City Council Meeting, April 2, 2007

All Council members were present except for Blevins.

Minutes were changed in two different places and then approved.

Communications from the Public only centered around a few. Without further ado, here goes:

A gentleman from LaFayette Drive with drainage problems supported and spoke in favor of R-07-16 (Resolution to make the Drainage Non-Reverting Fund Balance Available to the Storm Water Board For Use on Drainage Problem With the City).

A gentleman from the Lyon Lane area spoke for his property and three other residents, all suffering drainage problems. He supported R-07-16.

A gentleman from the Grace Lutheran area spoke in favor of R-7-16, because of their drainage problems.

All were referred to the Storm Water Meeting, which have different dates this month, due to rescheduling. Personally, I didn't write down when they were rescheduled to.

As I was the next citizen to address Council, here goes:

a. I spoke to R-07-11 (Resolution to Use $500,000 from the EDIT fund for The Repair, Paving, Mill and Striping of Streets in New Albany). Options were presented to the Council about new laws concerning TIF areas, and Redevelopment, and the Sewer Plan. Interesting stuff, huh?

TIFS monies can be used in a non-TIF area for "infrastructure" purposes, i.e., sewers and paving of roads. The rules have loosened up a bit and there is extra monies in these funds for what they NEED to do.

The Redevelopment Budget was submitted to Councilman Gahan to show there were "Contractural Services" monies available, also, to achieve all our goals.

Council Members were also informed that the original Sewer Plan stated in it, Sewer Board approved it and the City Council demanded it that all roads be restored back to their original condition (not patched) and the monies were allocated.

b. I spoke in opposition of G-07-05 (An Ordinance to Repeal Chapter 32, Section 32.80 Through Section 32.88, New Albany Fire Department Candidate Selection Process Act).

Mrs. Timberlake spoke after I about drainage issues in the West End. As all of you are aware, she and Mr. Coffey are campaigning against each other. She was also referred to the Storm Water Board.

No Communications from City Officials

No Communication from the Mayor

No Appointments

There were no CF-1 FORMS (tax abatements) scheduled.

The results and comments of the agenda items are listed below:

R-07-11 Resolution to Use $500,000 From the EDIT Fund for The Repair, Paving, Milling and Striping of Streets in New Albany. I actually have a record of who voted which way (I sort of give up through the meetings; get too absorbed in the behind the scenes maneuvering) - - no particiular order -- Coffey - Yes; Schmidt - No; Crump - Yes; Messer - No; Kochert - No; Gahan - Yes. Final tally 4-4 Resolution failed.

R-07-15 Resolution to fund the purchase of five (5) New City Police Cars out of the Riverboat fund. Votes were (in no particular order) Coffey - Yes; Price - No; Crump - Yes; Messer - Yes; Zurschmiede - Yes; Kochert - Yes.

R-07-16 Resolution to make the Drainage Non-Reverting Fund Balance Available to the Storm Water Board for Use on Drainage Problems With The City.

This issue got a little "testy" would be the feeling you walked away with. Mr. Dietrick and Mr. Coffey got into a "heated" discussion; the Resolution passed; and Mr. Dietrick hollered as he walked out the door Mr. Coffey should worry for his job. He said that just loud enough for the audience to hear, but not Council. Enough said about that one.

R-07-17 Resolution to have the Sewer Utility Budget $450,000.00 For the Repair, Paving, Milling and Striping of Streets.

This issue got raucous, in a way, also. It was found out, and totally blew the Council and Susan and I out of the water that yeah, it was in the Sewer Plan the Sewer Board approved; it was in the Plan the Council voted on and insisted same be contained within; but Mayor Garner said the monies to repair the roads were "stripped out of the bids". Not one to be at a loss for words, but even the Council fell (figuratively) out of their chairs. How could that be? No one knew the answer to that one.

Mr. Gahan and some others finally understood the Sewer Department was owed 5.1 million dollars from the General Fund for propping up the City. Once all of this information came to the light of day, this Resolution did not pass. This is how I think (dangerous) the voting went down: Coffey - Abstained; Schmidt - No; Price - No; Crump - Abstained; Gahan - Yes; Zurschmiede and Messer voted No, I think...could be wrong; it has happened before.

A-07-10 Additional Appropriation for the Unsafe Building Fund (I think somewhere around $84,000) was passed Unanimously.

A-07-09 An Ordinance to Approve the 2007 Rates for the Communications (CWA) Employees (our 911 operators who haven't had a raise in years and years) passed Unanimously. Yeeeaaaa..

G-07-05 An Ordinance to Repeal Chapter 32, Section 32.80 Through Section 32.88, New Albany fire Department Candidate Selection Process Act was ordered into Committee with Messer, the Fire Chief, Union Rep and someone else...sorry folks -- it's been a long evening.

Nice to meet you, "Coop". Thanks for introducing yourself to me.

I make no assumptions or have no misunderstandings that I may have made a mistake or two on the article written above. (Not that it matters that much anyway, hey?)