Zionsville Town Council

ZIONSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MEMORANDA FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 AT 7:00 P.M. ELECTRONIC MEETING This meeting was conducted pursuant to Governor Eric J. Holcomb’s Executive Orders 20-02, 20-04 and 20-08 and Governor Holcomb’s Exercise of his powers under Indiana’s Emergency Management and Disaster Law, Ind. Code 10-14-3, et seq. Additional information about this meeting was provided in the annex published with the Agenda 1. OPENING A. Call meeting to order President Garrett called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. B. Pledge of Allegiance C. Attendance Municipal Relations Coordinator Amy Lacy took Council attendance. Council Members Present at Time Attendance Taken: Josh Garrett, President; Bryan Traylor, Vice-President; Joe Culp, Craig Melton and Jason Plunkett Also Present: Heather Willey, Town Council Attorney, Amy Lacy, Municipal Relations Coordinator and Town Department Staff. D. Election of Officers for 2021 I. President COUNCIL ACTION: Vice-President Traylor moved to re-elect Josh Garrett as Town Council President. Councilor Melton seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea COUNCILOR PLUNKETT Yea Josh Garrett was re-elected President of the Zionsville Town Council by a vote of five in favor, zero opposed. (5/0)  II. Vice-President COUNCIL ACTION: Vice-President Traylor moved to elect Jason Plunkett as Town Council Vice-President. Councilor Culp seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea COUNCILOR PLUNKETT Yea Jason Plunkett was elected Vice-President of the Zionsville Town Council by a vote of five in favor, zero opposed. (5/0) 2. APPROVAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF THE DECEMBER 21, 2020 REGULAR MEETING (copy posted) COUNCIL ACTION: President Garrett moved to approve the Memoranda of the December 21, 2020 Regular Town Council Meeting. Councilor Traylor seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT PLUNKETT Yea COUNCILOR TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea The Memoranda of the December 21, 2020 meeting was approved by a vote of five in favor, zero opposed. (5/0) 3. REQUEST TO SPEAK Zionsville resident Craig Triscari spoke in opposition of the approved VanTrust project, stating that VanTrust had failed to run eight-inch water lines into Saratoga Springs and plant 8 foot trees as promised and was still in violation of the commitment letter as of January 2021. He expressed his disapproval of what he felt was leeway given to a former board member in the matter of the VanTrust project and his disappointment in the Town’s leadership. Mr. Triscari expressed displeasure at what he felt to be the absence of services or funding provided by the Town of Zionsville in Perry Township and the rural community and the failure of leadership to follow the comprehensive plan. He said that homeowners in the area should request a reduction in property tax due to what he felt were the lack of services, lack of adherence to the comprehensive plan by the Town of Zionsville and reckless development in the area. Mr. Triscari concluded by saying that VanTrust was no closer to getting water to the community than they were two years ago and that the Town Council needed to fix it. President Garrett responded to Mr. Triscari with the following updates on the water expansion project from VanTrust: • Received approval from Whitestown on the water extension plan. • Filed NOI with IDEM. Approval is expected around January 22, 2021. • Currently working to obtain necessary easements. • Construction of water lines is expected to begin in February 2021 with projected completion to follow in April 2021. President Garrett concluded by explaining that this was still within VanTrust’s original commitment, from which they had not wavered. 4. MAYOR/ADMINISTRATION UPDATE There was no update from the Mayor or Administration. 5. OLD BUSINESS A. Consideration of an Ordinance Setting the Town of Zionsville, Indiana Fee Schedule (FIRST READING) (Continued from December 21, 2020 meeting) Ordinance 2020-21 Chief Financial Officer Tammy Havard presented Ordinance 2020-21, stating there were no updates since the last meeting and that she did receive confirmation from Mayor Styron of her support of the fee schedule as presented. Councilor Choi joined the meeting at this point. Discussion followed. Vice-President Plunkett expressed concerns over new fees and increases in existing fees for citizens during this challenging time of the pandemic. ZPD Captain Marius Klykken addressed questions regarding Solicitor’s fees. Councilor Burk joined the meeting at this time. Responding to questions from the Council, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jarod Logsdon said that the fees were in line with, or below, those of the surrounding communities and that the revenue stream would go back into the programs they supported and would be invested in program expansions and subsidies for those in need of assistance with program costs. Saying that surveys done in preparation for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan supported increased fees, Superintendent Logsdon said without the new and increased fees for Parks some projects could be halted or slowed. Further discussion followed. Fees for use of Town meeting rooms already sponsored by corporate entities was questioned, along with the rational for the amount of increases across the board, the difference between 2020 fee revenue and 2021 fee revenue, and specifically what additional dollar amounts would be generated. Councilor Traylor objected to the increase in fees, saying it should not be done merely because it could be or because people were willing to pay it, and President Garrett said that that there had been no true revenue increase projections yet presented.  CFO Havard and Superintendent Logsdon answered further questions from the Council, with CFO Havard saying that the fee increases were intended to cover costs and increase revenue streams. President Garrett questioned the implications and ramifications of voting for or against the fee schedule. President Garrett and Attorney Heather Willey detailed options for moving forward with Ordinance 2020-21, in full or in part. Councilor Choi interjected, saying that the fees were not taxations, but user fees only for those using the services, though the costs associated with the programs and services supported by the user fees were not yet clear. He said he that he felt there was time, if the ordinance were introduced at this meeting, for further discussion and to have questions answered between this meeting and the second reading. Councilors stressed the need for more detailed information before final passage of the ordinance and asked for a full presentation at the next meeting. COUNCIL ACTION: Councilor Choi moved to introduce Ordinance 2020-21 on first reading. President Garrett seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT PLUNKETT Yea COUNCILOR TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR BURK Yea COUNCILOR CHOI Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea Ordinance 2020-21 was introduced on first reading by a vote of seven in favor, zero opposed. (7/0) No further action was taken at this meeting. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Consideration of Appointments to Various Boards, Commissions, and Committees. President Garrett presented the recommended appointments. (See Exhibit A) COUNCIL ACTION: President Garrett moved to adopt all appointments as recommended. Councilor Traylor seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT PLUNKETT Yea COUNCILOR TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR BURK Yea COUNCILOR CHOI Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea Zionsville Town Council appointments were approved in entirety by a vote of seven in favor, zero opposed. (7/0)  B. Annual Certifications of Compliance with Conflict of Interest and Nepotism Policy Ms. Lacy explained that in order to comply with state regulations, as well as the Town of Zionsville Ordinance 2012-10 regarding Conflict of Interest and Nepotism, all Council members must complete the “Compliance with the Town’s Nepotism Policy Involving Direct Line Supervision” and the “Compliance with the Contracting with the Town by a Relative Policy” forms on an annual basis. She went on to say that the “Uniform Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement” need only be completed if there were a conflict of interest involving financial interests connected with contracts or purchases of the Town of Zionsville. It was agreed that Councilors would sign these forms when next coming to Town Hall to sign other documents. 7. OTHER MATTERS President Garrett said that claims that normally would be presented and approved at this meeting had been delayed. He explained that the current practice of claims being received by the Council on the Friday before the meeting led to frustration by Councilors at the limited amount of time to review. President Garrett said that, after discussion with CFO Havard, the plan going forward would be for claims to be processed by the Finance Department in a time frame allowing for the finalized claims register to be included in the packet sent with the agenda on the Wednesday morning prior to the meeting, permitting more time for Council review. There were no other matters to discuss. 8. ADJOURN COUNCIL ACTION: President Garrett moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Burk seconded the motion. Ms. Lacy took a roll call vote: ROLL CALL VOTE: PRESIDENT GARRETT Yea VICE-PRESIDENT PLUNKETT Yea COUNCILOR TRAYLOR Yea COUNCILOR BURK Yea COUNCILOR CHOI Yea COUNCILOR CULP Yea COUNCILOR MELTON Yea The motion was approved by a vote of seven in favor, zero opposed. (7/0) The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m. The next regular Town Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. (Note shift in date due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday) Determination of the need for a solely electronic meeting will be evaluated prior to the meeting and final notice will be posted in compliance with the Indiana Open Door Law. Respectfully Submitted, Amelia Anne Lacy Municipal Relations Coordinator