Town Council - Regular Meeting

6:00 Tuesday, July 29th, 2025. We'll go ahead and open this meeting at 6:00. Uh, all three members are present along with the town clerk. Let you get caught up. [Applause] Mean is basically to go over about just a special meeting, right? This is a special meeting. So, so we can discuss stuff.

Where do you want to start? Well, I don't know if you had a chance to review email, but I kind of put my suggestions or thoughts in there.

I did. And then if you guys want to change anything, um I did want to make you aware that and I gave you a print out, but we received an email from the county. Uh it's right there at the top talking about reallocation of some possible local income tax money. And I called um the auditor Beth Meyers and asked her about it and I said, "Is this going to affect 2026 budget and she believes that it will, but she doesn't have a lot of details." So, I'm planning on being to that meeting, which is August 14th. I don't know if anybody's available from the council.

I put it on my calendar when I try to go. Yeah, it would be nice because if if this affects us in any way for 2026, we're really going to need to know. Um I did also notice that um you know the budget obviously everything starting normally with circuit breaker we haven't had much of an effect but when I went on to gateway it showed $6,000 uh for this to affect the town of Burlington for 2026. So, if that's correct, that means that we're going to get $6,000 less between the four funds uh for the 2026 budget. So, that will have an effect on things, too. So, there's definitely some things.

So, when the shortfall is going to happen in 2027, is that I believe it's in that time period. We're hoping maybe they make some more legislative changes their next session to maybe tweak the bill for any corrections that need to be. But at this point, I believe that's correct. What's the gross revenue like that we bring in total for the Well, I gave you uh I I printed off a sheet from 2024 for the revenue for the general fund, which is our main operating fund. Which one is that one?

That one right there. Sorry. And so local income taxes for 2024 for the general fund was over $136,000. For the taxes um that we receive um that's 53% of what we receive plus property taxes will be affected. So at this point that's huge.

It's like half or more. Well, there's a possibility of with the current law, and like I said, I don't I certainly don't understand all of it, um, that towns under, uh, 3,500 in population can go to the county and ask them to pass a local income tax ordinance for us. Um, I believe it's up to 1.2%, 2% but what that translates to how much money that is if we can really go up to that level all that is unknown to me.

That's like potentially catastrophic for if we're bringing in 255 and it gets cut in half in two years. We probably should figure out how to ease into that.

Well, I'm I have high concerns. Um, that's one of the reasons why in the email, uh, Jim Higgins has helped the town, he works with London Whitty. He helped the town when we were working on the town hall. Um, he helped us um, secure the loan through REMC. He also helped us when we were uh, trying to reestablish the cumulative funds and he has a heart for small towns. So, my hope is that you guys will um allow him to come in as a consultant for the town with this. So, he he might have ideas about what we ought to do,

right? So, I had talked to him on the phone. He said that he would like to come to the August meeting, but he's busy the first half of August, so maybe September. and he had said, you know, possibly for a half hour of his time and mileage to come here and just do a preliminary talking to you guys of potential effects. But he said also it's a little early just to kind of give a preview, but it's a little early because they do have the next legislative session coming around next year and you know hopefully there'll be some tweaks to the legislation. Uh I I don't know which way anything would go, but they'll know further impact once this next legislate uh legislative uh session is done.

I think that's good. I think we should have somebody. But it just seems to me like if they do that legislative session and they don't really tweak it that much. So, you know, we're going to have to make hard cuts, you know what I mean? And it's going to be devastating to some people, I think. You know, um

and like I said, I don't know. um like you know if you're over right now if you're over 3500 in population they can uh pass their own local income tax to a certain percentage which is in that paperwork I gave you but for the town as it currently stands uh you guys would have to I believe petition the county to pass a local income tax for the town and I believe it's up to 1.2% 2% but some of the wording in there is a little confusing to me and how all that works. Is it the council or the commissioners that would approve that

commission? But then the council will also be involved because the council is taking care of their for and then plus our property taxes will be it'd be revenue neutral for them if they if they passed they tax for us though, right? They're not giving us any money there. It would be like we have we got a tax and then they they just give us the tax money, right? I think it would be routed through them like it is now. And then they so we get when they collect the local income tax now they get the distributions to each entity.

Sure. It wouldn't cost them anything though. That's what I'm saying. Like so there's probably no reason why they wouldn't do it. Not that I know. That's always popular. People didn't want to vote for them if they did. Yeah. I just don't like that's a lot. That's a lot. I can't believe that they would do that and just give us a year to figure out what to do about it. And like I said, I, you know, for me understanding the full impacts of this, I don't and I would need help uh to have someone to help us understand. Well, I think we should have that guy come in as soon as possible.

So, are you okay if he like, you know, he said he would charge mileage and probably a half hour this time is what he approximately told me. I don't know an exact figure of how much that would cost. Um, but that would try to see if I could get him here for the September meeting. I think that's a good idea. Yeah, I'll make a motion we do that.

Make a motion to have Wiggins come consult for half hour plus mileage. Let's have a second by Jim. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. So, do you want to go through line items? Um,

yeah, might as well. I don't uh we can bypass salaries right now if you want to. Yeah, that's fine.

Obviously on the police department, I did talk to uh Shane. He said he was fine. You know, he wasn't going to ask for anything different. The only thing that I thought needed to be changed is right now because the uh he got the new cell phone that might have to bump up a little bit for that due to the cost. But other than that, everything else of the police department was uh going to stay exactly the same as it did for this year. He didn't ask for more money for the deputy marsh.

See, we had all that last year. I mean, they're not even close, which we told him they wouldn't be close. I thought for sure he'd ask for more. have no problems leaving the same.

Then I think if you go on down um okay, office supplies um that was 1,500 this year. Our main printer is was purchased in 2014 and I had sent that in the email.

Um they came and they did some fixes on it, but it's to the point now that if they had to fix something major, they're going to have a hard time getting the parts for it. I did talk to Beckley's and Beckley's had stated that um we could get one that would be we could get color and obviously black and white print but include color facts. So it could take place at the fax machine we have now scanning. It's normally 3,000 but we with a government discount we could get it for two and then there is the maintenance like we have now and so that is something I would like to consider only because it's in terminology of technology it's really old so I did bump that up to 3500 to account for that machine

that be Well, for it would just be the maintenance would come out of a different appropriation. Okay. So, he gave me he gave me a quote of 2000. I would hope that it would stay the same. Okay. Well, we had 15 last year, right? I didn't know the contract would come out of a different I think

I'm trying to think most everything I kept the same. I took postage down 100 cuz I don't think we have any major mailings coming up. The other one thing I did bump was that I am not going to the conference in August. So that means that money will not be spent this year. Normally the conference is in June but this year it's August. Um I do trying to get as much free training as I can but I will need some additional training next year. So, I bumped travel expense up to try to cover for hotel rooms. So, that can be discussed. I don't know if you guys see that or not. So, the spark been good to deal with or not?

Everything's been really nice. It just took a long time, right? [Music]

I did take insurance down. Insurance was less expensive than what I thought it was going to be. which is good. So I took that down 2,00 for next year. Really most everything else I believe is about the same on the first page minus the train for the travel expense. Are we sure Justin's going to stay at 1250 a month?

He's not said anything different. Okay. As far as I'm aware, he's poorly. I think he's just so try to get my head around this, but the revenue is the total general on revenue or 20 24 was 268,679 on the revenue sheet and we spent 263,134, [Music] right? So, if you look on page two, yeah, uh you see the 2024 receipts and the 2024 dispersements,

right? So, we brought in just a little bit more than we dispersed last year overall. Yes. That makes me feel like I'm going down about to go down a roller coaster on that is we're we're like we're like right on it. Right.

Right. So, if we spend anything over what we get in that that that goes into the cash, then that takes out of our cash balance. And that's one thing that when we're so when I work on the budget, so you'll have you'll have your estimated revenues and then you have what you're asking to spend and then everything comes together on this form called form 4B and then you you put all the information in and then it gives you an estimated it's going to act like you're spending every dollar that he's budgeted. Um and then at the very end it'll give you an estimated ending balance. So when I'm working the budget I'm always looking at that. So right now we have been okay um with that but that is something we will have to look at definitely for future.

Yeah. It's it's so I'm just I'm just like I'm trying to basically I know we're talking about the budget this coming year but for 2027 if the thing goes down like it's looks right now which it may not but right now if nothing changes it is going to go down like that right to what degree I said I don't know

so like you know just looking at this thing I'm having a hard time seeing like where we could actually make make it you know like what could we cut to actually that Well, I did talk two things. You will see that other capital outlays has $10,000. That's that was put in there as a placement in case we needed it for anything. Um, you know, we have not used any of that. Um, you also have the joint park board. So, the park board has been told of this. Currently, the town puts in $40,000 and the township puts in $40,000. That's a huge expenditure for the town every year. And so

it's 50 total then with those two. What was the other one? 40 to 40. It's it's 50/50. So 50% 50%. The town puts in $40,000 and the township puts in $40,000. Oh, yeah. I said like the first thing you said was 10,000 and then our current contribution is 40,000. So it's 50,000. I was talking about other capital outlays. That's that's at the very bottom. Okay. Right. 10,000. So if we cut both of those to zero, then that's 50,000 off our budget that we just cut. That is, but then that doesn't leave the park. Then that really is detrimental to the park. So I'm I'm not sure. I mean that's something

that's but that's what I'm saying though like to get to to cut a hundred and whatever something thousand dollars off our budget it doesn't I don't see how it's possible

the general fund is the biggest fund of the it's the operating fund for the town the way taxes have been done more recently we have four funds that receive property taxes um what happens is and I'll try to explain it as well as I can. The cumulative capital development fund is figured outside the maximum levy. So you have this levy and that is divided between three funds. It's a general fund, motor vehicle highway fund and hume fire fund. As of recently, we've been putting more money into the general fund because that's the operating fund that's taking the most. That's where we need the most revenues and that's what you guys have passed. The motor vehicle highway fund

has other distributions. So, we've lessened that and fire. So, you guys understand what I'm saying though? Like we have to cut a hundred something thousand dollars. It's like even we could took Shane all the way off and we took the part down zero, we're still not there. Well, I think that honestly my opinion is that would be a good question to ask Jim Higgins. Jim, right? Because we get there. Yeah. You know, I think at this point that's really preliminary. Now, obviously my meeting with the DJF rep is at the end of August, but or does um

I just feel that's a good question for him. Yeah, absolutely. I I just think it's prudent for us to like start thinking about the possible scenarios because we have such a short amount of time to do it, you know, that we have some sort of inkling about what we're going to do, you know, if this happens, if that happens. I mean, hopefully they pass something so that it's not so steep of a decline, you know, which is what they're talking about maybe doing. Is that what you're saying? Right. So, they There is a replacement with that possible up to 1.2% that the county can pass. But what that what that number replaces I don't

I don't know what that number is. I don't know if it even comes close to 100,000 or I don't know. Yeah, I don't either. So maybe Jim might have an idea. Maybe. I mean, it's we can just meet with him, but I do think it's something that we should be thinking about uh you know what we're going to do for sure so we don't get to a situation where cuz people are going to if we cut $100,000 off the people are going to be mad and there's really nothing we can do to increase the revenue, right? Other than go to the county and ask them to pass the thing that you said 1.2%.

Right. So, the full effects of this I I just I do not know. The problem is nobody knows yet. They have ideas, but nobody has a definite answer. It's my understanding it's a pretty complicated bill, right? Um that's kind of the sense I got.

So, and you know, the the statement has been made that everybody needs to do more with less, but I my personal opinion is Burlington has been doing that for a long time. you know, we do have the new building and most of that was paid for out of monies we already had with a small loan. So, I feel that, you know, I I feel that the council's been very frugal over the years. So on page two, some things uh the other rents was taken down a little bit. Uh organizational dues was bumped up a little bit only because costs are increasing. I did ask some more in training. You know, by law, I'm supposed to have so many hours every year. So, that's a law now. So, complying with laws costs money. Um,

how much do we have like $500,000? Is that what we have in the bank? $512,000. So right now for the general fund the current balance the cash balance is $512 thou,000 and then there's a trust Indiana that's almost 80,000. So we got a little bit of

right. And then if you notice on the uh the debt service principal and the debt service interest um we budgeted 5700 for this year. I looked at the interest and because we're putting more toward the principal, you know, we can I think we can bump that down and then uh bumped up just a little bit of the the uh principal. Obviously, the quicker we pay it off, the less interest we have to pay. Look, it looks like you you cut almost $50,000 off of the

Well, but what you not seeing is the the salaries are not included. Okay. And my thoughts on the salaries, I mean, this is your decision to do. If there were any changes on any salaries, maybe that could happen on the wastewater side like the salaries you you didn't include the 60,000 the 18,000 or you're talking about the increases or Right. So, well, I did there's no I don't have the council in there. So, that's not in that that's not added on. Okay.

Um the salary for me through the general fund is not added in there. Then obviously you know your PERF, your FICA, your Medicare and um so all that will add on to that amount but that's always usually a kind of a final discussion point that you guys have on salaries. You still did cut it though. So I appreciate that.

It's it's still less. The budget's less even with those two salary loan items. If they're exactly the same, it's 25 less or about that much. This 196 is 25,000 and change. How long? 26 26 680.

I think that if we need like some of those things that you said about like the tractor and stuff like that, if we're going to have to go super austerity, we better might as well pick that stuff up. Well, and talking on that, um the uh some of those can come out of other funds. Can you take tractor out sewage since we with it? He's Are you talking about the payloader? Um that could be taken out of the highway. Like I said, that can't be right. I thought it was one of the two or something.

The boom the boom would be motor vehicle highway because that No, no, no. That could be split because that would be trimming trees across town streets and then that would also be uh trimming brush with uh the fence around the sewage plant. So, you could you could theoretically split split that. That's not going to hit the general fund. What we talked about only is the general fund. That's what I was thinking. might go split it out of sewage and then the payloader um could come out of motor vehicle highway fund. So you're not hitting the general fund with those items.

So I guess my question to you is we're talking general funds. So what are your thoughts on that and So far, I think it's

I think it's fine. Yeah, I think it's fine right now. But I do think we need to start thinking about especially as we talk to this guy and see what's going on. We should maybe start thinking about so we don't just get to up to the wiring. We're like, "Oh, we got to cut this and you know." Well, one of the tricky things too is that okay, so our um my meeting with the DGF rep was uh last week of August, I believe, but the public hearing for the 2026 budget is planned right now for the second week of September when you guys have your regular meeting. So that's what goes to advertised and then the adoption would be in October. So 2026 would pretty much be set. And then what you're talking would be what would be looked at for 2027,

right?

So no matter what like if it if it because it goes into effect in 2027, right? As far as you know.

As far as I know, I don't have the paper. So if if that if that was to go in and we then it's all going to happen in one year, but we still should have a a plan, I think, in order to, you know, do the best we can on that. I'm still a little bit upset about that. That's a huge amount of money. It just seems like it's that's not right. I mean, I don't I don't have a problem with less taxes. I like that. Maybe should have been over 5 years or something. That's what he into it. You know what I'm saying? That's just speculation.

Should we run the town on $100,000? $120,000. Well, if you go back, so I have on this sheet, you can go back to 2022. Uh 2023 would have had 2022 probably would have had some town hall. 2023 would have had town hall in there, like building the new town hall. Um I I got rid of and I have to go back and look at 2021 because I don't remember because I just a three-year review on this sheet, but we were at 190,000 what we spent in 2022

and with with now having a full-time Marshall, I mean, if you look at the full-time Marshall salary and his birth and his right. I mean, that u that's huge. That that's one thing that they were talking about is that a lot of your um um I can't remember the word they called it but law enforcement budgets could be drastically by this huge it seems like public safety

it has to like it has to something has to happen with that cuz we can't it's your biggest Yeah. No matter where you're at because you got your salary, her cars, and insurance, that's your big law enforcement is in EMS is going to be your huge catch no matter where you're at. And I think that that points to that email that we received that the reallocation of LIT that could affect 2026, right,

from what we're receiving to move some of that over to EMS. I think we need to we we need to identify to like which one of these are discretionary like which one of these item lines are discretionary which ones are absolutely essential like they can't we can't cut you know what I mean that would be useful too I mean what do you guys think like what if it does you just go ahead this year and do it like normal and just hope that it's not as bad. I I would say I was guessing if I was betting they will do something to offer some relief.

I would think they're going to have to People are going to complain about this. There's no way. They're not a very small town. This ain't the first time they've done this. No, I know. They tried it before and it's failed. This time we're just like the whole consolidation of townships and all that. Well, it's that's what they're leading up to, right? They want Deli to control everything. We won't have a town board here if they have their way. Won't have a fire department. Won't have I mean, well, that' be a mess. Yes. Well, it' be a mess anyway,

right? They even they've even come out a thing that combined all the town parks in other town and put them all under one person. Huh? They just want one person. Yeah. One person will manage all of them. All of the town. One office. One person. But one office. I've seen the paperwork on that. It won't work. They can't take care of the parks they got now. This is something that happened at the state though. So, right. So, I'm going to have to we will have to talk to our state reps in order to do something about this.

Yeah. I heard to say would come talk to us. I'm sure AIM really lobbyed. So, AI is accelerate Indiana municipalities. They re they really lobbyed for replace don't erase. U just basically stating that if you're going to take away from something, there needs to be something else to fill that void so that municipalities can keep operating. Do do you know do you know that it was his name? He do you know him? Could you ask him to come talk to us? I think he would. Yeah, I'm sure he would.

That would be real good. I know his dad better than him, but I know he

Yeah, I'll see if I come the next board. That'd be great. Then he can explain cuz he's probably sat in there and heard them all talk about this thing and voted on it some way. I think people need to complain though. I guess they voted in favor of I probably I just want to know why. You know, what are they thinking? I don't remember what his bill was. I'm just I'm honestly surprised that our vehicle police vehicle maintenance was not more than what it is. I saw that. I was quite shocked. How many times he's called and said

broken? This is broken. Well, I think the transmission was last year, wasn't it? It was. Yeah, but he had he had AC something and then he had the brake deal with the truck, wasn't it? Yeah. Something that fit the rope. Okay, you got a really good job. Be proud of yourself. So for right now for the salaries, you just want me to plug in the numbers that we already have. I myself was fine with where we're at

where I'm at. I mean, yeah, I don't think to change if marshals aren't changing. So that's fine. So then two we really have to talk about are you and Steve? And if we give you a raise, can it be out of this? If you if you wanted to make any changes, that would be my suggestion. To do it on the sewage side and make a copy of however you Steve gets paid out of work highway fund and wastewater. I get paid out of the general fund and waste water,

right? But if could we just pay both a raise out of waste water or does it have to be both? Change it out. in the past. That's how they've, as far as I'm aware, you can do it however you choose to do it. Okay.

So, you guys want to then? Sure. So, as of for right now, everything else is okay. I don't see I don't That would change. I mean the stuff you raised. No.

So really as far as anything on the motor vehicle highway, the big the big thing that needs to be discussed is the community crossing grant. Um there were changes in the law with that. Um, I've talked to Ken Smith, uh, and he stated that they're doing the next call out in October. So, I know that you guys had set some streets you wanted to do. I believe that the town's percentage went is going to go from 25% to 20%. So, that's actually a good thing. Um, we have budgeted right now $100,000. The question becomes the work wouldn't there's just no way the work could be done this year.

My question is is if we applied for the grant and we received it would the contract be signed before the end of the year. If the contract was signed before the end of the year you guys could encumber money that you've already budgeted for this year or it could be budgeted for next year and if needed uh an appropriation reduction could be done before the end of this year. It's just kind of timing. I'm not sure of the timing of everything, but Ken would know how to do that, right?

Yeah. Now, my question is just if they're doing calls for project, okay, then when is the decision made of who gets, you know, who receives the grants and then when are the contracts signed? and that determines when the money needs to be available. My thinking is that maybe we can do an appropriation reduction for this year if if there's an issue with the budget and then budget that money for next year. And what the motor vehicle restricted that money would definitely should go towards your uh match because it's that's what it's for. is for construction, reconstruction and preservation. And then you also have in there if um you got the treat. I have not I have not put that in there. if you guys wanted to do anything about getting that uh boom for the tool cat. So if it was 5,000, let's say you could pull 2500 of it out of the motor vehicle highway fund. Um that would probably come out of street alley materials and supplies, you have 7,000 there that would come out of towards that. But if you got that payloader, he's estimating, you know, 5,000 tops. So we'd have to think about where that would

that would come out of machinery, equipment and vehicles. This thing is totally independent of the thing we were just discussing, right? Well, everything so motor vehicle highway fund does not get any local income tax.

It gets it the the revenue it receives are property taxes and then there are state distributions that we receive. And at this point, I don't know of any changes to state distributions, but there's no there's no local income tax money that comes into Moa Highway and you can see over the I mean, you know, overall what's spent out of the vehicle highway fund has not been or not.

It's usually just if there's a project, if there's a street project that needs to be done. 2021, I believe, is when they did the the um liquid road and that was over $200,000 at that time, but that was a grant and the town paid a portion. So, I have $100,000. I have no idea how much it's going to cost to do what you guys were talking about doing. I thought Kim said something about 150. I don't know. Um, I just put a h 100,000 in there in case.

What's What are you referring to 150,000? So, so were you here when you guys met? I don't remember. You guys met with Ken talking about parts of the street that uh Ken Smith is the engineer that we used uh for community crossings projects. So if there needs to be something done with town streets, you can apply for that grant which means that the we pay a percentage and then the state helps out with the rest. So there's some portions of the street that are in need of work done and Kent came out and met and it's like a grant or something that we can get. Yes.

So, is that has that all already been put into motion to get that grant? Well, the law changed. So, with the law changes, um the the original call out for projects was going to be in July. That changed now. Now, it's October. So, um Ken was going to try to apply for the grant for us. Okay. And then there'll be a cost for him, but it's probably minimal. That's okay.

Street lights. actually lowered it in one.

Yeah,

we still have a random light on the curve right there where Elvin's garage is at. I think it'll come on one day and on the next day. So now I can mark that. Wow. I don't even see it up. The only other thing I'll tell you and I'm not sure where the sand spot apparently cover. That's by Jared. It's got some issues. It's cracked in the middle. Split in the middle of both sides. So, it's kind of collapsing.

I know Stephen is very concerned if there's So, that could be a potential expense. Um, we could pull that out of the cumulative capital development fund. I I just don't know how much that would cost and we have to look at that. We looked at all that before. That's not a DNR ditch, is it? I contacted them. I I think there's something there that there is. But we were told I was told before that it doesn't matter if it's a demar ditch. It's on the town. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. The town has to pay. I'm sure

because Jared when he was going to level all that out and clean it in there, he's like you had to do so much paperwork with DNR and he quit. He backed off on it cuz you can't straighten. That's what you want to do. Straighten out. Like you can't do that unless you fill this form, this form, this form, this form, and you have to you have to appear to some for some committee and jur. We definitely need to work on that then and get that. And yeah, I so I have concerns of how much that would cost. Wish we had kind of still do.

Yeah, we do. He can borrow his equipment from his brother-in-law. Brother-in-law the wrong way to gas leak pipe like you did up here last night.

I don't even know who you contact anymore. Does Harvey do anything? Yeah, he probably be the first one.

It's a local road street. It's kind of an extra fund that doesn't get any property taxes. It does have some um state distributions that we receive. You can see in 2024, not much was received. It's kind of used as a backup if we need to for local streets. And I just kept everything the same as what it is this year. And then law enforcement continuing education that's staying the same as what it currently is. That's kind of a backup. Also, police department would need something uh riverboat revenue. We usually receive a distribution once a year. That money is great because it can be used for any legal purpose of the town. Um, but my understanding is those revenues are going to go down as time goes on, but we just kind of keep that open if we need it to use for anything. So, all that's on page four.

Okay. So, do you want me to move on to page five? So, rainy day fund that by ordinance that is an emergency only fund you guys did. So, that's one of the things is you guys did move some money from the general fund into the rainy day. Um, but that's for emergencies. Under the terms of emergencies, we do.

Yes. And there's an ordinance and I can email you a copy of that ordinance. And then capital cumulative capital improvement fund. um we don't we can see that last year we received very little revenue to that. So that's kind of a backup fund also if we need to use it. And then the cumulative capital development fund that's the one that was reestablished. I'll be curious to see how that affects things in 2026. Um it was to help get the rate back up and that levy back up, but this is money where if that new covert um needed to be done, that could be taken out of there. But when we built the new town hall, we use some of the that money for the new town hall. So there's 47,000 in the cash balance and there's 11,000 in the trust Indiana. So, it's definitely taken a hit as far as but I just kept it at 25,000. If you guys decide to look at that culvert and you need to do more, we'll have to look and see where that would come from.

So, were you guys okay with all that?

Yeah. uh cumulative fire fund. You have the you helped out with the air packs. That's the from the 2024 dispersements. You can see that has been a very slow growing fund. You can see that there's only $8,000 there. I don't know of any fire department requests, so it's kept the budget's just kept really low unless they come to us with a request and you guys decide to do something with that. Um economic development fund. This is one I'm curious to know because that is local income tax. So, this will go to we will lose this and as part of the other 1.2% possibility for replacement, I have no idea if this would affect this at all. So, mostly what we use this for is you have that agreement with the Economic Development Corporation. That money goes to them for that. Um, if there's anything else that you guys want to do to promote the town,

uh, that money comes out of that. So, that's the money that we pay them comes out of this fund for the economic development corporation comes out of this fund. So, we're going to lose that money if this thing goes through. Yeah, my understanding. I don't know that that money will be replaced. So that would be a good question for Mr. Higgins in my opinion. They passed the law though, right? Did they pass? They passed a law. They actually already did pass a law. Yeah. Senate Bill one, right, is what was passed.

Um, opioid unrestrictive. That's pretty far that money they've only been a little bit spent. So that money is still there. And that's all I have. So you can see on the back page, one thing I try to do is on the back page I try to just go through and show you um what um now this was the the budget, not what was spent, but just showing you a comparison of what has been budgeted for each fund over the past several years. which obviously we dumped this year because of the road.

But part of what was bumped with the with the general fund was having going back to full-time commercial.

Oh yeah. The other thing uh Steve was asking about just not 100% sure was uh if he would need to seal cracks. Apparently he's saying that he's seen a lot of cracks in the asphalt. But the the question becomes with the liquid road that was applied, can you get something that will adhere to that? So there's there's just open-ended questions about that right now about that.

Well, and that's one of the things with when Ken was here. I think that the problem areas will have to be milled down which costs more because I think Ken was saying that you can't just put asphalt on top of that because it won't adhere to it. And the only other thing on my end was uh the codification of ordinances. I have information. I gave you the quotes again. That's by state law. I I have the law. I think I gave you the law. You did?

Um that's an expense we're going to have to have. It's been needing done and it needs done. So whether that's figured out to be done this year or next year, I don't know.

Um the up through American Legal, he's got this. Uh, so they worked I talked to him and they work in conjunction with AIM to help especially with smaller communities. Yeah, that's but he said it could be a little more if we add some of our own uh ordinances in there. He said 4,000 he felt would be tops. Absolutely tops. But when you do this, you also have to advertise it and pass it. So you're going to have some advertising costs as well. The other quote was for a custom um codification and that one was $10,000.

What does it mean codification? It's it's kind of organizing your ordinances um in a certain manner. And if you look on the back of this packet, I have the law. So I made a copy of the law so you can see and read that. says the legislative body of the unit shall codify, revise, rearrange or compile compile the ordinances of the unit in a complete simplified code excluding formal parts of the ordinances. Can we do that ourselves for like way less than I would I have no idea for free?

I have no idea how to do that. I would not even remotely I know I talked to who did I talk to? Uh they had an attorney do it. So if anyone would have attorney costs to do that. I'd like to look into it before we spend $10,000 on Well, that was the second quote. And then this American Legal Publishing, you see that paper? Yeah.

That's the second $1,495. Is that But it could include there could be more costs by adding some specific of the town's ordinances. But he his point was that he didn't feel anything would go above like he thought 4,000 would be really on the high end.

So when you're done, do they put them online? Online costs more so you can have copies here at the town hall. Paper copies. I was just not so sure. I think this first one is like a definite no because this is half as much as that one actually less than that. And I wasn't Yeah, I didn't I had to talk to the gentleman from American Legal to understand that a little bit more. But the second one is I upvoted all of our ordinances, emailed him, and then he gave me that quote. And that's for a customized fully involved uh codification of only the ordinances

and we when do we have to have this done? Uh 2027, something like that. There's not a date. It's it's it just needs to be done. It's one of those that they made it a law and they have no no time who's going to enforce it, but it's a law. So there's no there's no delay on it. No, but it has needed to be done for a while. I mean, we need

we need to update our [Music] budget. Technically, it's a wall. So, you have to do it here 2020. When did it become

So, we're right on schedule. something that they pass a lot and I guess spend money and then take a lot of money away. There was a comment made when they were working to pass this bill. I called one of the representatives and that was one of the points that laws are being passed that we have to spend money in order to comply with but yet revenue potentially being lost. Yeah, I think it' be good if you came talk a just so we can so we can hear the frustration here too, but we're not the only community. Yeah, I know Cam is already cutting their budget a lot. Thankfully, we have a pretty big nest there that we're sitting on, so we could artificially ease into it with that. But I know that's not going to make you feel good, right? You like to have certain amount in there.

Oh, definitely. I I like to have a I prefer there to be a nest date because if if something happens obviously, you know, you need to pull into your cash balances, you need to have that cash there. Well, really, Roger, can you like loan us a couple? Oh, yeah.

Let me know. I'll give you to pass a motion or something to approve it. We never really have in the past. Um it's it's up to how you guys want to do. But um I mean your your official passing of it is going to happen when you like you'll have your public hearing at the September meeting and you will officially adopt everything at the October meeting. So that's your official. You think that's good?

Yeah. We're going to have to talk about salary increase for Steve and K would be the thing. And you have until the end of December, December 31st to pass the static ordinance. So if all these budget numbers stay the same and if any tweaks are done with the wastewater, you have time to determine that. I think that Do we need to talk about it right now on camera? No, I don't think so. Okay.

We have plenty of time. Something to think about, Mhm. One thing I have is I had a phone call from Chris Wright about traffic on Ker Black. um at the evenings between like 4:00 and 7. He said, "I set my garage every night, so I watch it. I'm not exaggerating." He said they're running 60 to 70 mph past my house. So Hob was on last Thursday. I had him go down there and sit any stops.

He said he did not have any stops. He said he had a lot of brake lights. And he said Jason W's house facing back this way. Um, but that's something we need to relay to Shane and talk to try to get his hours adjusted a little less. Did you briefly? So, you know, if this if we have to cut it big, what are we going to do about traffic then? We won't have Shane. He's probably not going to stick ground work on top. You would have to rely on the county for a while. But

what about that that that speed sign? Does it make people slow down? I mean, I feel like I slow down when I see that thing. It it does in a way, but it it does. It's a also new high number thing. People see it and speed up and at 4:00 in the morning when I leave to go to work, it's you can see the two fast lit up solid the from me. I'm running 30 and he's running 60. And those people don't don't care cuz they know it doesn't do. But in all honesty, if we had to cut police, county is going to be the same exact and they're going to be cut.

So you're going to end up relying on state police. That's which is not going to be anything. I know. And that's not very good in care for Carol County. What about a light? Could we petition them to put a light or something like that? I know it would like mess up the traffic, but that's been an issue for how long though. What? A mill room? No, the traffic light up. Oh, I don't miss the state. I don't know that the state would ever I think I I've been told that was an issue been tried for years and they could never get it. I don't know. They've talked about it, but it cost money for that traffic light. You put a traffic light up there. They took them down a lot of places,

right? Not on 26. They just keep adding. Put one at the top of the hill right there. So, you drive the top of the hill, you're going to slam on your brakes and turn the thing off. We could probably talk them into a roundabout before we get to a stoplight. They got the money over there. Yeah.

Yeah. It's going to be uh if we don't have the place People are just going to complain about the traffic and there's nothing we can do about it essentially. Unless you want to get in the truck and you sit up there, then you kind of fall into impersonation if you especially if you turn the lights on. I don't want to do that. I'm not going to do that. All you can do is hope that the state changes their mind, fixes the same problem with the schools. schools are the exact same hit except like you said they don't have the local income tax [Music]

sounds good I I believe that's all I have you guys got anything Yeah, that's something. What do you got, Teddy? H, I got a question. Who's the chairman? You. Okay. I didn't know who the chairman was. Who is enforcing the ordinances? Marshall. The marshall. He's got orders to enforce them all. Okay. reinforces the the one for the area plan.

Area plan. Yeah. You guys work under the area plan for the town. You adopted the area plan for the county and it rules here. The county ordinances. Yeah. County. The county. The county. We cannot enforce a county ordinance. It's a county. We cannot enforce a county ordinance. Who does that count? I'll double check, but never before. I think each township that's in that enforce the rules the same as they do their own ordinances cuz they adopt a town because a count a county cannot come in and serve a town ordinance.

Do what? The county can't serve a town ordinance even if they were under that plan. Well, I don't care about what they can survey ordinances over there. What I'm saying is if you're what you're used to, you having the area plan. Who's your representative for the area plan? I could tell. Well, we don't have one, you know. I don't think we have one because we share with Yman Yman. So, Yman's represent representative is our Have they got your representative now? They do. Good. Okay. Well, see, you're still got to enforce them here. Who else is going to do it? What What's your complaint? I'm telling you, you got goats in town. Yeah.

You've got turkeys in town. You got ducks in town. People's doing what the hell are they doing in this town? They're letting the weeds grow high around their house, their barns, and everything else. They're not taking care. They're not enforcing. Now, our local ordinances we got, who's the marshall supposed to be enforcing these? Marshall enforces them. Okay. Does he know what these are? He's got copies of the ordinances. He's got copies of them. He has access to them. Yes. Mhm. Okay. Where do I catch him at? When can I catch him to to ask him about your force and stuff? I assume I shouldn't have to ask him.

I'm assuming he'll be here tomorrow. When I had I had Steve here out to my house a year ago and he took some pictures of the neighbor stuff. They're 100% worse than it was any better. Now he I don't know whether he appear to you guys or not. He didn't mention about anything. I went and talked to Shane, too. Huh? I told the marshall about it.

Well, nothing's been done about it. It still was getting worse. The mosquitoes is terrible. The roads are terrible and if somebody don't do something, I'm going to start spraying stuff. I've already spent $1,500 and had those front trees trimmed. Cost me $1,500 to do, but I had it done. And now these others grow. He's got a malberry bush that's hanging over the fence into my yard now. There's no reason for that. Which neighbor? The one to the west. East. East. Yo, looks house Pearson that well my opinion was too.

I don't even know why I said west. I know I met East. I don't know why I said west. But but there's no reason he talked to him a year ago. I haven't talked to him since he used out. If he isn't in the house, he never comes out. Honey, talk to Shane. If Shane does it, if Shane doesn't do anything, yell to me and we'll see what we can do.

You know, I It's just not him. But there's other places in town. You can't walk down the sidewalk and there is a sidewalk partway down on the north end of town on that side past the church. The limbs and the trees there are so low that you you'd have to duck to get through. I'm sure there's more in the town that way. Now, we had this a few years ago and we got a lot of people's cooperation to help cut some of those and we did cut. We moved them out. But this people need to take be responsible and take care of the damn properties. But it's just that simple.

I assume Shane will be here tomorrow. Um, you just want to have Shane calling or stop down there. Will you see Shane? Yeah, I should see him tomorrow. Uh it it might not be till after midnight actually. And then along the mill road, you know, most of us now there's one or two exceptions owns the center of the creek.

Correct. Okay. The limbs there's three properties. The limbs are hanging out in and when it rains it's even worse. They're hanging out and if you ain't careful when you're passing somebody slap the side of your vehicles. Who's going to tell them to cut it? Somebody needs to do it. That comes back to an ordinance enforcer. Get the stuff back off. School bus is going to be a problem. Driving with the limbs hitting their mirrors. When did the mill start taking corn and stuff? All the trucks coming in town and everything. They're going to be pitching high heaven. We'll talk to Shane. See what he can do.

That's the way it is. But you you But you guys won't talk to him. Huh? You mean you got to go tell you before you can do something? I just said we'll talk to him. Me. Okay. Okay. But I just you need to talk to him as well, but we will talk to him. But something's got to be done, you know, and it's if you say, "Well, Gordon's there. It's not grass. It can't cut grass." Well, any grass, but there's a nuisance zones and you can do it under the nuisance zonings. You know, title IC 36824 gives you the world of the state to do about anything you want to do, but it tells you so right there.

You're going to quote IC codes to me? Well, yeah. I I can quote some more to you, too, if you want them. I can quote them right back, too. But again, it falls to you can go up and tell them why you want it and then you can write him a ticket, but the county won't enforce it. The c you can go to the judge on the bushes and stuff. The judge won't judge will not enforce it. Guaranteed. We've done it before. And not around here, if somebody go talk to him, you can put the fear of God in him. He'll do something. Well, you can't put there's other places. That's not what

how do you expect this town to ever grow do any good? We got people trying to sell houses here. They sell them fast. Certain locations, some houses there. No doubt about it. I know one back here when it sold the first time it's $139,000. This time it sold for over $200 because the property owner took care of it and they're just a year old. But you got to know here on Cutler Road, they're asking three and a half houses went way up. Yeah. So it's not just taken care of. The price it is taking houses. It is so good. Okay. We can argue all night, Teddy. And it's not going to do any good.

Okay. I probably wouldn't. That's what I expected when I come up here. No, I'm just saying we'll talk to Shane, but I I don't have the time to go around to every house and say you got to do this, got to do that. You should have took the jobs in. Huh. If you ain't got time to go out and police the town and do things, you shouldn't take the job. That's good. I'm going to make a motion we close this meeting. Okay. I said it and I mean it. You know, you if you don't if you can't do the job, get out of it. Okay. Not a problem. So, I made a motion to close the meeting. J second it. All those in favor say I. I.

I. Post motion here.