August 22, 2021 at 11:16 p.m.
Town Council Meeting August 17, 2021
Council President Jerry Bragg was quarantining due to COVID exposure. He called in over speakerphone for the meeting. All council members wore masks. Everyone in attendance was also masked.
John Walstad led the meeting in Jerry’s absence. He called the meeting to order with a reminder to silence all mobile devices and the opening prayer and pledge of allegiance.
First on the agenda was the approval of the 06/15/21 minutes. Ed made a motion to pass them; Jerry seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.
The second item on the agenda was the approval of claims. Diane Burton presented an additional bill of $600.00 from town lawyer Scott Andrews. $300 would be applied to general, $120.00 to water and $120.00 to sewer. Jerry motioned to pass it; Ed seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.
Council then moved on to old business. Tony Akles from Strand & Associates gave an update on the Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG.) Robertson paving completed the paving Saturday. He is waiting on the final tickets so Frank Owens may submit them to INDOT. They were right on the numbers estimated. Clyde commented the paving looked nice. Ed Johnson commented the skateboarders would like it.
Akles said there had been no word on the award of the second round of paving grants. The announcement had been pushed back until August 27th.
He had no comment on the Goshen Meadows Pump Station Project.
Council then moved on to new business. Victoria Bechert from ARA presented OCRA’S (Office of Community and Rural Affairs) Owner Occupied Housing Rehab Program. Applications for the program are due by Friday, August 27th. A public hearing was held last week. Seven applications have already been received. Bechart asked for a resolution declaring Jerry as the signatory and committing the town to a $25,000.00 match. Clyde made the motion and Ed seconded it. It passed 5 – 0.
Victoria then presented a letter for the town council president to sign off on the income survey to get that process started on the proposed Aikin Street storm drain project. SWIF (State Water Infrastructure Funds) funds require an income survey.
Council then moved on the park requests. Joe Chambers was first with a request for another RC drag race on September 19th. He would need the street blocked off at 11:00 to set up with the race occurring at noon. He also asked for October third as a secondary date. He stated he had great feedback from the participants, and they were eager for another race. Clyde motioned to approve both dates with John seconding the motion. It passed 5 – 0.
Whitney Budd then presented a park request from Students’ Fund of Hope for their annual movie night. Activities would start at 6:00 with the movie Coco starting at dusk. There would be folklore dancers on the bandstand a possibly a mariachi band. She expected a few hundred people to attend. Clyde motioned to approve the request. Ed seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.
Diane Burton then presented the 2022 town budget. She stated the public hearing would be held on September 21, 2021 at 5:30. The budget adoption will be at the October 19, 2021 meeting. She distributed budget folders and reviewed them with the council. Burton reminded them the notice to taxpayers must be posted by the end of the moth if they saw a needed increase. Budget recommendations included a three percent increase to salaries budgeted. The savings plan was also included. The general fund also included the new town hall fund cost from the $70,00.00 received last from COVID funds. It will be available to use for that next year if the council wishes. NVH restricted upped the paving to $40,000.00 to approve paving in process at the moment. She met with the Department of Local Government Finance on August 9th and they approved the budget. The town would be requesting the maximum levy for a budget for the year. Clyde questioned the increased park salary portion of the budget. Burton stated it was for paying salaries from park. It was to be more fair to the utilities and water and sewer funds as those employees did a lot for the park.
Council then moved on to the town manager’s report from Frank Owens. His first item was a request for a new Christmas tree and garland for the bandstand. He requested a 7-1/2’ foot Olympic pine with 1250 LED lights and new 9’ garland sections 14” around with LED lights from a company in Georgia. There would be no sales tax with a total of $1,550.00 for the tree and nine sets of garland plus estimated shipping of $250.00. He acknowledged it was expensive but said the quality was high. John asked if he could get free shipping. Ohmer asked what happened to the guy who was doing the lights and the music. He wanted to know where the tree would go and asked if it would be in addition to the lights already used on the bandstand. Clyde brought up a concern with pre-lit trees only lasting a two years when they were outside. Clyde also didn’t see how the tree would be anchored against the wind. Garland sections could be replaced but not sections of the tree. He said no on the tree as the light sections that went bad would have to be cut out. Frank Owens replied the LED lights were a different technology and would stay lit if one blub went out. Owens also stated the tree and garland themselves had a ten-year warranty and the lights had a three-year warranty. Clyde also expressed concerns with storing the tree and not breaking lights when the tree was put away. Ohmer asked where the tree would be stored. David Clouse stated the current tree was stored inside the shelter house. It was two pieces and folded over and is anchored down with guy wires. The steps of the bandstand were blocked off to keep anyone from messing with it. Ed expressed they would need a good storage space for a new tree. John felt like it was a lot of money. No motion was made, and the matter died.
Owens then moved on to a request for a EV (electronic vehicle) charging station. He sought out the most economical and sensible option and went with a company called Clear Creek out of Colorado. A dual pedestal unit would cost $4,476.00 with $180.00 shipping. It would be free to the public but could be set up to charge later. Ed asked what it would cost to install the card reader. He wanted that information before council proceeded. Clyde asked if it came with a Tesla adapter. Frank stated it would work with all other cars and all Teslas came with an adapter that could be used with this charging station. It is a forty-eight amp charging unit which is the current maximum. John asked about the warranty. Frank stated it was five years. Clyde claims he read an article that says any community that does not have one is missing out on economic development. Frank stated North Vernon is working on getting one and Shelbyville already has one. David asked what kind of amps it required and if our electrical boxes would handle it. Frank said they would. Ohmer asked what the total cost would be, 5K? Clyde asked who would mount it. Frank replied an electrician would wire it. Ohmer stated the community should look at this hard, but some of the businesses should participate too as it would benefit them. He suggested businesses pay a portion of the cost. Frank stated businesses were supportive of it, but he had not talked to them about financially supporting it. Ed felt it should be self-supporting with a card reader. Frank countered that units that charged a fee did not get used as often as units that did not charge. He felt the unit should be free at first, then move to charging later. Clyde felt the town should invest now and charge in the future. Clyde motioned to proceed with installing a EV charging unit. Jerry seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.
Mr. Owens then moved on to the door and frame replacement on town hall. He stated the contractor with the lowest bid could not complete the work within thirty days. He wanted to go with the next lowest bid from Andy Bruner. Ed moved to use Andy Bruner instead, Jerry seconded the motion. It passed 5 -0.
Dumpsters for town clean-up day where then discussed. Frank had called three places for estimates on thirty- and forty-yard dumpsters. Best Way has $25.00 charges plus $39.00 per ton with no fuel charge. Rumpke is the second best depending on the size of the dumpster. Kroot will have dumpsters for scrap. Dumpster size and the number of dumpsters needed was then discussed. Three forty-yard dumpsters have been filled at the last two pickups. Clyde asked when the last time we hosted a pick-up was. He anticipated more stuff this time and thought we would need four dumpsters. Compton asked David Clouse his opinion. Clouse said the Community Center filled four dumpsters when they held clean-up day. Or an additional dumpster could be called in for if three were filled. Clyde motioned for three forty-yard dumpsters and a thirty-yard from Best Way. Ed seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
Council then moved on to questions and public comments. Clyde asked about the damaged picnic table in the shelter house. He asked how it was damaged and if kids were responsible? Matt did not see anywhere on the camera recordings where it was damaged. David thought the boards just became loose from being picked up and moved around. Compton then asked where the new picnic tables that had been ordered in December from Indiana Custom Fab where? Had there been any updates on them. David replied there had been a hold up in material due to the increase in steel prices. Steel had doubled in cost from the time was quote was made. The last David had heard all the material were in. He commented the inserts for the flower boxes looked excellent. Ed commented he just though they were running behind as the bench for the schoolhouse dedication was not delivered until 11:00 the night before. Frank Owens said he would call and check on the status.
Ed wanted to thank David and his crew for working hard on Norman park. It looks nice and things were beginning to come together.
Meeting was adjourned.
