Common Council - Regular Meeting

Council meeting. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Roll call, please. Carol. Steve Beardsley, present. Isaac Chavez, Taylor Krenshaw, present. John Large. Robert Stevens Clarence Warren present. Eric Woods present.

Okay. Next on the agenda, we have the minutes. We have a December 8th, 2025 regular meeting, January 7th, 2026 special meeting as amended. So, did you change something on it? Yes. Um, Councilman Stevens likes to proofread my my work on the minutes, so he often finds mistakes. We did find a mistake um under the par the about the fourth paragraph down that starts with mayor sheets near the end of the paragraph the word should be followed attorney stated that all legal procedures have been followed so with that change I would submit the minutes for approval was everybody here yes

both of those I didn't know whether you wanted to do them separately or together I'm not even sure I can find them whichever way you prefer it's up to the council I'll move to pass the minutes for the December 8th, 2025 and January 7th, 2026 meetings as presented. I'll second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Woren. Hi. Eric Woods. Hi.

Okay. Okay, both sets of minutes pass at this time. Were there any public comments? Nothing. [clears throat] Okay. Since this is the first meeting of 2026, we will be electing our president prom for this year. I move the election of Eric Woods as elect as president prom. I second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Woren. Hi. Eric Woods. Abstain. Well, congratulations, Eric. Your president prom another year. [laughter]

Mayor never takes a vacation, so I'm not really needed. [laughter]

Okay. Next on the agenda, we have ordinance number 26-02. And Carol, do you want to talk to us about that?

Yes. So, there were a few changes to some jobs at the street department in the sanitation area that were approved by board of works. There's three job description changes and titles. Um, I have included those in your packet so that you were able to hopefully look those over. And then I also highlighted the salary ordinance for the the changes to those three positions. So we changed a laborer a sanitation labor to uh operations labor operation support. A second sanitation labor to inventory and asset control/ labor. That one did include um a raise in salary of $1,000. And then we also changed a title of another position from um recycle laborer to gate house attendant laborer

just for title. It's a title only. Two of those are title only. There is one that had an increase in salary. And then the sanitation laborer line went from four or six to four. And Superintendent Kilman's here to answer any detailed questions if that didn't cover it. Did I miss anything? And there is funding in his budget for that. You won't have to do there's no additional. There's no additional. So

mainly it's just changes of titles and how that funding is used. So, I think if I'm correct, Alicia, we can suspend the rules. Pass first and second or just first? Yeah, whatever your preference is. We need to do title only first, correct? Oh, yeah. Title only. Yes. I move we read ordinance 262 by title only. Second. Roll call, please. [clears throat] Steve Beardsley. Hi Isaac Chavez. Hi Taylor Crrenshaw. Hi John Large. Hi Robert Stevens. Hi Clarence Warren. Hi

Eric Woods. Hi

City of Frankfurt Common Council Ordinance number 26-02 an ordinance amending and restating ordinance number 25-21 employees of the civil city of Frankfurt Indiana. As far as two two readings, I generally I don't like to suspend the rules unless there's a real pressing need to do so. The rules are there for a reason and and to to just to suspend them just to make it fast that I I like to see a real need for it to be fast. I think we have it going back to January 1 anyway, right?

Yeah, it's retroactive. So, if you do it this this month or next month, it won't make a difference. Okay.

Would anyone like to make a motion? I'll make a motion we pass ordinance uh 2602 on first reading. Second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Crrenshaw. Hi. John Large. Robert Stevens. Clarence Warren. Hi. Eric Woods. Hi. Okay. Ordinance number 26-02 passes on first reading. Um, next we have ordinance 26-3. And I'm not sure was that in our packet, Carol, or Yes, it was a late arrival, but it is in your packet. That's resolution. There's a resolution, but there's also an ordinance. This is ordinance.

There is a resolution as well, but there's it's not on your agenda. It's not on the agenda, but it is in your packet. 2603 pass ordinance 2602. It's got the same number. No, it's 2603 ordinance. The resolution is 2602. The other ordinance is 2603. Yeah. I I don't see it in my packet. And it is in there. It was in part two of the packet that Carol sent out. Part two. Yeah, she sent out two parts. Trash collection. Uh, yes.

No, it's not trash collection. It's um this is an ordinance that's amending the um abatement of nuisances for the fees. So, uh Chief Shoemaker asked me to put something together for this. They had some fees that they wanted to establish for that. Um and this is when we have like trash collection and debris. Um these are the cleanup fees for that. It's at the very back. It's at the very back of your packet. And it's got a chart like this. I I don't have it. Okay, I can give you mine. Hold on a sec. I have an extra copy. It's with the interlocal agreement and then the one that there's no number been assigned yet. It's after that.

Yeah. Yeah. There were three documents added after the original packet. So, it should have been at the very back. Here's my copy. But what this does essentially is this um establishes the cleanup fees for when a city of Frankfurt employee abates a nuisance nuisance. So we have a a an ordinance in place that says that if someone has a a nuisance that they get a certain amount of time, I believe it's 10 days to abate that nuisance or else the city can go in and abate it for them. And when we do that, we have fees associated with that that we charge to them and we file a lean against their property if they don't pay it.

And so this ordinance essentially just establishes that fee schedule because it wasn't previously in our ordinance. We had the nuisance abatement, but we didn't have the fee schedule. So this uh puts that fee schedule in um in ordinance format um to make it more accessible for the public to access. And then there's a a chart on the second page that has the fee schedule based on what Chief Shoemaker recommended. Now, are these fees going to be high enough to pay for the expenses? Chief, are these fees high enough to pay for expenses? Yeah, those fees are the lab.

So, everything's covered. Okay. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. we were using like their salary and however many labors that we had at that time helping that's what we came up with. So same with use of a truck. So look what I do for a living. I say these prices are more than fair. Mayor, I'll move to uh read ordinance 2603 by title only. I'll second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi Robert Stevens. Hi Clarence Warren. Hi Eric Woods. Hi

Common Council City of Frankfurt Indiana. Ordinance number 26-03 an ordinance amending ordinance establishing fees for abatement of nuisances by the city of Frankfurt Indiana. Now can it be the same way or would this have to be public hearing or um No. This can be um done on first and second reading if you'd like or it can be done on first reading only. I'll move to pass ordinance 2603 on first reading. I'll second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Woren. Hi. Eric Woods.

Hi. Okay. Ordinance number 26-03. Passes on first reading. Uh, next on the agenda, we have resolution number 26-02.

And that should be in their packets as well. Correct. Yes.

The Would you like me to speak to this, mayor? The appropriation lines um for this area of the budget were submitted on an older version and we have to make our appropriation match the salary ordinance. So it was just an oversight um and a small transfer will correct it. It's basically taking $1,520 from travel expense in council to salary in council. And because we're going from one category to another, we require your approval. It's always good to match our salary ordinance. Okay. I'll move we pass resolution 2642.

Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Warren. Hi. Eric Woods. Hi. Okay. Resolution number 26-02 passes. Thank you for allowing me to do that cleanup. Okay. Next on the agenda is unfinished business and we have have brought to our attention about the vacation of an alley. Yeah. That we tabled at the last meeting. So do you want to bring that forward again or that's up to council?

I know I spoke to the guy on Green Street on the east side of the alley today and he had no clue what he was even talking about it and he uses that alley all the time. So Clarence spoke to the other guy. I just talked to the other guy on the alley on Green Street. He's not for it either. So did we have did you already have something put together for that or was it just a petition? They submitted a petition for the alley vacation. If the council wanted to move forward then we would need to do an ordinance to that effect and I'm not sure if they submitted a proposed ordinance or not or if we need to put one together. I don't have that printed unfortunately with me tonight.

What's the desire of the council at this time? I I prefer to leave it open. I think we just drop it. Don't Don't do it. So, do we need to take it off the table? I would um probably make a motion to deny the petition if that's the pleasure of the council and have a vote on that. Motion made. Do you have a second? Second. Roll call, please. Carol. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Woreren. Hi. Eric Woods. Hi.

Okay, that motion passes. Um, next under new business, we have an interlocal agreement. Yes, would you please?

So, this interlocal agreement was between the city and the county for central dispatch. Central dispatch needed a new server um in order to um utilize Spilman uh which is used by the fire and the police uh for their purposes. And they needed to replace their server and also get a backup server. And so this interlocal agreement essentially says that the city and the county will split the cost of that server not to exceed $230,000 equally. And the finance committee I believe I don't know if John was there or not. Eric and Steve myself were there at the time that this was discussed with uh Renee Crick and also the county was also there and and I think somebody from ACCS I believe talked to us. So, they had a quote. They're still working on a quote, but we figured uh even if they update that in any labor that $230,000 should cover that.

And basically, if if if we don't do this and there's the possibility of that crashing, our whole system goes down and our emergency response is gone. And I I just as much as I hate it and we I guess going forward hopefully we can try to to systematically give put a little into there each year so it's not such a big hit but we need to do it now. I would agree with Steve. I guess I mean we have to you can't not argue about you have to do that. Yeah I agree. So I need a motion probably to accept the interlocal agreement and allows Is it just my signature?

I believe it's just your signature, ma'am. It allows me to sign on it. So you need a motion? Yes. I move that we approve it. Yes. I'll second. Roll call, please. Steve Beardsley. Hi. Isaac Chavez. Hi. Taylor Krenshaw. Hi. John Large. Hi. Robert Stevens. Hi. Clarence Woren. Hi. Eric Woods. Hi.

Okay. The interlocal agreement has been approved and I'll sign off on that then. Um, next we have the Humane Society here tonight. Owen Lucas and Nancy Elsie. Oh, sorry. [laughter] They wanted to report to us because, you know, we support them through our budget process. So, he was coming to share statistics for 2025.

Yeah. So, uh, good evening, council. Uh, my name is Owen Lucas, vice president of the Humane Society. Um, as well as with me is, uh, President Nancy Elsie of the organization. Um, with you, I have a packet that I've prepared with all of our stats and, um, financial overview and such forth. Um, first, I'm going to start off um, with the animal control services that we provide to the city and county, both alike. Uh I just want to briefly go over what our animal control officers respond to on a daily basis. Uh those include stray animals, cruelty neglect investigations, welfare checks, bite cases, and public safety concerns. Uh just to highlight some high uh some numbers here. In 2025, uh our calls for service were 377. Uh that's down from 2024 of 506 calls for service. uh cruelty and neglect investigations. 2025 we had 13 and then 2024 we had 11 uh bite and quarantine cases we had 20 uh 53 in 2025 and in 2024 we had 23. So we are up in bites this uh past year. Uh just to go over our animal control program. It has under undergone some significant improvements over the past year with all of our officers receiving expanded professional training in addition to new policies and procedures that have been implemented to ensure more streamlined and consistent responses to different situations out in the field. Uh just to highlight, I want to thank uh Chief Scott Shoemaker and his officers for continuing to work with us and to be there for us when a time of need arises. Um, at this time I'm going to ask uh President Nancy CLC to discuss our shelter stats. You have all of our statistics sitting

in front of you, but I want to highlight a couple of things. Our animal intake and outcome, we have, [clears throat] excuse me, we have a 95% live release rate. And I'll put that up against anybody in the country. I'm telling you, that's it's extremely unusual. Um, but we also have a staff that works diligently to get animals out there. We have a huge foster to adopt program and almost every animal we have goes into foster care first and then the family comes in later on when they know that that animal has adjusted to their home. So they then come in and pay the adoption fee and finalize the adoption. Uh for younger animals, they have to bring them back three times to get all their vaccinations, the puppies and the kittens. [clears throat] And there is no animal um whose adoption is finalized that has not been spayed or neutered. Nothing leaves our shelter without being fully vaccinated. That means rabies, which is required, and all of the necessary vaccinations. We partner with two major not for profits. Paw pals of Clinton County. Um, last year they spent $50,000 on medical treatment, on they get all of our vaccines. They um uh all of our microchips, our flea treatments because all the animals in our shelter are fully treated for fleas and anything else they can get. They also do any specialized testing like for parvo. Uh they are the ones that if we have an animal come in with parvo virus, they're the ones that

pay for the treatment. And if anybody's ever seen a dog with Parvo and has u ever had to experience paying for it, it's not cheap. So Pop House does a marvelous job for this and they always have. Um Purdue University's veterinary school is the second I don't know if you can call them a not for profofit, but it's a university and they do almost all of our spayneuters. Now, we do have some that animals that are either we need to get spayed and neutered before we can get them into Purdue. Purdue does at least once a month, most of the time twice a month. And they take they'll call us up and tell Cheyenne, "We need 15 kittens and four dogs." And they'll say, "We need this many that be need to be neutered and this many that need to be spayed." So, and Cheyenne works with them very diligently because they save us between 40 and $45,000 a year in spayneuter costs. Um, we also have one other place that's pet supplies plus which is over in Lafayette and they have started working with us on kittens. Um, over the holidays we had kittens over there. I don't know how many times we took trips over there because people would come into their store and they have them in the big um cages that have different levels. Um and so people can see them and mess around with them and play with them and they don't they can come in their hours are a little different from ours. So they um they really do a nice job for us and we we really want to keep that up. Um, one of the things that I want to explain to you because we hear this constantly and pretty consistently is our

euthanasia process. Um because we hear rumors and I know other people have on Facebook and just people talking and I want you to understand we if if we are going to euthanize an animal it and it's not an emergency situation then uh it's done by committee. Cheyenne gets hold of the president and another board member and we talk about it and try and figure out if there's some other way that we can help this animal. Um, we have animals that are three-legged for Paw House is paid to have a a dog or cat's leg amputated and there are people out there that just love those tries. So, um, but when a dog or a cat is hit by a car, last year we had 14 dogs that had to be euthanized after being hit by a car. We had 24 cats that had to be euthanized because they've been hit by a car. And the euthanasia is done only in a clinic only at a vet clinic or uh at a veterinary hospital. We go to Medvet. We go to Purdue. Uh we go to several of our vet vets around the area. But we don't do that unless a vet says there's no real hope for this. No, no viability for this animal. The other thing that we have is we never at least as long as I've been on the board, which has been a long time, um we do not euthanize for space. We're very fortunate that we have a lot of kennels and so we do not euthanize for [clears throat] space. We have rescues that pull animals. We have individual

fosters who pull. We have board members who pull. Um, we we're very fortunate to have a lot of that. But when euthanizing is the only option, there's only three categories that qualify for that. Either the animal is too sick or too injured to survive. Um, they're too young to survive. A lot of people bring babies in that are not they don't have their eyes open because they find them someplace and they think they've been abandoned and they forget that mama's probably out hunting for food, but they bring these kittens in and by the time they bring them in um it's very very difficult to raise bottle babies. We have some people that are very specialized in it and they do a very good job, but it still is a very difficult time. So that kind of figures into our our euthanizing. Um we also will euthanize a dog and sometimes a cat that is too aggressive and too dangerous for the staff to handle. That happens and uh generally it's done only after a certain time period. Sometimes we'll keep a dog 3 to four weeks and if there's no change being made or we're having to really really be very very careful about handling that dog um the staff members will talk to Cheyenne and again Cheyenne will meet with a committee to decide what to do about that animal. Um, so we're also very fortunate that now we have four people doing animal control and they are all veterinary technicians. So when they go out on a call and they see an animal that's hurt, then they make an a a [clears throat] judgment at that time. Let's this it looks like this we can take this to the shelter and wait until the morning or they need emergency

treatment. So, we're very very fortunate about that. And I don't know of too many other places and except for the big places that have that. Uh, if you look in your packet, you will see a financial statement from well, it used to be Beardsley's [laughter] and anyway, they have our uh have done and approved our financial statement for December 31st, 2025. And there's also a comparison with bills from 2024. Um, they're pretty self-explanatory, but if you have any questions, you can ask one of the executive board members or you can ask Steve Beersley because he used to prepare. [laughter] No, five years has been. Anyway, that's um kind of a quick rundown on all of what we do. Um, I'm going to turn this back over to Owen because he will explain animal control and all of the remodeling that we have done within the agency. Yours, baby.

Okay. Uh, she hit a lot of high points on there and a lot of good points and, uh, just want to thank thank her for that. Um, I'm just going to go into something that is, uh, nationally recognized. Um it's a partnership with Humane World for Animals pre previously known as the Humane Society of the United States. Um we have now partnered with them with in their animal shelter ship partnership program. It's an exclusive private network of humane societies across the United States hand selected um by their national organization. Uh again this was a private invite by their national director for the Humane World for Animals. uh they've noticed our continued efforts in the animal welfare field and our work that we're doing at our facility. Um so what this uh partnership is is basically a group of humane societies that they see that are um responsible in their work that um they do and that they can help out in times of need throughout the US. Um, more specifically, in December, we got a call from South Carolina um for 47 dogs that were removed from a dog fighting case. Um, we at the time were very low on animals and so we were able to help and take in two adult dogs and three puppies into our care, which now have been adopted out to the community. I just want to reiterate this is at no cost to the taxpayers of Frankfurt or the county or our organization. uh Humane World for Animal reimburse us for all expenses related to the animal. Um they also will pay us a stipen to take the animals. Um so [clears throat] it's again no taxpayers are paying for this. This is just a nationally recognized organization that gets our name out there, puts us on the map for the US and it's just a a good partnership program that we can continue to help um in our mission of animal welfare.

Uh if you go to our facilities and operational improvements, um I just want to say that this is 2025 was a big year for us and continuing to improve our facility. Um one of our biggest accomplishments was completing all three of our um adoptable dog rooms and our isolation room. Most notably, our big dog room, now housing 28 dogs that now uh previously held 26 dogs, received a major installation of $80,000 worth of stainless steel kennels that were previously chain link kennels that were quickly deteriorating and falling apart. Uh that was made possible by the community foundation. Our [snorts] puppy room housing six dogs um also went underwent a renovation with new block wall kennels. It's more quiet. It's calm. It's secluded. It's uh can handle some dogs that are just needing some quiet space. Uh the fronts of those kennels were donated by Medvet of Indianapolis. Uh additionally, we've installed some more security cameras throughout our facility to uh ensure that we're um keeping an eye on things, but also for the safety and security of our staff and our um guests that enter our facility. Um our dog room ceilings were painted as well as some new vent covers to uh increase the quality of air per throughout the building. Um our outside of our building uh really needed some new gutters. Um we were having some very heavy rain come down that were starting to um create some problems for us. So um the board approved 6-in gutters um on the front and the back and also added ice breakers to our roof increasing uh the less flow of some stuff coming off that roof. And so it's a huge need that needed to be done. Um, new doors were installed out throughout the facility. Uh, the doors that were there were original to the facility, so we've, um, added some new doors. Um, a new roof was installed over our outside dog run that was destroyed through a storm. So, that's providing some extra

care for our animals when they're outside in the morning. [sighs and gasps]

Uh just looking ahead, I just want to say we're trying to expand our community outreach and programming throughout the community, whether that be spay and neuter um campaigns or just educating the citizens of Frankfurt and our county. Um our adoptions and fostering program right now is like Nancy said, is just through the roof. Our numbers are are quickly moving. We're not holding on to dogs too long. Um, and then, uh, we're still looking to improve our facility. We have some projects in mind that we're looking to do and looking to fundra for. So, keep an eye out for that. Um, if you go to the very, uh, the very back of your packet, the last page, I've attached a more detailed breakdown. Something that you guys mainly pay for, um, is animal control services. Um that breakdown is listed by each category of how many calls we received and what calls we responded to. Uh so you guys can look at that when you have a chance. Um our director Cheyenne Taylor unfortunately could not make it tonight due to a prior commitment. Um so she has attached into this report her executive director's report with all of the stats and intakes. Um and also some other notes throughout that packet. So, with that being said, that's all I have. Um, you guys have any questions? I'll be

I will say when I was out there for the open house, it looks amazing out there. You've done a fantastic job. And I know you received a grant of some sort. This is our grant writer. That's the grant writer. Uh, yeah. And thank you. And you provide a great service for our city. And I I want you to know how much we appreciate you that we need you. Thank you.

Yes. Thank We just want to say we're fundraising and we have a spaghetti dinner coming up on February 28th. I'd like to see all of you there. Um it is we've got several well we have a lot of sponsors um that either donate um money or stuff. So if you would please come out. It's $12 for an adult, $8 for a kid under 11. Under 11, and then five and under are free. So, any board member you can get a [clears throat] ticket from. You can get them at the shelter or just come to the door. We'll let you in.

Okay. Does anybody have any questions or any comments for him?

Okay. Thank you so much for all that you do for our community. Thank you. Okay, [clears throat] next up, uh Brian Kilman, you have some information in your packets on the trash fees and some situations that we have going on at the street department. Do you want to come up, Brian, and talk to us about that? Uh there's one set of information that we just gave to you. Um, I actually uh did reach out to Rei and ask them to do another projection for us. So, um, Brian, you might explain about the trucks and where we are and how that's all going. Well, [clears throat] the biggest issue we have is our used side load is a 2009 and it has it's met its end of service. Um, we just had an issue come up with it. we bandated it. The next step would be completely replacing the entire engine and it would not be worth that whatsoever. So, I've been working with Rei on trying to figure out a way to um afford a new side load. And that would be the information you have in front of you. We have several different scenarios. Of course, if you if we don't raise the user fees and if you raise it $2, if you raise it $1 per year, all that projects out for you.

And then the one that we passed out tonight, if you look also at that email, it'll tell you that if we would make no increase at all. And it [clears throat] doesn't look like we could sustain a new vehicle. Can't do that. We we just don't have it. Um and as you all know the sanitation department is self-funded. We don't get any funding from tax levy or anything like that. All that is from the user fees. So

are we going to be going to be all right doing this $2 every other year? So 2030 is that what we're doing here? I have a bunch of

one of them. Yeah, there's there's different scenarios that he put there um you know raising it different ways starting at I think at $2 and then going to $1. I mean there's different scenarios that we gave to you and then there was if there is no raise at all and what effect that would have. Um, as you know, this year in the budget, we had to put uh raise the user fees or the dump fees. And at this time, we have budgeted for this year $450,000. It has become very costly.

$450,000 is what you approved in the budget for dump fees. It's become very costly for us to do that. So, we've always run short every year. So this year we just went ahead and budgeted for what we think it's going to take. Um just like the second tote. I mean I've got a second toe. Yeah. Instead of five. My personal opinion it should be no less than 12. That's that's just giving it away. Which is that in that ordinance? No. Oh it is.

Well $10 $10. Yeah. Yeah. which which covers [clears throat] the cost or not quite? Well, so this ordinance, the the one in front of you, this is just a proposal. We can move forward with that or we can make changes to it, but it would increase the user fee $18 per month uh in 2026 and then or to to $18 per month, not increase it by $18 per month. and then $20 um for 2028, 20 $22 for 2030, and then 24 for um It's actually I have it I have it wrong. [laughter]

Yeah, it would increase $18. And then in 2025, and then January 1, 2026, it would be increased to $20. 2028 would be $22 and 2030 would be $24. And then um it also includes um information about the trash toers. So it would require that uh the trash totes remain at the residence and that if they need a replacement for any reason, it would be $100 to replace it. If they want a second one, then that would be $100. And then there would be a $10 user fee per month for every additional trash to. So if you had two totes, that would be an extra $10 per month. If you had three totes, that would be an extra $20 per month. So it' be $10 per tote

per month. But the situation that we have right now, we're still under lease, correct, with the one that we're having a lot of mechanical problems with. And so in order for us to trade that in, which I know it's a concern of Brian's, we have a trade in value right now of 39,000, but if it but if we run it until it won't run anymore, we won't get anything for it. Yeah. Yeah. and and so there would be a little payoff on that that we would have to consider which I think we could absorb that is a residual lease. I don't residual lease. I don't think so. I'm not 100% sure. I can If it's a residual lease, it's a set price and that's what you have to pay the lease.

Yeah. I I don't know. I'd have to look at the paperwork on that. looking at this u this $2, excuse [clears throat] me, this $2 rate increase in 2026, I think it's fine. I personally I've looked at this pretty close and I it's all pretty similar. I like the I like the dollar rate increase each year falling to 20 to 2031. I think it is. So that's actually the last page.

Yeah, page four. I think, you know, I think we really need to get ahead of this. I think if you skip a year, $2 and skip a year. I don't know, man. I worry about these dump fees and I worry about equipment or that. I think we need to We didn't have any increase on 24 or 25. So, so the last time was 2023. Yeah. Mhm. So, it looks like to me that they're saying that this would be a 7-year lease on the new truck. It'd be 2027 through 2033. So, we we would owe a payment next year. So, that's the reason why we would have to do starting something this year. Oh, yeah.

To build up our cash because right now we we just won't have we can't obtain what we have. I think $2 this year and a dollar dollar dollar. That sounds terrible. I mean, that's my thoughts. And there four different options here, five, whatever there is. And and I'm not, you know, I I'm not to me that would be best. I think I think uh people would say less about a dollar increase. I know that sounds silly, but I just think they would. But well, we really need to get ahead of this. If you look at this, numbers don't lie. Mhm. We need to do what is best obviously, but we need to get ahead of this.

And I don't know what year it was that we changed that. Do you remember, Eric, uh, garbage used to be in city general, so it was part of the tax levy and how we did it that way. And yeah, a long time ago. [laughter] Long time ago, we decided to make that change to make this self- sustaining so that whoever uses that service pays for that service. So, yeah. Yeah. Well, you're not going to find a service any cheaper anywhere else. No. No. Even if we do raise it. I've asked around and that's cheap. This is cheap. My son pays $35 a month for four picks up two barrels.

But that's what he and they're getting ready to raise. We're charging 18 for everything we do. Yeah. Because with that trash fee, they get once a week recycling, they get once a week trash, they get brush pickup, leaf pickup, and they can bring anything at any time that the street department's open as far as recyclables and trash. Exactly. That's chief. And I will say that we're trying to get a better hold on that. We're having, you know, some issues with people from out of either out of county or in our county, but not within the city limits. And um so they get to bring their stuff for free unless we

So we have somebody now that we're having at the gate uh to better, you know. Yeah. I remember the time when for recyclables we made money off of them and now we pay about 8 to10,000 a month I think it is for recyclables. No. Is that right? 12 grand a year. Is it 12 grand a year? Okay. 12 grand a year a month. Still still,000,000 a month. Yeah. Yeah. Thousand a month which we don't make. And we used to make money. Yep. We made money off of that. Now

we got to think things move like they have the SB1 and all that. I know everybody talks about that. What's it going to be in three years? Now if we do this and if we were like to go a dollar an hour or a dollar uh a year or a year I think it should be per tote. It should be per tote. So if you have two totes, it should be $2. Mhm. Mhm. And I don't know what's coming out my pocket cuz I pay it too, but it's fair. Before we would do something like that, I would want to check with the utilities billing office to see how because they're the ones that do the billing. Sure. So, you know, can they see how complicated it would be for them?

Yeah, I think it could get really complicated because if you start saying, "Oh, well, they have two and they have three and they have I think that would get very difficult on the billing side of it." Well, and they do have some limited restrictions on what they can even print on the bill. I know we had to look carefully at that when we did this last increase. And and with the second tote, they only have so many fields in their software where they can place things on the bill. The street committee's recommendation. Got me.

What' you say? What's the street committee's recommendation? John Taylor, John. And Isaac Isa, it's Isaac. My recommendation said we're in this position that we need to have a rate increase. I do have a quick question though. Was there a difference between the specified rate and not including Jefferson and then the no rate increase or it does include Jefferson on the first page? Does it include it does, right? Yeah. My my recommendation is that we do the rate increase every other year at $2. At $2 per tote.

Well, no. Like I said, that [clears throat] may be I I think you know I think it I don't know. I think we should just ask the utility office for first that becomes pretty complicated. Yeah. At the building office. Should we find out from him first before he decides per house? I think I think but they get build for two either way, don't they? I mean, so why Yeah, there's already a $5 fee

for the second tote. So, it wouldn't it wouldn't be an issue to increase the cost of a second tote. The issue could be increasing the cost to have like what we're proposing in this would be $10 per tote. So, if you have a third tote, you'd pay an additional $10 per month and that might become an issue for billing or people for the billing office and probably for people, but right now the discussion is the billing office. So, are we proposing no increase this year? No, this wouldn't be starting this year. Now, I do have a question on that, Alicia.

Um, would there have to be a public hearing for that? And then also, is there so many days from uh the time that the ordinance passes? So, what I usually recommend, so trash is weird because it's technically not a utility, but it's quasi treated like a utility in the state statute. Um, so what I usually recommend is for utilities when you do a rate increase for that, you do have a public hearing. And just to cover bases, I usually recommend for trash since it's a quasi utility to go ahead and do a public hearing. And then once it's um made public, then usually you have to publish it in the newspaper. and then 30 days from publication it can become an effective rate. So that would be my recommendation. I think you could potentially get away with not doing a public hearing, but I think it's always better to make it available for the public to have their voice heard on it. So that's usually my position is to recommend that we do do a public hearing.

So if we don't decide on this now or in the near future, is that retroactive billing then? No, it would only it would only be um I mean the I think the um ordinance that we presented to you had January 1st because we had worked on that before. We'd have to change that. But it would be basically when we Yeah. when we get it figured out and it'd be 30 days after that was that ordinance was published in the newspaper. So Isaac, you're suggesting uh $2 increase for this year. Skip a year. $2 skip a year. $2. Correct.

The reason [clears throat] I can see that also, but the reason why I take the dollar dollar, it's real easy. We we increase it $2 this year and we spend it all this year. We don't then we can't increase it next year. I think steady flow is always better than a breakup. That that's my philosophy. I'm not setting stone on that, but I just feel that way. I think the current ordinance that we have in place wasn't it out three three increments of two years. Was that right? Yes. This mirrors what we had before. So uh prior to now we did a three time increase every two years by $2.

I still think we should ask the billing office and see if it how much of a [clears throat] problem that be on our computers stuff. S what's the desire of the council I mean we can check with the belly on that. But um I guess as far as you know increases and at what rate? But

I mean if we raise it two year $2 every other year and you got two totes they only went up two bucks. You're paying 50 cents raise a year for each. No to me it wouldn't be fair. So what you would like to be checked into from the utilities $2 per tote. $2 per tote. So, with a Yeah. Did you want to So, right now it's $5 if you have a second tote or a third tote. Um, we proposed to increase that to 10. Do you want to make the initial increase to $10 per tote if possible? Or did you just want to increase it $2 so that it would be $7 for the second tote? 10.

10. Yeah. And then just to clarify, and then that would increase from 10 $2 every year, every two years thereafter. Yes. I mean, I can't take my trash to Wampers for less than that.

That's m trucks. There is also language in the proposed ordinance about the cost of the trash toers. So, right now, if someone requests a second toar or a replacement to, they get that for free. The toters cost about $100 uh to the city each each time we purchase one. So, the recommendation um from Brian and I, what we came up with was to increase it to $100 for a second trash to if um they return the trash to, like if they move or something like that, and it's got reasonable wear and tear, but it's still in good condition, they could potentially get that back from the city if they moved. Um, it would also allow a uh hardship uh possibility for people who wouldn't be able to afford the $100 fee that they could have a hardship waiver. Um, does the council have any um opinion on on that part?

I think it's fair. Like that catch fire. Yeah, I do too. What are we charging now for the toers? Nothing. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing. They get their monthly fee, but they don't make it they don't pay an initial purchase price. So, for example, if someone backed over their toar um and destroyed it right now, we would replace that for free. Maybe it was their fault. [clears throat]

What do you think, Eric? Sounds good. Which thing sounds good? [laughter] Yeah. Talking about I I'll go by the street committee's recommendation. [clears throat] Let's just get it here next month. What do you think? Uh because if we got you said 60 days, right, to get it going. Yeah. I mean, we we'd basically have 60 days because we'd have to have the public hearing, which if we wanted to move forward, we could have the public hearing next meeting in February. And we could pass it on 1 and 2 in February. As long as we have the public hearing in February,

I doubt we will pass anything on first and second. It's kind of an increase, but that still gets it done in March and then what you said 30 days past that. So, we're collecting by April. Would you want to have the public hearing in February or would you want to have the public hearing in March? Because if we're only passing it on first, it doesn't make a difference. We could have it on first reading in February and then do the public hearing in March and have second reading in March. You know, for the benefit of the public, I would say March would probably be better. That would allow the news to pick it up. Yeah. let the people [clears throat] state their piece.

Do um if the billing office can sustain a charge per totter, so for someone who has three, for example, doing $10 a month per totally charge for anyone who has a second or greater number of toers per toe in my opinion, but that's up to council also. I I like the idea just having the a fee for the second tote. It's not necessarily the first one.

Well, we we have the user fee for the first tote is the right now $18 a month and then we we have them charge five they're charged $5 a month for a second tote. What we're suggesting is that it would go up to $20 a month for the first tote. It would be $10 a month for the second tote. If they had a third tote, they would pay an additional $10 a month. So, it would be the $20 for the first tote, $10 for the second tote, and $10 for the third tote if we're able to do that. And are we saying three totes max? Technically, right now, two totes is max. Okay. I mean, I don't know how many totes can sit out in front of someone's house before we have a clutter problem. Yeah, I have no idea. I [clears throat]

And on top of that, is there any desire to go to a recyclable tote or we just going to keep doing the uh the way we're doing it now in for the foreseeable future? So, you're saying add a fee and then have a recycle. Well, I I agree with Councilman Stevens on the $10 per tote, but uh when we originally started this, there was talk with Jason about having a different color tote for recycling. Is there any desire to still look towards that or are we not going to do that? I would personally love to go to that, but make the homeowner that wants to recycle purchase that tote.

Yeah, I agree. I will say on recycle day that it does get a little messy. Windy [laughter] or if it's raining snowing. Yeah. Yeah. Bad. You don't You don't use your lift truck for recycling. No, we still run three trucks, nine guys rear back the back. So if we had to for recycle, they still have to pick it up and dump it. Nope. We could run side loads on that. I thought about it. We could split Jackson east and Jackson West, run two trucks, two guys, and they could get it done in one day.

Is that something we want to include in this ordinance or is that something we want to consider and then do a a different ordinance at a different time because I can add that if you tell me what you want. Let's do a different ordinance. It combines two different issues. Got it. Okay. Yeah. Okay. I will make updates to that then and then I will have that back to the council for February. We will have the public hearing then in March and then um who do you want me to contact the billing office and see about the or who's going to do that? Do you have somebody Oh, you are. Okay. I'm glad you're here. [laughter]

You want to send me the Yeah, I I can get with Christa then. You too. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Aren't you glad you came to see me? [laughter] About back and then once we figure out how this all goes and we'll make a decision because right now I don't think you're running that truck, right? No. Okay. Yeah. I say it's worth 40 running. It's running now. I'd just say park in my personal opinion. Don't do it to you to trade it in then drive. You can eat you can eat $40,000 or 38 or 39 real quick that bugger's bug cuz it's a scrap. Yeah.

Tell me again. I forget what you said the uh repair bills were on that last year. 28 $28,000 we've spent in repairs. I know you said those bearings on it were huge [snorts] problem. That's the reason, another reason I think SEO tote should be higher is I [clears throat] know you're there. That's the reason it's cheaper, but you you're doing twice the wear and tear on the bearings. So, I mean, something's got to cover that price. Yeah. I already know people are going to be tick, but I'll be paying it myself. So,

so are we thinking there? So, are we thinking $2? I know that $2 this year 26 and then skip a year and then $2 and skip a year. That's that's what you intend to do. That's that's Is that right? Is that what we're thinking? That's what Yeah, that's what uh the committee what Isaac recommended on behalf of the committee. Is that fair to say? Plus the changes in the extra toad. The extra toads. Uh yeah. Yeah.

Okay. So we're Okay, that's fine. I just Don't worry about cash flow and I skip here. I take a few raise your $2 and that's fine and you skip a year. It's real easy to spend that extra money and I I just worry about cash flow. I think a dollar dollars the way to go $2 and a dollar per year. But that's that's my opinion and I'll go with the majority. It looks like it's sustainable doing, you know, every two years. Oh, it would be. Yeah, it is. It is.

Now, is that going to cover also the lease of another one? Yeah, that's included in all these. Okay. Yeah, it's the least amount. Amount plus the difference in what we owe and all that, which will may be able to Yeah. So, as the other one goes down, then we're really Yes. Yeah. You know where we're at. Yeah. We'll be back to I don't want to say it on here. Yeah. Okay. So, is everybody Is everybody comfortable with that decision to have Alicia move forward? I got it.

Okay. Um, next we have our councilmatic committees and in your packet you have the 2025. I did not make any changes on any of the council maddics. If there's anybody that would like to change the committee that they're on, I'm happy to talk about that. But if you're okay with it, then I'm okay with it. Sometimes I think the consistency is good because you know as you're each one working on different projects or things with each department. So

we'll just need to vote on the uh redevelopment commission appointment. Yeah, I've got others too. I think the partners in progress. So I have the others that we have to do outside of the council maddics. So, partners in progress, currently we have Eric Woods and and Steve, you know, he he's not listed on here. We only have one cuz we changed that midyear. So, is that why it never got in here? Okay. So, we're okay with making I knew he was on there, but I didn't know how that came about. So,

okay. So, we have Steve Beardsley and Eric Woods on uh Partners in Progress. So, do I have any nominations? Anybody that's going to volunteer or I'll volunteer to remain? You both will. Okay. Okay. So, we'll just do that by consensus. Is everyone okay with that? Yes, sir. Okay. Keep those. Um, so the city plan, those terms aren't up yet, so we're good with that. Uh, insurance committee, uh, currently we have, uh, Steve Beardsley and Eric Woods.

They're familiar with it. I think that Yeah, they're okay with it. Yeah, I would actually like to come off of that one. Oh, sure. Does anybody want to be on that one? Unless someone else have a chance. [snorts] I'm not familiar with and I think I think we need to take a look at that again too as far as how it how it's set up and uh it's a a little bit dysfunctional. I think try to to reexamine how we do it too.

For now, we'll leave it as is, but I think it I think it needs to be re-examined. I I can't think of the last date that when we changed some of that. It's been a few years ago. Yeah, it changed from when the initial ordinance was set. So, who would like to be on the insurance committee or who would like to nominate someone? Insurance. Steve, what are you willing to stay on or? Yeah, I I the the timing of some of the meetings are hard for me to get to sometimes, but uh I'll do my best.

Okay. Is there anyone that would like to replace Eric? He would like to come off or most of the time the meetings are during the day. I will say that. So, but that makes a difference. If there's no other takers, I'll stay on the understanding, like Steve said, that we uh we will re-evaluate it.

Yeah, I I think that's a good idea. We've made changes before from the original. So, okay. How about we have you both stay on for now and then if we have to redo that whole ordinance and the the makeup of that committee. Um economic development commission John Large that's you um which I don't believe usually there's a lot for you to do. We have to have an economic development commission and yeah if there's any documents or anything or sometimes they'll meet and are you okay with staying on that?

Okay. And then next is the redevelopment commission and that's uh Eric Woods and Joe Palmer. You have uh two people on redevelopment and I don't remember that it has to be a council person. Is that correct? I mean, I know Joe's not, but we said that we would always offer it to counselors first, okay? And then if not, we would look outside, okay, for a a designate. So, [snorts] I think the ones on there are doing a good job if they want to stay.

Eric, yeah, you'll stay. Okay. And then, uh, Joe Palmer's the other one that is your appointment on there. Is everybody okay with that? By consensus, is okay. Uh, solid waste district is currently Clarence Worth. I'm okay. You're okay. Oh, good. Thank you. Okay. Next, we have the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council. Um, currently that's Clarence Warn and John Large. I don't know a whole lot about it. I I I know something about but I'm not real familiar with it. I will stay.

Uh we have a meeting tomorrow. [laughter] It's in your email. I love [laughter] it. At 1:30. I'm glad you wanted to stay. John, are you meeting is Cooko? Yeah, it's going to be at IUK. At IUK. Wait a minute. Tomorrow. I'm not texting somebody. I'm looking at my calendar. Look on his face was priceless. I can't do Okay. I got No, I have to go to the VA. Okay. I can't miss I can't miss that. We'll let you know when the next one is. Let me know. [laughter]

So, if you both will stay on that, that would be great. Okay. I think that's the only that's the only ones I have. And is everybody okay with the uh council committees that you're on? Yes.

Okay. Okay. Is there anything else? No. Oh, USB budget. I think everybody has a copy of the utility service board uh budget and um it's already gone through your process through the USB. Uh the only thing is they have to just bring it before the council. Um if you have any questions, you have any comments on that or concerns, I'm sure that Christa would be happy to talk with you or Todd Corey or Joshua is the chairperson. So does that just need presented? Does it need a motion?

It doesn't need a motion. It just has to be provided to the council. So, it has now been provided to the council and they have met their obligations. Yep. Okay. Does anybody have anything else? I think Motion made a second. Second. Thank you.