Minutes of Council

MINUTES OF COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 23, 3008

The Batesville City Council met in regular session on September 23, at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Building. Mayor Rick Elumbaugh presided over the meeting.

Councilmember Krug gave the invocation. Upon roll call the following councilmembers answered present: R.L. Carpenter, Davy Insell, Fred Krug, Matt McDonald, Trula

Pectol, David Shetron, and Paula Terrell. The City Clerk Denise Johnston was also present. Councilmember Doug Matthews and City Attorney Scott Stalker were absent.

Councilmember Krug moved to approve the minutes from the previous two meetings and Councilmember Insell seconded. All voted for.

Councilmember Shetron moved to approve the prepared agenda.

Councilmember Terrell seconded and all voted for.

COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

A) MS. MAYFAN THOMAS REGARDING CHANGING MAIN STREET BETWEEN

CENTRAL AVENUE AND STATE STREET BACK TO A TWO WAY STREET

Ms. Mayfan Thomas addressed the council with her concerns regarding the proposed changing of Main Street between Central Avenue and State Street back to a two way street. Ms. Thomas is the owner of the Paper Chase Book Store which is located in the block of Main Street being considered for the change. Ms. Thomas said the traffic flow in a commercial district will make or break a business and the confusion of a 4-way stop at the intersection of Main and Central could possibly put her out of business. Ms. Thomas presented the council with a petition containing 478 signatures in opposition of the change. Mr. Dennis Roberts, owner of Batesville Uniform which is also located on the same block of Main Street said he was also concerned that the change would affect his business. The council said they would take their comments under consideration.

B) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE MAIN STREET BETWEEN MAIN

STREET BETWEEN CENTRAL AVENUE AND STATE STREET BACK TO A TWO

WAY STREET

Councilmember McDonald introduced an ordinance that would amend Ordinance number 818 and make Main Street a two-way street between Central Avenue and State

Street. The City Clerk read the ordinance in full. The ordinance will be placed on the next meetings agenda for the second reading.

C) PUBLIC HEARING ON CONDEMNATIONS AND CONSIDER CONDEMNATION

RESOLUTIONS

Mayor Elumbaugh opened the Public Hearing at 5:40 PM to discuss possible condemnations. The council viewed several photographs of 5 pieces of properties. The first property is located at 346 Boggs Street owned by Mr. Curtis Smith, Jr. No one in the audience wished to speak regarding the property. Mr. McClure said that no improvements have been made to the property and he recommend that the structure be condemned. The next two properties are located at 427 and 431 River Street. The property recently change ownership and is now owned by Ms. Genice Cardenas who addressed the council. Ms. Cardenas said they would like the council to grant her some time to make improvements to the two structures. Ms. Cardenas said her son and son- in-law were both carpenters and would be doing most of the work. Councilmember

McDonald moved to grant Ms. Cardenas 60 days to show considerable improvements to the property. Councilmember Krug seconded and all voted for. The forth property is located at 860 25th Street and is owned by Mr. Gene Garrison. Mr. Garrison was present at the meeting. Mr. McClure said Mr. Garrison has made major improvements on the property and it was looking very good. Since active repair is being made to the structure and most of the major structural components have been repaired, the structure no longer falls within the guidelines for condemnation. The last property is located at

1860 Porter and is owned by Mr. Lee Mourer. Mr. Mourer was not present to address the council but Mr. McClure said he has been in contact with Mr. Mourer and he has made lots of progress in repairing the structure. Mr. McClure again said that great improvements have been made and the structure no longer fell within the condemnations guidelines. At 6:00 PM the Mayor closed the public hearing.

Councilmember Shetron introduced a resolution that would condemn the property located at 346 Boggs Street. The City Clerk read the resolution in full. Councilmember

Terrell moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Carpenter seconded. All voted for. The resolution was given #2008-9-3-R.

D) ENGINEER’S REPORT

City Engineer Damon Johnson addressed the council with his report. Mr.

Johnson reported on his trip to Wisconsin to look at the blowers for the Wastewater

Plant expansion. Mr. Johnson said the blowers were more cost effective but would cost considerably more to purchase. Mr. Johnson also updated the council on projects around the city.

MAYOR’S COMMENTS

Mayor Elumbaugh said they were sending a notice with the water bills to inform the public on the proper storage of garbage according the city ordinances. The Mayor also thanked the city employees who worked tirelessly during the recent storm we received from hurricane Ike. He said within minutes, city employees were working on stop lights and clearing debris from the streets.

LIAISON REPORTS

COUNCIL COMMENTS

Councilmember Carpenter said he had been contacted by a local church about installing a chime system that would chime periodically throughout the day. Mr.

Carpenter asked for help in determining if the city had any noise ordinances that would prohibit the request or possibly any state statute that would make it unlawful to play the chimes.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, Councilmember Krug moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Terrell seconded and all voted for.

RICK ELUMBAUGH, MAYOR DENISE M. JOHNSTON, CITY CLERK