The Ellettsville, Indiana, Town Council met in regular session at 7:30 PM, Monday, February 11, 2002 at the Town Hall. David Sorokoty called the meeting to order and Jerry Pittsford led in prayer. David Drake led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call
David Sorokoty asked for roll call of the Council Members. Members present were David Sorokoty, David Drake, Michael Cornman, Jerry Pittsford and Geraldine McIntyre. Also present were Sandra Hash, Clerk-Treasurer and Mike Spencer, Town Attorney.
Approval of Minutes of
the last four meetings
David asked for a motion to approve the minutes. Geraldine McIntyre moved to accept the
minutes of the regular meeting of January 28th and the special
meetings of January 31st, February 4th and February 6th,
2002. David Drake seconded. Motion carried.
Open bids for an
Electrical Contractor for the underground utilities reconnect services along
Highway 46.
Rick Coppock explained that the reconnecting of services would not cost
the property owners, but would be part of the project expense. Cassady Electric was the only Company who
submitted a bid. Mike Spencer opened
the bid and read it to the Council. The
bid was for $129,995.00 payable per
connection with a bid bond of 5%. Rick said this was close to
the original estimate of $120,000.00 for the project. He also said that sixty-five residential and five commercial
structures were affected by this project according to Cinergy. Mike Spencer explained the bid gave the cost
of each residential reconnect as $1,843.00 estimating sixty-five
reconnects. The cost of each commercial
reconnect is $3,400.00 estimating three reconnects. Rick Coppock and Mike Spencer will review the bid more thoroughly
and bring it to the next Council Meeting for approval if the bid is acceptable.
Open bids for the sale of
the Street Department’s surplus leaf loader
Jim Ragle received only one bid for the leaf loader. Mike Spencer opened the bid and read the
amount offered of $3,500.00 from Mike Deckard.
Jim would like to accept the bid.
Jerry Pittsford moved to accept Mike Deckard’s bid of $3,500.00. Geraldine McIntyre seconded. Motion carried.
Ordinances on First
Reading
Ordinance 02-03 to establish
a fund for Fire Truck payments from the Richland Township Trustee
David Drake read by title.
David Drake made a motion that Ordinance 02-03 be submitted for first
reading. Geraldine McIntyre
seconded. Sandy Hash explained that the
Fire Department and Don Lewis, Richland Township Trustee have an agreement for
the purchase of the 1999 Pierce Fire Truck.
Don Lewis pays the township’s share of the truck payments to the town
and it is combined with the town’s payment and forwarded to Bank One. Previously the money was receipted into the
Volunteer Fire Department Fund. The
creation of a fire truck payment fund will clarify the procedure and isolate
the payments toward the fire truck.
Motion carried with Mike Cornman abstaining. David Drake moved that Ordinance 02-03 be adopted on the same day
as introduced. Geraldine McIntyre
seconded. Motion carried with Mike
Cornman abstaining. Mike Spencer
explained the requirement of a unanimous vote to pass an Ordinance on the first
reading. Mike Cornman’s abstention
prevented executing the motion. The
motion was withdrawn. The ordinance
will be completed at the next meeting.
Resolutions
Resolution 02-02 to amend
the “Town of Ellettsville Flexible Benefits Plan”
Jerry Pittsford read by title.
David Sorokoty requested Sandy Hash to explain the plan. Sandy explained the plan is already in place
for the Town (started in 1995) and it is called the “cafeteria plan” or
“section 125” which allows health insurance and life insurance premiums to be
paid on a pre tax basis. Benefits Plus,
a company we contract with to review and maintain our policy, submitted the
changes required for the upcoming year.
Jerry Pittsford moved for approval of resolution 02-02, David Drake
seconded. Motion carried with Mike
Cornman abstaining. Mike Spencer
brought the phrase “all the members” in the first paragraph of the resolution
to the Council’s attention since Mike Cornman abstained. Jerry Pittsford withdrew his original motion
and David Drake withdrew his second.
Mike Spencer revised the first paragraph to read, “Be it resolved the
Council of the Town of Ellettsville hereby adopts the following resolution and
directs that this action be entered in the minutes books.” Jerry Pittsford moved to amend the first
paragraph of this resolution. David
Drake seconded. Motion carried with
Mike Cornman abstaining. Jerry
Pittsford moved for the approval of Resolution 02-02 as amended. Geraldine McIntyre seconded. Motion carried with Mike Cornman abstaining.
Ordinances on Second
Reading
Ordinance 02-02 to establish
a fund for the Fall Festival Build Indiana Grant
Mike Cornman read by title.
David Drake made a motion to adopt Ordinance 02-02. Jerry Pittsford seconded. Sandy explained the need for a fund for the
Fall Festival Build Indiana Grant.
Motion carried.
Old Business None
New Business
Contract between the Town of
Ellettsville and Michael J. Spencer, Attorney
Mike Spencer explained that the new contract increased the hourly rate
from $115.00 to $120.00 for senior attorneys, the associate’s rates from $90.00
to $110.00, and the legal assistant’s rate from $45.00 to $50.00. Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to accept
the new contract between the Town and Mike Spencer. Mike Cornman seconded.
Motion carried.
Purchase of permanent and
temporary easement and right of way on lot #79 of Sharps II Addition
Rick Coppock explained that this was to purchase right of way at the
southwest corner of Main and Matthews.
The State has no plans to purchase the right of way. Matthews Drive will need to be widened for a
9’ easement and also the drainage pipe system will need to be replaced. The $5.000.00 for the purchase would be
taken from the existing budget.
Geraldine McIntyre moved to purchase the permanent and temporary
easement and right of way on lot #79.
Mike Cornman seconded. Motion
carried.
Transfer authority to Park
and Recreation Board of the proposed park on the Well Property
David Sorokoty explained that currently the Town of Ellettsville owns
the Well Site property and that the first half of the property has already been
annexed into the
Town. David said that Rick
Coppock would be able to start working on annexing the second half of the
property. Mike Cornman moved to
transfer the jurisdiction of
the Well Property from the Town of Ellettsville to the Park Board. Jerry Pittsford seconded. Motion carried.
Proposed purchase of 615 and
621 West Main Street, land for a proposed Government Center
Jerry Pittsford contacted both owners and said the homes had both been
appraised for an average price of $47,000.00 each. The money for the purchase will be taken out of the Build Indiana
Fund Grant. Jerry Pittsford stated that
if the Council approves to purchase these properties, the owners could either
choose to accept or decline the offer.
The owners are not required to sell.
David Sorokoty asked Jerry Pittsford to be the Town’s acting agent in
this situation and he accepted. There
was discussion on using the land as a possible location for a new Government
Center. Geraldine McIntyre moved to
offer to purchase these properties.
David Drake seconded. Motion
carried.
Hiring of New Administrative
Assistant
David Drake explained the interviewing process was complete for the
position of Administrative Assistant and made the motion to hire Deborah
Hudson. Geraldine McIntyre
seconded. David Drake, Jerry Pittsford
and David Sorokoty spoke on Deborah’s qualifications and experience. David Sorokoty thanked the Council for all
of their extra effort in attending meetings and work sessions to fill this
position. Deborah will be in her office
at the Town Hall on Mondays and Thursdays with a third floating day. Motion carried.
Action to pay Accounts
Payable Vouchers
Mike Cornman made a motion to approve the accounts payable vouchers
with the exception of #63, which was, withdrawn. David Drake seconded.
Motion carried.
Supervisor’s comments
Jim Davis – Requested that Full-time Fire Fighter
Jeremy Luther receive his first raise.
Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to approve Jeremy’s raise. David Drake seconded. Motion carried with Mike Cornman abstaining.
Sandy Hash – Explained Cheryl Terry with the May
Agency is concerned about COBRA. Cheryl
forwarded a quote for $800.00 from a COBRA compliance company to assist the
Town in the required COBRA enforcement.
Sandy said she will discuss this issue with Deborah, the new
Administrative Assistant.
Two proposals have been received on re-codification of the Town Code.
Mike Cornman requested one or more Council members meet with Sandy to review
both proposals. Mike Cornman agreed to
review them with her.
Geraldine McIntyre – Thanked each Council member for their
hard work on choosing a new Administrative Assistant.
Jerry Pittsford – Also expressed his appreciation to the
Council for choosing Deborah.
He explained that Mike Cornman and himself met with Vi Simpson and IDEM
regarding the capacity letters that required the Town Council members’
signatures that they refused to sign last summer. A level of agreement has been reached and we now have
clarification on the request. He thanked Vi Simpson for arranging this meeting.
Mike Cornman – Thanked the Council for all of the effort
in hiring the new Administrative Assistant because he thinks it is a step in
the right direction.
David Drake – Commented he is glad to see the community
taking interest in using existing buildings in the Town such as the old Peoples
State Bank and Thrasher’s Market. He
also said he would like to see the old Third Base Lounge, the Harley-Davidson and
Robinson Block buildings put to use as well.
David Sorokoty – Said the Council had received forty-five
applications for the Administrative position and thanked those people for
applying. He also said that he was
pleased with the Council’s choice of Deborah.
He thanked the Council for all their effort throughout the hiring of
this position.
He also thanked the Police Department for the traffic stop on Highway
46 that was in the Journal.
He explained that the Parks Board and himself had walked through the
Well Site Property and discussed ideas for the Park’s future.
David informed the Council that there would be a Fall Festival
Committee meeting February 12th at 7:00 pm at the Richland-Bean
Blossom Health Care Center located at 5911 W. State Rd. 46. He said there would not be a Fall Festival
this year because of the lack of volunteers and it was not due to the Highway
46 construction.
David will be attending the IACT legislative conference in Indy
tomorrow and Wednesday.
Privilege of the Floor
Ed Bitner – Asked about the new Administrative Assistant job and the
Clerk’s office duties and how the responsibilities are distributed and the
Council members explained the reason for the new position.
Adjournment
Jerry Pittsford moved to adjourn and Mike Cornman seconded. Motion carried. Adjourned at 8:38 p. m.
_____________________________ __________________________
David Sorokoty, President David Drake, Vice President
_____________________________ __________________________
Mike Cornman Jerry Pittsford
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Geraldine McIntyre Sandra C. Hash
Clerk-Treasurer