City Council

MINUTES OF THE LAFAYETTE COMMON COUNCIL May 7, 2012 REGULAR MEETING The Common Council of the City of Lafayette, Indiana met in regular session on Monday May 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 20 North 6th Street, Lafayette, Indiana. President Campbell called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was given to the flag of our Country by Boy Scout Troop #373, Rudy Ahlersmeyer and Levi Poad. The following members were present: Present: Heide, Klinker, Campbell, Brown, Ahlersmeyer, Downing and Weast-Williamson, and Meyer Absent: Reynolds City Clerk Cindy Murray and City Attorney Ed Chosnek were present The City Clerk stated that there was a quorum present. Councilman Campbell moved to recess for a public hearing on Resolution 2012-05 and Resolution 2012- 08, Councilman Klinker seconded. No public comment was heard. Councilman Klinker moved to resume the regular meeting, Councilman Campbell seconded. The motion passed. Councilman Campbell moved to approve the minutes of April 2, 2012 meeting, Councilwoman Weast- Williamson seconded. There were no additions or corrections. Minutes approved by unanimous voice vote. The Clerk stated there were no Claims, Petitions or Communications. The Clerk stated the following reports are available in the City Clerk’s Office: Parks Department Annual Report 2011 Clerk’s Office Monthly-March Water Works Department Monthly-March Water Pollution Control Department Monthly-March Fleet Maintenance/Motor Vehicle Department Monthly-March Police Department Monthly/March Ordinances for Second Reading: The Clerk read Ordinance 2012-05 (An Ordinance Amending Section 8.08.050 of the Lafayette Municipal Code) by title only on second and final reading. Councilman Brown moved for passage, Councilwoman Ahlersmeyer seconded. Roger Detzner, Utility Billing spoke regarding the Ordinance. Ordinance 2012-05 passed 7-0 passed on roll call vote on second and final reading. Ordinances for First Reading: The Clerk read Ordinance 2012-07 (An Ordinance to amend and Include New Sections of Chapter 7.07- Bicycles to address abandoned bicycles by title only on first reading. Councilman Heide moved for passage, Councilman Downing seconded. Margy Deverall, Economic Development spoke regarding the Ordinance. Stuart Frescas, 421 Brown St, also commented in favor of the Ordinance. Perry Barbee 3700 Redbud Lane also commented. Ordinance 2012-07 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote on first reading. Resolutions: The Clerk read Resolution 2012-09 (A Resolution to Approve the Lafayette Housing Consortium Home Program and the City of Lafayette Community Development Block Grant Action Plan for 2012) by title only on first and final reading. Councilman Klinker moved for passage Councilman Heide seconded. Aimee Jacobsen, Community Development spoke regarding the Ordinance and the funding that we receive. Resolution 2012-09 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote on first and final reading. The Clerk read Resolution 2012-10 (A Resolution Confirming the Designation of Certain Real Estate as an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) and Approval of an Application by Alcoa Inc. for Property Tax Abatement-Alcoa Inc.) by title only on first and final reading. Councilman Downing moved for passage, Councilwoman Weast-Williamson seconded. Mayor Roswarski commented on the Resolution. Resolution 2012-10 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote on first and final reading. The Clerk read Resolution 2012-11 (A Resolution Confirming the Designation of Certain Real Estate as an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) and Approval of an Application by Wabash National LP for Property Tax Abatement-Wabash National) by title only on first and final reading. Councilwoman Weast-Williamson moved for passage, Councilwoman Ahlersmeyer seconded. Mayor Roswarski spoke regarding the Resolution. Resolution 2012-11 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote on first and final reading. There were no Reports of Standing Committees. There were no Reports of Special Committees. Report by the Mayor. No report deferred to the Police and Fire Chiefs Miscellaneous and New Business: Don Roush, Police Chief gave the following Departmental Update: Introduction of time frame of update Personnel changes for the past three years Total numbers Police numbers Volunteer numbers Operational Updates K-9 reached 5 Street Crimes Unit + k-9 CSI 5 (Purdue, computer forensics)  12 hour shifts W & S ended Bike officers (10) COP/POP Strategy Training Update New Training Center to open in May Training each month with 12 hrs Partnerships Richard Doyle, Fire Chief gave the following Departmental update: The Lafayette Fire Department (LFD) was established in 1825. Over the past 187 years the department has experienced many changes. From the days of the horse drawn fire engines to lap top computers that give us up-to-date information on the way to an emergency scene. Change is not unusual for the fire service. In 2011, LFD made 5,903 runs in the City of Lafayette and Fairfield Township. There were 294 fire related runs, 1,229 non-fire related runs, and 4,380 emergency medical runs. Because of the outstanding work of our Fire Prevention Department and the improvement of the City and State Fire Codes, we continue to see our fire responses go down; however, we have seen our EMS runs go up. Because of this situation, we need to continue to evaluate our presence in the City and how we respond to our citizens. The LFD has nine stations, including our Training Center, that are strategically located to respond to any emergency within two to three minutes of being dispatched. Being able to respond quickly is vital if you are having a heart attack. It is estimated that if life saving care can be started within the first four minutes of the onset of a heart attack, it is more likely that a life will be saved. The goal of the Lafayette Fire Department is to provide our citizens with the most qualified and trained personnel and have the most equipped and efficient apparatus. We currently employ 137 Firefighters, three Civil Inspector and two Administrative staff. Our apparatus consists of four 75-foot Quint Engines, six Engines, two Squads, one 102-foot Aerial, one 2500-gallon Tanker, one Flammable Liquid Foam Truck, one Grass Fire Truck, one 53-foot Hazardous Chemical Response Trailer, and one 53-foot Technical Rescue Response Trailer. Between 1996 and 2004, the City of Lafayette built six new Fire Stations and the Training Center. This building project was motivated by the completion of the 25-year Railroad Relocation Project, which created more stations than need in some response areas and other response areas underserved. As a result LFD looked at the City and evaluated where we needed to strategically locate fire stations to best serve the citizens of Lafayette. The City was expanding and would continue to expand to the south and east. With this information we: Reopened Station 5 at Creasy and Union Streets Relocated Station 6 to Schuyler Avenue Rebuilt Station 7 at its same location Closed Station 4 on Wabash Avenue Built Station 8 at Veterans Memorial Parkway and South 9th Street and relocated Firefighters from Wabash Avenue to Station 8 Built Station 9 at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Haggerty Lane  Closed old Station 3 at the Five Points Intersection and built a new Station 3 at the corner of South and 18th Streets Built a new state-of-the-art Training Center at County Road 500 East Stations 8 and 9 were located on the most southern and eastern boundaries of the City when they were built. This is where we anticipated City expansion would occur, and we were correct. Fire protection and emergency medical treatment is not the only service we provide for our citizens. We provide district support for Hazardous Material emergencies, rope rescue, confined space rescue, water rescue, trench rescue, building collapse, and from time to time we still get your cat out of a tree. Our Fire Prevention Division provides a vital service for the City with their work in existing building inspections, new construction plan review, new construction final inspection, fire investigation, and public education. In 2011, the Fire Prevention Division conducted 3,624 inspections and 425 new construction plans were reviewed. The Training Division provides training for the 137 Lafayette Firefighters on a monthly basis and also provides Emergency Response Team training for Subaru of Indiana, Rea Wire, Caterpillar and Tate and Lyle North and South Plants. Over the past three years, the Training Center has received $270,000 in grants for new training equipment from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS). The Training Center is also a State Training Site for IDHS. New recruit firefighters are required to complete a 16-week recruit school before they are allowed to serve as an active duty firefighter. Last year the City’s Engineering Department launched a Building Efficiency and Conservation Strategy Study. EMCO Construction Services conducted this study. The goal of the study was to determine how LFD could become more energy efficient and at the same time save money. They looked at all seven stations, Head Quarters and the Training Center. At the end of the study they found that if we invested $410,583 in replacing old equipment and invest in new technology, that over a 10-year period we could save $1,462,362. It is my responsibility as the Chief of the Lafayette Fire Department to develop the vision for the Department, to continually move our organization in a forward direction, to evaluate where we are in comparison to other departments, new technology, safety standards, NFPA and OSHA regulations and to set the tone for how we operate and serve our citizens. Chief Doyle would like to thank all the Board members, Council members and the Mayor for their support as the Fire Chief. Controller - Terry Schmitt, Deputy Controller presented for information only a list of outstanding checks. There were no Reports of Council. Councilman Klinker informed everyone of the passing of Cindy Reynolds wife of Councilman Reynolds, President Meyer requested everyone to observe a moment of silence in her memory. Public Comment: Perry Barbee 3700 Redbud Lane thanked the Boy Scout troop for leading the pledge of allegiance reminded the community of Clean Sweep and Letter carriers drive. Councilman Campbell moved to adjourn Councilman Heide seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm Minutes prepared by Cindy Murray, City Clerk Complete audio of meeting available in the City Clerk’s office or at www.lafayette.in.gov