City Council

MINUTES OF THE LAFAYETTE COMMON COUNCIL February 3rd 2025 REGULAR MEETING (https://www.youtube.com/user/CityofLafayetteIN/live The Common Council of the City of Lafayette, Indiana met in regular session Monday, February 3, 2025 at 6:00 pm. In the Common Council Chamber at 20. N 6th Street. President Nargi called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. The Pledge of Allegiance Present: Klinker, Snyder, Reynolds, Hession Weiss, Brown, Weast-Williamson, Downing, Nargi Absent: Ahlersmeyer City Clerk Cindy Murray and City Attorney Jacque Chosnek were present. Approval Of Minutes Councilmember Klinker moved to approve the minutes of the January 6th, 2024, meeting. Councilmember Snyder seconded. Motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The Clerk stated the following reports are available in the City Clerk’s Office: Renew Department Monthly-December Water Works Department Monthly-December Fleet Department Monthly- December Ordinances for Second Reading The Clerk read Ordinance 2025-01 (An Ordinance Amending Chapter 13.05 - Unsafe Buildings) by title on second and final reading. Councilmember Klinker moved for passage; Councilmember Snyder seconded. Jacque Chosnek, City Attorney, spoke regarding this ordinance and some of the changes they have made. Perry Barbee, 3700 Redbud Ave, asked if this ordinance covers all the city, and if he knows of some abandonment properties where would he reports them. Jacque informed him it is city wide and if he knows of any abandoned properties that he could report them to SeeClickFix on our website. Ordinance 2025-01 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote for second and final reading. Ordinance for First Reading The Clerk read Ordinance 2025-02 (An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Ordinance of Tippecanoe County, Indiana) by title on first reading. Tabled The Clerk read Ordinance 2025-04 (An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Ordinance of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, to Rezone Certain Real Estate From I3 to GB) by title on first and final reading. Councilmember Reynolds moved for passage; Councilmember Hession Weiss seconded. Kevin Riley, RTS Law, spoke regarding this ordinance and went over the purpose of the rezone. Jerry Reynolds spoke on the staff comments. Perry Brown asked what they are going to do with this property, and Kevin Klinker asked about the cul-de-sac and that plan. Discussion ensued. Ordinance 2025-04 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote for first and final reading. The Clerk read Ordinance 2025-05 (An Ordinance of the City of Lafayette Implementing Life Safety and Fire Protection Reporting) by title on first and final reading. Councilmember Brown moved for passage; Councilmember Weast-Williamson seconded. Brian Alkire, Lafayette Fire Chief, spoke regarding this Ordinance and explained the 3rd party reporting system. Discussion ensued. Tyler Beach, 625 N 12 St., agreed that this technology would be good for the Fire department as well as the 911 operators. Ordinance 2025-05 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote for first reading. The Clerk read Ordinance 2025-06 (An Ordinance Amending Chapter 6.07 – Garbage and Wastes) by title on first and final reading. Councilmember Downing moved for passage; Councilmember Klinker seconded. Dan Crowell, Street Commissioner, spoke regarding the changes of the ordinance. Discussion ensued with councilmember. Quinten Smith, City Department Forman, clarified information and items that are allowed to be recycled. Susan Schikter, 1001 Ferry St., is in favor or the ordinance and hope certain things will be enforced. Tyler Beach, 625 N 12 St., spoke in favor of this ordinance. Colleen Delanie, 475 South St., asked about any plans on requiring apartment building to recycle. Mayor spoke on how they won’t be forcing apartment building to recycle but leaving it up to their management. Perry Barbee, 3700 Redbud Ave, wants to encourage all to recycle. Discussion ensued. Ordinance 2025-06 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote for first reading. Resolutions The Clerk read Resolution 2025-03 (A Resolution Approving an Agreement Between the City of Lafayette and City of Lafayette Employee Alliances) by title on first and final reading. Councilmember Snyder moved for passage; Councilmember Reynolds seconded. Mayor Roswarski spoke regarding this resolution and thanked the negotiation team. Resolution 2025-03 passed 7-0 on a roll call vote for first and final reading. No Miscellaneous or New Business No Reports of Standing Committees No Reports of Special Committees Report by the Mayor STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS – 2025 Madam President, members of the City Council and all the citizens of Lafayette. It is my honor to deliver my State of the City address. The strength of any community is its people, and I feel blessed to be a part of such a special community. A community where cooperation and collaboration are valued and respected, where government, faith-based groups, schools, social service organizations, businesses and labor join together to solve problems and move our community forward. A community where citizens support the arts, diversity, innovation, neighborhoods and volunteer for community and civic organizations.  I would like to thank the City Council, who work diligently to represent their constituents, and our City Clerk Cindy Murray, who is one of the most dedicated public servants I have ever known. I would like to thank the Board of Works, the Redevelopment Commission, our Police and Fire Merit Boards, the Historic Preservation, and Human Relations Commissions, and all our citizens who serve on numerous other Boards that ensure we have a citizen driven government. I am honored to work with an incredible group of Department Heads who comprise our leadership team. We have a tremendous team with all our City employees. I get countless compliments and have example after example of team members going above and beyond to serve our citizens. I want to give the glory and thanks to God for his guidance, wisdom, strength, and for blessing me and our community. I also want to thank my wife, Tonya, and my family for their unwavering support, love, encouragement and sacrifice. It means everything to me. I am pleased to report to the Council that we continue to be in a strong financial position. Sound financial management, a pro-growth strategy, and unwavering commitment to our tax and rate payers has resulted in another successful fiscal year. The current Rainy-Day Fund is $9,230,586. Our operating accounts have strong cash balances and continue to grow. Our investment strategy is providing excellent results. By creating a favorable business, job creation, and economic environment, we see our EDIT funds continue to grow. At this time, we have $7,351,138 in unallocated EDIT reserves. This brings our total reserves to $16,581,724, which is 30% of the General Fund and 18% of the overall Civil City Budget. We also have $4,260,228 in unallocated CCD funds. All of those funds have increased since last year. Our T.I.F. Districts continue with steady growth and the ability to fund significant infrastructure and quality of life projects. I am also pleased to report that this year we have again lowered the tax rate from 1.0566 to 1.0461. You may also remember we lowered the rate last year from 1.125 to 1.0566. So, over three years we have lowered the tax rate 9.2%. Public Safety continues to be our #1 priority. I would like to discuss the tremendous strides that we have made with public safety. It is important that we remember the journey to help understand that data I will present.  On September 24th, 2015, we held a press conference at the Police Training Center. We were in the height of the opioid crisis and we announced strategic initiatives to help address some of the unique challenges we were facing at the time and to move forward into the future. I would like to recap the steps that we took in 2016 through 2024:  We started our take home vehicle program.  2016 budget added five new Police Officers, a Dispatcher, a position for Community Outreach.  In July of 2015, a new state law went into effect regarding abandoned properties. This new tool added to our efforts that began on September 7th, 2006, with the first Hearing Authority meeting dealing with unsafe structures. By the end of 2016, we had 9 houses on the list. In 2024, we again updated our ordinance and now with two members of our in-house legal team, we will take another step forward. I will give you some historical data. From 2007 to 2024, 548 structures were inspected for BOCA or unsafe structure violations. Of those, 440 were either resolved by demolition or were brought up to code and passed inspection. 108 are still being monitored.  We also hired an additional housing inspector.  New preferences went into effect for the Lafayette Housing Authority.  We worked with Faith Ministries and donated property to make the Hartford Hub a reality in the Lincoln neighborhood.  The City of Lafayette was a substantial contributor and partner to help create and establish the new YMCA and North End Community Center.  I had several discussions with Pastor Robby Bradford of River City Church, which led to the development of River City Community Center and STEAM Academy.  Hired a downtown Security Officer.  Started a Drone Unit.  Created the first A.R.C. (Analysis and Response Center).  Created the Captain of Special Operations.  Deployed Flock Cameras – 20.  Firearms identification equipment.  Moved into the state-of-the-art Public Safety Center.  We divided the Detective Division – Creating a Violent Crimes Unit and a Special Victim’s Unit. In addition, a Major Crimes Unit with the Prosecutor’s Office, was formed in February of 2024, which is located in the new Public Safety Center.  We have created 12 civilian positions to assist our Officers and absorb administrative tasks. o 1 Criminal Analyst to collect and analyze data. Gather data from various sources like crime reports, arrest records, Police calls, and other relevant data bases. Uses statistical and analytical methods to identify patterns, trends, and relationships in the criminal activity. Create maps and visualizations to illustrate crime hotspots. Compile findings and present them to law enforcement officials, policymakers, and other stakeholders. o 1 Criminal Analyst to investigate social media platforms and other online resources for criminal intelligence to aid in investigations. Coordinate criminal intelligence with the Fusion Center in Indianapolis. Create and present criminal intelligence reports to all divisions. o 1 Community Service Officer that is responsible for LPD Fleet, equipment management, allocating physical resources. o 1 Community Service Officer assigned to hiring Officers and conducting background investigations. Assists with extracting and analyzing digital data. o 4 Civilian Crime Scene Investigators.  o 1 Homeless and Community Outreach Liaison. o 1 Resource Navigator and Community Advocate. o 1 Victim Advocate Specialist. o 1 Community Engagement Manager who creates newsletters, monthly reports/updates, podcasts, social media, and organizes community events.  Began the use of AXON AI report writing software.  Announced the first Crisis Response K9, which has been assigned to an Officer and is in training.  Hired 24 Officers in 2024, which is a record number.  Go through graphs Fire Department: Continued to have an ISO Rating of 2, which is a tremendous accomplishment.  1. Leadership and Strategic Planning o In 2024, the fire department experienced a leadership transition with the promotion of a new Deputy Chief, marking a fresh chapter in departmental operations. o A comprehensive gap analysis was conducted by Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI), providing valuable insights to enhance department performance. Key focus areas include:  Improved internal and external communication.  Updates to apparatus replacement schedules.  Development of facility improvement plans.  Leveraging GIS and data analytics for operational efficiency.  Strategic staffing adjustments and goal setting. 2. Operational Excellence o The fire department has been diligently updating its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to align with industry best practices. 3. Infrastructure and Equipment Upgrades o Significant improvements were made across our facilities, including:  New flooring and concrete apron at Station 7.  New gear racking at Station 3.  New HVAC at Station 8.  New generator at Station 7. o Equipment updates include:  A new fire engine (Engine 6).  A fire inspector vehicle.  A stacked water rescue trailer, consolidating and modernizing water rescue capabilities. 4. Future Preparedness o Recognizing extended lead times for new fire apparatus (36-48 months or more), the department has proactively ordered:  A Quint for 2027.  An Engine and a Tanker, in partnership with Fairfield Township, for 2028. 5. 2025 Initiatives o The department will continue executing projects initiated in 2024, focusing on:  Upgrading equipment to combat electric vehicle and lithium-ion battery fires.  Modernizing high-rise firefighting tools. o Expanding training programs to emphasize leadership development, officer training, and specialized topics like elevator rescues. o Continued Infrastructure upgrades 6. Commitment to Excellence o These advancements reflect the department's unwavering dedication to protecting our community and preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. We will continue our progressive approach to infrastructure and development with the following projects:  Park East Blvd. (McCarty to Haggerty) – under construction.  Development of two new well fields – process of exploration.  Completed 2 new solar fields. We now have 4 solar fields total.  Completion of Wea Water Tower.  $4,200,000.00 upgrades to Glick Well Field system – under construction.  Installing 2 new wells at Glick for redundancy.  Improvements to Veterans Memorial Parkway between U.S. 52 and State Road 38 – All completed except installing traffic signal and streetlights.  The Public Works Campus is completed and operational. $21.5 million. – 2 new electric sanitation and recycling truck.  Investing nearly 45.0 million dollars in Service Area 11A and 11B for growth opportunities. 1000 acres / 5200 acres over time.  We are beginning the final project of the CSO long term control plan, which is a rapid treatment facility. 51 million dollars. No rate increase.  John Purdue Block is under construction downtown – 55 million dollars.  Final phase of streetscape for downtown went out for bid in January.  3rd and 4th Street two way conversion is completed.  Snowy Owl affordable senior housing– tax abatement. Under construction.  Jeffersonian affordable senior housing– L.H.A. vouchers. Under construction.  In 2024, the City started helping fund Brush with Kindness, a program started by Habitat. $100,000.00.  Rider Partners development on S. 8th Street now has three completed homes.  John Tiebel has three homes under construction in the old rail corridor. Adjacent S. 4th Street.  Anvil 26 Housing Project. At the corner of South and 26th Streets. Will break ground in the spring. Parks and Recreation Phase II of McCaw Park is finishing up, which includes 14 additional new pickle ball courts and the original 12 courts are completely rebuilt. There is a new trail, a basketball court and improvement around the baseball fields. Phase I expanded the parking lot. Built new restrooms and created the new dog park. The commissary at the Zoo is complete. Completed upgrades at Arlington and Munger Parks. The primate exhibit is about 40% designed. We plan to start construction in the fall. The new playground at Columbian Park was completed and opened in June of 2024. We are working to install new equipment at the Hedgewood and Woodfield Parks. Loeb Stadium continues to exceed our expectation and we have renewed our contracts with the Aviators baseball team. We are fortunate to live in a thriving, growing community filled with opportunities—from small businesses and entrepreneurs to large industries that continue to invest in our citizens and our region.  However, we must remain diligent in competing for jobs and investment in today’s global economy. I’m pleased to report that companies continue to choose Lafayette for expansion and investment. 2024 was another banner year with over $1.1 billion in investments announced for new facilities and equipment. This includes a $43M investment at Tate & Lyle to increase production and enhance competitiveness, a $64M investment at SIA creating 110 new jobs, a $5.3M warehouse expansion by local company LH Industrial Supplies, and Caterpillar’s largest investment to date—$725M. Additionally, Sustainea, a joint venture between companies from Japan and Brazil, will produce sustainable plant-based bio-meg (monoethylene glycol) at a new $400M facility in collaboration with Premient, creating nearly 200 jobs on the south side of Lafayette. Other notable projects include Toyota Tsusho, a supplier to SIA, the Haggerty Point warehouse and distribution center, Rea Magnet Wire, which is expanding to meet the growing demand from the battery and electric vehicle market and Huston Electric. GE Aerospace made investment in production capacity and have partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy to graduate the first class of apprentices earning an FAA powerplant license. Combined, these efforts have resulted in over 550 good-paying jobs over the past two years. To attract more companies and facilitate further expansion, we are proactively developing our workforce and ensuring we have shovel-ready industrial sites available. We are investing in our utility and transportation infrastructure and collaborating with developers who share our vision. One such initiative is the development of the Steele site—a nearly 300-acre location across from SIA, near SR 38 and I-65—positioning us for continued industrial growth. Lafayette stands as the northern hub of Indiana’s emerging hard tech corridor profoundly shaping our future. We are deeply grateful to our partners at Greater Lafayette Commerce, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Ivy Tech the Purdue Research Foundation, and Purdue University. Our cross-sector collaboration has made these and many other projects possible, setting us apart from other communities. In conclusion, it is clear that our city is on a promising path toward a brighter future. The collective efforts of our community members, local leaders, and organizations have fostered a spirit of innovation and collaboration that drives meaningful progress. We have witnessed tangible improvements in areas such as infrastructure, public safety, quality of life, and economic development. Programs aimed at enhancing sustainability, fostering inclusion, and supporting mental health have further underscored our commitment to creating a thriving and equitable environment for all. These achievements are not just milestones but steppingstones for what lies ahead. They represent the power of shared vision and determination, reminding us of what is possible when we work together toward common goals. As we look to the future, let us continue to build on this momentum. By staying engaged, nurturing partnerships, and embracing new opportunities, so we can ensure that our  city remains a place of progress, opportunity, and inspiration for generations to come. Together, we are not just moving forward—we are shaping a legacy of hope and success. Public Comment: Eric Sampertin, 475 S. St., commutes on bike and brought up some issues with signage downtown. Perry Barbee, 3700 Redbud Ave, asked about purchasing items online from the Bicentennial site. Tyler Beach, 625 N 12 St., reflected on Martin Luther King Jr. Councilmember Klinker moves to adjourn. Councilmember Snyder seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:15 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