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Home My WebLink AboutCC-03-01-21-01/Sign Women's DaySponsors: Councilors Finkam and Campbell {02084123- } 1 Prepared by: Bryce H. Bennett, Jr. Riley Bennett Egloff LLP 141 E. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 RESOLUTION-03-01-21-01 A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA, BANNING THE USE OF GENDER-BIASED CONSTRUCTION SIGNAGE. Synopsis: This Resolution finds that Gender-Biased Construction Signage no longer conforms with roadway signage standards, is detrimental to the welfare of the City’s residents, and is inconsistent with notions of equality and inclusivity, and therefore, such signage should be banned from use within City limits. WHEREAS, the City of Carmel may regulate conduct or the use of property that might endanger public safety and welfare pursuant to I.C. 36-8-2-4; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel may regulate the use of public ways pursuant to I.C. 36-9-2-7; and WHEREAS, the Council may pass resolutions for the government of the City pursuant to I.C. 36-4-6-18; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel’s motto is “A Partnership for Tomorrow,” and fulfilling the aspirations of this Partnership requires Carmel’s government to continually strive to build a better future for all residents, regardless of their gender; and WHEREAS, March 8, 2021 is International Women’s Day and the theme of International Women’s Day 2021 is “#ChoosetoChallenge” Gender Bias; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel chooses to challenge gender bias and inequality; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel chooses to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements; and WHEREAS, having been alerted to gender bias in this community by the thoughtful letters of two of the City’s youngest residents, Blair Babione and Brienne Babione, the Common Council chooses to take official action to promote equality and inclusivity in official recognition of Blair Babione and Brienne Babione’s courage, wisdom, and civic engagement; and WHEREAS, Chapter 8, Article 2, Section 8-11 of the Carmel City Code prohibits the use of street signs or traffic control devices that are not approved by either the United DocuSign Envelope ID: D9C81EE6-69E2-4B41-B027-96CFC1644C59 Sponsors: Councilors Finkam and Campbell {02084123- } 2 Prepared by: Bryce H. Bennett, Jr. Riley Bennett Egloff LLP 141 E. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 States Federal Highway Administration’s “Traffic Control Devices Handbook” or the State of Indiana’s “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” and WHEREAS, “Men Working” or “Men At Work” signage no longer conforms with either standard; and WHEREAS, “Men Working” or “Men At Work” signage directly conflicts with the notion that all those who live and work in the City of Carmel, regardless of gender, should be encouraged to pursue the vocations, interests, and hobbies of their choosing; and WHEREAS, “Men Working” or “Men At Work” signage communicates the false and unacceptable message that women cannot or should not work in the construction trades or other related fields; and WHEREAS, such signage has negatively impacted the welfare of women within city limits, especially girls like Blair Babione and Brienne Babione, who will surely be among the next generation of Carmel’s civic leaders; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel has long been recognized as one of the best places to live in the United States of America; and WHEREAS, the City of Carmel is renowned for its architecture, civil engineering, and municipally supported development projects; and WHEREAS, these accolades implicitly require the City of Carmel to provide leadership and be an example to other communities; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, as follows: 1. “Men Working,” “Men At Work,” and other similar types of gender-biased traffic control, road work and/or construction signage (“Gender-Biased Signage”) are prohibited from use on or near roadways or other public property within the City of Carmel. 2. To preserve public safety, Gender-Biased Signage placed prior to the passage of this Resolution may remain in place only for such time as may reasonably be required for suitable, gender-neutral replacement signage to be installed. 3. The Board of Public Works and Safety is hereby instructed to take all actions that are appropriate and necessary to identify Gender-Biased Signage within the City, to notify the parties responsible for the signage, and to enforce this Resolution. DocuSign Envelope ID: D9C81EE6-69E2-4B41-B027-96CFC1644C59 Sponsors: Councilors Finkam and Campbell {02084123- } 3 Prepared by: Bryce H. Bennett, Jr. Riley Bennett Egloff LLP 141 E. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 4. The Board of Public Works and Safety and any other City Department responsible for oversight of on-going construction projects that are owned by the City or funded, in part or in whole, by public funds, and that use or are expected to use signs regulated by Chapter 8, Article 2, Section 8-11 of the Carmel City Code, are hereby instructed to notify each prime and/or general contractor of the City’s policy with respect to Gender-Biased Signage within thirty (30) days of the passage of this Resolution. Such notice must include at least the following information: a. A copy of this Resolution; and b. Example images of Gender-Biased Signage. In the event the City issues additional guidance on Gender-Biased Signage after the passage of this Resolution, all City Departments must similarly notify prime and/or general contractors of the additional guidance. 5. The Board of Public Works and Safety and any other City Department responsible for the oversight of construction projects commencing within one year of the passage of this Resolution, which are owned by the City or funded, in part or in whole, by public funds, and which are expected to recommend use of signs regulated by Chapter 8, Article 2, Section 8-11 of the Carmel City Code are hereby instructed to take one or both of the following actions: a. Include a contractual provision in the general contract that requires the prime and/or general contractor to ensure that Gender-Biased Signage will not be used on the project; or b. Provide notice of this Resolution to the prime and/or general contractor, along with any additional guidance on this policy that may be issued by the City from time to time. 6. The City of Carmel formally encourages all other Hamilton County, Indiana governmental units and political subdivisions to examine signage used in their jurisdictions and take any actions as they believe are appropriate to promote equality and remedy gender bias. PASSED by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana this _____ day of ___________________, 2021, by a vote of _____ ayes and _____ nayes. COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF CARMEL Sue Finkam, President Kevin D. Rider, Vice-President DocuSign Envelope ID: D9C81EE6-69E2-4B41-B027-96CFC1644C59 8 0 1st March Sponsors: Councilors Finkam and Campbell {02084123- } 4 Prepared by: Bryce H. Bennett, Jr. Riley Bennett Egloff LLP 141 E. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 H. Bruce Kimball Laura Campbell Anthony Green Jeff Worrell Timothy J. Hannon Miles Nelson Adam Aasen ATTEST: Sue Wolfgang, Clerk Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana this ____ day of ___________, 20___, at __________ ___M. Sue Wolfgang, Clerk Approved by me, Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana this ____ day of _____________, 20___, at __________ ___M. James Brainard, Mayor ATTEST: Sue Wolfgang, Clerk DocuSign Envelope ID: D9C81EE6-69E2-4B41-B027-96CFC1644C59 4:30 5:00 21 2nd 21 2nd P Not Present March March P