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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-12 MINUTES OF COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 The Batesville City Council met in regular session on September 12, at 5:30 pm at the Municipal Building. Mayor Rick Elumbaugh presided over the meeting. Utility Office Manager Nick Baxter gave the invocation. Upon roll call, the following Councilmembers answered present; Brittany Bennett, Tommy Bryant, Scott Fredricks, Julie Hinkle, Fred Krug, Doug Matthews, and Chris Poole. Also present were the City Clerk Denise Johnston and City Attorney Tim Meitzen. Councilmember Paige Hubbard was absent. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Councilmember Bennett seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Poole moved to approve the prepared agenda. Councilmember Hinkle seconded and all voted for. CITIZENS COMMENTS None UNFINISHED BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS A) POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT Police Chief Alan Cockrill addressed the council with his monthly department report. Chief Cockrill said they have started moving into their new facility and hope to be completely out of their current building by Monday. His department has one officer currently at the police academy and one out for active duty. The new police trucks have shipped and should arrive in the next few weeks. B) ENGINEER’S REPORT City Engineer Damon Johnson addressed the council with his monthly report. Mr. Johnson said Contract Section III is basically complete with a few punch items remaining. The plans for the new Water Treatment Plant are 90% complete and should be final soon. Mr. Johnson made the council aware of the situation with the stop lights at St. Louis and Harrison Streets. He said the lights are currently on timers which is not the ideal situation. He is working with engineers with the Highway Department to try to come up with the best fix for the lights. Unfortunately, he said the fix will probably cost between $60,000. to $80,000. Mr. Johnson said the other department are running well. The Sanitation Department is still working to collect and remove the large piles of debris from the last storm. C) FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT Fire Chief Mark McCollum addressed the council with his monthly report. The council was given a copy of his department’s report for July and August. Chief McCollum commended all the city employees who worked tirelessly through the past storm. The Chief said they set up a command post at Station 3. The Police Department, Fire Department, Street and Sanitation Departments worked together to make sure our citizens were safe and roads were clear for travel. Chief McCollum and Mayor Elumbaugh then recognized Fireman Alan Jackson with a Life Safety Award. Mr. Jackson saved a lady who was trapped in her car in flood waters. D) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE INDEPENDENCE COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WITH THE INTENT TO PARTICIPATE AND TO WORK TOWARD BECOMING A SAFER COMMUNITY Councilmember Bennett introduced a resolution to adopt the Independence County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan with the intent to participate and to work toward becoming a safer community. Councilmember Matthews moved to suspend the rules and read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Bryant moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Bennett seconded. The electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2023-09-01-R. E) EXECUTIVE SESSION Councilmember Fredricks moved to go into executive session to consider the hiring, firing, promotion or demotion or appointment to one or more city employees. Councilmember Bryant seconded and all voted for. Upon returning from executive session, Mayor Elumbaugh said a personnel issue was discussed but no decision was made. Councilmember Fredricks moved to re-appoint Mr. Steve Case and Mr. Danny Storlie to the Batesville Appeals Commission. Councilmember Bryant seconded an all voted for. Both appointments will expire September 8, 2028. Councilmember Matthews moved to re-appoint Mr. Larry Morris, Mr. Jimmy Wallace and Mr. Jonathan Abbott to the City Tree Board. Councilmember Bryant seconded and all voted for. All appointments will expire September 8, 2025. Councilmember Krug moved to re-appoint Ms. Amanda Roberts and Mr. Greg Mohlke to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Councilmember Bryant seconded and all voted for. Both appointments will expire September 30, 2027. F) FINANCIAL STATEMENT The council was given a copy of the August, 2023 financial statement for their review. MAYOR COMMENTS Mayor Elumbaugh said he has a conflict with two upcoming council meetings. th The Mayor asked the council to cancel the September 26 meeting and both meeting in th October and have only one meeting in October on the 17. Councilmember Hinkle so moved and Councilmember Fredricks seconded. All voted for. Mayor Elumbaugh told the council that the Soccer Field’s concession and restroom building was totaled in last months storm. He said the Insurance Company has accepted a bid from M & A Jones to take the building all the way down to the slab and rebuild. The bid was $278,397.48. The Mayor said the City will be out $25,000.00 for our insurance deductible. LIAISON REPORTS None COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Bryant read a prepared statement offering his resignation to his position on the Batesville City Council. Mr. Bryant talked of many accomplishments that he as witnessed in his nearly 15 years on the council. Mayor Elumbaugh accepted Mr. Bryant’s resignation and declared a vacancy for Ward 1 Position 1 on the City Council. Mr. Elumbaugh invited those who may be interested to submit a resume to his office. The other council commended the City employees who worked endless hours to clear our streets after the recent storm. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Councilmember Bryant moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Fredricks seconded and all voted for. The meeting was adjourned at 6:18pm. ________________________________ RICK ELUMBAUGH, MAYOR ____________________________________ DENISE M. JOHNSTON, CITY CLERK