE WAS SUBMITTED IN ERROR AT OUR PASS MEETING.

     PRESIDENT YORK MADE THE MOTION TO RESEND THE AMENDMENT AND PASS ORDINANCE #3576 ON SECOND READING BY TITLE ONLY.   COUNCILMAN HAHN: SECOND     ROLL CALL VOTE: SEVEN VOTES AYE.           PASSED AND ORDERED.

 

 

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

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

 

     PRESIDENT YORK SAID THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED ANOTHER DRAFT ON THIS ORDINANCE.

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO TABLE THIS ORDINANCE UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING SO COUNCIL COULD STUDY THE DRAFT.     COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND     ROLL CALL VOTE:  SEVEN VOTES AYE.                 TABLED.

 

     PRESIDENT YORK SAID THAT COUNCIL WAS STILL WORKING ON THE BUDGETARY CUTS AND WE DO HAVE 2 MEETINGS IN OCTOBER AND OUR DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 1, FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THIS.  SHE SAID SHE WAS WAITING ON MORE INFORMATION THEY HAVE REQUESTED.

      PRESIDENT YORK MADE THE MOTION TO TABLE THIS ORDINANCE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.     COUNCILMAN KIDD: SECOND     ROLL CALL VOTE: SEVEN VOTES AYE.     TABLED.

 

COUNCIL REPORTS:

 

COUNCILMAN KIDD ANNOUNCED THAT THE HOPE INITIATIVE REGULAR MEETING WILL BE 6:00 P.M. AT THE LIBRARY ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24^TH.       ON OCTOBER 10^TH.  A MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE BROOKS HARBOR FROM 8:00 A.M. TO12:00P.M. FOR ALL HENRY COUNTY AND CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND EVERYONE INTERESTED IN A VISION TO ACTION PROGRAM FOR HENRY COUNTY.

 

COUNCILMAN HAHN ASKED ABOUT YARD MOWING.  THERE IS A HOUSE, NEXT TO RON PADGETT, BETWEEN MAIN AND WOODWARD, THE HOUSE IS EMPTY AND THE GRASS IS ABOUT 3 FOOT HIGH.

     MAYOR SMALL SAID MR. HACKER WILL LOOK AT IT TOMORROW.  HE ASKED MR. HACKER HOW MANY YARDS ARE ON THE LIST NOW.

     MR. HACKER SAID THEY WERE DOWN TO 30 NOW.

 

PUBLIC:

 

JOANN DICKERSON, 1600 BLOCK OF H AVENUE, SAID THERE ARE 5 VACANT HOMES IN THE BLOCK SHE LIVES IN.  THE RE IS BRUSH, TREES DOWN AND SO MUCH GRASS THAT IS SO HIGH.  SHE SAID THEY LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK AND IT IS USELESS TO TRY TO FIX OUR HOME UP.  SOME HOMES HAVE OPENED DOORS AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT ALL THE TIME.

 

NORMA DISHMAN THANKED THE COUNCIL FOR ATTENDING THE ASPHALT MEETING LAST WEEK.  SHE SAID THERE IS AN EMPTY TOTE AT 1202 MOURER.  NO ONE LIVES THERE.  MRS. DISHMAN ASKED IF THE STREET DEPARTMENT WILL PICK UP EXTRA TRASH ACROSS FROM HER RESIDENCE.  SHE SAID THE PEOPLE HAD MOVED OUT AND LEFT IT.

        MRS. DISHMAN WAS UPSET ABOUT THE VANDALISM AT OSBORNE PARK, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEEKENDS.

        MAYOR SMALL SAID IT WAS BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION ABOUT THE LETTERS AT OSBORNE PARK.  MR. HACKER WILL SEE IF THE LETTERS CAN BE REPLACED.

 

MAYOR SMALL SAID THE NEXT ITEM BROUGHT UP WAS THE RUBBLE OFF OF HILLSBORO PIKE, NEAR THE TRAINING CENTER.  HE SAID THAT MOST OF THE RUBBLE WAS FROM MAXWELL PARK.  MR. HACKER SAID HE WORKING ON THIS TO CLEAN IT UP. 

 

MARY LOGAN, N.16^TH ST., COMMENTED ON THE BIG PILES OF ASPHALT, CEMENT TELEPHONE POLES ETC. IN THAT AREA.  SHE ASKED IF THERE WAS A TIME LIMIT ON CLEANING THAT UP.  SHE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE A DUMP.  HER COMMENT WAS RESPECT FOR THE PARKS AND ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP CLEAN IT UP.

 

COUNCILMAN HAHN SAID WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A TRASH PROBLEM, CALL THE BUILDING INSPECTOR AND THEN ANITA WILL MAKE A TICKET AND FORWARD IT ON TO THE STREET DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT.

 

COUNCILMAN REID SAID TO COUNCILMAN HAHN, YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THAT PROCEDURE BECAUSE HE SAW COUNCILMAN HAHN BRING PICTURES OF HOUSES THAT ARE DILAPIDATED AND NEED SOMETHING DONE.  YOU PASSED THEM AROUND TO US AND MAKE A PUBLIC ISSUE ABOUT IT.  HE SAID TO COUNCILMAN HAHN, IF I PUT YOU ON THE DEFENSIVE TONIGHT, I'M SORRY BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT GOT TAKEN CARE OF.  I JUST SAW A BIG PILE OF TRASH TODAY AND HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE STREET DEPARTMENT KNEW IT WAS THERE.  HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO CALL DURING BUSINESS HOURS.  HE BROUGHT IT HERE TONIGHT, KNOWING ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD BE HERE.  HE SAID TAKE THAT AND DO WITH IT WHAT YOU WANT TO.

 

STREET COMMISSIONER AYERS SAID HE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

 

COUNCILMAN HAHN SAID BRINGING IT UP AT COUNCIL, THAT IS FINE BUT IF YOU CALLED AHEAD, GET A HEAD START ON IT.  IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STREET DEPARTMENT NOT PICKING IT UP, THEN WE WILL KNOW WHY INSTEAD OF PEOPLE COMING UP HERE AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THINGS AND WHY THINGS ARE NOT BEING PICKED UP.  PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THIS CITY.    

 

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED FOR ADJOURNMENT.

COUNCILMAN KIDD: SECOND.