Common Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Welcome to the regular meeting the city of Charlestown Council. Today is November 3rd, 2025. It is 6 6:30 p.m. We'll begin our meeting um with the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for allible.

This meeting is being live streamed by Under Production Multimedia before we have our invocation. Um, I would like to call upon everyone here to hold a moment of silence um for longtime resident Dan Gregory, husband of our court treasure Donna Kumer, who passed away unexpectedly and suddenly um yesterday. So, we could just have a moment of silence on Don's behalf. Thank you. With that, our invitation tonight is Reverend Dol Daniels from Living Waters House of Prayer. Reverend Daniels, the Lord.

Our kind and gracious heavenly father, we come to you this evening seeking guidance. Heavenly Father, that we may be able to do your will. Bless each and everyone that's here tonight. We ask you Lord that you lead them cattle in the direction that would make our city a better place to live for our children, our elderly that each and every one that comes through and visit and hope that they'll make this their home. We've been here a long time and heavenly father we know what this town stands for and we ask you Lord that you would guide each and everyone. bless them in their decisions and that they may make this a better place for each and every one that's gathered here. I ask this in Jesus name and amen.

Amen. Thank you. Thank you. You've been provided a copy of the agenda. I need to make a um recommended change. Um, we received kind of late before we could get it out on its packet the transfer documents for the Indian-American Water Company to receive the fire pump. Chuck, I think you're the most familiar with this for redevelopment commission. Um, there is a pump house on Pike Street that did not get transferred when the water utility was sold in 2019. And I would like to add that to the agenda under item B under new business. So with that, I would entertain a motion to approve that amended agenda. I'll make a motion. Motion by Ronnie Leven. Second.

Second by Shannon Elder. Any questions on that agenda change? Any additional changes? Hearing none. All in favor say I. Any opposed? That's unanimous. You have your standing business which we didn't do our roll call. My bad. That's what happens when they take it off the agenda. I forget. Let the record show that all council members are present as well as mayor's deputy clerk treasurer Deborah Miles and both attorneys Mr. Wilder and Mr. McCall. Uh we have our minutes claims and payroll docket payroll dockets from September 29th to October 26. Motion to approve. I make a motion. Motion by Ronnie Levens. Second.

Second by Shannon Alder. Any questions or edits on any of those? All in favor say I. I

any opposite don't think you want to sign up for public comments tonight. We have a legislative youth adviser with us. She'll give us an update on what going on at the hello. There's a lot that's happened in October. So I would like to start at the beginning of the month when the boys soccer team won sectional champ for the second year in a row. So, we want to congratulate coach Martinez, coach Franco, and coach Marcel for all their work. And our senior from girls soccer, Ari Rivera, as well as captain, broke the record for most goals in a game, which was seven goals and the most in in a season, which was 23. and our alumni, sophomore Kaylee Ginser at Hanover College, made history um in handover's record books with a time of 1857. And she earned 10th place overall in her race and ninth overall in handover. And then track had another success this year and raised $2,865. Um, cross country also made it to the Shelbyville Super Regionals with most of our athletes finishing the race at either the personal best or a season best. So for PR, Wyatt, Austin, Charlie, Shayla, Jill, and Kate, and then a season best, Avery and Sophie. And then the boys had historic season as it was the first time in 40 years to make it to regionals. And the girls continue to be one of the best in the area. We're also proud to announce that Charleston boys basketball park has committed to play basketball at St. Mary's of the Woods College. And then WPMQ went to IU Southeast High School Media Day contest which includes entries from last year of previous winners. So, this year's winner for broadcast organization of the year, uh, WPMV TV and radio newscast sports casting class,

I'm sorry, radio on air talent, Kaylee Jackson. Best feature photo, Aiden Stewart. Runners up were Carson Hasselbringing and Carson Cameron Lee. And then for TV video news or feature story, White Chisman and Ellie Jenkins. And then best sports photo, Dylan French. In third place for audio playbyplay Clayton Stewart and Jared Taylor and then radio audio music featur personality Tatum Porter. On Saturday, RCS cheerleaders took on HCCA Spirit State and placed first in the varsity co-ed division, bringing home our first title for HCCA. Abby Kelner, Kimber Dhy, and Megan Burkeman were also recognized for their sectionals selection, I'm sorry, to the All State cheerleading team. They were selected into the top 12 seniors from around the state. And they head next weekend to the ASP's Indiana cheer comp championship to defend their back-to-back state titles and compete for the very first time in the large division of

That was a struggle. You did fine. You did fine. Thank you for the update. Thank you so much. Thank you. I have no special comments tonight or any comments from the council members. I don't have Can we share out when light up and all that's going to be because we won't have the meeting before then?

Yeah. Um, definitely be make sure you're checking our our calendar on the city's page, but light up Charlestown will be the 28th. Um, which is the day always the day after Thanksgiving. Um, lights coming at 6, so it starts thinking entertainment. Your son is singing. One of our entertainers. Um, have kids from the school come in to sing and then um, Paris and Adams will be the switcher this year, light it up. Um, and all everything starts that night and all that stuff. We're this close to I think we're I think we are going to have the trolley available. Um, we checked it out. We got it center possession. We got it checked out. Everything checks out with it safety wise. They're just trying to repair the lift. It has a wheelchair lift

um that um the previous owner did not use and we want to make sure it's available. So, I was out there today and the um crew member was out there working on it. Hopefully get it fixed. So, um hopefully we'll have a All right. Um, old business. These are all ordinances that have passed on first reading. This is the second and final reading for these ordinances tonight. The first is 2025 O16, which is the salary for all city positions for 2026. It reflects the 2% raise for all staff. Uh, make a motion to approve. I'll make a motion. Motion by Ch. Second by Shannon Elder. Any questions on that one? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? unanimous. The second one is 2025 O17. This is the official elected official salary for 2026. This reflects no raise. This is the same salary that was paid for 2025. Need a motion to approve. A motion. Chuck De makes the motion. Second. Second by Shannon Elder. Any questions? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? That's unanimous. The next ordinance is 20258. This was the ordinance to cease the addition of fluoride in the water supply. Councilman Hester explained this last time we were together. Um, this just authorizes IW to stop putting that in the water supply and second reading. Need a motion to approve.

I'll make a motion. Motion by Ronnie Blevens. Second. Second by Shannon Elder. Any questions? All in favor say I. I.

Any oppose? Uns. And then the last of the old business is 2025 19. This is amending the sewer and wastewater ordinance to remove the specific amount of the capacity fees and instead reference this is for just the pre-treatment ordinance and it instead just references whatever the other ordinance is at that time. That way as that capacity fee changes it will automatically be amended in the pre-treatment ordinance. But this is just uh the pre-treatment for industrial users. It doesn't reflect a change in the rate. Need a motion to approve. So move. Motion by Ryan Tester. Second.

Second by Ronnie B. Questions. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? Match unanimous. And then we have two items of new business. The first is ordinance 202520. This is a tree ordinance. Um I guess it's been last maybe it was last year we had the partnership with the um urban planning group from UL and they came over and did a tree study for us at no charge. um documented with all the public properties, documented age of trees, any diseased trees, made recommendations for where we can plant trees in parks, and Brian Smith um has been actively chasing a tree grant that would um give us a wider some money to purchase some older trees, you know, more established trees that we could put out to fulfill some of those studies to provide natural shade for some of our parks. Um specifically some of our parks like Ashley Springs Park. um they don't have a lot of trees, a lot of shade and the artificial shades are not possible there because of the height of the clay equipment and how much higher the shade would have to be. We had somebody come out from parks and look at that and so planting fast growing trees is one of the ways that we can ultimately provide shade for those kinds of areas. So in order to get that grant, we also have to pass a tree ordinance. Um, so I'm asking you to pass this on first reading tonight. You can bring it back at December's meeting for 2nd to give you adequate time to look over it. It's just establish not requiring anybody to plant any specific tree. It's just establishing um protocol for code enforcement for instance to be able to um deal with diseased and dying trees or dangerous trees um specifically on public property. And then I think Perry had a question about enforcement on that.

Oh, I wouldn't necess what the penalty penalties would be. The penalties. Yeah. If there was a violation, what was going to be the penalties? I think I emailed back and it was they came up with some amount that they thought would be reasonable under the circumstances. Yeah. Not to exceed under violations and penalty, not to exceed $500 for each offense. Um so, but that's up to that. So, um, anyway, I would be asked for a motion to approve that on first meeting. Make a motion. Motion by Shannon Elder. Second, second. Any questions on this one? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? That's unanimous. That'll come back for second reading for December. And then the other item is not an ordinance. It's just authorization to transfer that fire pump. So again, this has been a ongoing process. This is a fire pump that provides private fire protection for two businesses in Industrial Park, Mitchell Plastics and Pegasus. And it's been ongoing conversation of who has responsibility for that fire pump because the city does not have a water utility anymore since it was sold in 2019. So, we have no way to receive funds because we have no utility to receive those funds for that fire protection. and is we're not capable of providing private fire protection. We don't even own the utilities anymore. And so ultimately this was taken to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and they made a judgment that Indiana American Water has the burden to provide fire protection to Mitchell and Pegasus and after doing some due diligence IAW has agreed to take over that that pump house. So, this is a win for the city because we have been under liability and obligation for as long as we own that fire pump. It's required a lot of person hours and going out there and flipping switches and when the alarm would go off and managing that pump. And so, it would be nice to get this out from under and have that transferred over to them along with the rest of the utility when it was transferred. So, that's the request. I'm asking someone to make a motion to initiate that transfer and authorize me to execute those documents.

I will make a motion. Motion by Chuck Eaton. Second, second by Shann. Was there any consideration be transferred docu? So simply because that was my question. I thought for state board of accounts purposes there was a consideration. You may want to have a tangible document for them to see. But since there is none, we're good. Okay. There's no considerate. We're just passing it to them through quick claim D. So it's been it's been a pain. So it's been a pain. Get rid of it. Yep. Okay. Are there any questions from the council? All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? That is all I had unless you had anything else you need to bring up. We just need a motion to adjourn. I'll make a motion.

Motion by Chuck Eaton. Second. Second by Shannon Elder. All in favor say I. I. That was unanimous. Your return. Thank you.