Town Council - Regular Meeting

[Music] like to call a town of Newberg town council meeting October 20th, 2025 to order. Let's stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge algiance 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 all.

All right. At this time, we usually have remembrances or acknowledgements. Does council have anything? Sure. Did you all get the memo about Nubra, England? They did win the best kept village award. Oh my gosh. For Lancaster, their county. Okay. And um in their class, which is medium class, they're considered a village. They have about half the size of Newberg, but that's considered a medium entry. So, they won. Good for them.

Yeah. This is it's it's really something. I mean, and then of course the next morning on um Facebook, their Facebook, somebody had written about let's try to keep it this way. You know, worked so hard to make everything look good and keep trash off the streets and so on and a lot of the same problems that we have, which is why we kind of chose them as sister city anyway. But anyway, congratulations to them for their win. Should we send them something? I was going to say, should we send them at least sending a letter of congratulations? I think Yeah, I think we should. Okay. I think that would be a good idea. Yeah, I think that would be very nice. I did a roll call.

Did you want to email that or actually postmail it? Because I've got I've been corresponding with their clerk and I have their current clerk's email address and I I sent a congratulation email to her the other day. Did I send their Facebook post to you? Yes. Okay. I thought I did. But I did congratulate I sent their clerk a copy of our newsletter and uh congratulated her briefly and I assumed you all would. But if we don't want to mail it, we can email the copy to it. Probably get their I would I would mail it. Okay. I I just think that's a little more honorary and

Okay. Email will get lost after a few days. Okay. Roll call, please. District one, Steve Shoemaker, present. District two, Paul Perry, present. District three, Steve Stacy Kger, present. District four, Ann restaurant, here. Council at large, Leanna K. Hughes, so happy to be here. Deputy clerk treasure, well, that's actually Nette. Clerk treasure Nana Angel here. Administrative town manager Chris Cook present. Deputy Town Manager Al. Andrea Baloni. I'm having trouble here tonight. Absent attorney Christopher Wisher here. Engineer Drew Flame present.

All right. I need a motion for the approval of the October 8th, 2025 minutes. So move. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Abstain. The eyes carry. And we'll also have approval of the October 14, 2025 minutes. So move. Do I have any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Abstain. Second. I got I'll second. I started to but Okay.

All right. Obviously, no scheduled request or appearances or comments by citizens. So, we'll go on to new business. Resolution 2025-08. I need a motion for the reading of RE resolution 2025-08, a resolution adopting the 2026 budget. So, moved. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. All those opposed. Chris, read the title, please.

Resolution 2025-08, resolution for appropriations and tax rates.

Is it tax rates or budget? This is It's all the same. I'm just reading it off the top of the actual Okay. All right. Fancy. I'm sorry. All right. I need a motion for the acceptance of the reading and adoption of resolution 2025-08. I would so move. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed.

Motion carries. Resolution 2025-12. I need a motion for the reading of resolution 2025-12. A resolution for signatory for CCMG CCMG grant application. So move. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? This was previously approved at the last at our special session. This is just the formal approval process. All right. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Chris

resolution 2825-12 resolution authorizing the president council act representative signatory for the town connection with the town's application community. All right. I need a motion for the acceptance of the reading and adoption of resolution 2025-12. Go ahead, Steve. Go ahead. So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries.

Sewer construction permit for PP place sanitary sewer improvements. U. I could take that one. It's in your packet. Sanitary sewer construction permit number 2025-4. Powers place sanitary sewer improvements. This one is a town project. So there isn't an accompanying sewer agreement like we would nor like we would have for a developer project. So uh so we we have a the permit which was um we prepared based upon the information we had in the Commonwealth um information provided by Commonwealth and reviewed by Trip who is the reviewing engineer and it's ready for approval.

All right. And I need a motion to approve the construction permit for PP place sanitary sewer improvements. I would so moved. All right. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries. Blue Lake Lift Station.

Yes. If if you don't mind, I will lump items six and seven together. They're they're uh essentially the same item. So engineering working with the sewer department. Yes. Blue lake. Uh notice of acceptability of work and the final pay application. Is that it? 67. So um engineering working with the uh sewer department has identified that the work complete by clary construction inc. is acceptable. The final pay application includes final contract work in the amount of $89,41420 and a full release of retainage in the amount of $155,288.117. This is a total payment of $964,72.37. So this is the final payment for the the project and also of the 2020 uh bond uh work. Engineer recommends the town accept the work and approve contractor's final pay application.

All right. Do I have a motion to approve the notice of acceptability of work and also the approval of final pay application number eight to clear construction? So move. Do I have a second? Second. Do I have any discussion? I have one question for Drew. Okay. Sir, Clary was pleased with uh how the town performed its portion of the work and how things went. They were they were happy with things. I think it's a joint effort. Uh they're a good partner with the town uh with the sewer department, with engineering. It was a team effort. Uh uh the project was successful out there. So good. So they're interested in participating in with us on some bids in the future.

We hope so. Yes, they've been they've done two uh major projects for the town. So, I'm I wouldn't see why they wouldn't be interested in continuing the the partnership and bidding town projects. Yep. Good. Good. Yeah. All right. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. We have no unfinished business, so we'll go on to staff reports. Chris, town manager.

Uh thank you. You you see my town manager report in your packet. Some highlights. We had a successful leadership roundt with the what's up 247 app to promote um help promote our updated website. Roughly 25 attended last Tuesday night. Uh Lyanna was in attendance and a few other folks. Um it went very well. they're very uh excited about working with us and kind of being the beacon for that project through the Secretary of State's office in our region. Um it's going to really benefit not just our website but the businesses and organizations within the town and the entire region. I'm also uh some other notes. I'm u still working on the red stuff with the War County Economic Development. We had a kickoff meeting recently. I'm working with um Centerpoint still on several of the street light replacements and um trying to talk about uh you have the Google uh update and the website metrics in your packet as well. We did gain control over the Google sites for both town hall and the utility office. There's a process you have to go through to claim ownership of it. um for like all our rental facilities where you have to go to the location, they send you a link, you have to physically shoot a video, and then it takes like five days for them to approve it. So, we're working through that, and I'm working with um um some staff members on that as well. We hope to have complete control of all that in another month. Um, but we're knocking those out as we can. But other than that, it's pretty much a standard uh, you know, short period between the last one. And if there's any questions or anything, I'd be happy to answer them. Do we have any questions for Chris on his report? Um, this isn't actually on the report,

but it was it's something that you would probably be in charge of. I asked quite some time ago. I don't know how long ago. It's been a while. If we could not have another meeting with the uh people that take care of the um retirement for all the employees and we we've had them before and I I think it just gives off a nice uh a nice feeling for the employees to know that we care enough about them understanding everything and things do change.

Yes. And you're correct. And the gentleman that was doing that for us has retired and they have not replaced him yet. Okay. So, it's on Andrea's radar that once that's announced that we will Thank you. We will. And we we've also added the nationwide we've made contact with the nationwide rep. You're talking Perf. She's talking about Perf. Okay. Yeah. because we recently had the nationwide uh contact for our region through here within the past month. Yeah, that we had already done all that updated the program. But yes. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

Any other questions for Chris? You have Andrea's report. Is there anything that we need to discuss on it even though she's not here? I'll do my best to answer. Um, well, I was wondering, are we up and running with uh the website so far as the public being able to reserve the facilities? Yeah, that's all okay now. Okay. We're not we're not we haven't thrown the switch full vote on the promotion side of that yet. That's okay. I want to get control of a couple more of the Google sites for the actual rental facilities, okay,

before we really throw the switch. We've done a couple test runs with like a few bucks here and there, but uh I would imagine towards the holiday season we would have complete control and be able to start. I want to make sure we maximize what money we throw this way. Yeah. And we're we just got to do this last hoop. And I didn't realize it was going to be a a fiveday up to five day involved process with Google every time we submit one of these. Okay. Um, but it's another way too if we need to get control of the the rating system for our website or not our website but our our sites that we rent on Google. Okay.

So that we can address any potential uh negative ratings and stuff like that. Kind of keep an eye on those. So, at this point, um, anything I have going on, I mean, I've already done the thing for the summer with the concerts, but anything else that I might have, should I contact Julie? Yes. Okay. Thank you. And then we'll she'll she'll block it out. Okay. And then, um, I need to talk to you tomorrow when we're up there about some ideas I have too for sure. Okay. Dates that you're not using. Okay. Okay. Um, I did want to draw attention that Andrea did set the date for the employee holiday lunchon. Oh, okay. In her report. Oh, I didn't notice it. Yeah. Okay, I'll look at that. Thank you. It's uh Tuesday the 9th.

Okay. At press hall. Good. Any other questions? We've got regarding the um Andrea's report. zoning administrator. We've got um looks like that she has issued two permits since our last meeting. Permit for 404 Pulk Street and permit for 320 East Jennings. Any questions for zoning? Nanette clerk treasurer

like to thank you all for approving the bond resolution or the the budget resolution this evening. Um the next step in this process is to submit it to the state for approval. It will get published in the standard and then um my office will be working towards the year end the year end stuff that we do every year. Okay. Chris town attorney. Uh nothing to report. Any questions for either Nette or Chris? Drew, town engineer. No additional items unless you have any questions for me. Do we have questions for Drew?

All right, we'll go on to commission and committee reports. Air authority, no report. BZA and no meeting, no report. But on the planning and zoning that you received the update on that, you notice that there will be a meeting in November. We already have something on the agenda for November. Okay. What when is that? Tell me please. The board of zoning appeals meeting. It's the 24th. But I question that because that's a Monday. And is that what what that's that is is that the date we changed the council meeting to? I'll check on it and we'll verify.

Okay. Riley's going to check on it tomorrow because I talked to her about it today. Yeah, because I I'm pretty sure we knew that council. I think so, too. I thought we did, too. I think so, too. We'll need to adjust. And if it's BCA Okay. You were talking about BCA, not planning commission, right? No, we're talking about BCA. Okay. When do we talk about planning commission? Uh, we've got a couple more to go when we get there. Okay. Yeah. Like hit me or something.

Okay. All right. Any other questions for an annire? No meeting, no report. Okay. Historic preservation. I was not here for the meeting, but it looks like it was cancelled. So, our next meeting should be the second Thursday in November. Any questions for me on HPC? Paul Parks. No meeting, no report. All right. Any questions for Paul? Now, Lyanna plan. Okay. Um well, first off, I want to know when the next planning commission is.

Right now, it's scheduled for November 3rd, which will be the first Monday of November. Okay. And um the reason I'm asking is I want to make sure that um like with some of the things we're talking about in growth and progress. I think I want to come to that because of what I mean we need to kind of push this along. So Okay. Okay. Um just call and make sure you get on the agenda. Okay. Am I allowed to be on the agenda? I don't know why not. Well, Chris, I can talk there. You can talk there. You can do it. You need to be agenda as much as just be there.

Okay. I I the reason I ask is like the three council people. Yeah. That's that's I mean, yeah. Right. So, but when you're not participating meeting, you're just speaking as a president. Well, I'm not sure. I'm speaking as a resident. You're not part of that board, so it's okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. You're not sitting as part of that board. Okay. All right. Thank you. Mhm. Police. Paul, no meeting, no report. Okay, Steve. Storm water.

Storm water will meet uh a week from today. Okay. Any questions for either myself, Paul, or Steve? and streets.

Um, street crew has continued to blow the walkway and town parking lots to keep them clean. They've also cleaned several drains after the heavy rains that we had. They've worked on the walkway ballard lights. They continue washing the chalk graffiti off the walkway. They fixed a sinkhole at Hillrest in Grey Street. Excuse me. They touch up sprayed weeds on the riverbank. They maintained the trash and doggy bags on the on the walkway and also cleaned up a tree on Jefferson Street that fell. And I'm sure they probably also worked with HNI for the events going on at the Iran trail head and the bridge.

Yeah. Any questions for an Steve? Utilities. No meeting, no report. Any questions for Steve? Standing committees, finance, we have nothing scheduled. Not yet, but we may be having one here before the end of the year. Okay. And personnel, we had some back and forth about a date for personnel, but I don't I don't know if one was set. I don't know either. Andrea said today that she needed to get with you guys because something needs to be set pretty soon. Um, she had asked about Thursday, Wednesday and Thursday, and next week when it both could do Thursday, but I don't know. We could both do I mean I could do Wednesday. Yeah, we it was Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday and Wednesday.

So, it be next week because she's gone. Possibly Wednesday. Okay. I'll let her know. Um, any questions for an Lyanna Arts Commission? Our next meeting will be October 27th at 5:30. That's next Monday. Can you believe it? October's almost No, it's not next Monday, is it? 27th. Next Monday is right. Never mind. Close. Next Monday is October 27th. It is. Today is the 20th. Yeah. I thought you said the 13th. No, it's next Monday. Okay. Thank you, Steve. You're welcome.

I was think could have sworn today was the 20th. All right. Uh Lyanna, sidewalks. Uh next sidewalks committee is on the 30th of this month on Thursday. Um here in the town hall and I have written down 11 o'clock. And what do you have now? That was my phone that caught on. No, I was just going to write down the date. Oh, you don't then you don't have it written down. I do, but I don't think that's the date I have written down. Well, we had it at another time. Got it. I got the same time as you 11. Okay, I have Okay, you better write it down. Thank you. It's the 30th at 11 o'clock.

Okay. Any questions for Lyanna for arts or sidewalk? Lyanna, Van, growth in progress. Okay. Well, we had to cancel our meeting that would have been midmon and we kind of are having trouble finding another date, so we may end up having to just wait until November. I'm sorry about that. Um, just been a busy month. Sure, understand. Any questions for Lyanna? This might be a record. Well, but I've got something to say. I knew you'd. That's okay. We'll go. We'll start at this in. Steve, do you have anything for miscellaneous?

Not at this time. That sounds ominous. No. No. I I should say just No, I don't. Okay. Paul, do you think you'll have any thoughts on like the 30th at 11 o'clock? Yeah. I want to go back to how we decorated the uh building up here, town, the old town hall. I want to talk about whether we've put in blue curtains or white shutters. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. You think I'm going to bring that up, don't you? I'm not. All right, Ann.

I hope that we will all have an opportunity to sit down and talk about this. I don't know if you looked at it closely. I mean, the idea is great. Um, I am really concerned about being way, way overly signed. Okay. And, um, she's referring to the Newberg Museum time travel signs.

Yeah, these are the the signs that will be QR codes. They can see pictures of what things look like uh before present day. And you know that there's a lot of good information that's going to be put out with this, but where the signs are going to be and if we can even get them up high enough on some of these poles where there already are signs, that's a big concern because we already have some places out here where things are hanging pretty low. Um, this I hope everybody will take a really really serious look at this.

Are we supposed to vote on this at some point? Is this a Well, some of these are on our property. Some of them are on private property and they'll have to get their permission to do that. But, you know, the pictures makes these look pretty big and they're talking about four in a row, including the American flag pole. Nothing hangs on the pole with an American flag. So, I would say those three right there are out already and need to be put in the ground, maybe in front of the flag poles or somewhere else, but you don't put things on the flag pole. Um, this is just an FYI. Okay. All right.

You know, the person who's holding them up can't hold them up high as high as they're going to be. I get that. But I still think we need to make sure that they understand that they have to be at least a certain height. Well, and the thing is though liability. I know there's that, but you'd also still have to be able to scan the QR code. I know. Okay.

You know, we did have a lawsuit several years ago when somebody ran into one of the banners that was hanging down too low. is why we went to all the other size banners that we have to use now. So all those things need to be part of the decision as to where and how they hang. Um I I think there's no way Chris Cook, there is no way that I want to see this go through without us really taking it apart and looking at it and and vote. I mean it this isn't one of those things we can just say, "Okay, we're voting on this tonight." There needs to be some serious discussion. We We had that one lawsuit. We This could invite more. And like Ann said, this was actually going to be what I was going to talk about.

Okay. So So I'm kind of piggybacking on what she said. Pam, maybe you should finish and then I'll start. Maybe you should finish and then I'll start.

I I guess I am finished. I just want everybody to look at it really seriously. And again, you know, one of the one of the big complaints that we've had in the past is there are too many signs. And we don't have any signs that are like this, but you know, we're going to have these. We already have the HNI information sign, wayfinding signs. Um, it's too bad that those two entities couldn't have worked together and maybe come up with something that would take care of all of it, but they didn't. They weren't working together. If they were

Well, the problem is if they had been on where we had to place the wavefinding signs, you couldn't use a QR code, you could not have reached up there, especially a child. And that's going to be anyway. Might not be able to, but yeah,

you can for a QR code. Like the other night, we had one on the screen and if you you just zoom your camera and it'll it'll pick it up. So, I mean, if there is some concerns about it being up where it should be, anybody can take their camera and zoom in on it. It's going to it's going to read it. Well, anyway, I I hope everybody will take it seriously and take a really serious look at it and then we can maybe sit down with the museum board or whoever they want to talk about it to give the give their give our concerns to them before we go any further.

I agree. Lanna, do you have anything you want to add? Yes. Um, first off, just to apologize because because I didn't know for sure if that was part of Andrea's report, so I didn't bring it up under the Andrea's report and then I thought afterwards maybe I should have. No, you're fine.

Okay. Well, okay. So, um I I agree with an I do have concerns about the the height um and where exactly they're going to put these things. And um honestly, I know this would probably be a little more expense, but if we're going to do it, we need to do it right. And right now, just putting them here and there, wherever they find a place to attach them to me looks like crap. I It needs to have have a a course of something that is the same everywhere. I mean, don't you think that looks pretty tacky to just have one here and then pretty soon, oh, this one's on a poem. Oh, this one's on a wall. Oh, this is down here. I I just think that's very unprofessional. Just doesn't

that way the cities that I've been to for conference when we walk around there wherever the building may have. Well, it's not very tasteful. That's the way they have to do it sometimes to keep Okay. Well, it would look so much nicer and cleaner if it were, you know, they looked for the particular polls. I know that's more expense, but I just think it needs to be done professionally to to that suggestion. You know, this whole riverfront initiative that's come out of Evansville that's quote unquote regional

and I guess quote unquote regional They have the most amazing architects working that project. I don't know if they would weigh in on something like this for us, but they would. It'd be interesting. You have a you have a good point. Please be professional. Well, none of us are. That's not special. That's right. That's a good point. So, I don't mind asking question. Okay. Okay. I'd appreciate it. That'd be nice. Another thing is who's paying for the labor to put them up? Who's praying for the polls? Who's paying to put them on the polls? Um, are we doing that or My impression museum was

provision do they have for paying for it? I was thinking that they had a grant to pay to complete the project. Now, I could be wrong. Okay. But then we also need to know that somebody who knows what they're doing is putting up the signs. That's true. Um, Chris, can you or somebody can we make sure they understand they need to shut this down for just a little bit for us to get on top of it? Paul, I really appreciate you checking. They have the signs. Do we have Do they Did they buy signs or I don't know. I don't know the answer to that. I'll find out. There's a sign that keeps showing, but did they just I think they made one sample, but I

that's I'm writing down notes because I'm going to fire out an email the minute I leave here tonight. I am totally in favor of the project. I just think we need to I think the suggestion is don't order any signs till we sort of have a chance to evaluate everything you're doing. Yeah,

I agree. And it would be nice if if more signs could actually be attached to buildings if that's possible. Then you wouldn't have them all over the light poles and different things. Well, the ones that the buildings that belong to us, we certainly can do that. But, you know, you'd have to figure out if people who own the buildings would put up with that, would want that.

Some may, some may not. But also take a look at theformational sign that was put up when we dedicated the first block of the walkway because they're proposing moving some parts of that. Uh and those plaques have been on that brick wall for 24 years. Um so it it's not going to look great like it does in this picture. It's gonna I don't I don't know that there's enough room on the end because I just went past and looked at it, but I I don't know that there's enough room on the end to put all four of the smaller plaques on the right end of it and then they want one of their plaques to go on the left end.

Well, that sign that's the sign right it's not a plaque in the same way. Right. It doesn't look like Yeah, I see. You're right. I see that. Good observation. You know, this had a special purpose and was put together this way for a purpose. Um, so I don't know. You know, there are holes in those bricks behind where those plaques are mounted. I wouldn't recommend moving them. Yeah. Right. Because the holes are going to be exposed and even if you sealed them five, 10 years out in the weather coming off the river, that's not going to look right. Well, and having holes just sealed would not look right either.

No, I have at home in my own house. I have so much artwork and all of a sudden I'll change my mind. Oh, I want that picture over here and then I've got holes in the wall. That's right. So, in my previous life, we ran into this issue because we didn't own the headstones. And when we did QR code for tours, we had to make them temporary to where we stuck them in the ground and did like walking events during certain times of the year for the very reason that we didn't want a bunch of signs, right? And we did not own the actual headstones. So, we had to find something that we did own nearby where it wasn't a grave. And we made like a temporary that they could just come by and scan and

then we pull them out. But I'm not saying that's what we need to do here. No, this one needs to be more permanent. Yeah. This is just a a challenge because if you want to be in the general area where some of this stuff is, it's not going to be uniform and balanced. Right. Right. I love the project. I'm in favor of the project. I think we need to just back up and rethink just a little bit. Anything else, Lyanna? No, thank you.

Um, I'd like to make one observation. I was coming through town today and coming into town with all of the webbing and the fencing gone from around that parking lot, it makes the entrance into town so much nicer. And I and since that fencing is gone, I didn't realize we had so much room between the parking and the actual ravine. I thought it was a lot closer than that. I did, too. So, my concerns are definitely fine. I'm are obliterated. So, it looks so much nicer.

The only thing that we're investigating what the cost would be is placing like a dustadon light on the one center point pole that would shine back into the lot at night. Um because it is kind of dark. I agree with that. And um I' I've got to call into Center Point to see what the cost would be. If it's what I think it is, it's minimal. They maintain that and it would become like a street light scen. It wouldn't look like a street light, but it would be the LED and it would be like a dustedon that would angle down.

And I I'm trying to get their recommendation on what we could put there to maximize the the spread of light. And I think that's the only missing touch other than uh working with our community partners next spring on some landscaping. And Chris, while you're on that, um you know, we we've been asking from the arts commission to be considered for a little bit of lighting down there. So, if you're talking with a lighting company, can we examine a few different possibilities for down at the amphitheater? Yeah. Um well, this is you got to have a center point pole. This is like a center point. We'd have to. We couldn't have something of our own.

Lighting company would be something separate. What I'm talking about is a centerpoint program to where if I have a centerpoint pole Oh. I can give them that pole number and they can hook up a light that cost us like 20 bucks a month. Okay.

And um I just there's a couple different options. You can even do it at your own home. Like if you have a power pole, you can call Centerpoint and give them the pole number and then they put that that dusted dawn light in and they maintain it, but then it shows up on your utility bill every month. And I know we already have some utility bills in that area. So, I'm trying to walk through what our cost would be, but I would think for 20 bucks a month, I think that would be a do that a good use of that money to light that area. Okay. Because you got to remember when the when the Plum Street project goes on next year, that lot's going to be utilized even more

while the construction's going on, right? And uh the little things we can do now to make it more inviting and safer. And I think the missing piece that we could do with heading into winter is getting with them and trying to get that light up. Okay, that's a good idea. All right. Nette claims. These claims have been provided to council 5 days prior this council meeting. I would like to request that these claims plus any sewer adjustments be approved for payment in the amounts of for civil town $300,221.18 300020218 for sewer $698,737.836873783.

All right. I I'll make a motion to approve all claims properly signed, including any sewer adjustments to be paid. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Also, I'd like to wish safe travels for all of you that are going up to AIM this week. I wish I were going, but I'm not. So, safe travels and learn a lot. I will make a motion for adjournment. Do I have a second? Second. No discussion. All those in favor say I. I. We are adjourned. Well, that's a quick meeting.