City Council Meeting Minutes - 8/16/2010
COMMON COUNCIL
AUGUST 16, 2010 7:00 P.M.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.
PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY PASTOR ADRIANE CURTIS, TRINITY/SALEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
MAYOR SMALL OPENED THE 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 AUGUST 16, 2010 AS
"DAVID JOHNSON DAY" IN THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE. MR. JOHNSON IS BEING HONORED FOR HIS HEROIC EFFORTS, ENTERING A BURNING BUILDING AT 116 NORTH 18TH STREET AND SAVING SEVEN PEOPLE.
DAVID JOHNSON WAS GIVEN A STANDING OVATION. HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE PRESENT AS HE RECEIVED THIS HONOR.
THE FIRE WAS IN A HOME WHERE SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE CONN FAMILY LIVED. LARRY CONN THANKED MR. JOHNSON FOR HIS COURAGE AND BRAVERY.
BUSINESS:
PRESIDENT YORK MADE THE MOTION TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING. COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND
DISCUSSION:
COUNCILMAN REID PRESENTED A HANDOUT TO THE COUNCIL; THE PROPOSED PLAN WOULD ACTUALLY SPEND ABOUT $170,000.00 LESS THAN THE $13 MILLION THAT IS ESTIMATED. HE SAID THE FIGURES SHOWED NOT ONLY OUR ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, BUT WE CAN ANTICIPATE WHERE WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS. IT ALSO SHOWS AN ACCOUNTING OF ABOUT A 1.6 MILLION DOLLAR ESTIMATED CIRCUIT BREAKER. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF CORRECTIONS IN THE HANDOUT, THE CCI AND CCD TURNED OUT TO BE BIGGER THAN WHAT IS ON HERE AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING. HE SAID THE TOTAL OPERATING RECEIPTS, ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THE HANDOUT, THERE IS A $13,044,240.00. THE PROPOSED SPENDING PLAN IS ABOUT $12,869,898.00. LOOKING AT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, THE FIGURE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED TO ABOUT 13.1. WE ARE GOING TO END UP WITH MORE RECEIPTS AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR THE PROPERTY TAX CAPS THAN WHAT WE ARE SPENDING. THIS WILL HELP US ALREADY PRE-ANTICIPATE OF WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING WITH THE TAX CAPS THIS YEAR AND IS GOING TO GIVE THE CITY A LITTLE MORE POSITIVE CASH BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS WILL HELP MAYBE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS, EVENTUALLY, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH CASH REVENUE BUILT UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHERE WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE SHORT TERM LOANS. HE SAID THE CITY NEEDS, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, TO HAVE BETWEEN 2 AND 3 MILLION DOLLARS ON HAND, TO REALLY BE SAFE WITH ITS CASH AND WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH ONLY A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON HAND, OR LESS, SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BUT WORKING WITH A COMPANY, UMBAUGH, THAT IS ALL THEY DO IS GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND THAT IS HELPING THE CITY.
ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE. PASSED AND ORDERED.
COUNCILMAN KIDD.ASKED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE 2-2HR. PARKING SIGNS AT THE MUSIC STORE ON SOUTH 14TH STREET AND THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AT THE INTERSECTION OF C AVE. AND GRAND AVE.
THE 2- HR. SIGNS HAVE BEEN PUT UP BY THE STREET DEPARTMENT.
COUNCILMAN REID SAID WHEN HE DRIVES BY THE MUSIC STORE, THERE IS A FOR SALE SIGN UP.
PRESIDENT YORK SAID WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE STATING AS LONG AS THERE WAS A BUSINESS IN THERE, THE SIGNS WOULD STAY THERE.
COUNCILMAN KIDD ASKED ABOUT A SIGN BETWEEN NORTH 20TH STREET AND REDDINGDALE DRIVE, AND BETWEEN BROAD ST. AND SPRING ST. HE SAID HE HAD A CALL FROM JOE LEE WHO ASKED FOR THE SIGN. THE STREET DEPARTMENT WILL PUT UP SIGN- CAUTION: PERSON.
COUNCILMAN KOGER THANKED MAYOR SMALL AND CARY PLUMMER FOR THE TIME THEY TOOK TALKING WITH COUNCILMAN REID AND HIMSELF ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED AT THE BOARD OF WORKS. COUNCILMAN REID SAID HE SECOND THAT.
COUNCILMAN REID ASKED IF THE CITY COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE STATE TRANSPORTATION. AT 3 AND 38, GOING SOUTH, THE LANES NEED TO BE REPAINTED. THE STRIPPING IS GONE AND THIS COULD CAUSE A BAD ACCIDENT.
COUNCILMAN REID ASKED ABOUT THE DEAF CHILD SIGN UP?
TERESA KING SAID THERE IS A STOP SIGN AT 9TH AND SPRING. THERE IS NO DEAF CHILD THERE. THERE IS A SIGN DEAF CHILD BETWEEN 6TH AND 7TH ON SPRING. THE STOP SING NEEDS TO BE MOVED DOWN.
MAYOR SMALL SAID, IN THE BUDGET, IT ALLOWS FOR US TO BRING BACK 2 PEOPLE THAT ARE LAID OFF. A THIRD GROUNDS KEEPER AT THE CEMETERY AND A CLERK TO ANITA ABRELL, WHO HAS BEEN SO OVER BURDEN. AN APPLAUSE WAS GIVEN FOR ANITA. HE SAID THAT WOULD BRING 5 LAID OFF EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK. HE SAID THE 2 JUNIOR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AT THE PARKS.
TERESA KING, 714 SPRING, SAID THIS WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE STOP SIGN AT 9TH AND SPRING. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND DOWN THAT STREET DON'T KNOW THAT STOP SIGN IS THERE. SHE ASKED THAT MAYBE A 4-WAY STOP MIGHT BE PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET UNTIL PEOPLE GET USE TO THE STOP SIGN.
COUNCILMAN REID SAID HE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE POLICE CHIEF THAT THE ONE BIG SIGN THAT GOES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, IS TOO LARGE FOR THAT AREA. IT WOULD TAKE UP TO MUCH OF THE ROAD AND POSE DANGER TO TRAFFIC. THEY SET CONES OUT.
MS. KING SAID YES, FOR 1 DAY.
THE POLICE WILL PATROL MORE.
NORMA DISHMAN ASKED THAT SOME PAINTING BE DONE AT INTERSECTIONS. THIS WOULD ALERT THE DRIVER. SHE ALSO ASKED THAT THE WEEDS BE CUT ALONG NORTH 11TH STREET AND WOODWARD AVE. TRAFFIC HAZARD.
MR. HALE. 1316 STATE RD. #36, SAID HE OWNS APARTMENTS IN NEW CASTLE AND WAS WANTING THE ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT RENTERS PAY FOR TRASH PICK UP, NOT THE LANDLORDS. HE SAID THOSE THAT ARE RENTING SHOULD BE BILLED SINCE THEY RECEIVE THE SERVICE.
COUNCILMAN KOGER ASKED IF THE RENTERS PAID THE UTILITIES.
THE ANSWER WAS YES.
COUNCILMAN KOGER SAID THEN THE RENTERS WILL PAY FOR TRASH PICK UP ON THEIR SEWER/WATER UTILITY BILL. HE SAID HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMPLAINT WAS.
COUNCILMAN REID SAID THAT HE AND THE UTILITIES MANAGER PLUMMER AND THE MAYOR HAVE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE TRASH ORDINANCE. HE SAID WITH THE SEWER BILL, WE BILL THE RENTER FIRST AND IF THEY DON'T PAY, THE LANDLORD GETS THE BILL.
MANAGER PLUMMER SAID THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE.
ATTORNEY COPENHAVER SAID THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATER AND THIS, FUNDAMENTALLY APPARENT. THIS IS A SERVICE. THIS IS LIKE YOUR SANITARY SEWER. ONE IS SOLID WASTE AND THE OTHER IS LIQUID WASTE. THOSE ARE SERVICES TO THE REAL ESTATE. BY STATUTE, THOSE ARE SERVICES TO THE PROPERTY. THEY ARE SEWER OBLIGATIONS. IF THEY ARE NOT PAID, THEY BECOME A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO BILL YOU. THE CITY HAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS, IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, AND YOU8 WANT US TO SEND THE BILL TO, AND IT IS A ONE HOUSEHOLD USER, WE CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO SEND THE BILL TO THE TENANT. THE 3END RESULT, IF THEY DON'T PAY IT, THERE WILL BE A LIEN PUT ON THE PROPERTY AND YOU WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. THAT IS BY STATUTE. WHEN WE SET THIS UP, THE STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS TOLD US THAT THIS DONE ALL OVER THE STATE. THAT IS THE ISSUE. IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WATER. WATER IS A COMMODITY. THAT BY STATE LAW IS BILLED TO THE USER WHO RECEIVES THE COMMODITY. IF THEY DON'T PAY THEIR WATER BILL, IT DOES NOT BECOME A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, BY STATUTE. THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEWAGE AND SOLID WASTE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND WATER PROVIDERS. THAT IS STATE LAW. THIS COUNCIL DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE.
LARRY CONN SAID SINCE THE RELOCATION OF SOME OF HIS FAMILY SINCE THE FIRE, HE SAID WHERE THEY HAVE MOVED, THE STREET LIGHTS ARE OUT. HE WANTED THIS CHECKED OUT FOR SAFETY ISSUES.
COUNCILMAN REID SAID FOR MR. CONN TO CONTACT THE MAYORS ASSISTANT JEAN ANN HILL AND GIVE HER THE ADDRESSES WHERE THESE LIGHTS ARE LOCATED. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT MR. CONN CALL DUKE ENERGY FOR ASSISTANCE.
MAYOR SMALL SAID THAT I C A P, HAS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT OVER IN STIMULUS MONEY AND THEY HAVE TO SPEND IT BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THEY HAVE APPROACHED THE CITY TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYWAY THEY COULD HELP US WITH THE DEMOLITION OF HOUSES. MAYOR SMALL SAID YES. I C A P WILL PROVIDE THE DUMPSTERS. THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPENSE IN DEMOLITION. THE CITY WILL PROVIDE THE LABOR FOR DEMOLITION. IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, THERE WILL BE THREE HOUSES AND A GARAGE TORN DOWN. ALSO, THROUGH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, MR. PLUMMER, WORKING WITH HOPE INITIATIVE, THEY ARE TEARING DOWN A HOUSE USING THE DUMPSTERS
PROVIDED BY I C A P. WE THANK I C A P.
PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO ADJOURN.
