The
Ellettsville, Indiana,
Roll Call: Members
present were Dianna Bastin, President; David Drake, Vice-President; Scott
Oldham, Phillip Smith and Dan Swafford. Sandra
Hash, Clerk-Treasurer; Mike Spencer, Town Attorney and Rick Coppock, Town
Engineer were present.
Proclamation
Proclamation proclaiming
Dianna Bastin read the proclamation in its entirety. Alienating behaviors are often found in high
conflict divorce and custody situations.
Parental Alienation takes advantage of the suggestibility and dependency
of children. It deprives children of their
right to love and be loved by both parents and is considered harmful to
children as the alienating tactics used on children are confusing, frightening
and rob children of their sense of security.
Professionals agree that the problem of Parental Alienation exists, is
damaging to children and can affect them into adulthood. With awareness comes education, understanding
and the power to stop the abuse of innocent children caught in the crossfire of
the people they love. The Ellettsville
Town Council proclaims
Proclamation proclaiming
Dianna Bastin read the proclamation in its entirety. The Ellettsville Lodge #245 Free and Accepted
Masons have existed in Ellettsville since 1857.
The Lodge and Masonry teaches the tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and
Truth. They encourage members to live by
the virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. Masonry encourages its members to be
charitable to its fellow members as well as the world at large and teaches
Charity extends beyond the grave to the boundless realms of eternity. The Ellettsville Town Council proclaims
Approval of Minutes
Dianna
Bastin entertained a motion for the approval of the minutes for the Regular Meeting
Accounts Payable Vouchers
Phillip
Smith made a motion we pay Accounts Payable Vouchers. David Drake seconded. Motion carried.
Resolutions
Resolution 08-09 Temporary Loan
Sandra Hash explained due to insufficient funds in the General
Fund, there is a need to transfer money from the Government Center Fund for
$80,000 and The Rainy Day Fund for $100,000 to Fund 1, General Fund for
$180,000. This temporary loan was also
made the last half of last year and repaid with our January tax
distribution. Unfortunately, we need to
borrow the money again until our next tax payout (anticipated by the end of
June).
David
Drake made a motion we adopt Resolution 08-09 Temporary Loan. Scott Oldham seconded. Roll call vote: Dianna Bastin – yes; David Drake – yes; Scott
The following discussion took place
before the vote
Scott
Oldham asked “if this is due to the short fall of the projected tax base
income”. Sandra stated there was a
reduction in the assessed valuation but we were still within fifteen dollars of
our maximum levy; we just budgeted for more than we are bringing in. The projections show a decrease in “COIT” for
this year but the Town is currently receiving the projected amount. After the budgets are certified, that could
drop dramatically. There is a chance of
loss of some projected revenue. Even
though the assessed valuation went down and the General Fund was advertised
high enough to catch all the levy plus we received the levy appeal.
Resolution 09-09 Transfer of Funds
Sandra Hash stated there will be an ordinance presented later in
the meeting to eliminate the Redevelopment Commission. Redevelopment Commission
has money for an intern but there is no appropriation for an intern in the
Planning Budget. This Transfer of Funds
would transfer some of the money received from the I-69 Grant reimbursed back
into Planning Director Salary and then moved to the Code Inspection
Officer. Sandra is requesting to move
$1,250 from Code Inspection Officer to the Intern line so the Planning
Department will still be able to have an intern.
The
MVH Budget was cut by almost $30,000. Jim
Ragle, Dianna Bastin and Sandra went over the budgets available and worked
things out. Appropriations need to be
moved from the Stormwater Collections & Systems Maintenance Materials &
Supplies to the Collections & Systems Maintenance Salaries & Wages in
the amount of $15,000. Last year an
employee was hired and his salary was split between MVH and Stormwater. In order to reduce the MVH budget, by the
amount the State is requiring, the appropriations needed to be found
elsewhere.
David
Drake made a motion we adopt Resolution 09-09.
Dan Swafford seconded. Roll call
vote: Dianna Bastin – yes; David Drake –
yes; Scott
Ordinances on First
Ordinance 09-13 to amend Ordinance 08-11
Fixing of Salaries for Budget Year 2009
Sandra Hash explained this does not change any salaries. Earlier in the year, the Council changed a
title in the Planning Department from Administrative Assistant to Assistant
Planning Director.
Ordinance 09-14 to delete Chapter 154
from the
Dianna Bastin met with Sandra Hash to discuss to Town’s
“shortfalls”; what could be done and how?
In lieu of the fact there are no people interested in the two vacant
Redevelopment positions and Ellettsville can not afford to do “matching grants”
Dianna is proposing to dissolve the Redevelopment Commission. Redevelopment has some issues that can be
absorbed into Planning. Dianna spoke
with Frank Nierzwicki and he is in agreement with it.
New Business
Agreement between Northern Richland
Sewer Corporation and the Town of
Mike Spencer sent Mike Carmin, Attorney for NRSC, two contracts that
dealt with the issue of the flow rate and postage raise. Mr. Carmin has combined those into one
contract and sent the new proposal for Mike Spencer to review. Mike Spencer found some changes to the
contract that will create some difficulties.
The original contract sent to Mr. Carmin, there was an indication that
NRSC would file, within the next week, the documents necessary to pursue a
tracking factor approval for the flow rate amount. This information was not included in the
contract received by Mr. Carmin. The
contract provides they will proceed with due diligent to obtain approval from
the IURC at the set rate. Mike Spencer
explained the rate increases are going to be done in steps the first one in May
and then January 2010. NRSC tied the January
2010 increase to their general rate increase to the IURC. Mike Spencer feels this is a problem because
it can take longer than a year to pass.
Mike Spencer suggests this should be tied to a tracking factor and not
the general rate increase. NRSC tied the
new billing rates, for approval by the IURC in their application, as a general
rate increase. Mike Spencer explained
the contract with Eastern did not tie it into any IURC approval. At the meeting with the wholesale customers,
NRSC asked Eastern if they were going to agree to the rate increase without
IURC approval and Eastern said yes. NRSC
stated Eastern will be paying for it before they can bill their customers. Mike Spencer believes billing and collection
charges need to be tied to the general rate increase. Mike spoke with
Mike
Spencer stated NRSC agreed to the rates on the contract. It is how the rates become effective that
there is a disagreement with. He is
proposing the Council look at this again and make a firm decision one way or
another at the next meeting. Mike Spencer needs to discuss his concerns
with Mike Carmin regarding the contract.
If the issues with the contract can not be resolved or an agreement met,
the Board will need to make a decision at that time. Sandra Hash stated NRSC signed the contract
their attorney sent over.
David
Drake does not think we need to wait until the next meeting. Mike Spencer needs the time to go back to
them and say “change the terms of the contract”. There needs to be a time frame for NRSC to
make the application unless Mike Carmin informs Mike Spencer the application
for the tracking factor has been filed.
Mike Spencer feels the critical issue is tying the increase in January
to the general rate increase; that should be a tracking factor. According to Doug Baldessari, there is no
reason NRSC can not do that because that is what Eastern is doing. NRSC was going to “mirror” the Eastern contract
but they wanted time to discuss it with their attorney.
Mike
Spencer brought up another issue; the billing and collection charges. Those charges are a total of $150 a month
difference. If the Council insists the
billing and collection charges “mirror” Eastern, which starts May 1st,
then it would mean NRSC would have to take it out of their cash reserves. Scott Oldham, after the special meeting, was
under the impression there was a clear offer from the Council on the
table. NRSC has countered. Mike Spencer feels the Town needs to try one
more time and if we can not come to terms, then we can’t come to terms. Dan Swafford asked if this could be expedited
if the Council agreed to the changes on the contract. Mike Spencer went over the changes:
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Statement – Bynum Fanyo & Associates, Bynum Fanyo Utilities and Bynum Fanyo
Environmental
Sandra Hash explained this is a standard form provided by the
State Board of Accounts for companies that do business with the Town. After the Council approves this form it will
go to the State Board of Accounts for filing and be on record to show the
“Conflict of Interest” has been declared publicly.
Dianna
Bastin entertained a motion that we accept the Conflict of Interest. Scott Oldham so moved. David Drake seconded. Motion carried.
Supervisors Comments
Sandra Hash presented and explained a spreadsheet to the Council
on the I-69 Community Planning Program Grant.
Tony Bowlen, Town Marshal asked the Council to approve three new
Reserve Officers: Joseph Hinton, Amber
Mullis and Nathan Callahan. Dianna
Bastin asked if they completed their requirements and training. Tony said yes. There will be eleven Reserve Officers.
Scott
Oldham moved that we appoint three new Reserves for the Ellettsville Police
Department (Joseph Hinton, Amber Mullis and Nathan Callahan). David Drake seconded. Roll call vote: Dianna Bastin – yes; David Drake – yes; Scott
Sandra Hash swore in Joseph Hinton and Nathan Callahan.
Council Comments
Scott Oldham announced this is National 911 Center Dispatch
Week. All the dispatchers are much
appreciated. Dianna Bastin stated
Adjournment
David
Drake made a motion we adjourn. Dan
Swafford seconded. Motion carried. Dianna Bastin adjourned the meeting at