Here is a writeup on the council meeting Monday night as I saw it.

Mayor Jon Flickinger announced that the city is being helped by INDOT to get a grant to acquire over 1000 signs which will replace and reinstall all city signs at no cost to the city. Including street identification signs.

Ordinance #1-2009 was passed by unanimous vote to limit parking to one side of Franklin Street in the 1100 and 1200 block area. Margo Stanczak questioned the impact on her HR Block tax business during the last week of Jan and the first week of Feb which is their heaviest time for parking and the council agreed to allow parking on both sides for those two weeks.

I presented copies of the Indiana Code concerning smoke alarms in rental houses and asked the council to make a resolution recognizing it and to allow city authorities to investigate complaints.

Councilman Bourlard and the City Attorney who both worked on the defeated rental ordinance of a couple of years ago argued against the idea with Bourlard saying it is unenforceable and impossible to gain entry without a search warrant and the City Attorney saying it is an effort by me to get a rental ordinance 'on the cheap'.

Well yes it is and would likely be a simple and inexpensive solution to the dangers of possible ineffective smoke alarms in rental houses.

I was also told that no one would enforce the code.

The City Attorney then tried to ignore my proposal and to get the council's attention  and suggest to the Council that now would be a good time to bring up a new possible rental ordinance.

But no council people showed any interest.

With no more discussion my compromise suggestion failed for lack of a motion.

A later conversation with the police chief suggested that if they did investigate a complaint the prosecutor would not follow up and would in effect make it a waste of time.

I also talked to the State Fire Marshall's office and was told that Dept of Homeland Security has an addendum to attach to leases that covers the need for smoke alarms and their maintenance. I will be obtaining a copy and am willing to share it with interested landlords.

A routine style budget transfer was approved. I don't remember the details. Also the Water Dept revenue which was described as 'doing fine' was discussed and the conclusion drawn that the 'River Boat' money that was loaned to the water dept will be returned to the city for the general fund this year.

Amy Ferenbacher who is the Pace Community Action Agency representative for the proposed housing grant application for the city in the SW area of town was introduced and thanked for her efforts. Clerk Treasurer Rita Dupire announced that she would not handle any funds and be accountable for them if this project happens. She was assured 'she would not go to jail' and after passing through the city account would be handled through a special escrow account set up for it.

The Mayor announced that several grant applications are in the works including

1. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grant, 4 years

2. CDBGCFF, Oak and Alton and 2nd

3. Water Plant 4.

Street repair 5. 0% for sewer repair

6. CDBG Downtown

7. CDBG Community Center.

8. Gossard clean up.

And more unspecified.

From Ron Ackman