TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 – 6:00 P.M.
SHIPSHEWANA TOWN HALL
Roger D. Yoder Council Room
345 N. Morton Street
Shipshewana, IN 46565
PRESENT: Council; C. Arlene Lazzaro, Elmer J. Mast, J. Mike Wilcher, Tad T. Hite, Lynn M. Bontrager. Staff; Robert W. Shanahan, Kurt R. Bachman, Ruth Ann Downey. Public; Keith Lambright, Brian Lambright, Kathy Heyerly, Chuck Wray, Cassandra Pearson, Aubre Gray, Carman Draves, George Bachman, Jeremiah Hostetler, Kenton Weaver.
Council President, C.A. Lazzaro called the meeting to order, noted that all Council Members were present, welcomed everyone, asked that they sign in, and pointed out that agendas were available.
INVOCATION & PLEDGE: J.M. Wilcher gave the invocation and L. Bontrager led the pledge.
OLD BUSINESS:
MASTER PLAN UPDATE: B. Shanahan reported that he was still waiting on a contract from Region 3-A for the Park Master Plan Update. At the last Council meeting I reported a cost of $5,000.00 for the Park Plan and have found it could be up to $6,000.00. Region 3-A feels the plan can be completed by April 2018 when our current plan expires. Discussion followed.
C.A. Lazzaro asked for a motion to accept the agenda with flexibility.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to accept the agenda with flexibility. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
TERRORISM INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR HUDSON CARS: B. Shanahan referred Council Members to an e-mail from Brent Hoober of Yoder Insurance reference the additional cost of terrorism insurance for the Hudson cars at $301.00 per year. This would not cover domestic terrorism only international terrorism. E. Mast asked if this insurance coverage had been purchased in the past. R. Downey reported that it had not been previously purchased. Discussion followed. Council Members concurred that the additional terrorism coverage was not necessary.
NEW BUSINESS:
FALL CRAFTERS FESTIVAL STREET CLOSURE REQUEST: C. Wray requested the closure of Maple Street from SR 5 to the east side of Summey Street as they have done for the past three years from 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 5th through 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 7th for the Fall Crafters Fair. C. Wray reported that Subway has been notified of the street closure and rope barricading will be placed on Walnut, Summey and Maple streets to alleviate parking on private property. Shuttle wagons will be running from the parking lots in the Flea Market to the festival site. Signage and printed advertisements will be provided to encourage visitors to use the Flea Market parking area. Discussion followed.
MOTION: E. Mast made a motion to approve the closure of Maple Street from SR 5 to the east side of Summey Street from 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 5th through 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 7th for the Fall Crafters Fair. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
LIGHT PARADE STREET CLOSURE REQUEST: C. Wray passed out a revised Light Parade Map and reported that due to several challenges that were experienced last year there have been changes made to the parade route. We have held a number of productive planning meetings with both Tom, Bob, and the Flea Market. Rather than starting on SR 5 as we first discussed we will be starting on Morton Street and ending on SR 5, the parade route will also go down Harrison Street for the first time. We plan on bringing in additional bleachers to set up and we would like to use the Town bleachers again. Last year we had perfect weather for this event with a lot of people in Town and we had people who could not get into Town for this event. We are requesting the parade route be closed at 6 p.m. on November 11th and Middlebury Street between Van Buren and Harrison Street, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the tree lighting and live entertainment. Discussion followed.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to approve the Street Closures for the Light Parade as requested for E. Middlebury Street between SR 5 and Harrison Street, and for the Parade Route as presented. J.M. Wilcher seconded the motion. Motion carried.
PUMPKINVINE, SR 5 & PUBLIC RESTROOM REPAIR UPDATES: B. Shanahan reported that re-pavement of a 60’ section west of 900 W. on the Pumpkinvine Trail should be completed by the end of this week, along with a patch on SR 5 from the Hubbard Mill water leak, and a section of road on Main Street that needed replacement due to the water leak at the Public Restrooms. The water leak and concrete work by the Public Restrooms have been completed. Discussion followed. C.A. Lazzaro asked if there have been any complaints regarding the port-a-pots that were put out at CR 850 for the Pumpkinvine Trail. B. Shanahan reported no problems have been reported. Discussion followed.
2018 FIRE SERVICE AGREEMENT: R. Downey referred Council Members to their paperwork and reported that the 2018 Fire Agreement contains the same percentages and dollar amounts for the Town and each Township as we had for 2017. The proposed 2018 Fire Budget is for the same amount as the 2017 Budget. The due date for return of the signed agreements from the Townships is December 1st . Discussion followed.
MOTION: E. Mast made a motion to approve the 2018 Shipshewana Fire Service Agreement and authorized the Clerk-Treasurer to send the agreement to Newbury and Van Buren Townships for signatures. J.M. Wilcher seconded the motion. Motion carried.
TRICK OR TREAT HOURS: R. Downey reported that Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year. Historically the Town has set Trick-or-Treat hours on Halloween from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This year Halloween at the Hudson Museum will take place on Saturday, October 28th from noon to 2:00 p.m. Discussion followed.
MOTION: L. Bontrager made a motion to set Trick-or-Treat hours within the Town of Shipshewana from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31st. E. Mast seconded the motion. Motion carried.
ILMCT DISTRICT MEETING & EDUCATION DAY: R. Downey referred Council Members to their paperwork for registration information on the 2017 ILMCT District Meeting and Education Day to be held in Middlebury, IN on October 18th & 19th. R. Downey requested permission for the Administrative Assistant to attend the Education Day to be held on October 18th at a cost of $90.00 and permission for her to attend both days, October 18th and 19th at a cost of $140.00. Discussion followed.
MOTION: L. Bontrager made a motion approving the attendance of the Clerk-Treasurer at the ILMCT District Meeting and Education Day to be held in Middlebury, IN on October 18th & 19th and for the Administrative Assistant to attend the Education day on October 18th for a total registration cost of $230.00. E. Mast seconded the motion. Motion carried.
NATIONAL YODER REUNION – WELCOME ADDRESS: B. Shanahan reported that he had been contacted by Al Yoder requesting that a Council Member give a short welcome address at the National Yoder Reunion that will take place in Shipshewana this September. It is my understanding that the Council has already passed a proclamation declaring September 20th through September 23rd as “Yoder Family Reunion Days” in Shipshewana. E. Mast reported that he had been contacted by Al Yoder and would be willing to give a Welcome address at the Yoder Family Reunion if the Council President or other Council Members were not available to do so. Discussion followed. B. Shanahan will notify Al Yoder that Elmer Mast will be giving the Welcome address on behalf of the Town Council at the National Yoder Family Reunion on September 20th.
TOWN VEHICLE USE – COLD RECYCLING & RECLAMATION WORKSHOP: B. Shanahan referred Council Members to their paperwork for information on a Cold Recycling and Full Depth Reclamation Workshop that will be held on October 25th in Ft. Wayne. I would like to send our Street Superintendent to this free workshop. The Utility Workers do not normally take their work trucks home, I am requesting approval for the Street Superintendent to take a work vehicle home on October 24th so he can drive directly to the workshop in Ft. Wayne from his home. This is a good program at no cost, CEU’s are available, and we have an individual who is interested in attending. Discussion followed.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to allow the Street Superintendent to take home his work vehicle on October 24th so he can drive directly from home to the Cold Recycling & Reclamation Workshop to be held in Ft. Wayne on October 25th. E. Mast seconded the motion. Motion carried.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT: B. Shanahan reported that he had attended four Light Parade meetings and there was some discussion about making the parking at the soccer fields available, but there is no lighting. The possibility of renting portable lighting was brought up which would make it safer for the people who park there but I wanted to be sure it was something that the Council wished to pursue. Discussion followed. Council Members asked B. Shanahan to further investigate the possibility and cost of portable lighting to be used at the Soccer Fields for the Light Parade.
INTERNET/MAPLENET UPDATE: T. Hite referred Council Members to their paperwork for a copy of the proposed MapleNet Water Tower License and Internet Service Agreement. The agreement that the Town received from MapleNet was one page, after K. Bachman’s office finished their review it is 14 pages. With this agreement MapleNet will make service available to both businesses and residents in Town. We are giving them the authority to be on two of the Town Water Towers, and we specify which two towers. They pay us rent and we get internet service at the Town Hall and other Town Buildings with the possibility of wireless remote service in our utilities truck. This agreement protects the Town. L. Bontrager asked what packages would be offered for residents and businesses? J.M. Wilcher asked about internet speed available. G. Bachman asked if it would cover the Valley Hills area which is just outside of the Town’s incorporated limits. T. Hite responded that he was not sure whether coverage would be available in the Valley Hills area or what packages they will be offering. Speed at the Town Hall will be 20 and the long-term goal of MapleNet is to run fiberoptic lines. This may not happen for 20 years but it is their goal. B. Lambright of the Shipshewana Auction reported that MapleNet has done an excellent job for them. T. Hite noted that Westview High School uses MapleNet also. E. Mast pointed out that this will give people options. Discussion followed. K. Bachman reported that there is a provision for unhappy customers to petition the Council. If the Council finds in favor of the complainants, then the exclusivity of their agreement is void. This is a 5-year agreement and the goal is to have the agreement in place by October 1st. T Hite reported that once the agreement is approved by both parties it should take less than one month for service to be available. Discussion followed.
MOTION: J.M. Wilcher made a motion to approve the MapleNet and Town of Shipshewana Water Tower License and Internet Service Agreement as submitted and to submit the agreement to MapleNet for their review and approval. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
MOTION: J.M. Wilcher made a motion authorizing all Town Council Members to sign the agreement outside of a Town Council meeting upon receiving a signed agreement from MapleNet. E. Mast seconded the motion. Motion carried.
ATTORNEY REPORT: K. Bachman had nothing further to report.
C.A. Lazzaro asked Council Members if they had any further business. J.M. Wilcher thanked T. Hite and the Tech Committee for all their work to get the MapleNet agreement to the point where we can move forward.
- Hite requested that monthly reports be submitted to the Council from Department Heads, Boards, Committees and Commissions to help keep the Council informed. Discussion followed and it was decided that reports would be due at the first Council meeting of each month.
- Bontrager reported that the Park Board had a meeting last evening, and the Pumpkinvine Advisory Committee met on Tuesday. The Park Board is still looking for another member and is considering putting up a picnic pavilion in the Park. B. Shanahan reported that it looks like negotiations are moving forward with land owners to bring the Pumpkinvine Trail into Town. L. Bontrager reported that the Middlebury to Shipshewana portion of the Pumpkinvine Trail is the most traveled portion of the trail will approximately 80,000 users annually. I think this portion of the trail will have more fund-raising support once we know we can bring it into Town. Discussion followed.
FINANCIAL REPORT: R. Downey referred Council Members to their paperwork for the July Fund Report and reminded Council Members that the Public Hearing for the 2018 Budget would be at the September 28th Council meeting. The Public Hearing notice will be posted on gateway, and there is a link to the gateway site from the Town Website. The 2018 Budget will be adopted at the October 12th meeting. I have already received a first draft of our Capital Asset Report, having that report updated was approved at our last Council meeting. A motion to approve the Claims Registers and the July Bank Reconciliation would be appreciated.
MOTION: L. Bontrager made a motion to approve the Claims Registers and July Bank Reconciliation as submitted. E. Mast seconded the motion. Motion carried.
County Commissioner, G. Bachman asked if there was an update on CR 250 just West of SR 5. B. Shanahan reported that he had a meeting with INDOT and our Senators about the need to expand CR 200 west of SR 5 and everyone sees there is a need. I did drive the area just west of the intersection of SR 5 and CR 250 West/West Middlebury Street today. We are looking at what we need to do to address this issue, I also noticed that the state has put out traffic counters at this intersection. Discussion followed.
- Bachman reported that the County has also been looking at their 2018 Budget and noted that with the new Public Safety Tax we will receive 1.4 – 1.5 million dollars in new revenue.
C.A. Lazzaro extended a special welcome to the Westview High School Government Class students, introduced the Town Council and Staff, and asked the students to introduce themselves. Introduction and discussion followed.
There being no further business to come before the Council, C.A. Lazzaro asked for a motion to adjourn.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to adjourn. J.M. Wilcher seconded the motion. Motion carried.