HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-04-11 MINUTES OF COUNCIL
APRIL 11, 2000
The Batesville City Council met for its regular meeting on April 11, at 5:30
P.M. at the Municipal Building. Mayor Joe Biard presided over the meeting.
Councilmember Gaither gave the invocation. Upon roll call, all the council
answered present. Also present were the City Clerk and the City Attorney.
Councilmember Ford moved to approve the minutes from the previous
meeting. Councilmember Cargill seconded and all voted for.
Councilmember Ford moved to approve the prepared agenda.
Councilmember Insell seconded and all voted for.
THIRD READING OF PROPOSED SIGN ORDINANCE
Mayor Biard read the proposed sign ordinance for the third reading. The
floor was open for discussion. Councilmember Cargill said he thought further
study needed to be done on the ordinance. Mr. Johnny Kent, a local business
owner, addressed the council and expressed his concerns with the ordinance.
Several other citizens addressed their concerns as well. Councilmember Bone
moved to adopt the ordinance. The ordinance died for the lack of a second.
Councilmember Cargill moved to refer the ordinance to the planning commission
for further study. Councilmember Ford seconded and all voted for. Mayor Biard
said he would write a letter to the planning chairman and ask that the study be
done as soon as possible.
MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Biard asked the council to act on several pending grant issues.
The first was the study of an eastern by-pass that would run from the high
school, through Eagle Mountain and come out on Gap Road. The Mayor said
the grant would be a 20% match with 80% federal monies. The city would have
to pay for the study at a cost of up to $40,000. If the study is approved it would
be a multi-million dollar project because of the rough terrain through Eagle
Mountain. Because of the lack of funds, Councilmember Gaither moved that the
Mayor write the Highway Commission and tell them the city is no longer
interested in developing an eastern by-pass. Councilmember Ford seconded
and all voted for.
The Mayor said he has re-submitted a grant for a western by-pass that
would run from Highway 167 and Southerland Drive, along the levy wall and end
at Central Avenue. The Mayor said the grant would be a 100% grant with no city
match.
Mayor Biard said the rules have changed in applying for Parks and
Tourism grants. In the past, a city was limited to $50,000 per year with a 50%
match. Now the limit is $250,000 but a 50% match is still required. The council
agreed that the city was going to have to stop dipping into reserves for grant
matches therefore, they told the Mayor not to apply for any grants through Parks
and Tourism that required a city match.
The Mayor said the council needed to decide on how to proceed with the
River-walk grant of$280,320 that the city has already been approved for. The
city would have to match $73,584. The Mayor said he hated to turn the grant
down but realized that the match would have to come out of reserves since the
proposed one-cent sales failed last month. The council discussed the possibility
of public support to raise the matching funds. The Mayor asked the council to
get public input and make a recommendation at the next council meeting.
REMOVE STOP LIGHT
The council told the Mayor that they support his effort to have the stop
light at College and Central removed. The Mayor said he would write a letter to
the Highway Department and ask that they consider removing the stoplight.
PAID BILLS REPORTS
The council was given a copy of the paid bills reports and the revenue
reports for the month ending March 31, 2000.
CITY WEB PAGE
Councilmember Cargill moved to secure the domain name
cityofbatesville.com for the City's web page. Councilmember Bone seconded
and all voted for.
There being no further business, Councilmember Mitchum moved that the
meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Insell seconded and all voted for.
JOE M. BIARD, MAYOR
DENISE M. JOHNSTON, CITY CLERK