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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCM-12-20-76 MINU~ES OF THE CITY coUNCIL MEETING December 20, 1976 The regular meeting of the Common Council was called to order at 7:30 1~M. All members except Councilman Reimsn were present. City Attorney and Clerk- Treasurer were present also. Councilman Doane gave the invocation. Mayor Pickett led the pledge of allegiance. Co~mcilman Swift moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes and approve them as received and at the same timemention that there were some gentlemen in the audience that would have comment about our last meeting. Mr. Richard Regnier stated he was representing members of the previous Town Board. Mr. William McFadden, Mr. Phil Hinshaw, Mr. George Stevens and Mr. Fred Swift. Copy of the statement he read is attached to the minutes. Mayor Pickett stated it had been almost routine to transfer funds in the previous Town Board adminstration and as far as the reference to utility funds, it was not stated that there was anything underhanded or out of the way in the way these funds were handled; however, he felt there were times when water funds were used that perhaps would be be~ter if they were derived from some other source. Mayor Pickett stated he did not intend to reflect on anyone doing anything improper. Mayor Pickett stated he had sat up there this past year and been taken to task unfairly for things. Mayor Pickett added that there was no intent to pass on the character of the people mentioned. Mayor Pickett stated it was merely a remark made about funds from the utilities, perhaps salaries, that could best be divided up another way. Mr. Coots seconded the motion to approve the minutes and it passed unanimously. Councilman Garretson stated he felt for the record we should welcome Mr. Regnier, G0P Fifth District Chairman, for being here and welcome him back under any other circumstances, also. Mayor Pickett stated be it so noted, CORRESPONDENCE: Mayor Pickett read correspondence from the Dick Spencer family thanking the Council for its resolution commendingMr. Spencer. ORDINANCE ~D-102: ASSOCIATION DUES: Mr. Meacham moved to approve proposed Ordinance ~D-102 authorizing exponditures for association dues which was introduced at last meeting, Councilman Doane seconded it and it passed 4 - 2. Councilman Garretson and Dean voting nay. UTILITIES BUDGET: Councilman Garretson stated he had asked the item of utilities budget be put o-----~ the agenda but noticed Don McCullough present and thought the Mayor might want him to speak first. Mayor Pickett stated Mr. McCullough, fiscal consultant, had been doing some work for the City on the utilities and had met with the Board of Public Works and the Clerk-Treasurer Thursday afternoon and had asked Mr. McCullough here to comment on what is taking place. Mr. McCullough stated part of his authorized work included helping set up a more detailed bookkeepiD~ system with double entry. Councilman Coots stated that at a previous Council meeting Mayor Pickett had stated Mr. McCullough had said a profit and loss statement would have to be prepared before a budget could be prepared and he (Coots) did not understand that. Mr. McCullough stated he was a litte bit in the dark. His firm was retained for two specific purposes (1) water utility - underground storage and wells which will necessitate going before the Public Service Commission to justify the need for the project and to analize the need Page 2 for a rate increase; (2) sewage utility - a wastewater treatment expansion project. Beyond that, they have gotten into helping establish a more detailed double entry bookkeeping system and the matter of utilities budget just came to his attention the last few weeks and it was just within the last couple of days that he under- stood i't was a Council concern. Mr. McCull0ugh stated the utilities were over a million dollar business. Coz~ncilmam Garretson stated he had had a proposed ordinance prepared requesting a budget be submitted and asked Mr. McCullough to review it to see if it would present a problem. Mr. McCullough stated it would not present a problem and the catagories listed were essentially the ones being used now and the information needed could be obtained from the Clerk-Treasurer. Councilman Coots stated it was not his intention to have a budget that would tie the hands of the utilities so it was not functionable but the objective the Council was after was to know in advance of a calendar year how the utility money is going to be expended so that the public can participate in those decisions since we all use it and own it. Councilman Swift stated that there is one thing that should not have changed when we went from Town to City status. There is a basic premise in American government that final decisions for policy and spending has to rest with the elected officials responsible to the people. On the Board of Works only one of the three members is an elected official and theoretically you could have two out of the three people who are not responsible to the electroate making decisions. Councilman Swift stated we have a duty to have a utility budget just as we do for the fire, police and other departments in the City. Mayor Pickett stated he was not opposed to setting up a budget when all the material is available. Councilman Carretson stated it is available and then moved for adoption of proposed Ordinance #D-lO5 authorizing a budget for the utilities, Councilman Swift seconded it. Ordinance was shown as being introduced. PHIL CONKLIN REPORT: Mayor Pickett stated Phil Conklin was at the point where he is ready to meet with the Council to discuss the personnel .system and the purchasing system. Council agreed on Thursday, December 30th at 5 PM in the base- ment of the City Building. P~LAN COMMISSION APPOINTMENTE: Councilman Garretson moved to appoint Dave Coots, Minnie Doame and Fred Swift to serve on the Plan Commission for the year 1977, Councilman Meacham seconded it and it passed ~imously. 1~76 SALARy ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. Proposed Ordinance #D-lO3 adding two utility employees, Kuklak and Jordan to the 1976 salary ordinance was read by Mayor Pickett. Councilman Coots moved for adoption of ordinance as read, Councilman Meacham seconded the motion. Councilman Garretson moved to suspend the rules and act on the ordinance this evening, Councilman Swift seconded it and it passed unanimously. Motion to adopt ordinance passed unanimously. ~77 SALARy ORDINANCE AMENDMENT: Proposed Ordinance #D-lO~ promoting utility employees, Sturgis, Wolfe, Pace and Gauker and adding Kuklak and Booth to the salary ordinance. Councilman Garretson moved for adoption of proposed Ordinance ~D-10~ as read, Counc~ilman Doane seconded it. Councilman Meacham moved to suspend the rules and act on the ordinance tonight, Councilman Dean Seconded it and it passed tuuS~imously. Motion to adopt ordinance passed unanimously. TRANSFER OF FUNDS WITHIN-MVH BUDGET: Proposed resolution transferring $~,300.00 within the MVH funds were read. City Engineer explained the need for the transfer was to remove trees along Main and Rangeline. Councilman Meacham moved to adopt resolution as read, Councilman Coots seconded it and it failed I - 5. Councilman Coots, Doane, Dean, Carretson and Swift voting nay. Councilman Doane stated the reason she Voted nay was because the resolution didn't say anything about trees and everyone had been talking about trees. Page LL: City Judge, Phil Correll, appeared before the Council and PHIL C0..R~EL~ ....... of 1~76 did do away with the judicial branch of stated the ±eglsza~'~ / City government to take effect December 31, 1979. The same legislature did specify that the Indiana Judicial Study Commission shall before January l, 1977 develop and publish criteria for the determination of any necessary increase in or reduction of the number of county cgurts or judges thereof in the state. This is the County Court bill. Mr. Correll stated there were many organizations which had an interest in this. Mr. Correll stated some reasons for having a City Court are (1) needed revenue; (2) having a judicial b~anch of government on a local level. Mr. Correll asked the Co~ucil to present their views to their representatives on continuing a City Court. There should be an option for the local govern- ment to have a court. Mayor Pickett stated he was in favor of keeping a City Court. Councilman Garretson stated he would support the City Court concept. BI-CE~IAL COMMISSION REQUEST:.. Councilman Swift stated we should take note of correspondence received ~rom the Bi-Centennial Commission~regarding their request for naming the alley and City owned lot the Bi-Centennial house sits on Bi-Centennial Court made tomthe Board of Public Works who tabled the item. Councilman Swift stated he felt the membership of the Commission represented a good cross-section of the community and he felt the request was valid and felt the Council could name it by ordinance if the Board of Public Works wo~2~dn't. Mayor Pickett stated the Board of Public Works merely wanted So review it. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 PM. Approved: /~er~. P~ckett, Mayo ~ Clerk-Treasurer