Town Council Work Session

TOWN COUNCIL WORK SESSION Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 7:00 PM Council Chambers – Bristol Municipal Complex MINUTES This meeting will be held in the Bristol Municipal Complex is open for in-person participation. The meeting is also livestreamed on YouTube on Town of Bristol Indiana channel. Link to livestream is available on Town website. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Tuesday, January 16, 2024, Work Session of the Bristol Town Council was called to order by Council President Jeff Beachy at 7:00pm. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Dean Rentfrow. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Doug DeSmith, Dean Rentfrow, Cathy Burke, Gregg Tuholski and Jeff Beachy Others present: Town Marshal Mike Albin, Legal Counsel Alex Bowman, Fire Chief Nik Kantz, Town Manager Mike Yoder, Assistant Town Manager/Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Jill Swartz Absent: Cathy Antonelli – Newly Elected Officers training APPROVAL OF AGENDA - The agenda will stand as published. REPORTS TOWN MANAGER Mike Yoder WWTP project note - we are extending the bid time to allow contractors to prepare for this large project. In extending that bid time, the special meeting that was scheduled for January 25, 2024, will be rescheduled to a later date. United Engineering presentation on pedestrian bridge Town Manager Mike Yoder introduced Brian Frederick, Project Team Leader and Marcus Gahagen, Design Engineer from United Consulting to share an update and options on the pedestrian bridge project. They reviewed the project purpose and preliminary design plans A and& B, followed by discussion. Review of utilities impacts (water, sewer, fiber/broadband, gas and electric), environmental/ROW anticipated permits that would be needed and a North approach alternative. Preliminary design construction cost estimate (2025 construction) $4,800,000. Further overall discussion included width, weight load capacities, alt usages (bicycles, vehicles, pedestrians), footbridge lighting (LEDs suggested), mural wall. Park Board President Scott Dreamer and Park Board member Linda Powell were included in the discussion, and they agreed with Council on looking into Plan A. Jeff Beachy suggested a visit to Cassopolis, MI to look at their Main Street and decorated streetlights to give us some ideas. CLERK-TREASURER - no items this evening. TOWN ATTORNEY Alex Bowman Alex Bowman spoke to the process and procedure of the series of Fire Territory meetings that are to begin next Friday, January 26 at the Community Church. This will be a joint meeting of the Town Council and the Township Board gathering to take public comments and concerns. Paige Sansone from Baker Tilly and Chief Kantz will offer presentations. It is okay to set some ground rules. (ie: 2-hour meeting, 3-minute time limit to speak, give name/address/township, maybe have a sign-in sheet if speaking). Alex will be out of town for the first meeting and not able to attend. Marshal Albin will look into the staffing schedule for attendance. QUESTIONS ABOUT UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA ITEMS – noted above OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS Jeff Beachy will not be in attendance at the next meeting and asked Cathy Burke if she would chair the January 18, 2024 meeting. She accepted. Cathy B made note to tell Cathy A about a date correction of 2023, not 2024 for the last RDC meeting minutes. TOWN MARSHAL Mike Albin Detective Priem has tendered his resignation with the BPD after five years. He had served on the Goshen Police Dept for 34 years, prior to joining us and will be returning to their department as a code enforcement officer in the next week or so. Marshal Albin has accepted his resignation, but this leaves an opening for a Detective in the department. Officer Mosher is stepping down from his current position and will be staying on with the department as a Reserve. Overall, the Bristol Police Department is down 50% and is looking for qualified applicants, possibly that have already been through the Academy and are looking to relocate. Discussions with Jill about offering the 1977 PERF fund as an added recruitment option. Asking Council for suggestions on hiring ideas. MOTION TO ADJOURN was made by Gregg Tuholski;seconded by Cathy Burke. All in favor. Meeting adjourned. ________________________ _ _____________________________ Jeff Beachy, Council President Jill Swartz, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer