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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977STATE OF THE CITY tLEPORT 1977 TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DEVELOPMENT The year 1977 has been primarily concerned with the expansion, and planning for future expansion of the Water and Sewage Systems in order to keep pace with residential growth which continues to expand at an accellerated rate. 453 permits for single family homes on sani- tary sewers and 42 permits for commercial structures were issued by the Building Con~nissioners Office during the year 1977. Areas of residential growth have been Cool Creek North, Johnson Acres, ~rook- shire North and Woodlands, Section three. These areas have a number of lots available for building. Proposed or approved sub-divisions not under construction at this time are: 1. Mohawk Crossing (between 126th Street and 131st Street on Gray Road, 83 acres, 180 lots.) 2. Wood Creek ( ll6th Street and Gray Road, 204 acres, 311 lots,) 3. Briar Lane Estates ( South of Briar Creek Sub-Division, 143 lots.) 4. Brookshire Pines (Northwest corner of 126th Street and Gray Road, 27.6 acres, 67 lots.) 5. Brookshire Overlook (West of Brookshire Water Treatment Plant on 126th Street.) 6. Brookshire Estates (East of Mohawk Trails Elementary School, 12 lots on 25.18 acres.) 7. Eden Estates Section 9 (126th Street and High Drive, 51 lots on 35 acres.) UTILITIES Continued expansion of the City will depend entirely on the ability of the Utilities to furnish the required services. We have just completed a 4.5 million dollar expansion of the 96th Street Sewage Disposal Plant raising its treatment capacity from one million to three million gallons per day. This expansion was funded with 75 % Federal, 10 % State, and 15 % Local funding. Under way since mid 1972 is a plan to regionalize the Carmel Sewage Treatment Facilities with the towns of Westfield, Fishers, the Clay Township Regional SeweC District, and the Mount Carmel and Village Farms sub-divisions. Under this plan Carmel's North Sewage Treatment Plant would be phased out. Interceptors would be constructed from Westfield, Clay Township Regional Sewer District, and Fishers to the 96th Street Sewage Treatment Plant where sewage from all entities would be processed. The total cost of this project has been estimated at 26 million dollars. This Regional Project has been mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Stream Pollution Control Board, with an estimated potential savings of 5 million dollars over each entity constructing their own facilities. Both agencies have assured us that 10 % State and 75 % Federal funds will be available only if we regionalize. Early in 1976 a Steering Committee composed of the Mayor of Carmel, the Town Board Presidents of Westfield and Fishers, and representatives of Clay Township Regional Waste District and Hamilton Western Utilities was formed to attempt to reach agreement on a Regional Plan. Many meetings have been held by the Steering Committee in the past two years in an attempt to get an agreement acceptable to all entities. The proposed agreement was authored by Mr. George Gavit. The Indiana Heartland Coordinating Commission has acted as coordinator of these meetings and supplied technical assistance. Fiscal input has been supplied by Mr. Don McCullough and Myron Frazier. Tentative agree- ment was reached by the Steering Committee December 21, 1977. The various legislative bodies are scheduled to meet ~R~ 11,1978 ~o con- sider the proposed agreement. The Environmental Protection Agency, the - 1 - Stream Pollution Control Board, and the Heartland Coordinating Commission have expressed a desire to have this document approved during January 1978. In view of the Stream Pollution Violation and ban on sewer connections at the North Treatment Plant coupled with our contractual agreement with Hamilton Western Utilities, I feel that the City of Carmel is in a precarious position. If and when agreement is reached on the Regional Project it is hoped that the E.P.A. and Stream Pollution Control Board will give us some relief in that area. If agreement cannot be reached quickly on the Regional Concept, I feel that it would then be necessary to pump wastewater from the North Treatment Plant service area to the 96th Street Treatment Plant. Another project underway is facilities for treatment of ~,ffluent from the pp~,w!o~own Water ~lant. The City was informed of violation of the N.P.D.E.S. Permit No. IN 0003999 for the Carmel Downtown Water Treatment Plant in 1975. Negotiations with the Stream Pollution Con- trol Board since that time has resulted in an Agreed Order for com- pliance with the referenced N.P.D.E.S. Permit. The schedule is as follows. Submission of Final Plans and Specifications to the Indiana State Board of Health by December 1, 1977. 2. Approval of Final Plans and Specifications by the Indiana State Board of Health February 1, 1978. 3. Commence Construction April 1, 1978.~ 4. Complete Construction and attain operating level October 1, 1978. A $ 5,000.00 fine could be issued for non-compliance with the referenced N.P.D.E.S. Permit by deadline. I have been assured by the Technical Secretary of the Stream Pollution Control Board, that failure to meet this schedule will result in the fine being levied. We are currently on schedule on this project. A Sewer System Evaluation Survey for the City of Carmel was found to be necessary after an Infiltration/Inflow Analysis was previously per- formed. This survey was completed in 1977 and the results accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Board of Health. Application has been made for Step 11 Grant which will fund the design phase of the project. This has been approved by the State Board of Health and is now awaiting action by the Environmental Protection Agency. Under consideration is a proposal to increase the capacity of the Brook- shire Lift Station on the Sanitary Sewer System. This was first proposed in 1974 and with the growth in that area and the increased load on the sewer system this is becoming a priority project. Expansion of the Water System got underway in 1977 with the drilling of Well No. 9 on the Lynnwood Farm, construction of a transmission line to tie into the Brookshire Treatment Plant, and construction of the One Million Gallon Storage Tank. These projects are now operable and com- plete with the exception of a few minor details. The cost was'appoxi- .mately $ 700,000.00 and was accomplished without a rate increase. We are now in preliminary engineering pertaining to the study, design, and construction of mew facilities to treat and Supply additional water. At the present rate of growth it is estimated that this additional supply must be on line by 1980-81. To be resolved with the Indianapolis Water Company'by July 1, 1978 is the future status of the area east of Keystone Avenue and south of 106th Street as to who will serve this area in the future. STREET IMPROVEMENTS During the year of 1977 the City of Carmel completed several road improve- ments and resurfacing projects. 1. A half mile segment of 126th was widened from 21 feet to 24 feet of pavement and the entire road resurfaced. Widening was accom- plished by City Maintenance forces. Then a membrane fabric "Petromat" be Phillips Fibres Corp.~ was applied to the existing and widening surface and paved over with 180 pound square yard of # 9 tlAC binder and topped with 110 pound square yard of # 11 }{AC surface. Paving was done by Shumaker Bros. Industries and the Petromat was applied by city forces with the aid of Phillips Fibre Technicians. Cost approximately $ 30,000.00~ Approximately 2,900 LFT of chip seal pavement was scarified, regraded and widened to 22 feet in the Auman Addition. A new surface of 220 # binder and 110 # top was applied. Ail drive- ways were paved to 14 feet from pavement edge. The project in- cluded reconstruction of drainage ditches and installation of a new storm sewer. F.E. Harding Co,, was the general contractor. Cost approximately $ 70,000.00. This was the fourth year phase of a 5-year program to reconstruct S.W. standard streets in the Newark and Auman Additions. 3. Resurfaced approximately 2,600 LFT of 24 to 26 foot pavement on Guilford Avenue with 180 pound square yard, #11 }{AC top. Work was performed by Shumaker Bros. Industries after initial preparation by City forces. Constructed approximately 6~400 LFT of new 5-foot wide concrete sidewalks, including two large head walls with guardrails. Work was performed by Kenneth Smock Company. Construction was completed on a major FAU road and intersection improvement using full depth asphalt and including fully activated traffic signals. Project was on 126th Street and Rangeline Road. Contractor was Shumaker Bros. Industries. Project was begun in 1976. City forces also completed striping and edgeworking of approximately 10 miles of roads. Some ditch cleaning was completed as usual annual road maintenance duties. Street Department manpower increased to 6 full time employees, including Superintendent Phil Reddick. A new Ford single axle dump truck with 10-foot root snow plow and Allison automatic transmission was acquired this year giving the city two first-line plow trucks and 2 reserve plow trucks in fair to poor con- dition. The Street Department al~o acquired a used asphalt distributor, which was employed in crack sealing, a used Ford tractor with mower and two gasoline powered "Weed-Eaters." Street Projects planned and budgeted for 1978 are: 1. The last phase of the Auman Addition Project. 2. Right-of-way acquisition for the widening of Range Line Road. 3. $ 45,000.00 budgeted for sidewalks and curbs. 4. $ 20,000.00 budgeted for resurfacing streets. I would like at this time to commend the Street Department for the fine job they have done in keeping the streets open during periods of snow. I believe that Carmel's Streets have been in better con- dition than any City or Town in Central Indiana. We owe the Street Department a vote of thanks. STREET LIGHTING During the year 1977 the City installed 20 street lights in Keystone Woods, 8 lights at Carmel Drive and Keystone Avenue plans automatic traffic signals at that location, changed lighting on 126th Street between Range Line Road and Keystone Avenue, installed traffic signals at 126th Street and Range Line Road. Approved and awaiting delivery of materials is installation of Sodium Vapor Lighting plus instal- lation of additional lights on Main Street from Keystone Avenue to Meridian Street and Range Line Road from ll6th Street to the North City Limits. Proposed Street Lighting Projects under Donsideration for 1978 include Cool Creek North, Brookshire North, Woodlands Section Three, and Eden Estates Subdivisions. Also under con- sideration is lighting of 106th Street from Keystone Avenue to Haverstick Koad. Changing the lighting on ll6th Street from Range Line Road to Gray Road. Installation of street lighting on Gray Road from ll6th Street to 131st Street, 126th Street from Keystone to Gray Road and 136th Street within the City Limits. There has been no decision made on the proposed projects at this time. FIRE DEPARTMENT Three men were added to the Fire Department during 1977 bringing the total force up to 31 including the Chief. Also added was a secretary dispatcher. The City received bids for a new Fire Truck in 1977 with delivery to take place in late 1978 or early 79. Training equipment was purchased for the Emergency Training Service Program. Under consideration for possible purchase is Heart Moni- toring and De-fibralator equipment for usa in the Ambulances. Included in the budget for 1978 is the funding for three additional ~ men. During the year 1977 there was a total of 1388 runs by the Department. 833 were ambulance runs, 555 were fire runs. This is an increase of 86 runs over what was make in 1976. Looking to future expansion of the Fire Department would be the construction of a fourth station located in the growth area to the northeast and the addition of another ambulance. POLICE DEPARTMENT A resignation of Police Commissioners occurred in 1977 with the re- placements being John J. Morris Jr., Phil Hinshaw and James Two patrolmen were added to the force to bring the total up to 20 patrolmen. Two civilians were added to the force, one Dispatcher and a Combination Humane Officer - School Crossing Guard. Three 1977 Pontiac Le Mans Patrol vehicles, a used panel truck for trans- porting dogs and equipment, and three used State Police vehicles were purchased during 1977 bringing the total number of Vehicles to four- teen, an increase of two. Additional accomplishments of the depart- ment are purchase of walkie-talkies enabling officers to walk beats in shopping centers and residential areas, purchase of tape records for officers use at crime scenes, installing a new radio repeater system, converting the lab to develop color photos and slides. There were 6011 investigations by the department in 1977, an increase of 495 investigations over 1976. The department received information in September via the F.B.I. Uniform Crime Report that the City of Carmel had the lowest crime rate of any City of it's size in the State of Indiana for the year 1976. CAPITAL IM~ROVEMENT Further improvements to the City Building took place in 1977. This included completing the Balcony Storage Area, storage closets built in the basement hall and kitchen, installed automatic closers on meeting room doors to comply with State Fire Regulations, r~pair of the front steps (outside), repair work on the furnace, repair of gutters and application of bird repellant material, installation of parking barriers in parking lot. In total including purchase of the building and remodeling, an amount of $ 29,744.80 has been expended on this facility. The cost of providing a similar facility would be many times over the investment in this building. In 1976 I urged the Council to take action to purchase the Talbert Roessler Lumber Company property adjoining the City Utility Building property. The City presently and for several years in the past has used this area for storage of our heavy equipment and street salt. - 4 - The City presently has no other area for this purpose. The Council did not take my advice and the property was sold. The new owner continued to allow the City to use this area. Very recently the owner has advised the City that we will have to vacate this property within a twelve month period. It is necessary to immediately start planning for purchase of an area for this purpose. BUDGET FOR 1978 A budget for 1978 was approved by the Common Council in the amount of $ 1,723,943.02. This is an increase of $ 208,348.45 over the 1977 budget. Again the major portion of the increase is in the Police, Fire and Street Department budgets. Added to the budget this year is a cumilative sewer fund primarily for work on storm sewers in the Downtown section of Carmel. Prepared for the first time,at the insistence of the Common Council, is a Utility Budget for the Water and Sewer Utilities. In a stable community with little or no growth this would be a simple, routine matter. In a high growth area such as Carmel, with the great variety of Utility Projects as related earlier in this report, it is extremely difficult to project all'of the costs a year in advance. Many times it is necessary for the Board of Public Works to act quickly in Utility matters. Many hours of preparation on the part of the Mayor, Clerk- Treasurer, City Engineer, Utilities Manager, Consulting Engineers, and the Fiscal Consultant McCullough and Associates. It remains to be seen how effectively this budget will work. The Double Entry Bookkeeping System should be ready for use in the near future. SLrMMARY The financial condition of Carmel is in good shape today. Due to the growth and the annual increase in assessed valuation, Carmel is able to keep pace with the demand for services. Without careful planning and conservative fiscal policy the situation could change. In 1978 Police and Fire Budgets account for the major portion of overall budget. We are about four years away from possible retire- ments from both Police and Fire Departments. With the lack of funding that exists for this program, the major portion of the pension funds will be paid out of General Revenue. New employees should only be added to the City Payroll when it is justified. I do not suggest skimping on services, only on efficient use of City Employees. I believe that a broader tax base is needed in the future. This would be in the '~m--of Se~fed light industry and c-6-mmer~ial enterprises but 6nly in the proper location where it would n'ot infringe on residential neighborhoods. In my opinion Carmel is today the most desir~ble community in the State of Indiana in which to live. Through the combined efforts of local government officials, the business community, service organizations, and the citizenry of Carmel, we can continue to keep it that way. Albert B. Pickett Mayor City of Carmel - 5 -