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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-12-12 MINUTES OF COUNCIL DECEMBER 12, 2023 th The Batesville City Council met in regular session on December 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, Scott Fredricks, Julie Hinkle, Fred Krug, Doug Matthews, Chris Poole and Landon Reeves. Also present were the City Clerk Denise Johnston and City Attorney Tim Meitzen. Councilmember Paige Hubbard was absent. Councilmember Hinkle moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Councilmember Poole seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Fredricks moved to approve the prepared agenda. Councilmember Hinkle seconded and all voted for. CITIZENS COMMENTS None UNFINISHED BUSINESS A) SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE #2014-07- 01 AND MODIFYING FEES AND RATES TO BE CHARGED BY BATESVILLE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES FOR WORK RELATED TO WATER AND SEWER SERVICES Councilmember Matthews moved to suspend the rules and read the second reading by title only. Councilmember Poole seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Matthews moved to further suspend the rules and waive the third reading. Councilmember Fredricks seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Councilmember Bennett moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Poole seconded. The electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2023-12-01. B) SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING CITY OWNED PROPERTY CONTIGUOUS TO POLK (AKA “POKE”) BAYOU AS A CITY PARK Councilmember Hinkle moved to suspend the rules and read the second reading by title only. Councilmember Poole seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Mayor Elumbaugh said the ordinance will be placed on the next meeting’s agenda for the third and final reading. C) SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING CITY OWNED CEMETERIES AS CITY PARKS Councilmember Poole moved to suspend the rules and read the second reading by title only. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Mayor Elumbaugh said the ordinance will be placed on the next meeting’s agenda for the third and final reading. D) SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE REGARDING CITY PARK HOURS Councilmember Fredricks moved to suspend the rules and read the second reading by title only. Councilmember Reeves seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Mayor Elumbaugh said the ordinance will be placed on the next meeting’s agenda for the third and final reading. NEW BUSINESS A) POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT Assistant Police Chief John Scarbrough addressed the council with his monthly department report. The Assistant Chief gave the council a detailed report of November which included 46 Accidents, 8 Arrests and 41 Incident Reports. He also said four of the five new trucks were in and in the process of being put into service. B) ENGINEER’S REPORT City Engineer Damon Johnson address the council with his monthly report. Mr. Johnson gave an update on the Bayou boat ramps and reported that all departments were running well. C) FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT Fire Chief Mark McCollum addressed the council with his monthly report. Chief McCollum gave the council a printed report for November which included 48 incident reports. Of those 48 incidents, there were 6 fires, 22 rescue and emergency medical service calls, 3 hazardous conditions, 2 service calls, 3 good intent calls and 12 false alarm calls. D) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FOR A MICROBREWERY RESTAURANT PRIVATE CLUB PERMIT FOR SERVING OTHERS, INC. D/B/A POLK AND PADDLE, INC. Councilmember Fredricks introduced an ordinance for a Microbrewery Restaurant Private Club permit for Serving Others, Inc. d/b/a Polk & Paddle, Inc. Councilmember Fredricks moved to suspend the rules and read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Fredricks moved to further suspend the rules and waive the second and third readings. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Councilmember Hinkle moved to adopt the ordinance. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2023-12-02. E) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO CONTRACT WITH ECOLOGICAL DESIGN GROUP AND TAGGERT ARCHITECTS FOR THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR RIVERSIDE PARK AND ASSOCIATED PROJECTS. Councilmember Bennett introduced a resolution to contract with Ecological Design Group and Taggert Architects for the design and development of construction documents for Riverside Park and associated projects. Councilmember Bennett moved to suspend the rules and read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Fredricks seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution by title only. After a discussion, Councilmember Fredricks moved to adopt the resolution. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2023-12-01-R. F) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO CONTRACT WITH KIMLEY-HORN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL (SS4A) SAFETY ACTION PLAN Councilmember Poole introduced a resolution to contract with Kimley-Horn for the development of a safe streets and roads for all (SS4A) Safety Action Plan. Parks Director Jeff Owens briefed the council on the benefits of the safety plan, including grant funding and the goal of zero pedestrian and traffic deaths. Councilmember Reeves 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 Fredricks moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Hinkle seconded. The electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2023-12-02-R. G) EXECUTIVE SESSION Councilmember Fredricks moved to go into executive session to consider the hiring, firing, promotion or demotion of one or more city employees. Councilmember Bennett seconded and all voted for. Upon returning from executive session, Councilmember Krug moved to reappoint Ms. Barbara Fitzpatrick, Mr. Ron Lewallen and Mr. Robb Roberts to the Historic District Commission. Councilmember Poole seconded and all voted for. Each term will expire 1/8/2027. Councilmember Fredricks moved to appoint Dr. Ken James to the Planning Commission. Dr. James will fulfill the vacancy left by Councilmember Landon Reeves. Councilmember Poole seconded and all voted for. Dr. James’ term will expire 6/10/2024. H) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTING FOR THE CITY OF BATESVILLE AND BATESVILLE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES 2024 BUDGET Councilmember Fredricks introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2024 budget for the City of Batesville and Batesville Water and Sewer Utilities. Councilmember Bennett moved to suspend the rules and read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Fredricks seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Hinkle moved to further suspend the rules and waive the second and third readings. Councilmember Bennett seconded and the electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Councilmember Matthews moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Poole seconded. The electronic roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2023-12-03. I) FINANCIAL REPORT The council was given a copy of the November 30, 2023 financial report for review. MAYOR COMMENTS The council was notified of a list of fixed assets recently auctioned off. The fixed assets disposed of were as follows; Street Department, Unit 726, 1970 Ford Dump Truck; Sanitation Department, Unit 214 Bandit Chipper; Unit 220, Bandit Chipper; Police Department, Unit 546 2010 Dodge Charger and Unit 544, 2009 Dodge Charger. The auction also had numerous items from a clean up at the City Yard. In all, the city received $70,061.50 for the items sold. Mayor Elumbaugh said the new Public Works facility is about ready to be occupied and he will probably use some of the monies from the auction to furnish the new building. th The next scheduled meeting is December 26 and the Mayor said he would to th cancel due to the holidays. Councilmember Krug moved to cancel the December 26 meeting and Councilmember Poole seconded. All voted for. The next scheduled council meeting will be January 9, 2024. LIAISON REPORTS Councilmember Krug said there will be a Pickleball Tournament this weekend with currently 114 participants registered. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Krug said he had received several calls about his recent health issue and he wanted to say he has a surgery scheduled for this next Monday and he was appreciative for all the calls of concern. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Councilmember Bennett moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Matthews seconded and all voted for. The meeting was adjourned at 6:08 p.m. __________________________ Rick Elumbaugh, Mayor ________________________________ Denise M. Johnston, City Clerk