November Town Council Meeting

Town Council Meeting November 16, 2021

The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance led by council president Jerry Bragg. 

The first item on the agenda was the approval of the minutes from 10/19/2021.  They were passed 5 – 0 with John Walstad making the motion to approve and Ed Johnson seconding it. 

Council then passed the claims 5 – 0 with Clyde Compton making the motion and John Walstad seconding it. 

Council then moved on to old business.  The CCMG 2021-02 update was first on the agenda.  It was presented by Steve Robertson of Strand & Associates.   The town was awarded $106,416.75.  Mr. Robertson asked how involved the wanted Strand to be in the process.  Strand’s cost would be in the $3,000.00 to $3,500.00 range.  Ohmer, Clyde and Ed all stated they wanted Strand to be responsible for coordinating the projects and getting quotes. 

Mr. Robertson reminded council that December first was the deadline for submitting the road inventory.  Frank or Ohmer had previously agreed to submit it.  Ohmer would need to submit it at council’s request. 

Andrew Hunt then presented a dental and vision insurance renewal.  The pricing was to stay the same with the current provider Paramount.  He also offered a cheaper option from provider Eyemed. He left the dental for them to review.  Clyde motion to stay where they were.  Ed seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0. 

The next item on the agenda was a Main Street of Hope update and a park request from Matt Lee.  He shared Main Street had met its goal of adding more voting members.  Membership is now up to twelve voting members from five.  All officers’ positions have been filled, and the new bylaws have been created and are up for board approval on December 5^th.  A Junior Main Street division has also been created with representatives from the high school.   The historic walk will be finished up on the spring.  The next event will be the breakfast with Santa on November 27^th.  All two hundred tickets sold out very quickly.  Ten new events are planned for 2022.  One will be in collaboration with the Greensburg and Rushville Main Street. 

Jason Eckart then moved on to the cruise-ins.  He shared they had their most successful year yet with donations of $2,807.00.  Of that amount $1,522.50 was donated to local charities after cruise-in expenses.  The first event of the year is Groundhog Day scheduled for February 2, 2022.  He would like the cruise-ins to start again on May 6^th and run the first Friday of each month again. June 18^th will be a motorcycle ride event and cruise-in from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.  The end of the ride would be in Hope.  Night Owl Country band will play at the end with a headlining musician.  The fourth of July weekend cruise-in will be held in conjunction with the Yellow Trail Museum’s Old Fashioned Independence Day again.  July 16^th there will be a concert in the square and activities in collaboration with Greensburg and Rushville Main Streets.  The event will start in Rushville with breakfast with Main Street, followed by lunch in Greensburg with the ride finishing up in Hope.  You must take photos to prove you traveled the whole route.  The cruise-in on September 2^nd will be the final one.  Jason Eckart asked for permission to hold those dates for the events on the town square.  Ed asked if there were any conflicts with the dates.  There were not conflicts on the schedule currently.  Ohmer questioned the concert on the square until 10:00 p.m.     Jason stated he was willing to adjust the time.  Jerry Bragg asked the council members if they were okay with the time.  All of them were.  Ed made a motion to accept the schedule.  Clyde seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.  Jason then asked to close the east side of the square on Harrison Street for the cruise-ins.  Clyde recommended Pastor Ed ask for good weather at all of the events.

Council then moved on to the Fire Department Contract for services to the town of Hope for 2022.  Chad Emmit made the presentation.  The verbiage remained the same as in past years.  It asked for a $2,000.00 increase from last year.  The rise was due to an increase in the cost of equipment, fuel, and classes. The total contract showed a 2% increase and came in a total of $88,000.00.  Clyde motioned to accept the contract and John Walstad seconded the motion.  Ohmer had a comment, asking what the volunteer fire department was doing to fundraise for themselves in order to provide their vital service to the town.  Mr. Emmit stated they had held a fish fry at the fourth of July event, and they had a fish fry at Heritage Days.  The fourth of July fish fry went well, but the Heritage Days did not do as well due to a rise in cost of fish and breading.  The propane was also not donated this year and had to be purchased.  The department has also cut back by no longer filling swimming pools, reducing the amount of diesel fuel needed.  Ed Cottrell noted the department had three hundred and fifty runs in town this year.  The new contract was then passed 5 – 0.

Council then moved on to the 2022 Salary Ordinance second reading 2021-05.  It included a 2.5% increase to the flat rate plus an increase for the utilities on call hours, and a provision to add $500.00 to the animal control officer.  The animal control officer’s max pay rate will be $11.76.  Clyde made a motion to pass the ordinance with Ed seconding it.  It passed 5 – 0. 

Clyde Compton then presented an employee Christmas bonus.  He stated since the town employees and elected officials qualified as essential and had worked through the pandemic shutdown, they deserved a one-time bonus of $250.00 paid out of EDIT funds.  He asked the council to pass on the first reading so the funds could be received by Christmas.  In 2020 such a bonus was passed using funds reserved for the town Christmas party since there was no party due to COVID.  Diane stated ordinance 2021-06 must be amended to get this passed.  Clyde made a motion and John Walstad seconded it.  Ohmer Miller stated he was not comfortable with elected officials being included in this.  He felt they should be excluded.  Clyde would not change the motion and gave the option of turning down the bonus.  Ed felt the town workers deserved it, but not the elected officials.  Ohmer declined to the bonus, John voted yes, Ed declined the bonus, Jerry accepted, and Clyde accepted. John Walstad made a motion to pass the ordinance on the first reading.  Ohmer declined to vote, John Walstad voted yes, Ed voted no, Jerry voted yes, and Clyde voted yes.  The motion passed 3 -2. 

Council then moved on to the Christmas party.  Diane Burton requested funds for a Christmas party at the next meeting on 12/21/2021.  She asked for funds not to exceed $500.00 for the party out of the town promotion fund.  Ed made a motion to grant the funds; John seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0.

Diane Burton then moved on to metal inserts for the flower boxes.  She requested winter inserts.  The cost would be $40.00 for two for each side of the new flower boxes.  The inserts would be snowflakes and snowmen for winter.  The total cost would be $320.00 with a one-week delivery.  Ohmer commented the inserts should not be Christmas themed as that would be too much switching out.  David suggested we order spring themed inserts while the town was discussing it.  Ohmer motioned to spend $640.00 for winter and spring themed inserts.  Ed seconded the motion. It passed 5 – 0.

A employee handbook update was the next item on the agenda.  It would install the September meeting change of days to hours for specified sick and personal time off.  It was the first reading of the ordinance.  Ed motioned to accept the first reading and Clyde seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0. 

The next item on the agenda was the agreement with the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA) from Debbie Hatton presented by Diane Burton.  Part of the American Rescue plan, it would offer one time help for residents so they could avoid having their utilities shut off.  The guidelines were presented along with the comment the funding would come from outside the town.  Clyde motion to accept it.  Ohmer seconded the motion.  It passed 5 -0.  Ed asked how many delinquent accounts the town currently had.  Dave and Diane were not sure.  Pastor Ed asked if the ministerial association required the same agreement. 

The next item on the agenda was a meter installation agreement for Cedar Royal Enterprises.  They were requesting a water tap and sewer tap at 1123 Washington Street.  Clyde made a motion with John Walstad seconding it.  It passed 5 -0.

David Clouse then presented a quote for new utility lights. It would be to replace the garage light with LED lights.  Clyde motioned to approve it.  Ed seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0.

David Clouse then moved on to downtown improvements.  He asked for miscellaneous concrete and asphalt repair by Robertson paving while they were working on the west side of the square.  Clyde questioned where the money was coming form.  Part of it would come from stormwater funds and the rest would come out of EDIT funds.  John Walstad asked about getting a grant next year to cover the repairs.  Ed made a motion to approve the funds.  Clyde seconded the motion.  It passed 5 -0.

Frank Owens was not present at the meeting to give a town manager’s report.

The meeting was opened to public comment.  Pastor Ed Cottrell invited the town manager and David Clouse to a Christmas party at the Fire Department on December 18^th at 6:00. 

Jerry Bragg asked town council members about their availability for an executive session to get the Christmas bonus passed.  The meeting was set for the 22^nd at 5:30.