Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCM-08-17-81 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 17, 1981 The meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Reiman at 7:30 P.M. on August 17, 1981. Council members Garretson, Fleming, McMullen, Walker, Shepherd and Kerr were present. City Attorney, Mike Howard was also present as was Assistant Clerk-Treasurer. Mr. Johnson was away on business. Mr. Walker gave the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Concerning the minutes ofAugust 10, 1981; Mrs. Kerr made note under Old Business, Item 2, line 2, the word "sent" should be "send", and Mr. Garretson stated on line 4 after the word "reccomends", the rest of the sentence should read "that the ordinance be amended according to his recommendations." Mr. Garretson also statced that votes including abstentions such as under Item 2, in the first paragraph on page 1; in paragraph 2 on page 2, in paragraph 9 on page 2; and in paragraph 1 on page 3; should be shown so as not to reflect a negative vote, 6-0-1 in all cases mentioned. Mr. Shepherd asked that his reason for abstaining was due to his absence at the August 10th meeting. Mr. Garretson made a motion to approve the minutes of August 10th as amended. Motion seconded by Mr. Walker and passed unanimously. Old Business l.Ordinance Z-176 - Accessory Uses & Structures in U.S. 31 Overlay - Mrs. Kerr have a brief explanation for the ordinance. Mrs. Kerr stated the ordinance was drawn up to relieve the home owners that are within 600 feet on either side of U.S. 31. She stated ihe need for the ordinance came about when one of the home owners decided to build a garage and realized they were in the overlay zone. Mr. Garretson made a call for the question. Ordinance Z-176 passed unanimously. 2. Ordinance Z-177 - Treatment of Parks as Special Exception - Mr. Garretson stated he opposed this ordinance for procedural reasons. Mrs. Kerr asked City Attorney, Mike Howard that since parks are not addressed presently in the zoning ordinances, would they then be considered an excluded use. Mr. Howard stated they could be addressed in the zoning ordinances as private parks, but they are not an excluded use. He said the City does not have the right to regulate the County Park Board. A call for the questlon was made. Ordinance Z-177 failed on a vote of 2-4; Councilors Kerr and McMullen voting aye. New Business 3. Public Hearing & Introduction of City Budget Ordinances D- 307,308,309 & 310 Mr. Garretson made a motion to introduce Ordinances D-307,308,309 & 310. Motion seconded by Mrs. McMullen. Mayor Reiman opened the meeting for a public hearing. There being no comment from the public, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Garretson addressed Ordinance D-307, General Fund Budget. He expressed his feelings concerning the Building Commissioner's office being overstaffed. He stated he fell the position of Plan Advisor should be pulled out of the budget for 1982 entirely and allow the Building Commissioners office to serve the Plan Commission as it did before, and when and if the time comes that the Building Commissioner cannot provide adequate service, then to come tc the Council and go for an additional appropriation to fill the position of Pla~l Advisor. Mrs. McMullen stated she felt there is plentiful work to keep a plan adivsor busy, full time. City Council Meeting August 17, 1981 Page Two Mrs. Kerr felt she would like to see the position placed in the Council's budget until a time came when it was needed. She went on to state that the job of plan advisor required alot more duties than just secretarial. Mrs. Kerr stated that the Plan Commission would go on to make decisions, etc. but without an advisor, will lack the professional research and knowledge as had in the past. Mr. Garretson stated it would be a good faith gesture towards the Township to save them money. Mr. Fleming expressed his feelings in the matter, that being the Building Commissioners office handled the clerical work and other types of work for the Plan Commission in the past, and they could do so again. Mr. Walker stated his feelings were to do away with the position for the present. He went on to say the Council should set up a definite job description, decide where to place the position in the government structure, who they should answer to and why. Mr. Garretson made a motion that the Building Commissioner part of the City budget be reduced under Item 1-112, full time salaries, an amount equal to what was budgeted for the Plan Advisor's salatry and that Items 120,121,122 & 123 which deal with employee benefits, be proportionally reduced to cover same. Motion seconded by Mr. Fleming. Discussion ensued. Mrs. Kerr again expressed the need for a professional replacement rather than a clerical replacement. Mr. Walker made a call for the question. Vote was taken and motion passed on a vote of 4-2; Councilors Kerr and McMullen voting nay. Mrs. Kerr asked that the records reflect her opposition was for the deletion fo the plan advisor position entirely but she is not opposed to delebng it from the Building Commissioners budget. It was asked of the Clerk-Treasurers office to check the salaries of the Building Commissioners budget and also Item 340 under same budget. Mrs. Kerr asked what of the monies budgeted for Plan Commission/BZA Attorney fees in as much as home rule will grant City attorneys to serve as Plan Commission attorneys. Mr. Garretson made a motion that under Item 311, Attorney fees, for $6000 in the Plan Comm./BZA budget be deleted and then placed under City Attorney budget Item 311. Mayor Reiman asked that a new item, Item 312, Plan Comm./BZA Attorney, be created to designate for auditing. Motion seconded by Mr. Shepherd and passed unanimously. Mrs. Kerr expressed that under the Board of Public Works (BPW) budget she felt it was very inconsistent and unequitable to give a remuneration to only one member of the BPW. She stated that the Plan Comm./BZA members' time probably far exceeded that of the BPW members and if the City is going to reimburse one person for services then all should be reimbursed. Discussion ensued. Mr. Garretson stated that the BPW administered to several branches directly through the City, giving a large amount of responsibility to its members. Mrs. Kerr stated she felt there is just as much time and effort put out by the Plan Comm./BZA members, and this move to remunerate the BPW shows great partiality and favortism. Mrs. Kerr moved to delete in the BPW budget the position under Item 310, BPW Member. Motion seconded by Mrs. McMullen. Motion failed on a vote of 1-5; Councilor Kerr voting aye. Ordinanes D-307, 308, 309 & 310 were shown as introduced. 4. Ordinance C-75 - Annexation of Recherche' Subdivision - Mr. Ron Gerwig of d Gerwlg, Inc. , 12449 Charring Cross Rd., Carmel and Mr. Chris White from Midstates Engineering came before the Council with a request for annexation into City Council Aug. 17, 1981 Page Three the City, 14 platted lots, the street and the street right of ways in the subdivision named Recherche' located east of Smokey Row Road. Mr. Walker made a motion to introduce Ordinance C-75. Motion seconded by Mrs. Kerr. Mr. Garretson questioned Mr. Gerwig as to why they were not asking to annex the back portion of the property in question. Mr. Gerwig stated due to tax reasons, at the present they only planned to do the front portion and hopefully be in the back portion in the spring. Mr. Garretson was concerned about the holes left by the properties owned by Mr. Jerry York and Dr. Dierdorf. Mr. Garretson suggested that the Mayor should being Mr. Wells annexation back to the Council and get that portion taken care of then he asked that Mayor Reiman get in touch with Mr. York & Dr. Dierdorf about their properties concerning closing the pholes left after annexation of the proeprty in question, namely Recherche' Subdivision. Mr. Gerwig stated he had been in telephone contact with the County Highway Department about the street. He stated that the County told him their wish was for the City to annex the road and bring it up to minimum standards. Mr. Gerwig stated there was an agreement pending between him and the County concerning the question of annexation of the street. He explained there was a measurable amount of misunderstanding and was hoping for approval contingent upon the agreement. Mr. Walker made a motion to suspend the rules and act on Ordinance CP75 tonight. Motion seconded by Mrs. Kerr and passed unanimously. Mr. Walker made a motion to adopt Ordinance C-75. Motion seconded by Mrs. Kerr. Ordinance C-75 passed unanimously. Other Business Mr. Garretson made a request concerning a letter received by all Council members from Merchants Capital Corp., that the Clerk-Treasurer and the consultants, Arthur Young, be in attendance at the next Council meeting, Aug. 24th, to discuss and explain the reason for the context of said letter. It was asked that copies of the letter be sent to Arthur Young. There being no further business to come before the meeting, the same was duly adjourned at 9:13 P.M. APPROVED: ATTEST: