The Ellettsville, Indiana, Town Council met in a special session at 6:30 PM, Monday, June 23rd, 2003 at the Town Hall prior to the regular Council Meeting. David Sorokoty called the meeting to order.
Topic of Discussion: Capital Projects Financing Plan - This project
basically details the capital improvements that are needed or would benefit the
Town as a whole including a cost analysis and the impact it would have on the
taxpayer.
David Sorokoty read e-mail from David Drake stating he was unable to attend because he was at a conference but that he felt Option 1 has the best solution. He agreed that the Town should do separate bond issues for both the Fire and Police Stations but apply for them at the same time so it only gets added to the tax rate once.
Jim Davis presented the second draft floor plans for the new Fire Station explaining there would be drive through garage bays with the office and training / meeting area on one side and the living quarters on the other side. One bay is specifically for maintenance. The training room is approximately 26’ x 34’ with a fifty person occupancy. It will have a kitchenette and exits from the outside so rest of the station will be secured from public access when necessary. The agreement with the ambulance service states we will provide living quarters in exchange for their services, so their area is also included on the floor plans. A biohazard room and a separate laundry room for fire gear are included per National Fire Protection Agency recommendations. David DeGroote with Bloomington Hospital Ambulance Service has reviewed the plans and he likes them. The current building has been used for 40 years and has had three additions. The new station should be fine for the next thirty or more years unless Ellettsville would grow enormously then he would like to see a sub-station built and not change this station. The property is 268 feet wide so the building design may have to be altered a little to make it fit with everything we want to include. He closed by saying steel construction will be the least expensive to build.
John Stone, Sgt. representing Ron McGlocklin for the Police Department explained their progress on their new station. Walt Whitsik Engineering firm gave a proposal of $5,080 for soil evaluation testing to see if site is suitable for the foundation. They would be available to start within 5 to 10 days after receiving the okay to proceed.
Ray Freetage, liaison for the Police added the tentative plan is to have Sherm Bynum draw up the plans but another architect is being considered as well and the price to build the new station will be considerably less than a million dollars. The idea is to have 6,250 square feet. They will probably have plans in a couple of weeks for the Council to review.
Katherine Raver, H. J. Umbaugh,
commented
the final decision for which route to take was up to the Council but suggested
separate leases, separate bond issues for the Fire and Police Stations but with
the same time table to streamline things.
Since we will be doing leases, a couple of hearings will need to be held
and the Town will have to go before the State Tax Board in Indianapolis. They meet the 3rd Thursday of the
month and having both bond issues reviewed at the same time would save money
and time. H. J. Umbaugh needs to get an
idea on the total costs of the bonds needed.
Possible costs of the Police Station will be under 1 million and the
Fire Station will be under 1.5 million.
She pointed out the Council needs to discuss and decide tax rate and pay
off options. The length of the term
issued is typically 20 years; however, the interest rate grows with the life of
the bond. Therefore, if issued for 10
years then the interest rate will be cheaper overall but the tax rate per year
will increase. These are tax-exempt
bonds so the purchaser doesn’t have to pay tax on their interest earnings,
which typically lowers the interest rate.
Today’s market interest rate is around 4.75% but it varies according to
length of term issued, the interest stays lower on shorter terms. The interest rates will be fixed the day of
the sale for the life of the bond.
Jim Davis said the person
that drew up the foot print for the new fire station is the architect he would
like to have draw up the blue prints and requested permission from the Council
to employ his services. Sherm Bynum has
designed two fire stations in Bloomington.
Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to hire Bynum Fanyo to draw the blue
prints for the new Fire Station. Lisa
Creech seconded. Motion carried. He also
suggested meeting with the Council to
review if any changes are needed prior to the final blue prints.
David Sorokoty thanked Ms. Raver for
attending.
Meeting adjourned at 7:17 p. m.
__________________________________________________________________
The Ellettsville, Indiana, Town Council met
in regular session at 7:30 PM, Monday, June 23rd, 2003 at the Town
Hall. David Sorokoty called the meeting
to order. Ray Freetage led in
prayer. Geraldine McIntyre led in the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call
David Sorokoty asked for roll call of the Council Members. Members present were David Sorokoty, President; Lisa Combs-Creech, Ray Freetage and Geraldine McIntyre. Also present were Sandra Hash, Clerk-Treasurer; Mike Spencer, Attorney and Rick Coppock, Engineer. David Drake, Vice-President was absent.
Supervisors Present: Jim Davis, Jim Ragle, Ron McGlocklin, Jeff Farmer and Mike Farmer.
Approval of Minutes of
the regular meeting on June 9th, 2003
Lisa Creech moved to approve the June 9th minutes and
Geraldine McIntyre seconded. Motion
carried.
Action to pay Accounts
Payable Vouchers
Ray Freetage moved to approve all of the accounts payable vouchers
except item #19 – Cingular Wireless because it seems too high according to the
package proposal offered. Lisa Creech seconded.
Sandra Hash requested permission to pay the Cingular bill if it is
resolved instead of holding it until the next Council Meeting. The Council agreed she could. Motion carried.
Ordinances on Second Reading
Ordinance 03-11 Creating a donation fund for the Park and Recreation
Department
Ray Freetage read Ordinance 03-11in its entirety. Sandra Hash explained that the Town has
recently received donations to improve the Memorial Park. In order for the money to be spent on the
project it has to be in its own cash fund.
Lisa Creech moved to adopt Ordinance 03-11. Ray Freetage seconded. Motion carried.
New Business
Police Reserves request approval of Matt Conder as a Reserve Deputy
Marshal
Sgt. John Stone commented his only knowledge was that approval was
denied by the Reserves.
Eagles, LLC, purchaser of the former Ellettsville Elementary School
building request designation of the nine-acre site as an Economic Revitalization
Area
Attorney Michael Carmin representing Eagles, LLC who are Kenton
Robinson, Beth Pyclik-Robinson and Brant Robinson request the old school site
be designated as an Economic Revitalization Area. He explained the purchase price was $325,000
and that it would cost $900,000 to remodel.
The project after completion would employ 100-125 employees with an
average annual salary of $22,000. They
are requesting a resolution be passed designating this nine plus acre site be
deemed as an Economic Revitalization Area and then be granted a ten year tax
abatement.
David Sorokoty
commented that the property has not been on the tax rolls since it was a school
and the community hasn’t made any money off of this property in the past. He
added that the Robinson families are citizens of Ellettsville that want
to help the community so the Town should meet them half way. This would create jobs in our community,
which is a big need. This is a great
opportunity for the Town. Eagles have
offered a rent-free office for the Chamber of Commerce and the Main Street
Committee.
Geraldine McIntyre
questioned if Robinson would sell the property before the ten years expired if
the same tax abatement would be null or if it would hold until the ten-year
period was over. She would agree to
allow them three or five year tax abatement.
She added it would be setting a precedent once the Council allows this
tax abatement.
The general consensus was the tax abatement would stay with the
property even if ownership changed. Mr.
Carmin commented that the Robinson family had expressed they would be keeping
the property for the duration.
Lisa Creech
expressed reservations and objected to this ten-year tax abatement proposal
stating the Robinson Construction built her addition and the company doesn’t
take care of their existing properties.
She suggested trying the tax abatement for three years first to see
if Robinson follows through on their word in keeping the property up to
standards. She wanted to research this
further then review the information at the next meeting.
Mr. Carmin said once
the time period is decided then it cannot be increased later. If the resolution passes tonight with a
ten-year abatement then at the second reading of the resolution during the next
meeting the Council can rescind the resolution, modify it or pass it as
approved tonight. Therefore, the final
decision on the tax abatement time frame can only be changed up to the next
meeting.
Ray Freetage was
skeptical of allowing the ten-year tax abatement, saying a ten-year allowance
was too much.
Chuck Radke, who
lives in Deer Run Subdivision, stated he is in favor of growth but encouraged
Ellettsville to proceed slowly and cautiously.
He encouraged the Council to have options to hold Robinson to whatever
agreements they make so that every promise and proposal is met
accordingly. If in a few years the
Council structure has totally changed then the agreements made by Robinson will
still have to be met according to the guidelines this Council has already
established. He is also concerned that
the asbestos problem in the old elementary school be corrected and the building
be brought up to building code standards.
The discussion concluded with David Sorokoty in favor of a ten year tax
abatement, Lisa Creech asked to research it further, Ray Freetage said no and
Geraldine McIntyre agreed to a three year tax abatement. The topic was tabled until the next meeting.
Announcement: Council Meeting to be held at off-site
locations
·
July 14,
2003 at the Endwright Center
Supervisor’s Comments
Jim Davis wanted to inform
the Council that his maintenance budget line has been hit hard so far this year
because the rescue truck alone has already cost $2,500. He added they had to use the County Highway
Garage facility and labor for the repairs because it is too heavy for our
equipment to work on it. He thanked the
County Highway Garage employees for their cooperation.
Rick Coppock made the Council
aware that IDEM sent a letter about the Speedway Gas Station at the corner of
State Road 46 and Smith Pike. It is
under construction and some of the contaminated ground water will be removed,
treated and put it back into the storm water drain system that connects to Jack’s
Defeat Creek. The letter was simply a
notification procedure. It is not
dangerous after it’s treated properly.
Darlyne Sowder asked for the
answers or suggestions to the Skate Park problems.
Mike Spencer said destruction
of property complaints can be filed either by the Police Department or by
anyone with the Prosecutor’s Office which could go to juvenile court. If information is sufficient then the office
of Family and Children could get involved.
Sandra Hash received
approval from Department of Local Government Finance for additional
appropriation to the General Fund and reduction to the CCD Fund.
Lisa Creech mentioned there
is a building permit on Violet Court, which is owned by Hayes that has expired
two times and is still not completed.
They now have to appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals to get approval
to complete the project. However, the
Town has two options now, first since it is a public health issue and nuisance
send a letter giving them a 10 day notice then if not corrected have the Town
correct and charge the owner. The second
option is to pursue the Unsafe Building Law.
She cited Indiana Code section 36.
Jim Davis agreed that the
permit was over two years old and he had spoken with Mr. Hayes and gave him
additional time to complete the project since there has been a lot of
rain. He said since it still was not
finished even after the additional time granted the owner now has to request
permission from the BZA to complete the project.
David Sorokoty suggested setting
up a meeting with Mike Spencer concerning this property closing the meeting
with “Remember to shop Ellettsville!”
Adjournment
David
Sorokoty asked for a motion to adjourn.
Ray Freetage moved to adjourn.
Lisa Creech seconded, motion carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p. m.
_____________________________ __________________________
David Sorokoty, President David Drake, Vice President
_____________________________ __________________________
Lisa Combs-Creech Ray Freetage
____________________________ __________________________
Geraldine McIntyre Sandra C. Hash, Clerk-Treasurer