Minutes- 1/15/14 meeting

Meeting Minutes- January 15, 2014

The Churubusco Town Council met on January 15, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall. Members present were President Frank Kessler, Council Members Alan Malcolm & Mark Pepple, and Clerk-Treasurer, Madalyn Sade-Bartl. Also in attendance were area residents Pat Liggett, Jean Haynes, Denise Geiger, and Pat Stanford; Nicole Kirkpatrick and Vince McEntee, Turtle Days Association; Christie Workman, Post & Mail; Katie Wagner, reporter for the Churubusco News; Jeremy Hart, Town Supervisor; Rick Krider, Park Supervisor; Ron Felger, Town Attorney; Robert Gray, Wastewater Supervisor; and Town Marshal, Mike Engle.

Council President Frank Kessler called the meeting to order, welcomed visitors and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll was called by the Clerk. All Council members were present.

Approval of January 2, 2014 meeting minutes:

Mr. Malcolm made a motion to approve the minutes for the meeting of December 18, 2013. Mr. Pepple seconded and the minutes were approved, 3-0.  

Approval of Claims and Payroll Vouchers:

Payroll Docket #1 and Claims Vouchers dated for January 15, 2014 in the amount of $121,364.63 were approved.

Public Comment:

There were no public comments.

Old Business:

There was no old business.

New Business:

President Kessler stated that the Council had requested Mr. Felger to send a letter to the Turtle Days Association requesting their presence to discuss the proposed date change of the 2014 festival and the Association not fulfilling the community service project that was outlined in the contract signed last February. President Kessler expressed his displeasure in the Association moving the dates of the festival without prior consent of the Town Council. Ms. Kirkpatrick, president of the Association, stated she had contacted 30 amusement companies inquiring about the third week of June and there were no amusement companies available during that week. She instead hired Poor Jack’s Amusements for the second week of June. She stated she was unaware that the date stipulation was in the contract that she had signed last year and that it was merely an oversight on the Association’s part. Mr. Pepple asked Mr. Krider what was going on the proposed week of Turtle Days. Mr. Krider stated that Youth League would have to change their schedule to comply with the change of Turtle Days. Ms. Bartl stated that there were already parties scheduled for that weekend (note- Ms. Bartl was looking at the incorrect dates on the calendar when she supplied this information and notified Council of this error). Mr. Pepple stated that he was very disappointed in the Association’s lack of communication and was hopeful it had been rectified last year after a contract was signed, but it had not been. Ms. Kirkpatrick stated that the Association was in a rebuilding stage and if the Association could not hold the festival the second week, there would not be a festival. Mr. McEntee reiterated that the date change was not malicious; they simply were ignorant to the fact it was part of the contract. He also stated that the Association was working on making a donation to the Park, however, they had not started fundraising yet as they did not have enough board members until very recently. Ms. Kirkpatrick was hoping to have a different relationship with the Town. She told President Kessler that prior to him being on the Council, Turtle Days did not have a strained relationship with the Town. President Kessler answered that was because there was a different Turtle Days Board in charge of the event. He also was upset that Turtle Days had not donated anything to the Park in the past few years. Mr. McEntee responded that Turtle Days had donated picnic tables, but because of the financial hardships over the past few festivals, they had been unable to donate anything recently. He asked Mr. Krider about what projects needed done, in which MR. Krider gave him several ideas, one being replacing a Turtle Days shed that had been in disrepair for several years. Mr. Krider added that Turtle Days had been created to help fund the Park, but had not seen any donations from the Association in years; however, he wanted Turtle Days to stay at the Park and felt that having Turtle Days there was good for the Park and the community. Mr. Malcolm responded to MR. Krider’s comments that the Association was lucky Rick had voiced his recommendations that Turtle Days stay at that location. Mr. Pepple also felt that Turtle Days was good for the community, but felt that the reputation of the Association had been tarnished over the years and told Mr.McEntee he could discuss that privately with him at another venue. Mr. Pepple and Mr. Malcolm both agreed that should the parties that were using the Park agree to switch dates and if the contract was fulfilled, they would be in favor of allowing Turtle Days to switch dates. President Kessler re-iterated that Turtle Days did not have a valid contract with the Town at this point, but the Council could revisit the issue at the next meeting.  

Ms. Bartl approached the Council with a Transfer Fund Resolution. President Kessler explained that utility operating funds were usually transferred to the Improvement/Depreciation Funds at the beginning of a new year and funds from the General Fund are transferred to the Rainy Day Fund. Ms. Bartl and President Kessler had examined the year-end fund report and determined that $9,000 should be transferred to Rainy Day and $20,000 should be transferred to each of the utility funds. Mr. Malcolm made a motion to approve Resolution 2014-01 as presented. Mr. Pepple seconded and the motion carried 3-0.

Ms. Bartl presented to Council a fact sheet on a new software program she wanted to purchase to replace the Budget program she currently used. Keystone software had unveiled Key Fund last year and there were many improvements to the program such as the ability to allow two employees to work in the program at once, real time posting, the ability to create and track invoices, and automatic creation of reversing entries and voiding checks. Mr. Pepple made a motion to accept purchasing the new software for the cost of $6750. Mr. Malcolm seconded and the motion carried 2-0 with Mr. Malcolm abstaining.

Ms. Bartl asked the Council who the 2014 appointee to the EMA would be. President Kessler stated Mr. Pepple would continue to hold that position.

Department Reports:

Jeremy Hart, Town Supervisor:

Mr. Hart was present, and left the attached report. President Kessler wanted to put on record that Auston Smith, the ICE student employed at the Wastewater Plant, had discontinued his enrollment at Churubusco High School and therefore was no longer an employee with the Town of Churubusco.

Bob Gray, Waste Water Treatment Plant Supervisor

Mr. Gray was present and left the attached report. He also stated that there were no overflows the previous week.  

Michael Engle, Town Marshal:

Marshal Engle approached Council and asked if he could attend an Indiana Drug Enforcement Agency training program. He stated that the Prosecutor’s Office would pay for it. The Council agreed that he could attend. President Kessler asked if he had any issues during the recent snowstorm. He stated the only issue that the department had was the car getting stuck a couple times in drifts.

Rick Krider, Park Supervisor:

Mr. Krider presented to Council a quote from Simco for the new soccer field restroom for the amount of $48,500. He stated it was $21,000 cheaper than the other quote he obtained from Preston Allen Homes. Mr. Malcolm made a motion to approve the quote. Mr. Pepple seconded and the motion carried 3-0. Mr. Krider also inquired about the possibility of moving the remaining 2013 Park Fund balance to the Park Gift Fund. President Kessler explained that could not be done and the money remaining in the Fund was not lost. It would roll over to the next year. Ms. Bartl added that money was simply not appropriated in 2014. Additional appropriations would have to be approved should the Park need that money.

Ron Felger, Town Attorney:

Mr. Felger informed Council that their inquiry to exclude Town properties from paying for utilities was not allowed and the Town has to pay the same rates as residents do. Mr. Pepple asked if he had looked into the residential tax abatement that Ms. Bartl had sent him the previous week. Mr. Felger stated he was unsure if he had received it and asked MS. Bartl to resend him the information.

Council Reports:

President Frank Kessler:

President Kessler reported that Main Street Committee was working on plans for a spring fundraiser to occur in late April. He also stated that the Committee was formulating a Façade Grant proposal that would be presented at a later meeting. He also stated that he had talked to Mark Jesse from GAI concerning the request for proposal sent earlier in the month for engineering services and finally, he still had not heard any news on the road project by C&A.

Alan Malcolm:

Mr. Malcolm reported that he would be attending a Plan Commission meeting on Thursday and a Solid Waste meeting next week.

Mark Pepple:

Mr. Pepple reported a public meeting for the comprehensive plan would take place February 11 at the Scout Building.

Madalyn Sade-Bartl, Clerk-Treasurer:

Ms. Bartl reported that she had presented the Safe Routes to School application to INDOT on Monday morning, but was unsure of how they would respond to her proposal. She stated it was difficult to read the employees at INDOT.

Having no other business and after all proper papers were signed, President Kessler adjourned the regular meeting.