Board of Public Works & Safety

REGULAR MEETING – December 7, 2015 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Michigan City, Indiana, met in REGULAR SESSION on Monday morning, December 7, 2015 at the hour of 9:00 a.m., in the Council Chambers, in the City Hall Building, located at 100 East Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City Indiana – a regular meeting room of this Board. The meeting was called to order by President Steve Janus, who presided. Noted present: Steve Janus, Michael Palmer and Virginia Keating (3). A QUORUM WAS NOTED PRESENT. Also noted in attendance: Amber Lapaich, Corporate Counsel Russ Hatfield, Code Enforcement Officer Terry Borolov, Code Enforcement Officer Charles “Spike” Peller, City Engineer Jessica Gage, Assistant City Planner Liz Sonderby, Administrative Assistant Bob Zondor, Superintendent Central Maintenance Capt. Steve Jesse, M.C.P.D Traffic Division Arber Himaj, Engineer, M.C. Sanitary District Judy Pinkston, Community Development Director Craig Phillips, City Planner Kim Sliwa, Deputy City Clerk APPROVAL OF MINUTES President Janus asked if there were any corrections to the minutes of the Regular meeting of November 16, 2015. Vice-President Palmer made the motion to approve the minutes as presented. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carried as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion carries. AWARDING OF BID – 522 Pleasant Ave Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated he would like to hold off awarding this bid until the next meeting which is December 21, 2015. This would put the billing into the 2016 cycle. Vice-President Palmer asked if this would change the price and if the bid was good for so many days? Mr. Hatfield responded no, that the bids would still be honored. Virginia Keating made a motion to place this bid of 522 Pleasant Ave on hold until the next Board of Public Works and Safety meeting on December 21, 2015. The motion was seconded by Vice-President Palmer and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. Regular Meeting – December 7, 2015 Page 2 AWARDING OF BID – 501 Hoyt Street Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated he would like to hold off awarding this bid until the next meeting which is December 21, 2015. This would put the billing into the 2016 cycle. Virginia Keating made a motion to place this bid of 501 Hoyt Street on hold until the next Board of Public Works and Safety meeting on December 21, 2015. The motion was seconded by Vice-President Palmer and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. AWARDING OF BID – 228 W. Coolspring Ave. Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated he would like to hold off awarding this bid until the next meeting which is December 21, 2015. This would put the billing into the 2016 cycle. Virginia Keating made a motion to place this bid of 228 W. Coolspring Ave on hold until the next Board of Public Works and Safety meeting on December 21, 2015. The motion was seconded by Vice-President Palmer and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. PLACEMENT OF THE SANTA CLAUS HOUSE Mike Dempsey, Michigan City Live Productions, Inc. stated they are the caretakers of the Santa Claus house and would like permission to place it on the sidewalk at the corner of 7th and Franklin Streets thru Christmas. Vice-President Palmer made a motion to allow Michigan City Live Productions, Inc. to place the Santa Claus house at 7th and Franklin Streets. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: (0). Motion Carries. REQUEST FROM M.C.P.D. TO DONATE LAPTOPS President Janus stated due to the fact that the city cannot do this, M.C.P.D. is requesting that the board change the request to ask that these laptops be demolished or scrapped. These laptops have no value. Vice-President Palmer made a motion to classify these laptops as scrap with no value and allow IT to dispose of them at their discretion. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: (0). Motion Carries. COMMISSION APPOINTMENT The Board of Public Works and Safety has one (1) appointment to the Michigan City Planning Commission (term expiring January 1, 2016). Incumbent: Faye Moore. President Janus asked if there were any other nominations at this time. Regular Meeting – December 7, 2015 Page 3 Vice-President Palmer made a motion to nominate Faye Moore as the representative of the Board of Public Works and Safety to the Michigan City Planning Commission commencing on January 1, 2016. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. CLAIMS AND PAYROLL Vice-President Palmer moved that the claims set forth in the Register of Claims (in possession of the City Controller) and appearing in the Register be severally allowed and ordered paid and proper warrants for payment thereof hereby ordered issued in the stated amounts to person(s) and/or firm(s) as set forth, and payrolls approved. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carried as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion carries. The Board signed: Payroll items in Register of Claims for informational purposes (which Register is in the possession of the City Controller) as follows: Page Date Amount 1 of 7 11/25/2015 $394,646.32 1 of 3 12/01/2015 $208,749.61 1 of 6 12/04/2015 $500,646.14 Allowance of claims as set forth in the Register of Claims for the Board of Public Works and Safety and the Department of Redevelopment (which Register is in the possession of the City Controller) as follows: Page Date Amount 1 of 4 12/03/2015 $387,625.73 1 of 1 12/02/2015 $1,182.05 1 of 1 12/09/2015 $48,516.17 UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Pending Items Pending Item – 111 Franklin St. Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated the new owners have made great progress on the exterior. There is new windows, prepping for the parking area was done and Craig Phillips is in the process of trying to schedule a meeting with the new owners to get a timeline for the interior. It was asked at this time to be remove from the Pending List. Virginia Keating made a motion to remove 111 Franklin St. from the Unfinished Business List. The motion was seconded by Vice-President Palmer and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. Pending Items – 1120 Elston Street Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated the owner has come in and has gotten permits to start making repairs that are needed. It was asked at this time to remove this from the Pending List. Regular Meeting – December 7, 2015 Page 4 Vice-President Palmer made a motion to remove 1120 Elston Street from the Unfinished Business list. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. Pending Items – 1125 E. 8th Street Russ Hatfield the Code Enforcement Officer stated everything should be filed through the Tax Sales by now. He will be ordering new title work and starting the demolitions process. Pending Items – “Do Not Litter” Signage on Warnke Road Spike Peller the City Engineer stated he has been investigating this. Mr. Peller stated that the last time he was here, he had mentioned that these signs normally may work or they may not work and have an opposite effect. He went through the Michigan City Code and he could not find anything regarding a fine for littering. Corporate Counsel Amber Lapaich stated it is also an infraction under state law. Mr. Peller thought what might work better is the “Adopt a Road” programs. Planning Department could develop a sign that would work, the names could include families, organizations, or companies that adopt the road. Vice-President Palmer made a motion to send this request to the Planning Department for them to come up with a solution. The motion was seconded by Virginia Keating and carries as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries. PUBLIC COMMENTS UPDATE – 2 WAY STREET CONVERSION Brad Minnick with Primer Engineers offered an update on the 2-way Street Conversion Project. The work on the north end is largely complete for this fall. They are going to begin lighting installation from 11th to 2nd Streets along Pine Street next week. This work should be largely on the shoulder of the parking lanes. They will be putting in the foundations and so forth. The light poles are on order. President Janus was wondering if it has been established which blocks are going to have stop signs and stop lights when it goes 2-way? Mr. Minnick stated yes, the existing stop control intersections are going to remain as will the signal controlled intersections. They are not changing the method of traffic control at any intersection. Discussion ensued between Brad Minnick and President Janus about stop sign location and traffic flow. BOARD COMMENTS President Janus asked if there were any Board comments. President Janus asked what the status was on 11th Street. Craig Phillips the Planning Director stated the contractor and other representatives of the project just left his office. They did a walk through last week on the project and developed a punch list of items to be completed. This is basically left over items that need to be dealt with. Besides from putting in the lighting and finalizing the improvements at the South Shore parking lot, the project is almost complete. The intersections are completed and reopened at this point. Mr. Phillips stated they will come back when the weather is warmer and do some repairs to the intersections. Regular Meeting – December 7, 2015 Page 5 ADJOURNMENT President Janus inquired whether there was anything else to be considered by the Board at this time and, there being none, declared the meeting ADJOURNED (approximately 9:16 am). Virginia Keating made the motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Vice- President Palmer and carried as follows: AYES: MEMBERS Janus, Palmer and Keating (3). NAYS: (0). Motion Carries. _________________________________________ Gale A. Neulieb, City Clerk