The City of New Castle, Indiana

COUNCIL MEETING

FEBRUARY 1, 2010             7:00 P.M.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY ALL IN ATTENDANCE.

PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY REV. JEFF  GRAMZA, HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH.

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                                         ABSENT

MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

MAYOR SMALL READ A PROCLAMATION, PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY 2, 2010, AS "CHARLIE WILLIAMS DAY" IN THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE.  MR. WILLIAMS PASSED AWAY RECENTLY AND ALL HIS NEIGHBORS WISHED TO HONOR HIM FOR ALL THE DEEDS AND TASKS THAT HE DID FOR THEM.

BRIAN BERGIN, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR EASTERN INDIANA DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HE IS WORKING ON WITH THE CITY'S E D C DIRECTORATE, JEANA DAVIS.

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

DISCUSSION:  THE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION HAD TO BE BROUGHT FORTH DUE TO AN ERROR IN ADVERTISING OF THE BUDGET.  THERE WAS A LETTER FROM THE COURIER TIMES TELLING OF THE ERROR BY THEM.

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

COUNCIL REPORTS:

PRESIDENT YORK REMINDED EVERYONE OF THE MEETING THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BEGINNING AT 9:00 A.M.   THIS MEETING WILL BE A DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE CITY COULD SAVE MONEY.  EVERYONE IS INVITED TO THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP BUT ONLY TO OBSERVE.

COUNCILADY GOODMAN EXPRESSED HER CONCERN WITH THE CLOSING OF THE CASTLE THEATER.  SHE ASKED THAT ALL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY BE SET ASIDE AND A NEW DIRECTOR BE HIRED AT E D C THAT CAN GO OUT AND DRAW BUSINESSES TO THE CASTLE, SO WE CAN PRESERVE IT.

        COUNCILMAN KOGER SAID HE THOUGHT IT SHOCKED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO FIND OUT THAT THE GROUND THE CASTLE THEATER IS ON BELONGS TO RILEY HOSPITAL.

        COUNCILMAN KIDD SAID THAT HOPE INITIATIVE WAS LOOKING INTO THIS.

        DR. KATHY HAMILTON, OF THE COMMUNITY GROUP HOPE INITIATIVE, SAID THAT THE CITY SHOULD TRY TO PURSUE A MODERN THEATER ON THE LAND THAT KERASOTES SHOWPLACE THEATERS IS SAID TO OWN NEAR THE YMCA.  SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE CASTLE COULD BE TURNED INTO A PLACE TO SHOW VINTAGE MOVIES.

        MAYOR SMALL SAID HE WAS WRITING LETTERS TO A M C ENTERTAINMENT AND RILEY HOSPITAL.  HE SAID THERE IS A GROUP OF LOCAL CITIZENS THAT ARE WILLING TO BAN TOGETHER TO FORM AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD TAKE OVER THE THEATER.  HE SAID AS SOON AS HE HEARS BACK FROM MR. YOCKEY AND THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE, WE WILL FIND OUT THE OVER ALL EXPENSES WILL BE.  THEN GET A FEEL OF WHAT IT WILL COST TO RUN IT.  THERE IS STILL HOPE WE WILL HAVE A FIRST RUN MOVIE THEATER THERE. 

        GREG YORK SAID THAT THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THE YMCA HAS BEEN BOUGHT AND PAID FOR AND THE PROMISE OF A MOVIE THEATER WILL BE BUILT THERE BY KERASOTES.

COUNCILADY MALONE THANKED STREET COMMISSIONER AYERS FOR TAKING CARE OF A TRASH PROBLEM IN HER WARD.

PUBLIC:

DR. KATHY HAMILTON GAVE AN UPDATE ON HOPE INITIATIVE.

FEBRUARY 20TH, A MEETING ON POVERTY ISSUES AND A GRANT FILED.

MAY 5^TH, CLEAN UP DAY.  SHE SAID THEY WERE LOOKING INTO A DESIRE OF HAVING VICTORY GARDENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.  SHE SAID LAND WAS NEEDED.

LARRY CONN, 21^ST AND BROAD, APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE TRAFFIC SITUATION IN FRONT OF HIS BUSINESS.  A POSSIBLE TRAFFIC LIGHT COULD BE INSTALLED.  HE WILL CONTACT SUE HALL WITH INDOT AND DO A SIGNAL SURVEY.

MR. CONN ALSO DISCUSSED THE HOUSE SOUTH OF HIS BUSINESS AS AN EYE SORE AND A FIRE HAZARD.  HE ALSO TOLD ABOUT DRUGS BEING SOLD FROM THE HOUSE.  MR. CONN WAS TO TALK WITH ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF ULLERY AFTER THE MEETING.

DALE COLE THANKED THE COUNCIL FOR THE LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNION HALL.  HE SAID AN ANSWER WAS RECEIVED. 

PRESIDENT YORK MOVED FOR ADJOURNMENT.

COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND.