City Council Meeting Minutes - 2/7/2011
COMMON COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 7, 2011 7:00 P.M.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.
PRAYER WAS GIVEN BY PASTOR DON RAINES, PILGRIM HOLINESS 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 PRESENTED THE STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE. HE WAS GIVEN A STANDING OVATION FOR ALL HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT IS TO COME THIS YEAR BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE. THE STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE IS INCLUDED ON THE BACK OF THESE MINUTES.
PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO RE-APPOINT MARK STAMPER TO THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, THE COUNCIL'S APPOINTEE. COUNCILMAN REID: SECOND
COUNCILMAN REID SAID HE THOUGHT WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT THE COUNTY DOES. HE SAID WE NEEDED TO ADVERTISE THE VARIOUS APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME OPEN DURING THE YEAR AND TRY TO GET A POLL OF PEOPLE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO MOVE PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE JOB, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A BAD JOB BUT YOU GET FRESH IDEAS.
ATTORNEY COPENHAVER CAUTIONED THE COUNCIL, THESE ARE VOLUNTEERS. HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT COUNCILMAN REID WANTED TO DO BUT IT WASN'T POLITE TO ASK PEOPLE TO GIVE THEIR TIME AS VOLUNTEERS AND THEN SAY, WE DON'T WANT YOU. HE SAID TO KEEP THIS IN MIND. HE SAID HE WAS SURE THAT IF THE COUNCIL HAD SOMEONE ELSE IN MIND FOR THAT POSITION, ATTORNEY STAMPER WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SAY LET THEM HAVE IT.
COUNCILMAN REID SAID HE KNEW THAT COULD BE A SENSITIVE ISSUE BUT HE ALSO KNEW THAT HAVING TERM LIMITS TENDS TO KEEP A GROUP MORE VIBRANT AND HE THOUGHT THE SAME SHOULD BE WITH THESE POSITIONS ALSO.
ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE. PASSED AND ORDERED.
ROLL CALL VOTE: SIX VOTES AYE. PASSED AND ORDERED.
ATTORNEY MARTIN SHIELDS ANNOUNCED THAT AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN R E M C AND FASTENAL HAD BEEN FINALIZED.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
PRESIDENT YORK ASKED ABOUT THE BUILDING ON I AVENUE WHICH SHE HAD ASKED ABOUT BEFORE AND WHAT WAS BEING DONE ABOUT IT.
BUILDING COMMISSIONER HALL SAID THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING ARE TO BE IN COURT NEXT MONDAY.
COUNCILMAN REID ASKED ABOUT THE SINK HOLES IN THE STREETS. HE ASKED IF THE STREET DEPARTMENT HAD ANY BARRIERS WITH LIGHTS. HE SAID HE HAD ALMOST HIT A COUPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE ROADWAY AND COULD NOT BE SEEN AT NIGHT.
MAYOR SMALL READ A LETTER FROM AN INDIVIDUAL, PRAISING THE CITY EMPLOYEES ON WHAT A GOOD JOB THEY DID WITH SNOW REMOVAL ON THE STREETS.
PUBLIC:
NOEL BLEVINS, UAW, THANKED THE MAYOR FOR HIS EFFORTS IN TRYING TO GET AMERICAN MADE JOBS IN THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE. HE SAID HE WASN'T PREACHING UNION JOBS, HE DIDN'T CARE AS LONG AS WE CAN GET WORK FOR PEOPLE.
PRESIDENT YORK MOVED TO ADJOURN.
COUNCILMAN KOGER: SECOND
