City Council - Regular Meeting

welcome everyone this evening our regular meeting of the city of bedford common council here at the bedford municipal hall 1617 k street tuesday september 15th at 7 pm i'm going to start our meeting off this evening with a public hearing turn that over for the public hearing thank you mayor this time we'll open the public hearing on the introduction of the budget for the year 2027 i'll let our treasurer

It's first and then any public who would like to make a comment about the budget would have to come up to the podium and have a couple of minutes to Press the council I will read each fund and proposed rates if there is a rate the general fund fourteen million five hundred seventy one thousand five hundred and twenty seven dollars with a levy of eight point one Eight hundred thousand eight million one hundred eighty thousand dollars with the tax rate proposed tax rate of one point six six higher pension six hundred ten thousand six hundred fifty dollars lease pension four hundred eighty one thousand one hundred fifty dollars mbh restricted and unrestricted three million eight hundred fifty two thousand three hundred dollars with a proposed levy of one point nine hundred and eighty thousand dollars Rate of 0.3926. Local road and street, $250,000. Parks department, $2,715,715. Levy of $2,508,000. Proposed rate of 0.4973. Cum capital improvement, $73,000. Hume Capital Development, $500,000. Municipal Surtax Fund, $290,000. Non-Reverting Park, $103,000. $400. Law Enforcement Continuing Education, $14,250. Lowett Public Safety, $2,987,000. Building and Construction Fund, $53,000. Non-Reverting Golf Carts, $74,945. Otis Trust, $5,000. Non-reverting Otis, $269,379. Non-reverting pool, $29,000. Fire prevention, $5,000. Non-reverting transit, $290,000. Donation fund, $25,000. Rates are based on assessed value of $504,325. thousand two hundred and four hundred and fifty five dollars um in the budget it has a proposed salary increase of three percent for full-time and permanent part-time proposed stipend of fifteen hundred dollars for full time and 750 dollars for permanent part-time the public safety perf increase from 23 Point three percent to twenty six point five percent and that's state regulated That's what There's anyone in the public that would like to come up and make a comment to the council regarding the budget You'll have two minutes.

You state your name and address All right seeing none we'll close the public hearing

Next on our agenda, we have a public hearing, a resolution approving waiver of noncompliance FM Bedford LLC tax abatement SB1.

Thank you, Mayor. The purpose of this public hearing is to consider whether to waive noncompliance for MFM Bedford LLC. That's the Del Taco property they've applied for tax abatement. Indiana law requires you to submit your SB1 application for tax abatement prior to starting construction. If you submit it after, you've got to have a public hearing and have the council waive that noncompliance. In this case, the reason the SB1 was submitted after they began construction, large part due to the subdivision of the property and getting a parcel number assigned to the specific parcel where the restaurant was going to sit. They were separating it out from a larger tract. That got subdivided and ported. approved in a parcel number assigned after they already started consuming. They've submitted that application after the fact. So the purpose of the hearing is for the public to make a comment on that particular topic. Hearing.

Anyone from the public come up in about two minutes. Same address. No one? Close the public hearing. Thank you.

Judy, would you lead us in prayer?

Dear Lord, guide us as we make decisions that affect our city. Please keep our city safe. We pray you keep our firemen, policemen, and all of our city employees healthy and safe. Thank you for all the blessings you give us each day.

Amen.

Kathy, would you lead us in the pledge?

I sure will.

I pledge allegiance to the flag

the United States of America, to the republic which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all.

Calling our meeting to order. We have approval of minutes from August the 18th, which was a regular meeting.

Make a motion to approve the minutes of the August 18th regular meeting.

Second. All those in favor signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Thank you. We'll move on to old business. We have third and final passage of Ordinance 13-2026, Ordinance Adopting Social Media Comment Policy. Sarah?

Hello, I'm here to answer any questions that you might have related to this. And the adoption is just for the city to have clear and consistent guidelines and any of our social media policies that will be posted on our website and then also the accompanying social media.

Sarah, this is strictly going to be used to spam vulgar comments.

other things that have no particular meaning to posts that are made regarding Facebook. People will still be allowed to post, people will still be allowed to comment on it, be able to regulate.

Correct. So primarily you're not going to see a lot of changes to how we operate and the social media pages exist today. The purpose of this is we have to have specific language in order to actually conduct any monitoring of our social media pages. Some of the things we experience are completely unrelated comments. It could be excessive of 60 posts of the same image or sensitive information that isn't really appropriate to be on the pages. We can't really censor if somebody has a negative opinion or chooses to participate in discussion with other members of the community. So it's just really to be put in place for us to be able to censor some of the things that you've already mentioned. most of the comments will stay intact. We do also keep archive records for public records requests.

I think that's something that we've kind of seen come into play a little bit more often with our Facebook page is whenever someone posts something, people out there that post something maybe for sale or something. Or we had an incident here this past week where someone, whatever reason, wanting to post information definitely unrelated to the post. It was actually some confidential, what I would say, medical information and stuff. For whatever reason, this individual wanted to put it on our Facebook page. So by doing this, it will be able us to hide those, delete those items, whatever, that could not be there. We're not looking to restrict any way anyone be able to make a comment pertaining to the city of Bedford or anything, whether if it's positive or it's negative, that's their right to do so. This is basically for that out-of-the-area type thing that some people are doing that just does not belong on our Facebook. And there again, it will all be archived and stuff. We will be more than likely, you know, happy to be accountable for whatever we do in something like this. I just feel like that we need this to be able to monitor, to be able to have a decent Facebook page for our citizens and for everyone to be able to view with some of these things that have no business people putting on our Facebook.

I'd also like to add, especially whenever you have events created on social media, it's very common for you to get people that have scam comments of contact me personally through private message to set up a vendor agreement and those individuals are not related to the host of the event. We see this commonly not only on city pages but other event pages. At this point in time all we can do is monitor and then comment and hope people see that they're not related to the city. With this policy we would be able to remove that comment so that way somebody doesn't fall victim to a scam.

Any other discussion or comments?

I would entertain a third and final passage.

I give a third and final passage of ordinance 13-2026.

All right, we have a motion by Larry. Craig, would you like to second that? All right, thank you. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed?

Thank you.

We'll move on to new business. We'll start out with ordinance 13. 16-2026 appropriation of tax rates, Billy?

Yes, the ordinance number 16-2026 approves the appropriations and proposed rates as I read in the hearing.

Anybody for 2027 has any questions? Any discussion?

If not, I would entertain a motion. I make a motion we approve Ordinance 16-2026 for Appropriations and Tax Rates. I second.

All those in favor signify by aye. Aye. Any opposed? I would entertain a second passage.

So moved. Second.

Motion by Larry, second by Brad. All those in favor signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Move on to Ordinance 17-2026, approving base salaries for police, firefighters, officers, employees, and approving additional compensation of elected and appointed officials for the year 2027. Billy?

Yes, Ordinance 17-2026 approves the base salaries, which includes a 3% raise for full and permanent part-time employees, a stipend of $1,500 for full-time employees, $750 for a permanent part-time, be paid in two installments, half in June, half in December. There's a slightly larger increase in a wage in the utilities department for the filtration plant superintendent, certified operator responsible full in charge, distribution systems superintendent, water waste plant superintendent, and distribution systems advisor water and sewer from 2947 to 3179, and that's to keep the industry standard wages and the health insurance rate are updated.

Any discussion or comments?

When appropriate, I would entertain a motion. I'll make a motion.

Okay.

Go ahead. I'll make a motion for approving the base salaries for police, firefighters, appointed officers and employees, and approving additional compensation of elected appointed officials for the year 2027. I'll second.

And that is Ordinance 17-2026. Sorry. We have a second by Heath. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Entertain a second passage.

So moved, Mr. Mayor. I'll second.

All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? And I moved on on the prior ordinance because I just assumed the council, we're only going to do two passages, and then we'll do our third passage at our next clarification. Okay? All right. Ordinance 18-2026, establishing salaries for elected officials for the year 2027. Billie?

This approves salaries for elected official at a 3% raise.

Any discussion or comments, or I would entertain a motion if appropriate. I'll make a motion to pass ordinance 18-2020. I'll second.

All those in favor signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed entertain second passage. So moved.

Second.

All those in favor signify by aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

No.

Request approval of must agreement with Lawrence County to share in payment of fees of financial consultation via Bedford and Lawrence County Council. Billy.

The Lawrence County sent us an agreement to share the payment of the fee for Baker Tilly. And in the August meeting, the council approved paying up to $15,000 of the for the must report. So this agreement needs to be completed as a mutual aid, not aid, but mutual agreement with Lawrence County.

Council have any questions or input? Not. When appropriate, I'd entertain a motion.

I make a motion to approve the must agreement with Lawrence County to share in payment of fees of financial consultant between City of Bedford and Lawrence County Council.

I second.

All those in favor signify by aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed? You. Request council decision for must committee on lit rate. Billy.

Okay. This is in the must meeting part of the reporting that we need to do whether the council wants to decide to join with the county or not. in a lit rate. You all have red binders that has the report and plus the report was emailed to you twice for review. In the presentation Baker Tilly provided in the August meeting, the city would be better off financially to join with the county rate. If the city passes a separate rate, only the residents of the city would pay that rate in addition to the county rate and the special district rate. On page four of the report, it shows examples of the countywide rate break even, and then it also shows the maximum rates. Then in the report, it also shows a separate municipal rate where the Betford would generate like $4 million, and that would be a loss of 1.9 if you went separate. But it would cost the residents more. They would have to pay that rate plus the county rate. So joining the county, it would increase the distribution with the city because you have the county rate with the population at, I think, 1.5%, like half more. It would increase the population. And then Politican Mitchell have already agreed to join with the county. And the must reporting is just reporting to the state.

It's non-binding. Billy, I just want to make sure I understand this.

This is a non-binding agreement. This is just, we're looking at different options, and this is going to be, once this report is made, it will be sent to the state legislature, and the state legislature is going to look at it.

Yes. Yeah, we send it to the DLGF. They report then statewide.

They can look at the bottom line on if it's going to work or not for the statewide.

So, Billy, in regards to what you need the council to vote on, essentially, how would we need a word?

You would have to, if you would want to join in with the county with the lit rate for the must agreement.

I'm ready whenever, you know, if there's more questions and more discussion, if not, I would entertain a motion when appropriate. I think, as Ryan has stated and Billy stated, one of the biggest things with this, we're looking even, the legislature may even go back next year and change this lit information. It's kind of evolving and changing possibly all the time, depending on what information it gets back. But the big thing is, is no matter what the decision is today, that it's not binding. at a later date if the council decides to change their mind and go separately and not with the county, that will be an option.

For clarification, current setup that they presented to us, more beneficial for the city and its taxpayers to go with the county when with them?

Yes.

Well, I would make that motion on those grounds.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

All those in favor signify by aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed? Thank you. And now we're going to move on to Resolution 12-2026, approving waiver of noncompliance for MFM Bedford LLC under Indiana Code 6-11-12.1-9.5. Greg? Thank you. As I stated earlier, I have to

that your application for tax abatement prior to starting construction, in this case, do that, so council has the authority to waive that non-compliance.

Allow the tax abatement considered by the council. Any questions or discussion?

Mr. Mayor, I'll move for the approval of Resolution 12-2026, approving waiver of noncompliance for MFM Bedford LLC under Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1-9.5. I second. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed?

Thank you.

Request approval and acceptance of MFM Bedford tax abatement SB1 real estate improvement 3060 John Williams Boulevard approving resolution 13-2026 established deductions for tax abatement. We have Kathy here. We've got Andrew Lafferty and Greg. Whoever wants to start out, we will go from there.

Good evening. My name is Kathy Bullington. I'm the Director of Workforce Development for the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council. Our CEO, Dan Bortner, is traveling out of state this evening, so he asked me to present tonight's real property tax abatement request on behalf of MFM Bedford. This project will bring Del Taco to the offerings along John Williams Boulevard and represents a $1.6 million investment in our community. This establishment will be owned in partnership by the Sinclair, Kim, and Lafferty families, all well-known members of the local community, and they are passionate about this project, right?

Yeah.

Del Taco started in California in 1964 and today has nearly 600 locations across the country, and we're excited to welcome them to Bedford, but I've not got to try. This project will bring 60 new jobs and nearly $400,000 in payroll to our community. Tonight, we are asking for tax abatement to help this new venture get underway and established. And we have Andrew Lafferty here tonight to answer any questions that you may have about the project.

We are all super excited. I'll admit, it's thrown on me last minute. I don't really know what to say. We are super excited. well received by probably two years or so we've kicked around this idea, you know, what can we kind of popped up and we said, you know what, let's try to make a go of it, try to do something to help Bedford out, bringing more jobs to Bedford. And I think that's what we've done.

I'm excited about you bringing stuff back to your hometown.

Yeah, it's been a process, but I think that we're finally at the finish line. Appreciate it.

Andrew, on the SB1, it's got the address of the taxpayers, Noblesville, Indiana. Yes. How is the tax abatement going to help you guys out?

Well, we are responsible for paying the taxes for our lease agreement. And in order for us to remain paying a competitive wage, keeping our employees happy, and we kind of need that abatement to make sure our wages are where they need to be so that these people can have better lives for them.

Okay, so we had the Redevelopment Commission score the application. They scored it at an average of 110, so that's well over the threshold for a 10-year abatement. The recommendation from the Redevelopment Commission was a 10-year abatement starting at 100% and going down by 10% each year. Then they also recommended a 15% fee, which is what you've traditionally done. And then in your motion, you're going to have to... Identify how to allocate that 15% fee among the nonprofit economic development entities You've done the Redevelopment Commission is one and Economic Growth Council is another that you've done the last few times and then That's revitalization and effort urban enterprise association or others Did you did you say RDC also, okay

So if there's any discussion further on, if not, then I would entertain a motion. And as we know in this motion, we're going to need all of the information that's required from that standpoint.

Greg, just for reference, the last handful that we've done, we've done RDC and

Economic Growth Council. What was the percentage split that we've done on those in the last?

It was 75 to Redevelopment Commission, 25 to Economic Growth Council.

I'd make the motion to approve this abatement on the same split between RDC and Economic Growth Council that we've done the last few years, 75 and 25. I don't know if there's any other wording that you need.

15% fee. With the 15% fee, yes.

All right. So...

We have a motion.

I'll second.

All right, I have a motion by Heath. We have a second by Craig. All those in favor signify by aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed? Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Next, we have acceptance of State Homeland Security Grant Program Enduring Needs. Brandon?

All right, thank you. At the beginning of this year, the City of Bedford applied for a grant through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The grant is called the 2025 State Homeland Security Program Enduring Needs. On July 10th of this year, we revised that the City of Bedford was awarded the Enduring Needs Grant in the amount of $37,000. The grant is a reimbursable grant, meaning we pay the contractor and then seek reimbursement through the state. This grant allows us to install surveillance systems at our water and wastewater treatment plants, as well as the water towers, booster and lift stations. I ask the board to approve and accept the 2025 State Homeland Security Program Enduring Needs Grant for $37,000.

Any discussion or I would entertain a motion when appropriate.

make a motion we accept the state homeland security grant program enduring needs for 37 000 i second all those in favor signify by aye aye anyone opposed next we have ordinance 19 2026 establishing enduring the needs grant fund state homeland security grant program brandon yeah so going right along with this we need to set up a fund

where we can keep track of all of the payments that are going in and out for our records and as well as if we get audited through the clerk treasurer's office. So I'm just asking that you approve us to set up a fund to control this. Okay.

Billy, do you have anything to add to that since it'll be going through your office?

When's the grant supposed to start?

It started September 1st of this year and it'll end in I think it is October, no, August 31st of 2028.

Are you going to spend money quickly? I was just needing to see if we needed to start it up to get all three passages tonight.

Not right off. It'll be... We could do it either way. We will probably spend something by the end of the year if you need to. I would say we'll probably have an invoice by the end of the year at some point of some sort for equipment. You request three passages.

We could. That way we can go ahead and get it set up.

What was the ending date on that, Brandon?

August 31st of 2028. All right. Any other discussion?

Okay. I would entertain a motion for the first passage.

I'd like a motion for Ordinance 19-2026.

All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Entertain a second passage.

So moved, Mr. Mayor.

Second.

By Brad and second by Heath. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? With the request for three passages, I'd entertain a motion to suspend the rules.

I'd like a motion to suspend the rules. Third and final passage of Ordinance 19-2026.

Second. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? We'll entertain a motion for the third and final passage. So moved. Motion by Judy. Second. Second by Craig. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Thank you. Thank you.

Discussion.

I want to go out ahead of time. Next month is Fire Prevention Month. Chief, I want to thank you and your firefighters for going into our schools and teaching our children about fire safety. I know it's going to pay off someday. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh-huh. OK. I have a couple of things here for a brief discussion. The last couple of days, we have been in contact with ARA. And if you will recall, what we refer to as the OR program, which is the housing program for individuals. So we did not get awarded this last time. It was in April whenever we discussed it. That program is coming up again. So in the motion that was made last time, it appeared to me that the council was good with applying for this grant again. The dollar amount of $39,000 is still the same. So the council is still all right with that process and nothing has changed. Then we will proceed and we will have a public hearing prior to our our next council meeting and that will be on the agenda again to apply for this grant again for this housing project. So I just want to clarify that everyone was, nothing had changed from that standpoint. So we will proceed and have the public hearing before our next council meeting. It'll actually be earlier in the day because they want a longer timeframe because they feel like several people may show up to inquire about it because it went so well last time. and then we will have that information for the council at the next meeting. Also, I handed out some packets prior to the meeting. I was contacted for a meeting reference to IU Health and the North Lawrence school system. At this point in time, IU Health has an employee that is an employee of IU Health that works with the school system to the public schools and helps set up different types of educational stuff for the kids. The lady from the North Lawrence school system, her information is on the packet that I gave you. She provided that packet, so if you want to review that, if you have questions, you can reach out to her with any of your questions. They're requesting funding for this position. It's an IU employee, but the salary and the benefits have to be raised by grants and donations and stuff to provide this to the school system. So they are inquiring about restricted opioid funds, if there would be any of those available for this purpose. So as you review that and get your questions answered and stuff, then we will probably address it at the next meeting to see if we want a presentation from them. or where the council's at with that, then we can proceed from there.

You know how this has been funded in the past?

Basically, it's just been funded by grants is the way they talked. I can't advise any further on that. I know that they did say that the people involved in it are trying to work with IU to see if they will put some money in it as far as to the salary and the benefits for this individual for the work that they do at the school system. They said that's not happened yet, but they're hoping to accomplish something on that. So she'll be happy to answer any questions or inquiries that you have on the program. And we can go from there. There is quite a bit of the educational side of it that they felt like could be covered by the restricted opioid funds. Other than that, that's all I have.

Do you have any other questions on that topic? What do they have to have?

They have, in your packet, they advise that this year is already funded. Next year, I believe they advise they had about 50% or so of the funding already in place, so they will just be working the rest of this year to see about coming up with that additional funding. One of the ladies involved in it is a grant writer, and they apply for a lot of grants to see about receiving funds for this purpose.

and go from there.

We have it until the end of the year. I think they're about to kind of see where we're at with it, see what the council has to do, at least probably November, and see where their funding's at.

Okay. Council have anything else?

All right. That being said, I would entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved. Second.

All those in favor, signify by aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

We stand adjourned.