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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-11-12 MINUTES OF COUNCIL NOVEMBER 12, 2014 The Batesville City Council met in regular session on November 12th at 5:30 P.M. at the Municipal Building. Mayor Rick Elumbaugh called the meeting to order. Utility billing manager Nick Baxter gave the invocation. Upon roll call, the following councilmembers answered present: Chris Beller, Tommy Bryant, Margarett Henley, Paige Hubbard, Fred Krug, Doug Matthews, Chris Poole and David Shetron. Also present were the City Attorney Lindsey Castleberry and City Clerk Denise Johnston. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Councilmember Beller seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the prepared agenda as amended. Councilmember Matthews seconded and all voted for. CITIZENS COMMENTS None OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS A) RECOGNIZE THE BATESVILLE BLITZ SOCCER TEAM Mayor Elumbaugh recognized the undefeated Batesville Blitz Soccer Team. Each team member received a certificate of achievement. Matthew McClure, son of City Code Enforcement Officer Chad McClure, presented the Mayor with their trophy to be placed in the trophy room at the Community Center when completed. B) RECOGNIZE THE BATESVILLE PIONEER JUNIOR HIGH FOOTBALL TEAM Mayor Elumbaugh recognized the Batesville Pioneer Junior High Football Team and coaches for their undefeated season. The Mayor said the Jr. Pioneers have a 22 and 0 record and praised the students, coaches and parents for their success. Each team member received a proclamation from the Mayor proclaiming November 12, 2014 as Pioneer Appreciation Day. C) MONTHLY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REPORT Chief Deputy Qualls addressed the council with the Sheriff Department's monthly report. The Chief went over the report briefly and said the jail currently has 136 inmates. The Chief said the deceased man found at First Community Bank on Eagle Mountain Blvd. has been sent to the state crime lab for identification and cause of death. Mayor Elumbaugh said he has had several calls concerning the homeless population in Batesville. The Mayor said the CEO Business Men in Batesville have already been discussing the homeless and are looking for grants to help with the issue. D) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE III SECTION I OF THE GREENWAY Councilmember Bryant introduced a resolution to accept the low bid and enter into a contract with Trico, Inc. for the construction of Phase III, Section 1 of the Batesville Greenway Trail. Parks Director Jeff Owens said the trail will begin on Douglas Street near hole #2 on the golf course and connect at the Batesville High and Jr. High campus. Mr. Castleberry read the resolution in full. Councilmember Beller moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2014-11-01-R. E) MR. STEVE DAVIS WITH DAVIS BUSINESS PLANNING WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT FEASIBILITY REPORT Mr. Steve Davis with Davis Business Planning along with Mr. Hugh Earnest and Mr. Kevin Crosson addressed the council with a feasibility report on the City operating a police department. The councilmembers were given a copy of the study and walked through the process of how the figures were gathered. Because of the vast amount of information, the Mayor recommended the law enforcement committee study the report and give a recommendation to the council. Councilmember Shetron so moved and set a meeting for November 24th at 5:30 PM. Councilmember Matthews seconded and all voted for. The committee members are Councilmembers Shetron, Poole and Beller, however, the Mayor encouraged all the council to attend. F) ENGINEER'S REPORT City Engineer Damon Johnson addressed the council with his Engineer's Report. Mr. Johnson updated the council on several projects currently underway around the city. MAYOR COMMENTS Mayor Elumbaugh asked for out of state travel approval for Marty Thompson and Don Martin to attend stoplight training school in Decatur, Alabama. Councilmember Matthews so moved and Councilmember Bryant seconded. All vote for. The Mayor also asked for out of state travel approval for himself to go to the National League of Cities in Austin, Texas. Councilmember Bryant so moved and Councilmember Henley seconded. All voted for. City Attorney Lindsey Castleberry addressed the council with an update on the Southside Annexation and Incorporation. He said the City is at a crossroads and needs to make a decision on how to proceed. Since the annexation was voted down by the public in the general election, there is no further action to take in that regards. However, the City currently has a petition filed in Circuit Court for declaratory judgment and needs to make a decision whether to continue to pursue it. The City also needs to decide whether it wishes to file a complaint in Circuit Court to prevent the Incorporation of Southside, since the City has one month from the entry of Judge Griffin's order in which to file. Mr. Castleberry said he visited with Mr. Martin Bowen, Attorney for the residents of Southside seeking incorporation, and inquired whether the Petitioners were still willing to pursue the incorporation since the annexation failed. Mr. Bowen said they would not abandon their petition. Mr. Castleberry said that he has visited with the Mayor, and they discussed that parts of the City's airport are within the proposed area to be incorporated. It was agreed the City should try to get the City's airport removed from the area proposed to be incorporated. If the airport could be removed, the City would dismiss its legal objections to the Petition for Incorporation. Councilmember Bryant moved to give the Mayor and our attorneys the authority to negotiate with Mr. Bowen in an attempt to have the City's airport removed from the proposed incorporated area in return for dismissal of the City's legal objections to the incorporation. Councilmember Henley seconded and all vote for. LIAISON REPORTS None COUNCIL COMMENTS None ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Councilmember Matthews moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Bryant seconded and all vote for. RICK ELUMBAUGH, MAYOR DENISE M. JOHNSTON, CITY CLERK