City Meeting - Regular Meeting

Roll call, please. Andrea here. Rex here. Clayton here. Gerald here. And great here. We'll stand. Rise and say the pledge will be led by Mr. John Pearson tonight, please. And prayer will be given by Reverend Kim. Please rise. 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.

Pray. Father, thank you for being you. Thank you for allowing us to be here tonight. I pray your blessing on the meeting and everyone involved. Pray your blessing on each department, each department head, each elected official, each citizen, and we pray your blessing on our community. Thank you for this season that we're in. Help us to be mindful of what this season is about, the coming of your son. Thank you for all that you do for us and be glorified. Amen. God bless y'all. Merry Christmas. I'm sure you have something.

Agenda item number six, approval of minutes for December 9th.

I'll make the motion.

Second. Motion by Mr. Manger and second by Mr. Maguire. Roll call, please. Andrea, I. Rex, I. Clayton, I. Gerald, great. Hi.

New business. Anything from the board under new business? I don't know if it's new business, but I never know when to bring things up. But a report from the area plan commission, uh, Upland, their final date with the county area plan is December 31st. They will have their own area plan commission starting January 1st, which completely changes the makeup of both the area plan and the board of zoning appeals because they were the largest municipality in the county which meant they got a lot of seats. Now Fairmont is the largest municipality. So the board of zoning appeals uh because Mr. Pearson won't be able to be on it anymore and I think the commissioner representative has changed or is going away. So I think the BCA will be literally Ed Hartman and then all new people including like three people from Fairmont that Fairmont needs to find and then the area plan commission uh we will need another Jones representative to replace Mr. Pearson that will be appointed by the mayor Mr. goens and there will also need to be a a member of a community associated with agriculture uh that is not living in the municipality. So if you know of someone uh or there also be a town of Matthews se um and someone appointed by the school corporation superintendent. So there are three open seats on the AP or four open seats in the APC and six open seats on the BCA. So if you know anyone in Grant County that meets those criteria um that reach out to us.

Now the appointment that I'm going to make is they'll they'll probably be on the DA also. Yes. Well yeah that's I talked to him yesterday about it because I'm I'm having difficulty. That's why I sent you guys the email. I've got some people in mind. I I I'm having a hard time. Somebody wants to be committed because that's a that's a big commitment. It is. And it can be a headache sometimes, too. Can we discuss it here? Well, it's Yeah. Quinton, you want to do it? I ain't got the time. I thought about him already. I'm not going to look at it. You were at the top of my list.

Yeah. He was top of mind because involved in everything. Yeah, because you be on both boards. Can I ask you a question, please? Sure. What was the agricultural piece that you mentioned? Well, like what's the It would be normally it would be like a member of the agricultural extension educator, I think. But since we don't have that, it's just a county resident with an agricultural interest. So, like a farmer, basically. Kate from Seway or something. and but it have to not live in a municipality. But so

a farmer would be the most likely, but it could also be someone that runs uh like a grain silo or someone that runs farm insurance or sells tractors or someone that has an agricultural. Gotcha. Thank you. So I have to find somebody before the end of the year and I need some help. So I'm asking you guys to find somebody. I've got some other I got some PE people in mind but I haven't contacted yet because of the commitment time.

Yeah. But sometime Bob you might let them know it's more than one meeting a month cuz like when we had solar and different things and wind there was sometimes we would meet three times a month you know different open meetings. So it's mostly once a month but it can be more. It's a it's an important job as a community. It's an important job and we don't have the resources to get our own planning commission but understand that plan did that. Huh.

How that is set up there because a lot of people say well citizens shouldn't be on this board. They're not elected and it's keeping it fair way. The state did it. That citizen being there is making it fair instead of being elected. Be curious to hear what Don Gilbert would say. Oh, no. I don't think he'd want to. I don't think he'd take his gun. Yeah. Okay. Anything under else new business? Because I'm going to move along if we don't.

New business. I think last time I just got a question. Has anybody thought about the raising the rental cost of the community building? Yes. Is that business? That is going to be business. That's all right. And we can talk discuss that. I I I'm going to recommend that we raise it because we do need some funds to maybe buy some new equipment up there or chairs or tables. And I think $75 is too low. Too low. Yeah.

And I'd like to see if we could raise it to 100 125 and maybe have a $25 deposit. I think what I hear gas cities charging and other I think if we get around a 150 would be a good price because everybody else is above that more. I know people ain't going to like that jump. Now if it's 125 and a 25 of it is a deposit that you get back. Sure. I think that's maybe reasonable. That's that's what I'm going to recommend. 150 up front but you get 25 back if it's taken care of. Yeah. The only reason I want to deposit because we do a little bit different here than like the event center like Harrisburg. They do it by hours, you know, like you can rent at that place for two hours a day.

We rent it out to somebody and they don't put a deposit down then they cancel then we're out the money and I don't think that's fair because say you wanted it that night and somebody reserves it for, you know, Christmas or let's say and takes advantage of it. So, I'm gonna recommend that we I think I just saw Britney shake her head, but I'd like to see 125 with a $25 deposit before at least. Thank you, please. I worry with that. I just want to share too that not only are those important pieces, but Britney has spoken about it before.

Okay. the the little bit more of a money the person has a buy in so they're not just going to like at the last minute like you said at the same time you have to make sure that they're going to clean it up and leave it as they found it and the stuff that's been destroyed so that's kind of a assurance that they're going to be compliant or whatever you know what I mean so I think it's nothing but a win-win I think when you do this Bob I agree with it you need to really think about how you're going to decide if they get that deposit it back. Mhm. I mean, I can come in on Monday and say, "Hey, Saturday was a mess." Yeah. What's a mess to you? What's a mess to him? 100%. Yeah. Give people a check. 100%.

Yeah. This has to be. So, when you return the key, well, that's obvious that you know, but I'm talking about we've walked in and they've they've left the trash bags in. They didn't take them out. There's them little silver confetti stuff everywhere. Don't have that thing. and they're like, you know, you know, I guess that's my thing. That way the girls don't get yelled at. I'm not giving them $25 because subjective then overall the girls or the girls, they're going to be the one getting yelled at, not us, cuz they're coming there to get their money. The belling office and the and the staff, they all do a good job really clean. It's just it's just that we need to raise the price 100%. And uh but honestly, is $25 enough for a deposit? I mean, what's that going to

used to do? Yeah. And and we lowered it um just to be competitive and now it's kind of biting us. Yeah. So there Well, we went out and bought uh like five round tables and a couple of the 8 foot long. Those things are not cheap. Well, right now there's only maybe 10, 12 that you can use. The legs are broken on them. All the round tables are gone except one. We had pictures sent to us what, probably a month ago. It was a birthday party. Not going to name names, but they had kids standing on the tables. I mean, we had pictures of it

and on that rack. Yeah. Yeah. We've had two racks that the chairs at Randy Price's birthday party. You said it, not me. No, that was that was last year. That's why I think too with our raising our cost, I think we should have like Quinton said something written. Absolutely. That you run a table marker and run then you should have to pay what it costs to go buy a new table. How do you collect that though? If it's not a deposit, if it's not a deposit, you're going to take in court and that's just going to cost you more money. Keep them out from ripping it again. Well, that $50 would chure some of them. They really do. I think, you know, hey, get down.

The biggest problem with saying you're not going to rent it to that person. They just get someone else to come and rent it for me. Charles got for 125 rent and $50 deposit. I agree. That's just over double what it is now. I mean, that's my only thing. And it's still competitive with what the other places in the in the area do, right? Yeah. But don't you think that like even the monetary piece of it, if somebody's going to rent it, then you're going to more than likely act right then. You know what I'm saying? Then like So that's kind of the balance because you've got people who got it rented so far out, right?

Yeah. So as soon as we get an ordinance typed up and passed, um anyone has already paid. They're marked in the book. So, she can write that down and keep a list of But would that keep you from having to and you might know, sir, would that keep you if you had a new, you know, whatever procedure or whatever, even if they already rented it, that's fluid. Can you still do that? Or you mean raise? Yeah. Race it on somebody that's already No, the expectations of Well, you can give them a checklist. You just can't charge them. So crap list of the rules and what we expect when they do get it,

but like a little more like hey to FYI. There you go. I think it's great. I'll make a motion. I'll second 125 and $50 fee. It's good. Motion's on the floor. Second written up. ready for by signature tonight. Just kidding. I'm kidding. The motion is on the floor for Mr. Mr. Magcguire and second by Mr. Greenree is to raise the uh cost of the rental of our community building from $75 to

125 and with a $50 deposit refundable on top. And that's still cheap. That's good. Okay. Roll call, please. Andrea, I Rex. Hi. Clayton. Hi Gerald. Hi Greg. Hi. Thank you. Very well. Very nice. All right. Moving along. Anything else other business? I will bring up something under

I'll wait for that. Any other old business? I got something else. Okay, let's move along. Reports. Board of Public Works. Um I think this will fall under that. I am still pursuing the annexation. I've been talking to some people and trying to get some um trying to get something together, a cost thing and and present you guys because I told them I wasn't going to move forward without approval of the any funds we send out. But uh they're uh working very hard getting everything ready for January and we are moving forward with a cost analysis for our our wastewater. Is that correct? The rate study.

The rate study. And we've we've been I've been notified by our clerk treasurer that uh we have already paid for most of the uh annexation paperwork. We've already paid for a lot of that and they never did it. So it's Yeah. She found it and well we we paid for parts that were done. Yeah. Right.

So it's some of it's already done. So we're going to move forward on that. So, and uh under the board of public works, uh they are still I'm meeting next week sometime with Brad and Ken. We're going to talk about the sewer project and everything and see where we're at the extension out there because once again, I I told him I can't move without you guys knowing exactly what it may cost the city because we we can't do it we can't do anything without your approval on that. So, don't worry. I'm not going to give us any trouble on that. If we're talking about annex, just like I talked to you, how can you annex you? We have to have approval for these people or if you if say like I brought up that you south side of my street, they all got water soon with the one way in the back. I can't think of their name. When can you legally take them in without them voting on them? That's why can you or can't you? That's why I think they have to vote on it and it's by

it's majority I think major 51% a percentage of say there's 10 homes in one I don't how to say this exactly maybe Laur can help me on that say 10 homes is in one area and then 10 homes are here in the other area has to be 51% in that area say it's the 9 block of west n they have to have 51% but if you went to the meeting and I think all some of you were there most of those people were very receptive to the annexation Now, I think the tax analysis will be the kicker. Yeah. Showing where you're going to be in Mil Township versus Jonesboro. And we're going to have to wait until the taxes come out for next year and see where we're at with that. But I think that's going to be the defining factor

because what I was worried about like on Ninth Street on the south side, they already got water and sewer. I thought if we could already go take him in if this is illegal. I don't know because I know Zen changed so much anymore. You can't go land grab it.

Well, and that's that's not exactly what Ken said when he was here. He said the easiest way is if there's a vote and there's 51%. He said you can, it sounds like you, we and the county could both pass something and take it to a court and if they have enough city services, the court could rule that we have the right to annex even if they don't agree. We'd rather not take that route. But I think that's a I think we have a compelling case even if we don't

get the referendum. But I it sounds like a court would rule in that favor if we have enough city services out there and can agree with the county is what what Ken's documentation seem to imply. You are correct. And that's the la that's the last thing I think we should do as as a council is pursue somebody who doesn't want to be in the city. So well then we absolutely shouldn't put sewer water out there because we're still paying in my opinion because we're still reaping the I think I think taxation will probably be on the books before if it passes before we get the sewer and water out there completely. That's what I'm hoping. But if it doesn't pass, okay, we need

because we're currently right now tonight we're paying for the fact that we ran water or I forget which one is which, but we have services out there. Water water sewers on 9inth Street on the south side. Everyone else is just water if they have it. Right. Except for 1117 West Six, they got a grinder pump. Yeah. there on Sixth Street. There's three houses that actually are hooked to our sewer. I think the annexation will go okay. I really do.

I'm hoping long as we're not egregious in any way, form and we can prove to them that we're already paving the roads. We're already plowing the roads. We're providing fire and all that. And it should have been done years ago. So hopefully we can get this done. So that's what we got. I'm I'm a pessimist. You have 10 people show up to a meeting and they all sound Great. The thing is there's 40 people that don't show up to any meetings and they're not you don't you have no idea how they feel. But yeah, I I'm glad the meeting went well and I think it's definitely worth

I mentioned in public works and safety about JC night and everybody is aware that that it's getting really close. I don't know where they've been. I haven't called them. I've been kind of busy but fence in the storm. Oh, it did? Yeah, it fell in the storm. I called Brad and he uh he said I'll get a hold of the guy, but that was three weeks ago. And then at last meeting he said he's coming back tomorrow, weather depending dependent and they still haven't done anything. So yeah. Yeah. And I need I need that fence back up for the protection of the students over there. I think they hold it off. I I don't know where it went. Oh, okay. Well, they took the fence down so they could use the Circle Drive because they have been

It has been a major hamper on the operations not having the access to that Circle Drive. It's been boring a long time. Yeah, it's worth it's 100y old building. It's worth that put them under liability then for taking the fence under. Kids won't The kids won't be outside though. Now, if it was April or May, I think it'd be different. But they don't take kids on that side of the circle drive anyway. So, thank you. I didn't know why it had blown down. I thought Yeah. Yeah. That one we had a storm was blowing and I drove by and it must have just fallen and I called Brad. He said he let it know, but Okay.

Mayor recommendation or comments? I do have one comment. We've received a check from the river rally people. Anybody interested in how much? We got $3,000. No, not close. So, have we renegotiated a contract? Have we signed a contract? Are we We're doing that next year. We are doing that. We I'd like to have I'd like to have you guys meet her in the in group or some of you. I'd like to have a little meeting. Is it Carmen still?

Yeah. I think we should pursue it one more year with a one-year contract, but I've got to talk to some people in town who who profited off of it and because what we need to do, we especially need to cover the expenses of the police, fire, and everything we have. Uh we have done some things different this for next year. We're not putting all this equipment back down in the barn. We're storing it back here by the thing where they won't have to haul it all over. So, we're doing some things to lower our uh obligation as keeping all the stuff up here and keeping it nice and clean and safe for everybody. But if you got any suggestions about it, I I've got a few things I'd like to try this year as far as what we sell out here or what we do out in front here. But we got to do something. We have to make some money.

Well, there's when I had a booth, there was a fee that I had to pay specifically to the city of Jonesboro. $25. That probably should be raised, don't you think? Or is that part of the contract with the River Rally? I mean, that I don't think it's a contract. I don't I there is nothing in there about the fee for the for the vendor fee that we accept. There's nothing in their contract. Well, that seems to be an easy place if we need to raise prices. I mean, we don't want to go crazy. We want there to be vendors if there's going to be this thing, but they sell out the vendor slots every year. I mean, that means and it's been $25 for the last six years. Oh, wow. So, And I also think the camping is too cheap. Oh yeah, that for sure.

It's extreme. People do not buy bad. I think what is it? $50 for the weekend. 35 35 for the weekend. Yeah. Now that's not with electrical hookup and everything. All legal, not legal hookups. So they had some illegal hookups after dark. Who knows? But I went down there and and tried to collect a bunch of them and not collect have to come up here and pay it. It's it's a it's a difficult it's I'd like to have somebody sitting down there. What do they say? Do they just not say we're not paying or what? They they they move. So they're supposed to be in here and they're gone. There's nobody there. But they're over here. You don't know it. It's so weird.

They're not there and all day. You know, you hear I've tried it for two years. It's a It's a nightmare. But I'd like to raise the price on that. I don't know if that has I think you should have them pass. Do is is it worth it to have the campaign? Yes. Yes. I think in the long run we can make money. Okay. Or not if we don't collect on it and if we raise the price it's going to be hard. I think we only had three or four last year didn't pay. I don't think it was that bad. They've had up to 20 not pay before.

But maybe if we do the same thing as the community building. I mean it's the same and I know you all everybody's doing their part but be like kind of like hey you know we're even if it's by word you know what I mean but you make him right now pay what $5 in advance it's either five or 10 that's so cheap for the next year but they don't get that deposit that's that's like a reservation yeah or club or whatever so what if you do the same thing and you say okay you got to have this paid by August 1st We're going to rent it to somebody else. You got to pay in advance because we're not getting collection.

Okay. I think that's a great idea. Kind of like do like a camping club. Like you have to be, you know, if you want to join for the, you know, make it 20 bucks or whatever and then you're guaranteed a spot. Maybe it may not be where you want, but and may I hate to hold it up. I don't know that we really I'm okay with you figuring out those prices. I guess I I don't know if we can do that or if we are You have to pass the ordinance. It's part of It's part of the or you have to pass the ordinance. But the fee I think the fee I think $60 for the weekend is cheap. That is so cheap. Absolutely.

It's cheap. And we're paying 35 now. I mean, I'm not after I'm not trying to make money, but that was that was a huge event next door. They told me they made over $20,000 right there. Great profit. Oh, and they told me 25 and I'll just say 20. And And they paid us $25 to do that. They didn't pay us anything. No, they paid us a $25 the vendor fee. Yeah, but the legion didn't. That's Oh, the legion. Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about that. Sorry. They made 20 say $20,000. I Yeah,

we don't get we we There should be something in there. So, I think we need to have a meeting. one of us, me and Greg or somebody have an a meeting with him and say, "We'd like to approach you about next year and have you support our police and fire during the river rally because you you're the largest vendor we have here." Or instead of that, since they don't come to the redevelopment commission, I know if you could reach out to them and see if they could come to a meeting, that'd be great. But I think that'd be a perfect point of negotiation. I think we should I think as a board I think we should move forward with raising the uh fee of the of the camping for the camping and vendor. Can we actually issue a permit that they have to

I think that's for both camping and vendors. But when they stick it on their window and they're never at their camper when them guys are down there. That's what's the problem. They prepay. They don't get to permit till they prepay. Right. Well, that's that's another problem is because we have we don't hand them out until the week of and they got to come up here and get them, right? So, that was maybe something we need to look at also. You pay, but you know, a lot of them from out of town, so they may not be able to

and a lot of them don't come in until Saturday morning if they're not here. And we don't have anyone policing it either. And that's the that's the idea I have that gets find somebody with a golf cart that will go down there and when somebody pulls in, they check the list. They look at the spot because they're all marked and they can check them off. No, you can't you can't do it. You got to go up town soon as they can do it and then wait until get their permit. There you go. I mean, if we're charging $60, we could pay somebody Yeah. $30 to do that and somebody in town would do that. So my recommendation is that we raise the fee on on the vendor at least five. That's not asking too much business.

Five or great like I I think Yep. So what how much do we have in a typical year as far as expenses honestly for police fire anything we have to pay. figured that and I was laughed at. Um, and just utility guys and their time getting ready moving things for the the event. It was like4500 in their salaries, not including the police department and they told me I was crazy.

Who told you that? I don't care if she thinks you're crazy,000 check their salaries and their time, let alone our police department. Yeah. And then you look at the fireman giving their time up here. I know people say it's volunteer, but they should be some conversation all the way around. I've been robbed. I'm sorry, but I for years

like I'm with like you guys too and I've been a single mom for and like we all live in the community and stuff so I get it at the same time like there has to it can't just always be you know the city's paying for everything you know and not rec how can we ever move forward you know what I'm saying I mean we're not that is not too much and the customer has to have a buy into it it's an opportunity you know but at the same We're not in the position to just do everything for free either. Yeah. So, we have other people who are interested in taking over, right? I thought you were approached. Yes, I was approached. There was one approach.

Well, but you have to get her to sell her change. I'm not saying they they've got to understand Yeah. the cost. Okay. And if if they're not willing to compensate the city for at least cost, then we need to take a look at other things. You can you can laugh as much as you want, but if you're not covering my cost, right? Then I'm not doing business. Well, it doesn't have to all come from them, though. The point is if we raise the vendor fee and the camping fee, you That's fair, right? Yeah. It's It's You can't laugh at a quick treasure because I know what you got. saying because like if you look at gas city park

did you look and see how they do a lot of stuff duct tail runs donate big bucks back to the city park so don't they rent the park from the city for the pay back big money that's how they main street for a certain amount and then they just have it and we do have a say so in it I mean like it's oh you know it may have been that way before that was Then I approached them about Brad getting the square footage up here. We put a cost to it. Say it saved me $6,000. They would pay us six up front and we would take the rest of it. We could, you know, stuff like that, right?

How many spaces do we typically sell a year? How many is there? $25 down. It's like 80 I think. So it depends. It fluctuates every year. This year was a little bit low. Um, and it's not 25 every vendor. It's based on their size. So, if you have a a 100 by 100 vendor, you're looking at almost 200 for that vendor. Plus, if they need a water hookup, they pay us 35 for the water. So, can you can you get us what what that was last year total? Yeah. Yeah. let me know that I can't remember off the top of my head.

To start negotiating, right? See, I asked them also to take our vendor fee and put it in when they register down there with them and then but that they refuse. Well, one thing I think they need to learn and this is I agreed with Greg. We got to cover our cost. Like Britney and Greg said, if we don't cover our cost, then we're just giving away our main street for somebody to come in, right, and make profit and walk away. So, but but I mean, I'm not going to laugh at you, Britney, but I would like to know what the cost are. Yeah. I mean, right now I'm estimating we got $8,000 last year from our camping

to Carmen to to So, I mean, I'm not saying that's right or wrong, but that's almost $8,000. And that's a 25 bucks times 80 vendors if we had that many. So, what what are the real numbers and what are we really at? Closer down to 60 last year. Somewhere in the 60s. And people think we make a lot of money from it. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

So, the opportunity. So, here's why I try to think of it like because I'm not one to just like, oh, forget it. Sorry, pastor. Forget everybody else. But like, you know, guess the we want the city to make money and we want to advance and grow. So, but we have a choice. Here's the choice. Okay. So, we've gone at this pace just like with the water and the sewage. Okay. We've gone at this pace for how long? You know, you you have to have growth. you don't have growth even at small increments. That's where you're going to stay. And if that's the way that it is, okay, but at least we know. But like just to have the opportunity

and get people to have a buy in and with the green space, which was all of the mental wellness and stuff, we have to like keep that flow going or else we're just going to be the same forever. And if that's okay, then that's okay. So, but I just think there's opportunity and there's a lot of money to be made. So, should we just talk about camping now? We can talk about vendor later. So, camping I heard at 60. Right now it's what 20 30 35 35 I mean 50 to me would be for one year and then we look at it the next year or year after whatever you guys 50 is another $15. Yeah.

And see how you know see how it goes. But it's something to move us forward, even if it's a little bit, you know. Is there a reason you came up with 60 specifically for just I just did the math and thought next to $1,300 would hurt anybody. Yeah. No, I just looked at it from from the standpoint of what they're paying for a campsite down in Gas City, which is basically just, you know, along the river. And like what are they paying down there? 75 80 I don't know what at least. But I'm okay with 50. I just I just think it's if we can if we can collect everybody, it's profitable. Yeah, it's

But only thing I'm going to ask you guys is I'm going to ask to have somebody and if we have to pay them for two days to be down there barking at everybody because last year I went down there and I found three people that were vendors up here that had brought their buddies in and taken all the B. They waited they know what I'll do it. There's our worker. I'm just kidding. I think we need to be I think I think 50 is not egregious at all. I think it'd be okay. And then we have damage that that you you take into account for because people are doing burnouts on our brick road. They're putting their equipment down and shipping our bricks. Uh what are they? The parking blocks. They've

See, that's the piece that I don't feel bad about. So, it's like if someone came to my house, I'm saying I'm not trying to be simplistic about it. Okay, so I'm going to be okay because that's the way it's been before and and I'm not going to say and then you can come and tear up something, but I'm not going to say I'm not sorry, pastor. I'm not the so if I say something or say, I'm sorry. Hey, you know what? We might need to do something different and that's okay. Can we can we agree that we that tonight that we can go ahead and pursue the $50? I move to increase the camping fee to $50. Second, third, fourth. Okay. Got a motion to raise the camping to 50. Roll call, please. And I, Rex, I. Clayton. Hi, Gerald. Hi. Andre.

Hi. 20 minutes for $15. Pastor, you have some extra time after the meeting. You have somebody who's talked to. Okay. The only thing, my only question, we already got a deposit from a lot of people for next year. We've already we haven't told them anything about the additional charge. How do you deal with that? So, Medina does take some time and sends letter uh a letter out to each person that has reserved in the summer giving them the opportunity to go ahead and fill out their paperwork and pay and you said it's the opportunity send that letter. You have a three-day recision. So, if you opt out, River Rally people will put in their flyers and notify their vendors that we raised the fee also. They're going to help

and that's okay. Uh, sounds like we need a working session for the river rally. I would agree with some without a regular meeting. Yes, I agree. So, okay. So, uh, keep me on task on that. Would you please make sure we do that rally because I think it's stuff that we need to talk about. All right, let's move along. Treasure Britney, do you have anything tonight? Uh, just the fire contract and then Um, these two notices are just for information if you want to pass that along. Are we talking about it yet? Or can I just say something really quick? Are you talking about the trash? Yes. So,

are you talking about are a problem? Mr. Stton, my husband who has it out on Wednesday. No, I'm It's a real thing. Friday by 6 p.m. doesn't seem very reasonable to me. People don't get home until 5:30 or 5:45 a lot of times. Yeah. And and as long as it's up by like Saturday morning or whatever, but don't leave it out all No, because I can't tell you how many trash cans I hid in my bus. A street is

Well, now see with mine cuz Kevin, he doesn't have that issue, but like I take the trash out all the time. We have a long driveway, but he's so like compliant. He's like, "I'm going to take it." He'll have it out like at 6:00 in the morning on Wednesday or whatever. Not in the street, but and people are like, "Hey, can we help you?" No, he's going to do it. Can I have heck or I? And that's okay. But I'm like, "Dude, are you just doing it?" Some people will offer because like I'm like, "Hey, I'll get it." And so, so I'll tell can I tell him that he might get a ticket if he I'm not going to lie, pastor. Sorry, dear Lord. Didn't even notice her. We do have something. We have the fireman's contract. I'd like to make

I No, I was This is really an issue. That's why I was talking about Sorry, it is. No, you're fine. You're fine. You can we are because I had a complaint today about somebody on avenue. Okay. That they move their trash barrels across the street where they can park in front of their house. Uhoh. And then it's across the street neighbors and it just makes a mess. They can't park in front of their house. Oh, Lord. So they do have they never take them off the street. Are we actually discussing this tonight or was this passed by the board of works and they're not discussing it? It was passed and forwarded to No, that's just for your information. It was passed at the board of works. So you guys don't need to pass it

because it's already in an ordinance. I just needed the to have the approval for sending that notice. Okay. So you're sending both of these out. We got to change ordinance. That's okay. If it's in the ordinance, it's in the ordinance. What did you want to change?

6 p.m.'s crazy to me. If it if what we care about is Saturday morning, then we should say 10 p.m. or midnight. And I I never like it if we say one thing because, oh, what we really want is this. It's like, no, because then if there's a new mayor or a new clerk treasurer or a new whomever, then they can come here at 6:15 because I was late at work. And if they've had a bee in their bonnet about some other thing, then I can get a notice about that, too. It's like I want to be compliant with the law. I want the line law to be reasonable, and I want to be compliant. I can't get my trash can back by Friday at 6 p.m. because it goes out Thursday night or Friday morning. If I take my wife out for dinner, I'm a public nuisance. So, I I don't like that. but that we can change our ordinance and it's not a big deal right now. So that's my only thought.

All right. To the Jonesboro fire protection. That's what we're going to discuss.

Does this reflect the increase we discussed at the budget meeting? Yes, that is it. Some of you guys weren't here earlier when I spoke at the board of works. The contract that we've had, I've been here 30 years. Next year, that contract that we've had with the town, the city, all the way to now has been the same for over 50 years. The fire department has never worked for anything over that $9,000.

Yeah. It's been here that long since I've been down here. I can tell you the one that I've got had or had no one can find the one that Bob McNut says we all signed, but I know Chuck and Ray and Frosty's names were all still on that one. Yeah. So, I thought you guys got paid per run.

No. Well, you do. It's a long story. This is I mean, it's not a long story. Just real quick, the way it used to be, you was paid per run. Well, what happened? one year come and they had so many runs, the $9,000 didn't cover for every guy. So, all the officers had to wait until the next year's budget to get paid because there wasn't enough money. So, now we get a straight $9,000. $4,000 of that's right off the top. That's $200 per guy for wear and tear of your vehicle and your clothing.

That's to just stay. So that yeah, that gives me $5,000 to pay the guys per each run. So what we do, we go from November 1st to November 1st, count up how many runs we had, who showed up for them runs, and divide it. So you may make $5 a run one year, you may make 15 the next year. Really, the more runs you make, the less money you make because you got to pay all them guys, right? If we made 10 runs, we might be able to pay $30 a run, right? But we usually on fire side we usually run between 30 and 50 runs a year. Quinton, so for for the people that you said you had the year that you guys had more run that was way before me. Okay. But but do you know like did they ever get paid?

Yes. They said it in the in the next year's budget they put it in there to pay them officers. But that's why it got changed where it was just this is what you're going to get. You figure out how to So is there a difference between fire and the medic? medical does not get paid at all. Is that right? Because why we did that, Greg, is someone and that's that's not just us, right? So, we weren't going to force you to run medical, we ain't done it for years. The ones that wanted to go get their EMR and wanted to run that we can run, but like we all agree, we won't get paid but only for firearms. That's all we pay. And the $100 for gas and clothes,

right? That's a state thing. Is the department required to respond to a medicine if you're toned in? Well, now we Well, when I say required, you're a volunteer. Yeah. So, if the tones go out and I don't have no one available, we don't show up. No, we're not fined. Okay. But like I said, we all decided as a group, hey, let's start doing medical. Okay. So, that was on us. We all agreed to do that. And we knew we weren't going to get paid. Okay. Uh and you're saying this this includes a $4,000 increase, right? 10,000 used to be six. No, it used to be nine or it's been nine and they're going to add the 4,000. Well, it's increased to five, I think. We increased it by five. Yes,

that's 14. Yeah. Okay. So, we're talking total of 14,000. Yes. And it's just allocated between fires and the uh the allowances the wear and tear of your vehicle and your clothing which that's a state thing. So it was nine to five to 14. It's just not I'll make a motion we approve this fire department. Second. We got a motion on the floor to approve the contract for the Jones Fire Department. Roll call, please. Andrea, I Rex Stain. Clayton. Hi. Gerald. Hi. Andre. Hi.

Anybody else got anything? Question. Yes. Would there be an interest in going with the historical society? Now, this has to be something that the city does similar to what we do with Halloween, maybe around Memorial Day. a uh Pinework Derby that would tie in Harry Knight named my my daughter has inherited a was a ministry has all the equipment for the Pinewood Derby and in October we actually took it down to Mexico. Excuse me.

And the way we did it is we pre-built the cars. We had like three or four different designs. The kids would paint the car. They would, you know, uh we would put the wheels and everything on it and then we would race the cars. And it's something that kids, parents enjoyed just as much. It was an exciting thing. Is that something that the city would like to pursue? I think because I have influenced both historical society and my daughter. So sure. Jar, where they racing at? What's that? Where they race at? Well, I would assume it would be the 500.

The community building. We set up the Oh, I thought you I thought you were going to build it to race it. No, like we did. No, no, no. It's like the Cub Scouts or the Cub Scout. Oh, okay. Oh, Pinewood. Not the soap box. Pinewood. Pinewood. Pinewood. No. Hearding the same thing. Okay. Yeah. It's just a pinewood derby. You know, you get wood and you know those are loads going there. Needs to be something. Yeah. Partnership. She's getting ready to form a a nonprofit organization so she can take some donations to that's great

to build the cars and it could be you know modest investment you know I think it'd be good for the Harry Knight thing I think it would be we need to re really sell it big nightwood track or whatever you're running on it's probably 30t like a circle does start up here and down. Okay. So, and she has the the timer, you know, that at the end measures who who wins and JC

what you only track I ever seen that's still in use for the bigger one. When I go out to the racetrack in Indianapolis, I take 30th Street from from Meridian and out there there's a park. They use it. They still have it out there. That's a big thing down there. I think it's a great idea, J. I'll I'll see if I can get some pictures or something. That's great. video for what we did. And And was really neat in Mexico. What we would do is we we went to I think went to four or five different schools there in the city we were at

and our part was we would talk English to them to help them practice their English to build their car. So it was a really neat thing and everybody enjoyed it. So Oh yes. I'll I'll pursue that with my daughter. We'll have to get set a date we can get the the community building. That's perfect. And Greg can practice his English. There you go. Then we'll talk. Right.

Last thing I have for information to the board is that the the liquor store license has been purchased for the city of Jonesville. I don't know what they're planning on doing, but there is a liquor license that was purchased on what was it? apps. It was out there. I didn't know it was out there, but it is for the city. So, somebody purchased a liquor store license for Jones and it has to be used in Jones. So, I don't know where they're going to go with that. So, I don't know what building they're going to look at or they're going to pursue, but they purchased it. They've actually came and talked to the girls up here. Oh.

Kind of looking for information what we were going to do to help them, I think. But uh I'm not going to go with that right now. So just let you know if somebody says that there's ask him what his thoughts are and what's your plan. All right, move along then. Approval of claims. I already heard that yesterday. I heard another Sorry guys.

I didn't say that last week. together with everything else. journal fund for the city of Jonesboro for December 23rd, 2025 in the amount of $80,375.7

what was the repairs to just hydraulics about everything there about everything in the world. But it's running great now. So it's basically refurbished. Yes, you would say and it runs good and it's been but I I will tell you I think this be last time Brandy will bring a bill for that thing to us if she wants do something else because we're throwing a lot of money at it. But it runs good. Anything else? Motion to approve, please. Made that motion. Second. Motion by Mr. Sultz and second by Mr.

Max. I already made it. Oh, you did. You need a second. I made it. Second by Mr. Mayor. S Mr. Mer. Roll call, please. Andrea, I Gerald. Hi, Angry. Am I on camera? Yeah. start. All right. Any questions from the board for the from the citizens of Jonesville to the board? Any questions from the board?

Only thing I'd like to say when you look at that agreement from the fire department where it says we're billing as what state fire marsh says we can build. In November the fire marshal took office took it on herself. They can do it where we used to only get charge $200 for certain vehicle. Now it went up to 400. They say now after 60 days they don't pay, we can charge a 10% penalty. If the insurance keeps saying they don't pay, they said told the fire department start taking a small claim court because it's a state statue. for years. What they do is you send them a $1,000 bill. I'm only going to give you $100 because they said our people already pay taxes. No, the ISA code in state of Indiana code. He said they don't pay after 60 days and they keep refusing to take a small claim. A lot of people think small claims court is a lot of money. It's not that big amount of money you have to pay. And if we start winning this like the fire marshall said that you got to take a small claim. This is a way to go to help you guys get money department who does not have money to get money back into anything else.

That's it. Okay. Thank you. Have a motion to adjourn. So moved. Thank you all. Thank you. Happy new year. Merry Christmas.