City Council

Page 11 The City of Dyer Board of Mayor and Alderpersons met in regular session, Monday, February 12, 2018, at 7:09 PM. Those present were Mayor Chris Younger, Alderpersons Ray Carroll, Richard Reed, Fred Ivie, Tom Mikkelsen, Jennifer Hughey, and Craig Blackburn. The City Attorney was present. Motion made by Craig Blackburn, seconded by Jennifer Hughey to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2018 regular meeting. Motion carried with all ayes. Visitors Christy King of 725 North Main Street addressed the board. She first wished to acknowledge Brian Stafford who spearheaded a small group who last week drove around picking up bulk waste from the roadside. King then talked with the board about the possibility of developing the Dyer Station Building as a community center or activity center. She has looked at the building and believes very little would have to be done. She said that some teachers had offered to help develop a community garden on the property. King asked the board what her procedure should be moving forward. Mayor Younger said that the property had been discussed in the past including thoughts about a museum; he stressed that no matter how it's used, Dyer Station will always have space in the building. King said she hoped it could be developed into a space for things like a garden club, a book club and so forth. Alderman Mikkelsen expressed some concern about liability. Alderman Ivie suggested that board members might want to visit the home to see for themselves the condition. The City Board will have to approve any physical or material improvements or changes to the structure and any potential use of the building. Mayor's Report Mayor Younger thanked Brian and Becky Stafford and Christy King for their work in clearing bulk waste along the roadside. Department Reports Fire Chief Ryan Shanklin discussed increasing personnel costs in the fire department. Call volume has increased dramatically in the last few years, primarily due to additional medical calls by first responders. Five years ago, the department answered 146 calls; last year, the department answered more than 300 calls. "With Gibson General [Hospital] closed, we're staying out more as first responders." Shanklin said that first responders had agreed to serve without pay; the board stressed that first responders should be paid if at all possible, but thanked them for their willingness to sacrifice. Chief Shanklin also discussed training; he attended a seminar where it was reiterated that training is mandatory according to the State. In addition to safety concerns, untrained firefighters pose tremendous liability to the city. Shanklin is concerned also about attendance at fires; at a recent mutual aid call, only 8 firefighters responded, "Where were the other 11-12 people? We can't mutual aid other departments unless we know this city is covered. I've got to make sure people here [in Dyer] are protected." He said nationwide there is a shortage of volunteers; many don't realize the training requirements and are less interested when they discover the amount of mandatory training required. Chief Shanklin has been in discussions with some Dyer firefighters; he said that some members of the department feel the focus on training may be personal, "I can tell you that we're mandated by state law to do training. There's nothing I can do to tell you you're exempt." Shanklin is working to develop training alternatives for members of the department who work second shift and can't attend regular drills. A state recruitment grant may help with new members of the department, but it can take some time to fullytrain a firefighter; additionally, the department will be conducting smoke alarm canvasses and will distribute brochures about firefighting. Mayor Younger said the Captain Brian Cathey had quit the fire department. Motion made by Ray Carroll, seconded by Tom Mikkelsen to recognize Cathey's resignation; motion carried with all ayes. The City recorder reminded members of the board that city stickers are on sale. Committee Reports Street, Maintenance, Water, Sewer, and Landfill Committee Chair Tom Mikkelsen thanked the newspaper for its reporting, but asked that they report facts, "I don't like the newspaper printing something that I didn't say."  Page 12 New Business Mayor Younger said that the VFW Building is used almost every day, but that some major repairs are needed. Some soffits on the buildingare rotten. He suggested that some wood would be replaced, some windows upstairs removed, and the outdoor carpet should be removed or replaced. He has a quote, but is waiting on another that Alderman Mikkelsen is procuring. The work should be done fairly quickly. Motion made by Ray Carroll, seconded by Jennifer Hughey to pay the accounts. Motion carried with all ayes. Motion made by Ray Carroll, seconded by Jennifer Hughey to adjourn. Motion carried with all ayes. Nathan Reed, City Recorder