City Council - Regular Meeting

Order, please. September 14, 2026, 6.30 p.m. Tonight's agenda, Ordinance Number 19-2026, Appropriations for Tax Rates. Does anybody have any questions on this ordinance for next year's tax rates? Anything from the council on this? Questions? Okay. Anything from the clerk? You're good?

I think I've given everybody the information.

Yep. Okay. Hearing nothing from the audience or hearing nothing from the council, I'm going to close this public hearing at 632. And we've got to open, but you have to switch over first. No. Okay. We're going to open the City Council meeting, the City of Washington Common Council meeting, September 14, 2026, to order. First, let's have a moment of silence for our veterans. Okay, thank you. Pledge of Allegiance, please.

Thank you. Roll call, please.

Councilman Brown? Here. Councilman Selby? Here. Councilman Hampton? Here. Councilman Evans? Here. Councilman Dahl? Here. Councilman Showalter?

Here. Okay, thank you. Approval of minutes of the August 24th, 2026, the public hearing and the regular meeting is presented tonight to you. Anybody have any questions on the minutes presented? I move we approve those as written. Okay. Councilman Dahl makes a motion to approve the minutes as written. Second. Councilman Selby seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Okay. Thank you. Written presentation of the claims tonight. Any questions on the claims presented tonight for approval? Do you have anything on that? Nothing this time? Okay. I'll make a motion that we send them to Board of Works. Okay. Councilman Emmons makes a motion to send the claims to Board of Public Works and Safety for final approval. Seconded. Councilman Scholar seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. No resolutions tonight. We move to ordinances. Introduction of ordinance number 19-2026. I will make a motion to read that ordinance. Okay. Councilman Campton makes a motion to read this ordinance. Seconded. And Councilor Showar seconds. All in favor? Aye.

Opposed? Okay. Ordinance of resolution for appropriations and tax rates. Ordinance resolution number 19-2026. We had ordained and resolved by the Washington Civil City that the expenses of Washington Civil City and Davis County for the year ending December 31, 2027, the sums herein specified, hereby are perforated and ordered set apart out of the several funds herein named, and for the purposes herein specified, set apart from the laws governing the same. Such sums herein appropriated shall be held to include all expenditures authorized to be made during the year, unless otherwise expressly stipulated and provided for by law. In addition, for the purposes of raising revenue to meet the necessary expenses of Washington Civil City, Davies County, the property tax liabilities and property tax rates as herein specified are included herein. Budget Form 4-B for all funds must be completed and submitted in the manner prescribed by the Department of Local Government Finance. This ordinance resolution shall be in full force of effect from an accurate passage and approval by the Washington Civil City. Name of Adopting Entity Fiscal Body, City of Washington Common Council. Type of Adopting Entity Fiscal Body, Common Council Mayor. Date of Adoption, September 28, 2026. Estimated Maximum Property Tax Levy. The data below represents the current estimate of the maximum amount of property taxes that can be raised for funds that are subject to a maximum property tax levy. Property Tax Max Levy Type Civil. Estimated Maximum Property Tax Levy. $6,902,077.00 Total property tax levies, $6,928,800. $6,928,800. Status, over max by $6,723. Funds, property tax max levy type, fund code, fund name, adopted budget, adopted tax levy, adopted tax rate, not eligible. 0061, rainy day, $288,000. Tax rate, zero. Civil, 010. General. Adopted budget, $11,945,678. Adopted tax levy, $4,082,040. Adopted tax rate, 1.2943. Civil. Fund code, 0104. Fund name, repair and placement. Adopted budget, $7,500. Adopted tax levy, zero. Adopted tax rate, zero. debt fund code 010, debt service, adopted budget $477,960, adopted tax saving $627,249, adopted tax rate 0.1853, civil fund code 0341, fund name fire pension, adopted budget $145,300, Adopted tax levy, zero. Adopted tax rate, zero. Civil, fund code 0342, police pension. Adopted budget, $119,500. Adopted tax levy, zero. Adopted tax rate, zero. Not eligible, fund 0706, local road and street. Adopted budget, $120,000. Adopted tax levy, zero. Adopted tax rate, zero. Civil, fund code 0708. Motor Vehicle Highway adopted budget $2,076,159. Adopted tax levy $1,378,845. Adopted tax rate $0.4073. Not eligible fund code 1151, continuing education. Adopted budget $14,000. Adopted tax levy $0. Adopted tax rate $0. Civil fund code 1151. 1301, fund named Park and Recreation, adopted budget, $858,366, adopted tax levy, $897,931, adopted tax rate, 0.2652. Not eligible, fund 2379, cumulative capital, IMP improvement, CIG tax, $50,000, adopted tax levy zero, adopted tax rate zero, civil fund 2391, cumulative capital development, adopted budget 280,000, adopted tax levy $202,719, adopted tax rate 0.0509, not eligible, fund code 2402, economic development, adopted budget $1,215,000, Adopted tax levy, zero. Adopted tax rate, zero. Civil Fund 8001, Special Transportation General. Adopted budget, $75,500. Adopted tax levy, $67,365. Adopted tax rate, 0.0199. Adopted budget, $17,672,963. Adopted tax levy. $7,556,049 adopted tax rate, 2.2229. Home rural funds not reviewed by the DLGF, Department of Local Government Finance, fund code 9501, fund name TIF Southeast, adopted budget $341,916, fund code 9502, fund name TIF Southwest, adopted budget $341,917. Fund code 9503, TIF I-69 corridor. Adopted budget $355,090. Fund code 9538, corporate insurance fees assets fund. Adopted budget $6,327. Fund code 9543, fund name opioid settlement unrestricted. Adopted budget $4,668. Fund code 9544, fund name opioid settlement restricted, $0. Fund code 9546, fund name TIF Cypress Point, adopted budget $10,867. Fund code 9551, animal control donation fund, adopted budget $11,000. 9552, swimming pool donation fund, adopted budget $0. 9553, fund park non-reverting, Adopted Budget, $21,000. 9554, Eastside Park Donations, CF. Adopted Budget, $11,500. Fund, 9564, Municipal Advanced Donation Fund. Adopted Budget, $5,000. 9565, Municipal Donations. Adopted Budget, $0. 9567, Building and Construction Related Fees Fund. Adopted Budget, $0. 9568, Municipal Vehicle Excise Tax Fund. Adopted Budget, $0. 9569, municipal bill tax fund, adoptive budget zero. Total, $1,109,285. Okay.

Beth, you got anything you want to say on this?

Well, as normal, the tax rate is a little high. $2.229, but it's probably going to come down below $2. We always advertise high, so we'll be assuring you have a maximum levy. Just for instance, last year we adopted 2.1665 at this time last year. So it's 2.2229.

The adopted budget, $1.1 million higher than last year's budget. I just wanted to go out there. Any other questions on the proposed adopted budget?

Council? Okay.

Hearing nothing, this will be up for adoption at the next council meeting. Okay, and then we have another introduction of ordinance number 20-2026. I will make a motion to read that ordinance. Okay, Councilman Campton makes a motion to read this ordinance.

I'll second.

Councilman Selby seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Okay.

Ordinance number 20-126, an ordinance updating and revising Section 33.32 of the City of Washington Code of Ordinances, whereas the City of Washington City provides collection, disposal, and drainage of storm and surface water for its residents, stormwater utility, and where it has now become necessary for the City to amend its current stormwater ordinance by adding a new fee classification and setting a fee for said classification. Now, therefore, be it ordained that Section 33.32 added classification of the fee for tax-exempt municipal property as reflected in Attachment A. Attachment A, 53.32, property classification for stormwater utility fee. A, property classifications. For purposes of determining the stormwater utility fee, all properties in the city are classified into one of the following classes. One, residential property. Two, non-residential property. Three, tax-exempt municipal property. Four, exempt property. B, user fee determination. All owners of real property in the city of Washington shall be charged with a homeowner fee based on Section 53 C, initial billing. 1, all property classifications except exempt property shall be billed for one equivalent residential unit, ERU. As rapidly as resources allow, utilities shall make a determination as to the multiple of ERUs to be assigned to each property classification except exempt property. Determination shall be made in categories based on testament classification and following order. A, residential. B, non-residential. C, tax-exempt municipal property. D, exempt. 2, once a determination is made, above each and every property in that category shall be billed according to their actual number ERUs, the residential fee. The City Council finds that the intensity of development of most parcels of real property in this valley classified as residential is similar in that it would be excessively and unnecessarily expensive to determine precisely the square footage and improvements such as building structures and other impervious areas on each parcel. Therefore, all single-family residential properties in the City shall be charged a flat stormwater user fee equal to the base rate regardless of the size of the parcel or the improvements. E, non-residential property fee. The fee for non-residential property in the municipality shall be the base rate multiplied by the numerical factor obtained by dividing the total impervious area in square feet of the property by one ERU, or 2,558 square feet. The minimum stormwater usage fee for non-residential property shall be equal to the base rate for residential property. The maximum usage fee for a parcel block owned by the same entity is $108.75. Users will be billed for each non-contiguous parcel block they own. F, tax-exempt municipal property fee. The fee for tax-exempt municipal property in the municipality should be a flat rate of $12.30 per parcel used by the city. G, exempt property. There should be no stormwater users fee for exempt property. Section 1. All prior ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent with the integration of this ordinance are hereby repealed. The ordinance shall have no effect upon any of the sections of the City of Washington Municipal Code. The ordinance is not specifically changed by this ordinance, except as herein provided, and all other sections of the Washington Municipal Code not inconsistent herewith remain the same. Section 2. If any portion of this ordinance is for any reason expected to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this ordinance, as long as enforcement of the same can be given the same effect. Section 3. The Washington Code of Orders is hereby amended in conformity with the terms of this ordinance, Section 4. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect with the blanked comma 2026 building cycle. Passed by the Council of the City of Washington, Davis County, Indiana, this is blanked out blank 2026. It will be rolled with the Mayor's signature, tested by Beth McGookey, Clerk-Treasurer.

Do you want to say anything on this either, but... This reflects our parcels, the city parcels.

Right now the city is exempt. All parcels and the roads and everything are exempt. How many parcels will be – I'm a little concerned about with taxes being – why we're doing this. Well, because we was told – We have to do it.

We have to do it. We have to charge ourselves.

Who told us?

Well, I checked with the financial advisors and the O's McKinney, and they said yes.

Baker Tilley is the one who has been doing advisements. There's 116 parcels. There's 62 pay-in parcels after we broke them down, and it amounts to $762.60 per month. And the $12 came from? That's two times the base rate. Yeah, and that's where Baker Tilly came in and Christianock also.

We're not residential, but we're not commercial.

The reason I was around a little bit when it was done the first time was you just take it out of one pocket and put it in the other pocket. And the utilities, it just comes out of the ratepayers. Civil side, it comes out of... taxes. I just didn't know what the genesis of it was.

Yeah, that's why we started working on this because we was told from the financial advisors that we needed to do this. I didn't know if state board accounts ever said anything or not.

No, they hadn't.

Okay. So we broke it down. John did a lot of work breaking it down into parcels and where we could combine the parcels and all that. That's where the 62 parcels ended up coming from. They just said, like you say, we should be paying into the stormwater.

Kind of like a utility.

And you're right. That's basically what you're doing. It's not much money.

You're just paying in the storm. I just didn't know where it came from. It came from the state. Well, how much of that is tax side?

Honestly, there's a lot of

Port of Works, Park, there's only two.

Most of it's utility. You've got two fire stations. You've got two, three parks. And they got that in. The Board of Public Works is probably in. There's 16 parks. Yeah.

Parks got 11 parcels, and that's really the only two, general side, and then you got water with six, Sewer 19, electric with three, MBH with one, and storm with six.

So it looks like around $335.

We probably ought to have something in our paperwork as to how that $12 was calculated. I think we do have some paperwork for Baker Telly how that was calculated. Because we have non-residential is... $108 for a block. Right, yeah. Yeah, I had a problem with $12. Yeah, why did it come up with a problem like that?

Yeah, the flat rate, yeah. We can get some... Yeah, we'll probably get some of that information for the next one because this will be just for introduction.

This has a public hearing since it's an ordinance and fees? Yes. Yes. Next time. Yes.

It should be published in the paper tomorrow, I believe. Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's all the questions I have. In the city, though, did anything else go up?

No.

No, this is just us paying our utility.

And it's not much. I mean, it's $700 a month, and we only generate about $50,000 a month for the sewer rates anyway. Yeah, for storm, yeah. So it's not much. Storm don't, you know. It's not a revenue issue. No. It's about half out of each, half out of tax, half.

Yeah, and then we just told we need to show that we're doing this, and we can get some more information. And probably, I know there's a breakdown. Baker Tilly came up with how they came up with the $12.30.

I mean, it's two ERUs. Yeah.

Okay, yeah. And I found that copy of the breakdown that we finally got to. I'd be glad to share that to the council if they need to see that, get a copy of that to everybody. Okay, any other questions? We'll give you some more information and this will be up for adoption next council meeting. All right, other business we don't have, we have... Something we need, Debbie Goodwin's here to address the council on the amended animal ordinance that we amended and adopted last meeting, ordinance number referring to 91.02, section G. So go ahead, Debbie.

a couple months ago about having a business on our property, and that went through okay, and then we had to get the permission to have the actual animals from you guys, so after the ordinance got fixed, I was told to come ask for a raise to the ordinance, so that's what we're doing today. We're looking at just two Highland cows on about 4.25 acres, already fenced in, kind of returning it to its original farm state, to be used probably two weekends a month as agritourism, petting, encounters, things of that nature. Okay. When was you wanting to...

I have an estimate for the bond, so

Soon, where we're at, just before we start spending a lot of money on it and getting into it.

You stated you needed to order the cows before the May.

Whenever. I mean, it's not a hurry. We've got foundation to lay before then. It'd probably be spring because I've kind of missed out on this batch. Right now it's young. So, yeah. We're still kind of looking at phase one, trying to get the barn done, but I could kind of talk about maybe doing the barn a little bit cheaper.

Well, I kind of think we discussed about maybe having a formal request, like in the writing to us with a drawing of the area. I mean, I'm looking at it on a map, but just to kind of set a standard of how we might look at these requests. I don't want to delay it any longer.

It's already been delayed longer.

We don't really have something set.

This is all new as far as this is concerned, so we're going to be setting precedent here, so I think we set a good precedent.

I can give you a look. with a drawing of what the property looks like, what it's going to be, and then make the formal request, and I think then we can discuss and vote on it. If that's okay. Thank you.

And this is zoned agricultural now? No.

Part of it is S1, the other one is residential.

The whole property is split zoning. So if we're running tours through there, do we need to get Something from BZA on that? It's already been through. Yeah, we went through BZA process.

The BZA was okay with it. Just the animals, the whole thing. The property, before we annexed that area,

and just has stayed that way ever since.

Okay.

But it is already fenced in, the whole, the area that's intended to be used.

So since this is new, do they need a neighbor? That was in the BCLA. That's already been... Yeah, they gave notices to all their adjoining neighbors. Okay.

I'll just come back to all of that.

If you do it next meeting, then we won't have to...

Okay. And then the only other thing I just wanted to let the council know that I sent out the request for the comp plans. The plan. And that's basically just asking these interested parties to give us a quote. And then we'll review it and go through the process and then we'll interview if we choose to move forward with the comp plan. I sent it out to 14 Engineering firms.

And it's the comprehensive plan that we haven't done since 2009. Correct. So this is typically you're supposed to do it about every 10 years. Yes. It's not set in stone. No. That's the guideline.

And we did, I don't know, we'll find out after we get some of the quotes back, but we tried to do this a year and a half ago with SIDC trying to get funding for us, and it didn't go through. We didn't get the funding, and it was estimated then at $60,000 for that comp plan. So we'll see when we can start getting these requests back in. And the requests are due, David helped with a lot of that, the requests are due back in October 16th. I think that's right. Yeah. And then we would look at them, and then we have a rough date of November 16th to interview after we probably break it down to.

Until it would be selected to about three. Yes.

So we've got to estimate them. And then we send all that out to them on paper, and it tells them all the details. But we need to look at that to see if we can, what that looks like to get updated. Because we need that for a couple of, there's two or three reasons why we need that for future grant approvals and stuff like that. And as well as take care of data centers. Yeah. So I just let the council know that I did send that out on Friday and so they should be getting those and they got a month to get them back in.

Now your phone will start ringing.

Probably. Yeah, probably.

Yeah.

If I could add to that, we've had this discussion with the Board of Zoning Appeals. The city zoning maps are way out of date. This may be a good time to do this project in conjunction with that. Of course, it may change, too, depending on what the company did. I spoke to John So I think that would be something that would be important to do where we're doing the comprehensive plan, too, because it makes it difficult for me, you know, anyone else looking for that, I have to, you know, get down there, and it could be put online. There's been some, obviously, some annexation involved. All that should be taken into consideration, I think. Would that be part of their... If they're giving us a bid, we'd have to know.

We had it in there that they were to review the zoning maps.

Yeah, it wouldn't be to update them, though.

No, it's just to review them.

I'm saying at some point. City Hall will take a look at that. It makes sense once we do the comprehensive plan, we decide during that comprehensive plan with all the public input and everything of what we want in areas, it makes sense to make sure there's only maps.

Because they will, yeah, they are usually in the plan, you know, so it would be a good time to... It would be a good timing, I think, to get everything up to date. I think we've talked about updating those for a long time. So we'll just see what it looks like and we'll get back and we'll, you know, everybody know what's going on and once those we get back in after October 16th and we receive all of them we'll get back with the council and let you know how that all went and what we received okay I just want to throw that out there to let you know what's going on there and that's all I had on my other business anybody got anything for the council tonight in the audience you have anything Paul Okay.

Okay, very good.

Very good. All right. I just a new face. I haven't seen you for office. I thought I'd ask. Okay. Councilman Selby, you got anything? Councilman Dahl? I do not. Councilman Schultz? Yes, we did all that. That check came. Wasn't that check last week, the pool slide?

Yes, we issued the first check.

Yes. there again he's not expecting until yeah that way I think kid had to take care of some business not yesterday if he could miss tonight's meeting but yes yes the other tricks huh yes and it looks really good the I mean looks different than the first go-around the color too They went with the color that we asked for the first time. They said we couldn't the first time, but it looks very good. Kip's very pleased with it. He signed off on it. I mean, it was a costly mistake on their part. Yeah, a whole new liner. Yeah, a whole new liner. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Anything else? No. Councilman Brown. Do we have any timeline or any update on when they might be back to finish the highway stuff?

No.

I got another meeting Thursday. We had a meeting two weeks ago. And, I mean, everything's laid out to them. And Grade X was on the call. EMB's supposed to be doing the... straight edge work, but they said they had a couple more shots, this is two weeks ago, a couple more shots to make before they'd have all their ducks in a row there. And so I hope, and you know, VS and everybody and NDOT's been quite, I mean the clock already started supposedly about 30, 40 days ago. For the callback. Yes, yes. But we've got a meeting Thursday, and I'm hoping they give me a date on the EMB work on the straight edge. What about the hole in the sidewalks? And I mentioned that last meeting, and I thought, really, Rivertown, they was talking about Rivertown being about done. I said, no, they're not, because over there on 5057, they got that to do. I just didn't know if they forgot about it. No, I keep mentioning it every time to them, so... I hope, you know, I keep hoping they get back on it. It's all about grade X. There's only a couple months of paving where they're left. I know, because they'll shut this local plant down. But MB says they'll get the work done. They're the ones going to come back and do the blade, the fixing. Yeah, MB is, yes. yeah so i'm working i mean i got a list every meeting we we hit on the same things and uh and nobody seems to they're going to let anything let them forget anything so does n dot do the final inspection too well yeah vs in bs will sign off to end dot the engineering firm will sign off on it but then that's been involved in it and that's paying the bill Right, so I just wanted... And they've been very boisterous on this whole thing, too. They're on every call, and Pinkstaff, I think, which Pinkstaff it is, I forget, Andy, I think, wasn't it? And he's been on it, and there's been a lot of displeasure shown, because they're not back, but we'll see. We'll keep pushing, and like I say, it's middle of September, and it's It's all I can offer. I'm good. Jeff, you got anything? Councilman? No, sir. Captain, Councilman Emmons? Yes.

On what you were just talking about, I'd heard a rumor that they were going to close the road down for two weeks as they think. No, that's not that. That's 57.

That's what I thought. I reached out to NDOT because that place right in front of the produce patch and NDOT had a meeting. They said they're going to fix it. I said it can't last until 2028. They set a date up for September 14th to start. And I said, no, no, no. Let's push it back at a week because we got the car crews coming, da, da, da. We don't want that to be interfered with that. So they made it the 21st. And then I got some kickback from the previous patch, but they didn't like the date. But I said, well, SN dot, I don't have no control. That's their highway. That's their road. So they first set a week to shut it down, and then they came back on that. But interviewer, that paperwork just said two weeks. But Harnard Avenue will be open. I mean, it won't be all the way. It'll come down to Harnard. They want to close it there, and they want to close it over by the S curves because they said the curve's too dangerous for the flaggers. So people will be able to go in and out of Harnard, be able to go in and out of Produce Patch. Their season's going to be over with here before long. Yeah. We're trying to accommodate everybody that it's been challenging, but we're going to get it fixed because I don't know if it will last until 28 or 29, the way it is.

The whole thing is during my walks and stuff, I found a gate out the other day, and I called Randy, and it was taken care of. A hole in the street. They got back the apartment heads and a water pit. And I got pulled over for talking on my phone when I shouldn't have been. And the gentleman was very nice. I don't know who he was. He was young. It was my stomach's fault because I left a meeting and I was hungry. So I was calling the wife, what's for supper?

I said, well, that ticket's for supper.

He was nice.

I didn't know him. He didn't know who I was, and I didn't know who he was. I appreciate when you do call in and tell us things, because there's things out there we don't see everything. So we try to get someone on it, and you have to look at whether it's tree or water or whatever department it is. And you notice there's been a lot more paving done. These little patches got a lot of paving done recently. And we do have our CCMG grant end, and hopefully we'll hear back in about, I don't know, when's it, November? Yeah, yeah. So we're hoping we'll have good news there for next year's CCMG. It'll end up being next year's CCMG before we get working on it. Anything? Okay. Beth, you got anything?

No, I don't. Thank you.

Anybody else got anything? Okay. All right. Hearing nothing, this meeting is adjourned. Board of Public Works to safety in five minutes.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. Okay.