Aug 07, 2023 City Council Meeting 08-07-23

[00:00:05]

>> THIS MEETING OF THE CARMEL COMMON COUNCIL IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. IT'S MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH.

THIS IS OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.

WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

[2. AGENDA APPROVAL]

>> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE. OKAY.

THAT CARRIES. NEXT I WOULD ASK REVEREND GEORGE

[3. INVOCATION]

OUR INVOCATION. >> GRACIOUS GOD, OUR HUMANITY IS SO OFTEN CLOAKED IN UNCERTAINTY AND DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT YOU REMIND US THAT IT IS ALSO RIFE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR GOOD AND RESOURCES FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT AND THAT YOU ARE WITH US NO MATTER WHAT. BLESS THIS COUNCIL.

BLESS OUR CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS FOR THEIR WORK.

GIVE INSIGHT TO EACH MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL AND A SPIRIT OF GOODWILL TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. YOUR ENDURING PRESENCE IS THE CERTAINTY THIS GIVES US HOPE. AMEN.

>> THANK YOU, REVEREND DAVIS. NOW I WOULD ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE RISE, REMOVE YOUR HATS, AND DR. HANNON WILL LEAD US IN

[4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU.

ITEM 5 ON OUR AGENDA IS RECOGNITION OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND OUTSTANDING CITIZENS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE

[6. RECOGNITION OF PERSONS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL]

I HAVE FOUR BLUE CARDS. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ONE? OKAY. FOUR BLUE CARDS.

FIRST ONE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM IF YOU HAVE BEEN ISSUED A BLUE CARD.

KEN IRVINE WILL BE UP FIRST PLEASE.

MR. IRVINE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE MIC IS ON, WHICH IT IS.

AND I'M GOING TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT, SINCE WE DO HAVE SOME BLUE CARDS, WE HAVE SOME RULES CARDING BLUE CARDS.

SO THIS ACTUALLY STATES THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SUBMITTED BLUE CARDS WILL BE ASKED TO COME TO THE PODIUM WHEN YOU NAME IS CALLED. YOU WILL... WE CANNOT DIALOGUE WITH YOU. SO IF YOU ASK ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ANSWER THOSE.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS, INFORM OTHERS OF YOUR VIEW, ET CETERA. WE DO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. AND THE LIGHT RIGHT THERE TO YOUR LEFT, MR. IRVINE, WILL START GREEN, THEN GO TO YELLOW WITH 30 SECONDS LEFT, AND THEN TURN RED.

I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO FINISH YOUR STATEMENT, AND WE DO NOT ALLOW ANY SIGNS OF DEMONSTRATION, CLAPPING, CHEERING. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM THAT.

THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING. ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

I WANT TO STATE THAT I SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REFERENDUM THAT IS COMING UP.

I HAVE SEEN IT GROW EVERY YEAR. I HAVE TALKED TO MR. MCMICHAELS ABOUT IT NUMEROUS TIMES, AND I JUST CAN'T GET A JUSTIFICATION OF WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.

IT SEEMS LIKE HE SAID IN THE LAST SCHOOL MEETING THAT THEY SPEND EVERYTHING THEY GET AND THEY'LL NEVER HAVE MORE THAN THEY NEED. SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS GOING AND WHY WE NEED TO CONTINUE FUNDING THIS. I HAVE A LOT MORE, BUT I THINK THAT COVERS IT. SORRY TO BE THE NAYSAYER OF THE

GROUP. >> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. IRVINE. NEXT UP WILL BE STEPH STEPHANIE

FLITNER. >> HI THERE.

STEPHANIE FLITNER. I AM THE COCHAIR OF THE YES FOR CCS PACK. WE ARE A NONPARTISAN PACK FORMED TO SUPPORT THE REFERENDUM. I WANT TO INTRODUCE US TONIGHT.

I WANT TO START, I KNOW ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT YOU HAVE A -- OH, MY GOD. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE WORD.

HELP ME. THANK YOU.

RESOLUTION. SO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THAT AND CONSIDERING IT. THANK YOU.

I HAVE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF YOU ABOUT IT, AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS. GREAT QUESTIONS.

I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK A COUPLE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT LAST TIME WE DID THIS SPECIFIC REFERENDUM. SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND I THINK YOU DID A SIMILAR RESOLUTION AS WELL.

SO I BELIEVE THERE WERE FOUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, TONY,

[00:05:02]

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M HAVING HARD TIME READING THE LAST NAME, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY MICHAEL -- OH, WAIT, I KNOW WHO THAT IS, DR. B, MICHAEL BARRISFORD.

WE HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR PENMANSHIP, DR. B.

>> MY HANDWRITING IS TERRIBLE. SO DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT.

FIRST OFF, MY TEAM WILL TELL YOU THAT TO TRY TO KEEP ME TALKING LESS THAN THREE MINUTES WHILE TALKING ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS AND STAFF AND STUDENTS IS A DIFFICULT THING FOR ME.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS REFERENDUM IS ABOUT AS LIKELY AS ME CALLING FOR LIKE AN E-LEARNING SNOW DAY LIKE A DAY IN ADVANCE. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST. IT'S REAL SPECIAL FOR ME TO BE HERE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THE '23/'24 SCHOOL YEAR.

THERE IS A SPECIAL BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT RADIATING ACROSS THE CITY WHEN SCHOOL STARTS EVERY FALL.

FROM OUR PARTNERS AT THE CARMEL FIRE DEPARTMENT, CARMEL POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR HELP THIS MORNING, THEY SHOW UP AND SLOW THE PEOPLE DOWN AROUND THE SCHOOLS, TO CARMEL PARKS.

THEY DID OUR AFTER-SCHOOL CARE TODAY.

SO SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY OVER MIKE SAID, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. BUT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY GIVES IT THEIR ALL EVERY DAY TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE AND THRIVING. TODAY OUR BUS DRIVERS DROVE FIRST OF MORE THAN ONE MILLION MILES THEY WILL DRIVE THIS YEAR.

OUR FOOD SERVICE STAFF PREPARED AND SERVED THE FIRST OF MORE THAN TWO MILLION LUNCHES THAT WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR.

THAT'S A LOT OF CHICKEN NUGGETS. THAT INCLUDES -- OF COURSE, THERE ARE 2,200 EMPLOYEES WITH OVER 1,000 OF THOSE BEING TEACHERS WHO WARMLY WELCOME 16,000 KIDS TO SCHOOL TODAY.

SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD DAY. I POINT OUT THE STATS BECAUSE AS WE DISCUSSED TAXES AND PERCENTAGES AND ASSESSED HOME VALUES, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT THIS REFERENDUM TRULY DOES. IT IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIZING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS OF CARMEL STUDENTS BY SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. IN 2010 AND AGAIN IN 2017, CARMEL VOTERS GENERALLY IS PASSED AN OPERATING REFERENDUM AND AGREED TO PAY ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAXES TO HELP FUND OUR SCHOOLS. NOW, THIS IS A RENEWAL, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT. YES, IT'S A RENEWAL.

IT'S IN THE A NEW REFERENDUM. IT'S NOT MORE MONEY.

IT'S THE EXACT SAME AMOUNTED THAT WE'RE PAYING RIGHT NOW.

AND IT WOULD EXTEND THAT FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE LAW FROM SEVEN YEARS TO EIGHT YEARS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT OF FUNDING SCHOOLS, BESIDES JUST FUNDING SCHOOLS, IT'S A POWERFUL STATEMENT OF OUR SHARED VALUES AND OUR COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE.

AS A TOP-RANKED DESTINATION SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF, CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS CONTRIBUTES THE CARMEL'S GROWTH, STABILITY AND FUTURE SUCCESS.

THAT IS NOT A POSITION THAT WE TAKE LIGHTLY.

WE CERTAINLY DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

SO ESPECIALLY NOW AS THE NATION FACES A CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE, A WELL-FUNDED SCHOOL SYSTEM ATTRACTS AND RETAINS QUALITY EDUCATORS AND ENHANCES LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

BY PROVIDING THESE TOOLS AND RESOURCES, WE ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE PREPARED TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD. SO THE OPERATING REFERENDUM REPRESENTS ABOUT 20% OF OUR EDUCATION FUND.

THE EDUCATION FUND IS A COMBINATION OF WHAT THE STATE PROVIDES US PLUS THE REFERENDUM MONEY.

AND THAT EDUCATION FUND HAS MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN IT.

IT'S PRIMARILY DEDICATED TO PEOPLE, SALARIES, AND BENEFITS.

THE REFERENDUM DOESN'T PASS, 20% OF OUR BUDGET HAS TO BE CUT.

SINCE IT'S A PEOPLE BUSINESS, THAT MEANS ONE IN FIVE TEACHERS MOST LIKELY WOULD BE THE CUT OF THAT.

SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, SEARCH UNDER "REFERENDUM." YOU WILL GET A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE. YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW SCHOOL FUNDING WORK AND HOW WE CAN'T TAKE OUT DEBT TO PAY FOR TEACHERS AND THAT SORT OF THING SOME IF YOU SEE A BUILDING ENHANCE. , WE CAN'T USE THAT MONEY TO PAY SALARIES AND BENEFITS. THAT'S A LOAN WE HAVE TO TAKE OUT AND PAY BACK. THAT'S RALLY MY SPIEL FOR TODAY.

I APPRECIATE IT AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THE YES FOR CCS AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.

>> VERY GOOD. AS SUPERINTENDENT OF OUR SCHOOLS, YOU'RE WELCOME HERE ANY TIME.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT I HAVE UP MR. JEFFREY

BOLT. >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO CARMEL IN 1993.

SO I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS, AND WHEN WE MOVED HERE LOOKING TO RELOCATE, WE ASKED A LOT OF PEOPLE WHERE TO MOVE TO IN CENTRAL INDIANA. THE UNIUNANIMOUS ANSWER WAS CARMEL AND THE UNANIMOUS REASON WAS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

[00:10:03]

YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY ACADEMIC MEASURE, WHETHER IT'S I-LEARN, SAT SCORES, AP TESTING, GRADUATION RATES, CARMEL SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST IN THE STATE AND ARE AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. ALL THIS IS BECAUSE PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS PUT A PRIORITY ON EDUCATION WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.

NOW, I HAVE MET WITH DR. MCMICHAEL, AND I HAVE GONE OVER THE BUDGET NUMBERS. IT IS THE EDUCATION AND THE REFERENDUM FUNDING, THE TOTAL OF $146 MILLION, THAT PAYS FOR 93% OF THAT GOES TO STAFF AND PRIMARILY TEACHER SALARIES.

93%. I WOULD SUBMIT TO THIS BOARD THAT IF YOU REMOVE ABOUT 20% OF THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS REFERENDUM IS NOT CONTINUED, THERE IS NO BUSINESS THAT COULD ABSORB A 20% HIT LIKE THAT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE EFFECTS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE PROGRAMS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE TEACHERS. YOU WILL NO LONG BER COMPETITIVE FOR THE BEST TEACHERS AS WE ARE NOW.

IT WOULD PERMANENTLY HARM THE SCHOOLS.

AND I LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY.

MAYOR BRAINARD AND MANY OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL HAVE BUILT A GREAT CITY, BUT YOU BUILD A GREAT CITY ON A GREAT FOUNDATION. THE FOUNDATION IS THE SCHOOL.

IF YOU START TO LET THE FOUNDATION CRUMBLE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR HOUSE? I HAVE CALCULATED WHAT THIS WOULD COST TO MY WIFE AND I. THIS REFERENDUM, SHOULD IT -- AND IT SHOULD PASS -- WOULD COST MY WIFE AND I ON THE AVERAGE OF ABOUT $1.80 A DAY. I THINK WE CAN ABSORB THAT TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS STAY AS GREAT AS THEY ARE NOW.

THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS AND THANK YOU TO THE AUDIENCE FOR BEING RESPECTFUL.

[7. COUNCIL AND MAYORAL COMMENTS/OBSERVATIONS]

DO I HAVE ANY TO MY LEFT? ANY TO MY RIGHT?

COUNCILOR NELSON. >> THANKS, MR. PRESIDENT.

I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY BACK TO SCHOOL.

I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE PARENTS FOR SURVIVING SUMMER. I WANT TO THANK OUR TEACHERS, DR. B, AND ALL THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS FOR MAKING THE FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL A SUCCESS.

I WISH ALL OF OUR CHILDREN A WONDERFUL SCHOOL YEAR AND EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SO AMAZING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. DR. HANNON?

>> I WANTED TO QUICKLY UPDATE COUNCIL.

WE HAD THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CLIMATE ACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. COUNCILOR AYERS AND I ARE ON THAT WITH I THINK 11 OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.

GREAT GROUP DIGGING IN QUICKLY. WE WILL HAVE SORT OF OUR FIRST REPORT TO COUNCIL I THINK BY OCTOBER, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU THOUGH THAT MILESTONE. WE HAD A FIRST MEETING, ELECTED A CHAIR, AND I SAID THE GROUP IS DIGGING IN.

SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

COUNCILOR FINKAM. >> I WANTED TO REMIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THIS EVENT, IT'S CARMEL JAZZ FEST, ITS FIRST EVENT IS THIS WEEKEND STARTING FRIZZ NIGHT.

ALL THIS INFORMATION IS ONLINE. BUT THIS IS FIRST TIME FOR THIS EVENT. SO I WANTED TO BRING IT TO

EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION. >> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM 8 OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, APPROVAL OF

[8. CONSENT AGENDA]

$106,146. >> MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND. >> THANK YOU.

ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE.

THAT CARRIES. WE WILL MOVE ON TO MAYORAL VETOES, WHICH WE HAVE NONE. NEXT UP IS COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[10. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

NEXT IS COUNCILOR CAMPBELL WITH LAND USE AND SPECIAL STUDIES

COMMITTEE. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

WE HAVE NO BUSINESS BEFORE US, SO WE HAVEN'T MET.

>> ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD SUMMER, AREN'T YOU? ALL RIGHT.

[11. OTHER REPORTS]

[00:15:01]

FIRST UP IS DIR THE DIRECTOR WIH THE CARMEL REDEVELOP COMMISSION.

>> OKAY. ANY JOKES? ANY STORIES? ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT VISUALS? IT TO THE RESCUE.

IF IT GOES TOO MUCH LONGER, I CAN RECONFIGURE AND ASK JULIE 20 COME FORWARD WITH HER REPORT WHILE YOU -- OKAY.

THANK YOU. >> OKAY, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR WAITING. BUSY MONTH.

LAST MONTH. THE WREN IS FLYING ALONG.

THAT'S A PICTURE OF JUST OUTSIDE CAKE BAKE.

YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE SODD STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING. COME ON NOW.

OKAY. GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS.

I HAVE AN UPDATE. THE TAVERN ON THE GREEN HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE CITY FOR PROJECT DOCKS APPROVAL.

THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SHAPE ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE GREEN, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE ON THE RIGHT WITH A COFFEE SHOP ON THE LEFT. SO IT'S A DUAL RESTAURANT BRANDED TAVERN THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES APPROVALS NOW.

THE LAUNCH CONTINUES ITS CONSTRUCTION DOWN TO THE LAST CONDO UNITS. LOOKING FORWARD TO GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE GREEN THERE THAT'S PART OF THAT PROBABLY IN OCTOBER. FIRST OF MAIN CONTINUES ITS CONSTRUCTION. I'M EXCITED BECAUSE THE FACADE IS FINALLY GOING UP, THE BRICK FACADE.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REALLY FIND OUT HOW BEAUTIFUL THOSE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO LOOK ON MAGNOLIA, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE SECOND BUILDING ALREADY. MY PICTURE IS A BIT DATED.

BUT THE BRICK CENTER DETAIL THERE IS UP NOW.

IT IS MADE OLARGE CHANGE AT THAT INTERSECTION.

BEAUTIFUL. SIGNATURE IS MOVING AHEAD WITH ITS FIRST-FLOOR BRICK DETAIL AS WELL, AND I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF IT, BUT TO THE SOUTH THEY HAVE NOW DEMOLISHED THE PLAZA JUST SOUTH OF THIS PROJECTED, SO LOTS OF CHANGES ALONG THE OLD MERIDIAN AND MAIN INTERSECTION. THE REPUBLIC CONTINUES ITS GARAGE WORK. PERSINNION2 IS MOVING AHEAD.

SIGHT WORK HAS STARTED ON 111 RANGE LINE.

THIS IS WHERE 1933 LOUNGE IS GOING.

WE SHOULD SEE THAT BUILDING OUT OF THE GROUND IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THIS IS THE PLAZA PROJECT I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. THEY ARE MOVING THEIR WAY THRTHROUGH THE CITY DOCS APPROV. THEY HAVE NOW DEMOED ALL OF THOSE BUILDINGS. SQUARE IS MOVING ITS WAY THROUGH DOCS APPROVALS AS WELL. HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION WILL START IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

AND TWO TOWNSHIP-LED PROJECTS AT THE CR C HAS HELPED FUND.

THEY HAVE PUT $1.5 MILLION INTO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

THAT SHOULD START CONSTRUCTION HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.

YOU HAVE SEEN THE SITE HAVE THE FENCES UP NOW.

AND THEN THE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS SLASH CARMEL/CLAY BUILDING, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION PUT $1 MILLION INTO THE FACADE OF THAT BUILDING. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE IS AN

[00:20:04]

EVERYONE THAT WALKS BY STOPS AND WATCHES THE ENTIRE TIME.

IT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE HOW IT LOOKS, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE, INCLUDING ALL THE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE CARAMEL THAT WILL COME TO CARAMEL AND CONTINUE EXPERIENCING CARAMEL AND THEN SHOPPING AND DINING AT OUR RESTAURANTS IN ORDER TO ALSO WALK DOWN TO CARTER GREEN AND SEE THE SHOW, BUT THE LAUNCH OF THE SHOW IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 31ST AT 8:00 P.M. THERE WILL BE FOOD, VENDORS, AND PERFORMANCES BY SOME OF THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES FEATURED IN THE SHOW ITSELF, AND THE SHOW, FIRST-EVER SHOWING WILL BE AT 9:00 P.M. SO MARK YOUR CALENDERS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG EVENT. AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO

ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> ALL RIGHT.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR?

>> THE 1933 LOUNGE PROPERTY I'M RECEIVING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONDITION, THE GRASS IS GETTING LONG.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ABILITY IF THE GROUNDBREAKING DOESN'T HAPPEN SOON TO GET THAT CLEANED UP A LITTLE BIT FOR THE NEIGHBORS

AROUND THERE? >> ABSOLUTELY.

I WILL TALK TO THE DEVELOPER. I KNOW THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING

FENCING GO UP ANY MINUTE NOW. >> OKAY.

>> IT'S... WE'RE SCHEDULING CLOSING ON THAT LAND IN A COUPLE

WEEKS. >> ALL RIGHT.

SO IF IT'S MORE THAN... I DROVE BY THERE LAST WEEK, AND IT --

>> IT LOOKS BAD. >> IT'S BAD.

OKAY. IT'S NOT JUST ME.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

SO LET'S... WE NEED TO GET ON THAT.

>> I'LL TALK TO THE STREET DEPARTMENT.

MAYBE WE CAN JUST DO SOMETHING EVEN BEFORE THE CLOSING.

>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

ANY OTHER -- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. JULIA, NOW WE'LL HAVE YOU COME UP TO GIVE A... THIS IS A QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE OH, THERE A BUTTON RIGHT DOWN THE

MIDDLE. >> THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS JULIA SALTSGAVER. IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU TONIGHT. I AM GOING TO SHARE AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TONE AND NATURE THAN WHAT WE HAVE SHARED IN THE PAST.

BUT I WILL START TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF US THAT SERVE DO EXPRESS OUR CARD TO THE MAYOR AND ALL OF YOU FOR HAVING APPOINT US AND ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY.

THE COMMITTEE ROSTER, EACH OF US BRINGS UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES, EXPERTISE RELATIVE TO PUBLIC ART, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC AND/OR CIVIC SPACE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT.

THIS ROSTER HAS MERIT FOR THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMITTEE.

THERE ARE EIGHT CARAMEL CITIZENS CURRENTLY, ALL TERMS CONCLUDE DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. THE CITIZENS CURRENTLY SERVING KAREN POYSER ALONG WITH ME, WE COCHAIR THE CITY, CATHY STRAWN, TODAY TUTWILER, LUCI SNDER. THERE IS ONE VACANCY THIS YEAR THAT. INDIVIDUAL RESIGNED TO SERVE ON YET ANOTHER COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF CARMEL.

NO SLACKER THERE. OKAY.

THIS IS MY SIXTH YEAR SERVING AND MY FOURTH YEAR, YES, AND MY FOURTH YEAR TO REPRESENT THE COMMITTEE HERE TONIGHT.

THE PROCESS IS BASED ON ORDINANCE.

THE COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2018 TO ADVISE ON PROPOSED LOCATIONS. THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISED IN 2020 TO EXPAND COMMITTEE'S SCOPE AND AS EITHER A REMINDER OR REFRESHER OR FOR THE FIRST TIME I'M GOING THE WALK YOU THROUGH A FEW OF THE KEY POINTS, OKAY? THE CITY SHALL MEAN THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA, ITS OFFICERS, ADMINISTRATION, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, ASSIGNED AND/OR CONTRACTORS AS WELL AS ANY DEPARTMENT OR COMMISSION ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY OF CARMEL, INCLUDING ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS,

[00:25:01]

WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN A PIECE OF ART CAME TO US OR DID NOT. WHY DID IT OR WHY DIDN'T IT? PUBLIC ART SHALL MEAN ANY WORK OF ART IN ANY MEDIA IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE IT IS SITUATED IN THE CITY OR WHO SEES IT THAT THE CITY ACQUIRES OR PLANS TO ACQUIRE BY MEANS DESCRIBED IN A FURTHER SECTION ACQUISITION AND ACQUIRE SHALL MEAN OBTAIN THROUGH THE USE OF EXPAND CHUR OF PUBLIC FUNDS OR THROUGH A DONATION BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR CORPORATE ENTITY.

WHETHER FOR-PROFIT OR NON-PROFIT, PERMANENT SHALL MEAN TWO OR MORE YEARS. NOTICE SHALL MEAN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TO THE SITTING PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE.

THE PIECES ARE DEFINED THAT ART PIECE IN ANY MEDIA WITH AN EXPENDITURE GREATER THAN $5,000. THE CITY SHALL NOTIFY THE COMMITTEE 60 DAYS PRIOR TO PROPOSED ACQUISITION.

SO 60 DAYS BEFORE A COMMITMENT IS MADE.

THE COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBILITIES, WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIVING THAT NOTICE OF ANY PROPOSED PUBLIC ART ACQUISITION BY THE CITY PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION D, THE COMMITTEE SHALL MEET AND ISSUE A WRITTEN RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAYOR AS TO WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD ACQUIRE THE PUBLIC ART DESCRIBED IN THE NOTICE AND THE LOCATION OF THE PUBLIC ART DESCRIBED IN THE NOTICE. SHOULD 2 COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY ACQUIRE IT, THE COMMITTEE'S WRITTEN RECOMMENDATION SHALL INCLUDE THE COMMITTEE'S FINAL VOTE ON EACH ISSUE. MEANING LOCATION AND TO ACQUIRE IT. THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ARE ADVISORY ONLY. WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD THAT AND DISCUSSED THAT MANY TIMES.

THE MAYOR RETAINS FULL AND FINAL AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE WHAT PUBLIC ART THE CITY ACQUIRES AND WHERE IT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY. WE HAVE KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD AND DISCUSSED THAT JUST AS MANY TIMES.

THE COMMITTEE'S OPTIONAL WAIVER OF 60 DAYS CAN BE REQUESTED, AND THE MAYOR CAN REQUEST THAT WAIVER AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS COMING A LITTLE FASTER, I NEED YOU TO LOOK AT IT, IT'S GOING TO BE 45 OR 30 OR WHATEVER. I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S EVER BEEN DONE, BECAUSE THE PROCESS BASED ON ACTUAL SUBMISSIONS, THAT'S WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

I WOULD LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUG WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

THAT PROCESS IS NOT BEING USED ON A REPEATED BASIS.

PURCHASE COMMITMENTS ARE MADE BEFORE COMING TO THE COMMITTEE.

EACH OF US UNDERSTAND THIS IS ADVISORY ONLY.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT ADVICE CAN'T BE TAKEN IF THE COMMITMENTS ARE ALREADY MADE. YOU CAN'T UNRING A BELL.

PROJECTS THAT SAID WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE WEREN'T, AND I'LL ZIP THROUGH SOME OF THOSE HERE IN A SEC.

THE COMMITTEE HAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED, THE COMMITTEE, THE PROCESS, THOSE THAT HAVE INPUT OR INFLUENCE NEED TO BETTER DEFINE PUBLIC FUNDS, WHETHER IT'S PROPERTY TAX, TIF FUNDS, YOU NAME IT, USER FEES.

THE COMMITTEE HAS REQUESTED A PUBLIC ART MASTER PLAN AND TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT OR SCOPE TO THE CITY'S PUBLIC ART CONSULTANT THAT WAS CONTRACTED THIS YEAR OR LATE LAST YEAR I BELIEVE THAT CRACK WAS APPROVED AND BE INFORMED OF THEIR SCOPE AND THE OTHER COMMITMENTS THAT THEY MIGHT PROFESSIONALLY HAVE.

THAT'S NOT OCCURRED. BECAUSE MOST OF THESE SUBMISSIONS CAME TO THE COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW OR ADVICE AFTER THE COMMITMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE, COMMITTEE, AS I SAID, IS REALLY REDUCED TO AN AFTER-THE-FACT EXERCISE.

SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES INCLUDE 16-YEAR-OLD JAZZ DREAMS, INDIAN HERITAGE, COSMIC FLOW ONE AND TWO.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE SEWARD JOHNSONS PURCHASED IN 2018.

THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKED TO COME TOGETHER ON AUGUST 15TH AT 6:00 TO REVIEW. WE ALREADY OWN THEM.

THE WORKING COMMITMENT FACILITATED BY CITY AND STAFF AND ART CONSULTANTS FOR THE ROUNDABOUT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND LIBRARY INTERSECTION THROUGH JUST MY INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS, I AM TOLD THAT THAT'S WELL UNDER WAY.

AND NO DISRESPECT TO THE PALLADIUM LIGHT SHOW.

THAT WAS NOT SUBMITTED. WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED FOR THE AT&T, THE WATER TOWER LOCATION, IT WAS AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. WE ASKED MORE THAN ONCE, PLEASE BRING THAT BACK TO US. WE VIEWED THAT AS ART BECAUSE IT IS IN ANY MEDIA. IT NEVER CAME BACK.

[00:30:01]

WE REQUESTED AT THAT TIME THAT THAT INFORMATION IN ADVANCE OF COMMITMENT BE BROUGHT TO COMMITTEE.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION TO DATE.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY OTHER CONCLUSION TO REACH THAN THAT THE PROCESS IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED.

THERE MIGHT BE FROM TIME TO TIME A REASONABLE EXPLANATION, BUT IT HAS BEEN SIX YEARS. SO I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL CONCLUDE THAT THOSE REASONABLE EXPLANATIONS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED TO REVISE THIS PROCESS IN A WAY THAT IF THE INTENT IS TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT THAT REALLY ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN. WE'RE ALL INTELLIGENT PEOPLE.

WE UNDERSTAND CONFIDENTIALITY. WE UNDERSTAND LEGAL CONTRACTS.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO LIKE EVERY PIECE OF ART IN EVERY LOCATION FOR THAT PIECE OF ART.

WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE WAY IT'S WORKING RIGHT NOW IS NOT WORKING. SO GOING FORWARD, I THINK WE HAVE THREE MONTHS LEFT FOR MEETINGS, SO IN 2024, IF THE INTENT IS SINCERE TO OBTAIN PUBLIC INPUT, EITHER EMBRACE THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THE ORDER FINANCE AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN OR TAKE THE LEARNINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THESE FIRST SIX YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER A BETTER APPROACH AND PRACTICE.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS?

>> YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. SALTSGAVER?

COUNCILOR CAMPBELL? >> THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME YOU PUT INTO THE COMMITTEE.

I KNOW THAT MY APPOINTEE HAS LIKE A BINDER.

SHE PUTS A LOT OF TIME INTO IT. >> SHE'S FANTASTIC.

>> ALL OF YOU DO. I'LL JUST SAY, THIS IS NOT WHAT I HAD HOPED THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE.

WHILE IT'S AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I WAS HOPING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM THE COMMITTEE, AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. WE NEEDED PUBLIC INPUT, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT, SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE.

I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME YOU PUT INTO IT.

I HOPE THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION REALLY DOES MAKE THIS A PUBLIC

INPUT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >> OR DON'T DO IT.

ONE OF THE TWO. BECAUSE EIGHT OF US ARE GOING TO SIT THERE ON AUGUST 15TH FOR REALLY NO REASON.

>> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR HANNON?

>> JULIE, THANK YOU, AND I'LL KNOCK ON WOOD.

COUNCILOR CAMPBELL SAID WE CAN SENSE THE FRUSTRATION.

I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND OTHERS.

AND I WOULD JUST SUM IT UP BY SAYING IT'S A DARN SHAME, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ON THIS COMMITTEE ARE NOT ONLY PUBLIC SERVANTS, BUT THEY'RE VERY WELL QUALIFIED TO DO MUCH MORE THAN EVEN THE ORDINANCE DESCRIBES, TO DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN, TO BE MORE OF A COMMISSION RATHER THAN AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND ALSO, TO BE THAT... TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, ART IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, BUT TO QUESTION IT TO, LOOK AT IT FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES BEFORE THOSE PUBLIC FUNDS, FROM WHATEVER SOURCE, AND I DON'T GIVE A DARN WHETHER IT'S TIF DOLLARS OR WHATEVER, IT'S PUBLIC DOLLARS TO DO IT.

SO AGAIN, I WOULD ECHO WHAT COUNCILOR CAMPBELL SAID.

I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE INNED NEXT ADMINISTRATION BOTH FOR THE NEW MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL THAT THEY REVISIT THIS AND BEYOND JUST DOING WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS TO DO, TO ACTUALLY UPGRADE THAT COMMITTEE AND LISTEN TO THAT COMMITTEE, ALSO TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE. OTHER CITIES DO NOT HAVE ADVISORY COMMITTEES. THEY HAVE FORMAL STRATEGIC PLANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. I ALSO SENSE IN THIS UNDERPINNING THAT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT THEY'RE SIMPLY NOT ABLE TOO EVEN DO THE JOB THAT THEY WERE DESCRIBED TO DO. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S WORK AND REALLY APPEAL TO THE FUTURE ADMINISTRATION TO NOT WASTE THIS RESOURCE AND THE USE IT WISELY.

>> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR FINKAM?

>> THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR THOUGHTS TOGETHER TO REPRESENT YOURSELF AND THE COMMITTEE AND THE FRUSTRATIONS YOU'RE EXPERIENCING. I KNOW IT WAS HARD FOR DO YOU BRING DIFFICULT NEWS, SO TO SPEAK, ABOUT SOMETHING WE ALL LOVE SO MUCH LIKE PUBLIC ART. FOR A LITTLE HISTORY FOR THOSE

[00:35:03]

THERE WERE SEVERAL ON THE COUNCIL WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. SEVERAL ON THE COUNCIL, INCLUDING MYSELF, WANTED A FULL COMMISSION.

WE KIND OF LANDED ON THIS HYBRID MODEL.

WE HAD HOPES AND ANTICIPATION THAT THE MAYOR WOULD BEGRUDGINGLY FOLLOW THE PROCESS FOR THE MOST PART, BUT I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SNOWBALLING HERE EVEN IN THE LAST SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS TO THE WORST.

THAT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO YOU AND ALL THE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE. IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN TIME TO APPOINT YOU AND DISCUSS WITH YOU.

MANY OF US HAVE ATTENDED TO THOSE MEETINGS.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE FUND THIS ART AND WANTED THEIR VOICES HEARD.

I AM FRUSTRATED IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE VERY QUICKLY.

THIS HAS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH NEXT ADMINISTRATION.

YOU SAID THEY SHOULD EITHER... THIS ADMINISTRATION, THE MAYOR SHOULD EITHER FOLLOW AND LONG IN SPIRIT OR REVISIT IT WITH LESSONS LEARNED. I THIS I WE CAN DO BOTH.

HE SHOULD FOLLOW THE SPIRIT AND NEXT ADMINISTRATION CAN BLOW IT UP AND REBUILD IT IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES WITH INPUT FROM YOU AND OUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR

LEADERSHIP. >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. SALTSGAVER.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS IS MR. KLITZIN GO WIH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WITH THE QUARTERRY REPORT.

>> GOOD EVENING, MICHAEL CLINTON CLINTON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MY QUARTERLY REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS DOING. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARK PRESIDENT RICH TAYLOR WHO IS PRESENT TONIGHT.

I APPRECIATE THE PARK BOARD'S INCREDIBLE SUPPORT AS WE MANAGE THIS INCREDIBLE PARK SYSTEM. WELL, DR. B STOLE MY THUNDER A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL I USUALLY SAY HAPPY FALL. FOR PARKS, OUR SUMMER SEASON IS LARGELY OVER, ESPECIALLY OUR PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENTS OF IT.

WE HAD OVER 7,200 ENROLLED CAMP CENTERS OUR VARIOUS SUMMER CAMPS. SEVERAL OF THOSE ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE THE CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS TO HOST THESE INCREDIBLE CAMPS FOR THE FAMILIES IN CARMEL AND THROUGHOUT. HONESTLY, WITHOUT THE SCHOOLS BEING ABLE TO USE THEIR FACILITIES IN ADDITION TO THE CARMEL CLAY PARK FACILITIES AND THE NEW FIELD HOUSE THAT THE TOWNSHIP BUILT, BADGER PARK, WE WOULDN'T HAVE NEAR THE CAPACITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. THAT ALSO MEANS IT'S NOW TIME FOR EXTENDED SCHOOL ENRICH. AND OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM.

WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INTERESTED PEOPLE THAT LIKE WORKING WITH KIDS TO SERVE AS COUNCILORS, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN SOME AFTERNOON WORK AND LOVES BEING WITH KIDS, PLEASE SEND THEM OUR WAY.

WE HAVE A $1,000 BONUS FOR NEW HIRES UNDER QUALIFYING CIRCUMSTANCES. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU NEED TO WORK A CERTAIN MINIMUM AMOUNT OF HOURS AND STAY AROUND FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. YESTERDAY WAS THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2023 WATER PARK SEASON. WE HAD 104,180 ATTENDANTS FOR THE WATER PARK THIS YEAR. LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE STARTED CLOSING THE SUNDAY BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SO THE PREVIOUS YEAR IS 2019, FIRST YEAR POST-PANDEMIC. WE WERE CLOSED DURING THE WEEKDAYS BUT TRIED TO STAY OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS THROUGH LABOR DAY. BUT BECAUSE OF STAFFING CHALLENGES, THE LAST TWO YEARS WE JUST HAVE NOT FOUND IT POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. IELT TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. OF COURSE, 020 WAS THE YEAR OF COVID, SO ATTENDANCE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.

WE DIDN'T OPEN UNTIL JULY THAT YEAR ANYWAY.

IN 2021, PEOPLE WERE SORT OF REDISCOVERING WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO IN FACILITIES LIKE THE WATER PARK.

SO THERE'S AN INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP OR INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND PARKS AND RECREATION. WE DEFINITELY SEE THAT IN HOW WE OPERATE AND OUR STAFFING MODELS AS WELL.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE REASON WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE WATER PARK, IT'S IN THE BECAUSE OF CARMEL SCHOOLS, BUT IT'S BASED ON THE GENERAL

[00:40:04]

89 OF OUR 142 SEASONAL LIFEGUARDS THIS YEAR OR 63% WERE AGED 17 OR UNDER. 75% OF THOSE UNDER 17 ARE ACTUALLY CARMEL RESIDENTS. THE REST, THE ASSORTED.

WERE FROM FISHER, WESTFIELD AND INDIANAPOLIS, AN ASSORTMENT FROM EACH OF THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THROUGHOUT THE AREA IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SURROUNDING CARMEL, THEY ALL STARTED BETWEEN JULY 31ST AND THE LAST TO GO IN IS AUGUST 13TH.

AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLERS THAT ARE WORKING FOR US, IT REALLY MINIMIZES OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY% STAFF THE WATER PARK AND ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT OR EVEN MEET THE STATE RATIOS.

YOU ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, IT'S NOT JUST LOCAL SCHOOLS. IT'S ALSO COLLEGES.

IU PERDUE AND IPUMP PY GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON THE 21ST.

BALL STATE ON AUGUST 22ND. A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS START GOING BACK THE CAMPUS A WEEK BEFORE.

SO EFFECTIVELY NEXT WEEK. SO YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE ALL OF OUR YOUNGER STAFF, YOU KNOW, THE 37% THAT ARE OVER 18, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS TOO.

SO IT'S JUST PRACTICALITY OF THE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE AND THINGS THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS TO OUR OPERATION SCHEDULE. IT ALSO DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON EXTENDED SCHOOL ENRICHMENT. LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VACANCIES RIGHT NOW. IT'S APPROXIMATELY 20.

WE NEED REALLY TEN MORE TO BE AT THE RATIOS THAT WE WANT.

20 GETS US ABOVE THE RAISCHORS, WHICH IS WHERE WE ALWAYS PREFER TO BE. AND IF YOU TAKE A CONSIDERATION OF JUST SCHOOL-TIME, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS GET OUT AT 2:25 P.M., THE HIGH SCHOOLS GET OUT AT 4:05.

AND WE USED TO RELY PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO HELP US STAFF THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM.

NOW IT IS ALMOST TWO HOURS BEFORE A LOT OF THE HIGH SCHOOLERS, UNLESS THEY'RE GOING FROM CARAMEL HIGH SCHOOL THE CARAMEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEFORE THEY CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE AND GET TO THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITES.

SO IT CREATES SOME CHALLENGES AND BEING ABLE TO INCLUDE THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE USED TO, BECAUSE BY THE TIME THEY CAN GET TO US, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR PEAK HAS ALREADY HIT AS FAR AS ATTENDANCE AND PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ARE STARTING TO PICK UP THE KIDS. NOW, I WILL GIVE INCREDIBLE CREDIT TO CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE WORKING ON A PROGRAM TO BRING INTERS INTO VARIOUS TYPES OF OPERATIONS, INCLUDING ESC.

SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRY THE FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN BRING SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLERS INTO THE PROGRAM AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY CAN RECEIVE CREDITS FOR THE WORK THEY'RE DOING, PLUS HAVE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

SO YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS HAVE WORKED VERY COOPERATIVELY WITH US TO HELP ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE, BUT THESE ARE THE REALITIES THAT WE FACE. AND WITH THIS WATER PARK SEASON, EVERY WATER PARK SEASON ALWAYS HAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US.

AND THIS YEAR THE NEW EXPERIENCE, THE GREATEST NEW EXPERIENCE IS THE QUALITY OF THE AIR.

I CAN SAY THAT I PROBABLY NEVER EXPECTED TO CLOSE A WATER PARK IN CENTRAL INDIANA DUE TO SMOKE FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

BUT THIS IS A REALITY THAT NOT ONLY HERE IN CENTRAL INDIANA, BUT A GREAT PORTION OF THE UNITED STATES WAS FACING.

SO LITERALLY ON MY PHONE, I DO HAVE AN APP, AND A LOT OF MY STAFF DO. THROUGHOUT THE WATER PARK SEASON, WE WERE CHECKING THE AIR QUALITY.

WE DID ACTUALLY CLOSE ONE DAY TO TO AIR QUALITY, AND WE HAVE NOW ESTABLISHED STANDARDS FOR BOTH OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR OPERATIONS THAT ARE OUTDOORS, INCLUDING OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF ON HOW TO HANDLE IT WHEN WE'RE IN ORANGE, RED, OUR PURPLE.

OF COURSE, IF WE EVER GET TO MAROON, YOU KNOW, WE ALL NEED HELP. SO ANYWAY, WE DO HAVE PROTOCOLS NOW IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ESPECIALLY THE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR SUMMER CAMPS, WE LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE DAYS THAT IT'S ORANGE OR RED. IF IT GETS TO PURPLE, WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO EVEN GO OUTSIDE EXCEPT FOR WHEN THEY'RE COMING AND GOING. AND THEN THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROTOCOLS FOR THE STATE, FOR OUR STAFF, AND WATER PARK STAFF THAT

WORK OUTDOORS. >>> MOVING ON TO DIFFERENT TOPICS, YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE WHITE RIVER GREENWAY EXTENSIONIVELY NORTH OF 116TH STREET.

WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PRELIMINARY PLAN AND SUBMITTED A $2 MILLION MIXED-LEVEL TRAILS GRANT APPLICATION TO FUND FIRST SECTION OF SOUTH EXTENSION SOUTH OF 116TH STREET.

THIS WOULD BE ABOUT 1.2 MILES THAT WOULD GO THROUGH HAZEL LANDING PARK AND INTO THE RECENTLY NEWLY UNDER PARK'S CONTROL, THE BLUE WOODLANDS CREEK PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE'VE INTEGRATED THAT INTO HAZEL LANDING PARK.

THE GOAL IS TO EXTEND IT FURTHER ALONG THE RIVER.

TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 2.5 MILES OF EXISTING TRAIL THAT STARTS IN RIVER ROAD PARK AND GOES UP TO A LITTLE BIT SOUTH OF THE CONOR

[00:45:08]

SO COLLECTIVELY HOPEFULLY WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS WE'LL BE AT 5.3 MILES OF THE WHITE RIVER GREENWAY.

NOT ALL OF IT CONTIGUOUS YET. WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.

THERE WILL BE TWO REMAINING SEGMENTS.

WE'RE WORKING WITH CITY ENGINEERING AS WELL AS SOME OF IT WILL BE SOLELY UNDER PARK'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FULFILL THE REMAINING GAPS. DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ROUTE OBVIOUSLY UNTIL WE EITHER HAVE EASEMENTS AND ACQUISITIONS TO COMPLETE THAT. BUT WE ARE WORKING TRULY ALL IN ON THE WHITE RIVER GREENWAY. I AM ALSO PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT MEADOW LARK PARK WAS ANNOUNCED AS ONE OF THE FINALISTS FOR THE MONUMENTAL AWARDS PUT OUT BY THE INDY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.

WHEN LOOKING AT THE COMPETITION, WE DEFINITELY HAD THE THE MOST MOST FUN OF THE THREE COMMISSIONS.

AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING OUR NEW MASTER PLAN.

WE DO THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS THE GUIDE MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGH AND ESTABLISH GOALS FOR THE PARK SYSTEM.

ONE THING THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT IS PUBLIC INPUT.

WE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THE RESULTS FROM OUR 2023 COMMUNITY INTEREST AND OPINION SURVEY. THIS IS A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY. WE HAD 412 RESPONSES, WHICH GIVES US BASICALLY ALL THE NUMBERS ARE PLUS OR MINUS 4.8% OF THE 95% CONFIDENCE LEVEL. IN OTHER WORDS, THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO IF WE DID THE SURVEY AGAIN AND AGAIN IN A STATISTICALLY VALID MANNER, WE GET THE SAME RESULTS PRETTY CLOSE. BROAD REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO SEE, FROM A PARKS STANDPOINT, WE DO HAVE SIX PLANNING ZONES THAT WE LOOK AT.

NOT EXACTLY THE SIX DIFFERENT DISTRICTS FOR THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT SOMEWHAT SIMILAR SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE GOALS AND VISIONS AND VIEWS OF OUR RESIDENTS BASED ON GENERAL AREA OF THE COMMUNITY.

I MIGHT GO THROUGH ALL OF THE VARIOUS RESPONSES, BUT SOME KEY HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IN THE PARK BOARD WILL HEAR SOME OF THIS INFORMATION TOMORROW AS WELL.

ONE QUESTION THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN WITH THE PARKS SYSTEM IS HOW IMPORTANT PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES AND OPEN SPACE ARE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND RESIDENTS. 99% OF OUR RESPONDENTS SAID THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT OR IMPORTANT.

AND THE 1% THAT DIDN'T DO THAT SAID IT WAS AT LEAST SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT SOME NO ONE SAID IT WASN'T IMPORTANT TO PARKS.

WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY NOTABLE TO ME IS THAT FOR THOSE THAT SAID IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT, IT WENT YEAR'S SURVEY.

SO YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE THE COMMUNITY IS RECOGNIZING IS IS HIGHER AND HIGHER.

I THINK PART OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COVID-19 AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT PARKS AND OPEN SPACE WERE SO IMPORTANT THROUGH THAT AND PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO USE THE OUTDOORS.

THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION THAT WE'VE DONE YEAR AFTER YEAR WHEN WE'VE DONE THE SURVEY IS HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE OVERALL CONDITION OF OUR PARKS. 99% OF RESPONDENTS SAID EXCELLENT OR GOOD. THAT'S 1.1% TICK FROM LAST TIME.

BUT LOOKING AT THOSE THAT RANKED US AS EXCELLENT, WE WENT FROM 63% IN 2018 TO 71% IN 2023. SO AGAIN, THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT WE'VE PUT INTO THE PARKS LARKLY BECAUSE OF THE CLAY TOWNSHIP IMPACT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY OUR RESIDENTS.

ONE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS IS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A NEED FOR MORE OPEN SPACE IN PARKS IN THE COMMUNITY? AND 63% OF OUR RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. 23% SAY THEY'RE SUPPORTVE.

SO 86% TOTAL SUPPORT THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THAT'S ACROSS ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE AREAS THAT EVEN WERE ABOVE THE COMMUNITY-WIDE AVERAGE, THE NORTH CENTRAL, 70% SAID IT.

THERE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. 67% IN SOUTHWEST CARMEL AND 66% IN NORTHWEST CARMEL. SO DEFINITELY -- AND THAT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT MORE PARKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF CARMEL THAN WE DO ON THE WEST SIDE OF CARMEL.

AND THEN ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE, BEAR CREEK PARK, IT REALLY FELL OUT HOW I WOULD EXPECT.

39% OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE, AND OVER

[00:50:01]

THERE IS A LOT MORE DATA IN THERE.

WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING AT SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT PROGRAMMING ELEMENTS. SO WE'LL BE DIGGING VERY DEEPLY WITH THE PARK BOARD TO ANALYZE THIS AND WE W WILL HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PARK BOARD AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, IDEALLY A COUPLE OF THOSE TO GO OVER THE FEEDBACK WE'RE RECEIVING, START IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES FOR THE PARK SYSTEM FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND ALSO TO BEGIN ESTABLISHING AND FINALIZING THE MASTER PLAN. AND THERE IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

WE DO HAVE AN ONLINE SURVEY OR YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE RIGHT NOW. THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO AN ONLINE SURVEY. WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK. WE LOOK AT IT AND USE IT TO MAKE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. LASTING BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE CITY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC TO OUR REDEDICATION CEREMONY NEXT MONDAY AUGUST 14TH AT 5:00 P.M.

WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL COMPONENT THAT.

PARK WAS SIGNIFICANTLY UPGRADED THANKS TO THE CLAY TOWNSHIP IMPACT PROGRAM. BUT THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE PARK THAT INCLUDES THE MAIN PLAYGROUND, THE SPLASH PAD, THE PICNIC AREAS WILL BE DEDICATED AS THE JIM ENGLEDOW COMMONS.

HE SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS PARK BOARD PRESENT AND WAS ON THE BOARD FOR BOTH OF OUR GOLD MEDAL AWARDS AND CERTAINLY IS A PILLAR OF THE PARK SYSTEM AND A HUGE GIVER TO THIS COMMUNITY.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECOGNIZING HIM.

MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WILL BE PRESENT FOR THAT AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE EVERYONE COME OUT TO CELEBRATE AND ALSO TO COMMEMORATE MR. ENGLEDOW. WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS

ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE. >> VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CAMPBELL?

>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. WHAT IS THE RATIO OF STAFF TO CHILDREN FOR THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM?

>> WE STRIVE TO BE AT LEAST 15-1.

AND IDEALLY 12-1. >> OKAY.

BECAUSE I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO SEE THE STARTING PAY IS $13 AN HOUR FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT MANY CHILDREN.

I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM A LOT OF PARENTS WHO ARE ON WAIT LIST FOR THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND A LOT OF SITTERS MAKE MORE THAN $13 AN HOUR FOR FEWER KIDS IS.

THERE ANY ROOM IF THE BUDGET TO BUMP THAT UP? ARE YOU IN LINE WITH DAYCARES THAT PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL CARE?

>> EXCELLENT QUESTION. WE ARE CONSTANTLY REEVALUATING WHAT WE PAY NOT ONLY THIS POSITION AND ALL OUR POSITIONS.

WE ARE THE HIGHEST AFTER-SCHOOL CARE PAYER FOR OUR STAFF, SO WE ARE AT THE HIGH END OF THAT AND VERY COMPETITIVE WITH THE DAYCARE CENTERS AS WELL. SO WE ALSO DO OFFER PAID BENEFITS FOR THAT FROM RETIREMENT TO DISCOUNTED RATES AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL AS HEALTH BENEFITS.

SO WE DO STRIVE TO BE A MARKET LEADER WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE ARE DEFINITELY A NATIONWIDE CHALLENGE AND THE AFTER SCHOOL CARE INDUSTRY. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO TRY TO -- IF WE THOUGHT THAT PAYING, YOU KNOW, $20 AN HOUR WOULD GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, WE CERTAINLY WOULD DO THAT, BUT THE REALITY IS WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THROWING MONEY AT IT IS THE SOLUTION. IT'S FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN A VERY TIGHT MARKET. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE

COMPENSATION. >> OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR PARKS? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

I AM GOING TO MOVE ON TO 12A, WHICH IS OLD BUSINESS, THIRD

[12. OLD BUSINESS]

THIS WAS SENT TO FINANCE, UTILITIES, AND RULES COMMITTEE.

WE HAD OUR MEETING TODAY. IT NOW COMES BACK TO US WITH THE AMENDED, WE'RE STILL ON VERSION A, THE AMENDED DOCUMENT THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF.

THIS COMES BACK WITH A 4-0 POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION.

ITEMS OF NOTE, I HAVE MR. OVERLANDER HERE AND MR. CASHMAN SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT ITEMS OF NOTE IS WE WERE SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH THE 10, UP TO 10 PARKING SPACES ON MONAN BOULEVARD THAT WOULD BE 15-MINUTE ZONES. WE HAVE COME UP WITH A PLAN TO MAKE THOSE FROM W ELM TO WEST WALNUT STREET AND THOSE WOULD BE

[00:55:02]

SO IT'S OBVIOUS TO THE PUBLIC. AND THOSE WILL BE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED, MOST LIKELY, IN THESE GROUPS, BUT IF THERE IS A REASON TO GO IN A DIFFERENT SPOT, THE ENGINEER WILL HAVE THAT LUXURY.

WE ALSO DEALT WITH THE, AS YOU REMEMBER AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE TRIED TO PLACE TEMPORARY NO PARKING SIGNS ON ROLLING HILLS DRIVE BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD ADDRESS THAT.

WE HAVE DONE SO AND MODIFIED IT FURTHER BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORS. THAT WILL BE IN EFFECT ON EITHER SIDE OF ROLLING HILLS UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2023.

AT ANY TIME THEREAFTER ON EITHER SIDE OF THE DRIVE TO 146TH TO A POINT 300 FEET SOUTH, BASICALLY NOT MAKING THE WHOLE STREET NO PARKING. SO THAT WAS A GOOD MODIFICATION THAT CAME OUT OF THAT. THERE WAS SOME HOUSEKEEPING ISSUES. MR. OVERLANDER, WOULD THAT GET US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN VOTE, OR DO YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? OKAY.

COUNCILOR FINKAM? >> POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WASN'T LINE 55, WASN'T THAT ONE FOR EVERY FIVE, 25 ON EACH SIDE,

TEN FOR TWO SIDES? >> JEREMY I'LL ASK YOU TO HIT THIS MIC FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AND CARE ABOUT THEIR

PARKING SPACES. >> YOU WANT TO REPEAT THAT.

>> YES, JEREMY CASHMAN, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.

I THINK IN A PREVIOUS VERSION IT WAS FIVE, BUT WE CHANGED THAT NO FOUR JUST BECAUSE THERE IS SOME VARIANCE IN THE NUMBER OF SPACES ALONG. THERE BUT THEN IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS, WE DO HAVE HANDICAP SPACES AS WELL, AND THOSE ARE COMPLETELY TAKEN OUT OF THE EQUATION SINCE THEY'RE THEIR OWN

SPOTS. >> I DON'T THINK WE HAD FIVE.

I GUESS IT'S NO MORE THAN, SO IT LEAST IT DOESN'T HURT US AS FAR

AS TAKING TOO MUCH PARKING. >> CORRECT.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

APPRECIATE IT. >> ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN RIDER. >> MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU.

MR. CASHMAN, I WANTED TO CLARIFY THE ROLLING HILL.

THE 3400 FEET IS TO THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE NEW TOWN HOMES,

CORRECT? >> IT'S ACTUALLY JUST A LITTLE BIT PAST THE PROPERTY LINE, BUT IT STILL GIVES THE PROPERTY OWNER TO THE SOUTH OF THE TOWN HOMES THE ABILITY TO HAVE AN ON-STREET PARKING SPACE SHOULD THEY HAVE VISITORS OVER.

>> OKAY. I ALSO WANTED TO ASK, COUNCILOR FINKAM WAS TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SPACES.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE NUMBER THAT ARE IN HERE ARE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER. YOU CAN APPROVE LESS.

THAT'S TO YOUR DISCRETION? >> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

>> THANK YOU. >> MR. OVERLANDER, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL, JUST ONE MORE AMENDMENT THAT WE MADE TO VERSION A, THAT'S ON LINE 145 SUGGESTED BY COUNCILOR FINKAM.

THAT CHANGES INSTEAD OF SAYING PGA BMW CHAMPIONSHIP TO A MORE GENERIC PROFESSIONAL GOL TOURNAMENT.

>> ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

COULD I GET A MOTION. >> MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.

>> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE.

IT CARRIES. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO -- WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY, SO WE'LL NOW MOVE ON THE ITEM 14

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

SPONSORED ARE COUNCILORS WORRELL, AASEN, FINKAM, GREEN,

AND NELSON. >> MOVE TO INTRODUCE.

>> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILOR AASEN. >> THIS RESOLUTION EXPRESSES THE CARMEL COMMON COUNCIL'S SUPPORT FOR THE CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS 2023

OPERATING REFERENDUM. >> ALL RIGHT.

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I ASKED COUNCILOR AASEN TO BE PREPARED TO READ THE RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD PLEASE.

>> ALL RIGHT. WHEREAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE STATE OF INDIANA CHANGED THE WAY IT PROVIDES FUNDS FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION FUNDS, RELYING ONLY ON SALES AND INCOME TAXES, HOWEVER, SALES AND INCOME TAXES ARE NOT A STABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE, EVEN IN THE BEST ECONOMIC TIMES, AND WHEREAS CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS IS THE SECOND LOWEST-FUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICT PER STUDENT IN THE STATE OF INDIANA, AND WHEREAS 13 YEARS AGO, THE CITIZENS OF CARMEL PASSED A REFERENDUM TO HELP FUND THE CCS OPERATING BUDGET BY INCREASING THE TAX LEVY RATE TO 16 SINCE FOR THE YEARS 2011 THROUGH 2017, AND WHEREAS THE 2011 REFERENDUM WAS

[01:00:05]

OPERATING REFERENDUM. >> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU COUNCILOR AASEN. JOHN, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT A MINOR CHANGE TO LINE 32. DID THAT GET DONE?

I'M LOOKINGWHAT WAS -- OKAY. >> I READ THE CORRECT VERSION.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

VERY GOOD. FOR ANY OF THOSE THAT WERE CON DURING, COUNCILOR FINKAM INI TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, JUST CLARIFYING THAT. SO I APPRECIATE IT.

IT WASN'T A BIG CHANGE, MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR.

ALL RIGHT. SO I AM -- BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS, AIM LOOKING FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT

OR COMMENT ON THIS RESOLUTION. >> MR. PRESIDENT?

>> YES? >> DR. B, CAN I BORROW YOU AT

THE MICROPHONE? >> OKAY.

>> IT'S SAFE. DON'T WORRY.

MOST OF THE COMMENTS I'M GETTING FOR PEOPLE ARE POSITIVE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AS YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY OVER 16 YEARS, THE NUMBER-ONE REASON PEOPLE MOVE TO CARMEL IS OUR SCHOOLS.

SO WHOEVER MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT SCHOOLS BEING OUR FOUNDATION, IT'S A CORRECT STATEMENT.

THE FEW NEGATIVE COMMENTS I COULDN'T ANSWER.

AND THEY SAID, OKAY, IF WE PASSES THIS ONE MORE TIME FOR EIGHT YEARS, WHAT IS A WAY TO FIND REVENUE OVER NEXT EIGHT YEARS THAT WOULD REPLACE THIS BEFORE IT CAME UP AGAIN.

AND I SAID, I HAVE NO CLUE. THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO GET THE REVENUE, ISN'T IT?

>> THE ONLY TWO WAYS WE GET REVENUE FOR THAT IS WHATEVER THE STATE GIVES US AND THEN THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER THE STATE GIVES US, WHICH IS ABOUT 20% OF OUR EDUCATION FUND.

SO, NO, THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER WAY THAT WE CAN LEGALLY RAISE MONEY A OTHER THAN FOR THE TAX PAYERS TO CHOOSE TO TAX

THEMSELVES. >> I NEEDED YOU TO SAY THAT.

YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION. I NEEDED YOU TO SAY THAT.

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT YOU UP.

THE MAJORITY, THE HIGH MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS I'M GETTING ARE POSITIVE. PEOPLE WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO STAY

WHERE THEY'RE AT. >> YEAH.

WELL, CARMEL, THE COMMUNITY HAS A STANDARD.

IT'S A HIGH STANDARD. AND WE WANT TO KEEP THAT

STANDARD. >>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. I'M SORRY.

COUNCILOR NELSON. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

AS WE PREPARE TO VOTE TONIGHT ON A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CONTINUATION OF OUR SCHOOLS' OPERATING REFERENDUM, I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN REITERATE MY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE UPCOMING REFERENDUM IN OUR CARMEL CLAY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE CARMEL VOTERS LAST PASSED THIS REFERENDUM WITH AN 89% OF THE VOTE IN 2017, AND IF IT WERE TO NOT PASS AGAIN THIS YEAR, THE DISTRICT SAYS ONE IN FIVE TEACHERS COULD LOSE THEIR JOBS AND OUR CLASS SIZES WILL INCREASE. OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT. JUST AS IT DID IN 2017, MY HOPE IS THAT THIS YEAR'S REFERENDUM VOTE TRANSCENDS POLITICS AND IS SOMETHING WE CAN ALL UNIVERSALLY AGREE TO SUPPORT.

[01:05:01]

THEY ARE A NUMBER-ONE REASON YOUNG FAMILIES MOVE HERE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR GREAT CITY EVEN GREATER.

WHILE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL DO NOT MAKE DIRECT DECISIONS ON SCHOOL POLICIES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DEFEND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS WHEN THEY ARE THREATENED.

WE HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE POLARIZATION THAT HAS OCCURRED IN NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES WHEN WELL-FUNDED OUTSIDE GROUPS SUCH AS MOMS FOR LIBERTY HAVE INTENTIONALLY SEWED DIVISION BETWEEN PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND THEIR SCHOOLS.

SO FAR I AM PROUD THAT WE HAVE KEPT THIS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR FROM INFLUENCING CARMEL'S WORLD-CLASS SCHOOLS.

THAT IS JUST NOT WHO WE ARE. AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE FALL REFERENDUM VOTE, I WOULD CHALLENGE ALL OF US TO BE LOUD AND OPEN ADVOCATES FOR ITS PASSAGE AND TO COMBAT ANY MISTRUTHS OR FALSE REPRESENTATIONS THAT OPPONENTS MAY SPREAD ABOUT IT. THIS IS A MOMENT FOR SERIOUS LEADERSHIP, AND I PUBLICLY VOICED MY SUPPORT FOR THE REFERENDUM SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN EARLY MAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES JOINING ME IN AFFIRMING THEIR SUPPORT TONIGHT AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. PRESIDENT?

>> THANK YOU, MR. NELSON. COULD I SPEAK TO NOW COUNCILOR

CAMPBELL? >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

DR. B, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

SO IF YOU COULD APPROACH. ALL THREE OF MY KIDS WENT THROUGH CARMEL SCHOOLS. INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER, WHO HAD LEARNING DISABILITIES. SO I KNOW THE QUALITY OF CARMEL SCHOOLS. DON'T QUESTION IT.

BUT I THINK IT'S OKAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO QUESTION, IS THIS NECESSARY? WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? SOMEBODY ASKED, HOW DO WE KNOW HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT.

IS YOUR BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOLS POSTED SOMEWHERE? LIKE NEXT MONTH WE GO INTO BUDGET SEASON, SO WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND THEN IT WILL BE FORMALLY INTRODUCED TO THE COUNCIL. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR BUDGET?

>> IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY EMBILL WELDED IN INDIANA CODE.

BUT PROBABLY THE EASIEST ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS THAT EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, ONCE A MONTH ON A REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, MR. MCMICHAEL, OUR CFO, DOES A REPORT SOME THE PUBLIC CAN SEE EVERY MONTH EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING SPENT, EXACTLY WHAT'S IN ALL THE FUNDS, AND WHERE IT GOES.

IT'S A VERY TRANSPARENT PROCESS. SO HE BUILDS THE BUDGET AND SCHOOL BUDGETS ARE VERY, VERY COMPLICATED AS YOU CAN GUESS, BUT THAT ALSO IS PRESENTED AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

WE HAVE SEVERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THAT BUDGET.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW THE CITY'S PROCESS, BUT OURS IS QUITE LENGTHY AND INTRICATE. IT IS VERY SIMPLE.

EVERY BUDGET FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IS ON OUR WEBSITE FROM ALL THE PAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SO YOU CAN GO BACK FOUR, FIVE YEARS, AND SEE EXACTLY HOW THE BUDGET HAS BEEN WORKED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO IT'S VERY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S

VERY TRANSPARENT PROCESS. >> ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILOR FINKAM. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

WE ARE A SET OF THOSE PARENTS WHO MOVED HERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SCHOOLS. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN LAWRENCE OR TAKE OUR KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL OR MOVE HERE TO CARMEL. WE CHOSE WILLINGLY TO COME HERE, AND I AM SO GLAD WE DID, BECAUSE OUR SON HAD A TOP-NOTCH EDUCATION AND TOP-NOTCH OTHER EXPERIENCES WITH ACADEMICS AND OTHER EXTRA CURRICULARS THAT HE WOULD BE HAVE GOTTEN ELSEWHERE.

AND AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE ARE IN THE CITY OF CARAMEL AND SO MANY AREAS, WHETHER IT BE THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK OR OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR SCHOOLS ARE ONE OF OUR CROWNING ACHIEVE. S.

AND THEY ARE OUR BEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL.

SO IT'S IN THAT SPIRIT THAT I SUPPORT THIS REFERENDUM AS I DID IN 2011 AND AS I DID IN 2017 AND I CAN'T SEE NOT DOING IT IN THE FUTURE EITHER. BUT I DO ALSO CONCUR AND WHY WE WROTE INTO THE RESOLUTION, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE THEMSELVES WITH INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE SO THEY FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR DECISION TO SUPPORT THIS REFERENDUM LIKE I DO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> COUNCILOR AASEN? >> THANK YOU.

FIRST OFF, I AM SUPPORTING THE REFERENDUM ENTHUSIASTICALLY.

I SUPPORTED IT. I WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL, BUT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO EMPLOYED MR. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, I SUPPORTED BOTH THE SAFETY REFERENDUM AND THE LAST OPERATING REFERENDUM AND WRITTEN OP-EDS AND WILL SUPPORT THIS AGAIN, BUT I DO KNOW WE HAVE THREE MONTHS TO GO.

MORE THAN THREE MONTHS BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THIS.

SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT, I AM

[01:10:01]

IF YOU'RE ON THE FENCE, KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

PLEASE MAYBE ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND TRY THE LEARN MORE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME BEFORE THE. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH IT, I KNOW THE EXPEDITION PROGRAM, I KNOW MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THE CROWD HAVE BEEN TO THAT IN THE COUNCIL.

GREAT WAY TO LEARN WHERE ALL THE MONEY GETS GOING FOR THE SCHOOLS. I DO WANT THE READ A LITTLE STATEMENT THAT I WAS LEASED ON FACEBOOK TODAY EXPRESSING MY SUPPORT FOR THE REFERENDUM. "STRONG COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT ON STRONG SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND FOR DECADES CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS HAVE RANKED AMONG THE TOP IN THE STATE AND 95% OF CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS GOES ON THE COLLEGE.

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. AS A CITY, CARMEL CONSISTENTLY RANKS AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AND OUR TOP-RANKED SCHOOLS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN ATTRACTING FAMFAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND INVESTMENT.

OUR TEACHERS CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOLS AND IN ORDER TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE BEST TEACHERS, WE HAVE RELIED ON SCHOOL REFERENDUMS. TIME TO RENEW THE REFERENDUM TO MAINTAIN OUR FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOLS IS THIS YEAR, I GIVE IT MY FULL SUPPORT.

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN KEEP CARMEL SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS STRONG." SO CONTINUE ASKING QUESTIONS, BUT I WILL BE VOTING YES TONIGHT AND SUPPORTING THIS REFERENDUM.

>> VERY GOOD. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I PASS THE GAVEL TO VICE PRESIDENT CAMPBELL? ALL RIGHT. I WOULD ASK TO BE RECOGNIZED.

>> PRESIDENT WORRELL. >> THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE ACTUALLY PREPARED SOME COMMENTS THAT I AM NOT ONLY ADDRESSING MY COLLEAGUES HERE AT THE DAIS, BUT I ALSO DO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE OF CARMEL, THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT.

BECAUSE THIS RESOLUTION ASKS THE COUNCIL TO ENDORSE AND SUPPORT A TAX REFERENDUM OFFERED BY THE CARMEL CLAY SCHOOL BOARD.

I TAKE THAT DUTY VERY SERIOUSLY. OVER THE PAST MONTH I HAVE MET WITH OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TALKED WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS COUNCIL, AND ENGAGED IN A VERY ACTIVE CONVERSATION WITH MANY CONSTITUENTS ON THE ISSUE OF THIS REFERENDUM.

AND I HAVE RESEARCH AND QUESTIONED THE CURRENT FINANCES AND THE PROPOSED REFERENDUM. I HAVE ENGAGED IN AN ACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH VOTERS THROUGH MY NEWSLETTER, SOME OF THEM ARE HERE, AND I HAVE ENGAGED IN AN ACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH VOTERS THAT HAS OFTEN BEEN ANIMATED. BUT MY GOAL WAS TO LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES OF THE QUESTION. SO THE BOTTOM LINE TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE AT THE DAIS IS THIS: DO WE WANT TO REPRESENT A CITY THAT HAS THE NUMBER-ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE STATE AND ONE OF THE VERY BEST IN THE NATION? IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT STATUS AS NUMBER ONE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO INVEST, AND I HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT AND EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY.

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO RETREAT. THIS IS NO TIME TO PUT THE FUTURES OF OUR YOUTH AT RISK. WE LIVE IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD.

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS A PROVEN RECORD OF EXCEPTIONAL SUCCESS.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE BUT ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO PROTECT. THIS IS ABOUT A COMMITMENT TO STAY AT THE. TO HAVING SAID THAT, I CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT OUR VOTES IN NOVEMBER COULD POTENTIALLY GIVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL AN EIGHT-YEAR GUARANTEE OF REVENUE BASED ON A TAX RATE OF 19 CENTS PER $100 AT CURRENT ASSESSED VALUATION. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THIS RATE EACH AND EVERY YEAR. SO BASED... THAT'S BASED ON CIRCUMSTANCES. SO AGAIN, I DO NOT TAKE THAT DECISION LIGHTLY, AND I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLICLY ASK THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD NOT SPEND MORE MONEY THAN IT NEEDS AND DO AS IT DID IN THE SAFETY REFERENDUM AND NOT SPEND THE MONEY IF IT'S NOT NEEDED. I TRUST THAT WILL HAPPEN.

I SEE DR. B NODDING HIS HEAD. EIGHT YEARS OF GUARANTEED REVENUE IS UNIQUE IN OUR GOVERNMENT TAXATION POLICY.

A VOTE IN 2023 COMMITS THE TAXPAYER TO AN EXTENSION OF REFERENDUM TAXES FOR EIGHT YEARS THROUGH 2031.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE ASSESSED VALUATION HISTORICALLY IS LIKELY TO INCREASE SO THE FIXED RATE OF 19 CENTS WILL STAY THE SAME, BUT THE DOLLARS COLLECTED WILL INCREASE AS WELL.

TO THAT POINT, THAT IS WHY I MADE THE POINT ABOUT NOT SPENDING THE MONEY IF IT IS NOT NEEDED.

I WANT TO BE HONEST WITH THE TAXPAYERS.

WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR A SEAT ON THIS COUNCIL IN 2015, I MADE A COMMITMENT TO BASE MY DECISIONS ON FACTS AND DATA AND THEN ACT

[01:15:01]

BUT THE WORDING OF THE BALLOT QUESTION THIS TIME IN 2023 IS DIFFERENT, AND IT'S CREATING SOME CONFUSION AND CONCERNS FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. SO I WANT TO ADDRESS IT.

HERE AND HOPEFULLY ALLAY ANY CONCERNS FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WRITTEN TO ME WHO ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.

SPECIFICALLY THE BALLOT QUESTION READS, AND MAYBE YOU HAVE NOT READ IT YET, YOU WILL BE STANDING IN THE VOTING BOOTH, "THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REQUESTED IN THIS REFERENDUM WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED BY THE VOTED CENTERS 2017 AND IF EXTENDED WILL INCREASE THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX PAID TO THE SCHOOL CORPORATION PER YEAR ON A RESIDENT WITHIN THE SCHOOL CORPORATION BY 28.3% AND IF EXTENDED WILL INCREASE THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX PAID TO THE SCHOOL CORPORATION PER YEAR ON A BUSINESS PROPERTY WITHIN THE SCHOOL CORPORATION 28.3%.

THAT FRANKLY SCARED SOME OF THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT.

SO I AM HERE TO ADDRESS IT. THE FACT IS THIS REFERENDUM -- AND IT MAY NOT BE NEWS TO ANYONE HERE IN THE ROOM, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT IS NEWS TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING -- THIS REFERENDUM AS WE ALL KNOW IS A REPLACEMENT OR AN EXTENSION OF THE 19 CENTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 2017. THE 017 PREVIOUS 19-CENT REFERENDUM TAX IS EXPIRING. WE KNOW THAT.

THE REMAINING RATE WOULD BE 67 CENTS AFTER THE 19 CENTS WAS ELIMINATED. STATE LAW I'M TOLD REQUIRES THE DISCLOSURE OF INCREASES THAT THIS NEW REPLACEMENT REFERENDUM WOULD IMPOSE. THAT CALCULATED INCREASED AMOUNT IS 28.3% AND IS BASED ON THE 19-CREDIBLE ADDED BACK ON TO THE PRE-REFERENDUM RATE. WHILE THIS CREATED A LOT OF CONCERN AND QUESTIONS, WHAT IT MEANS IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE: THE FINAL RATE RETURNS THE 19 CENTS AND RESULTS IN A TOTAL SCHOOL RATE EQUAL TO THE CURRENT AMOUNT.

I HOPE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE E-MAILED ME HEARD THAT.

NOW, THE WORDING WAS UNFORTUNATELY CONFUSING, CAN'T HELP IT. OUR SCHOOLS CAN'T HELP IT.

THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT HAS TO BE.

THE END RESULT IS THAT THE 2023 REFERENDUM WILL RESULT IN EXACTLY THE SAME TAX RATE AS EXISTS TODAY.

SO A BETTER QUESTION WOULD BE FOR ME WHETHER THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IS DOING A GOOD JOB OF MANAGING THE SCHOOL FINANCES. A COMPARISON OF THE CARMEL RATE WITH OTHER COUNTY SCHOOL RATES SAYS TO ME ABSOLUTELY YES.

WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.

THE SCHOOL RATE AS I JUST SAID IS 86.3 CENTS FOR CARMEL.

HAMILTON HEIGHTS IS $1.46 CENTS. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN IS $1.18.

WESTFIELD $1.23. NOBLESVILLE IS $1.29.

AND WE ARE CHASING THE NUMBER-ONE POSITION MAYBE IN THE STATE FOR SURE BUT AS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONES IN THE NATION.

NOW, WHILE IT SHOULD NOT GO UNNOTICED THAT CARMEL'S RATE IS NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN ITS NEIGHBORS, PART OF THAT CREDIT IS THE RESULT OF A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF CARMEL AND THE SCHOOL CORPORATION AND THE CITY FRANKLY TO CREATE A STRONG ECONOMIC BASE.

I ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU TO CALL RODGER MCMICHAEL.

HE HAS GREAT STATISTICS. THE QUESTION REMAINS: IS THIS REFERENDUM A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR OUR CITY? YES. OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN OUR BEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNER BECAUSE OF THE HIGH QUALITY OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE ARE ABLE TO ATTRACT HIGH-QUALITY BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES. THE REALITY IS THOSE BUSINESSES PAY TAXES, AND OUR RATIO, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUSINESS-TO-RESIDENTIAL TAXES IS ROUGHERLY 30%.

OUR NEIGHBORS IS 8%. THAT IS HOW WE CAN KEEP YOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES LOW. THE SECOND REASON IS THE STABILITY OF HOME VALUES THAT OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTRIBUTE TO A CITY. THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPERTY VALUES AND THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE THIRD REASON, MY FAVORITE, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE OFFER TO OUR CHILDREN. A DIPLOMA FROM CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL, COMING THROUGH THE CARMEL CLAY SCHOOL CORPORATION IS A RESPECTED AND VALUED CREDENTIAL AS MANY OF US ON THIS DAIS KNOW ALL TOO WELL. SO WHILE OUR COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE DIRECT GOVERNANCE OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOL CORPORATION, I

[01:20:03]

I DID NOT MEAN ANY DISRESPECT. I SIMPLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SHOW FISCAL CLARITY AND PERHAPS SHOW GOOD FAITH WITH THE TAXPAYERS, THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT. NO SURPRISES HERE.

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL IS AN ESSENTIAL PARTNER IN OUR ECONOMIC CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SUCCESS.

I MOVED HIRE AND I BELIEVE MOST FAMILY CHOOSE CARMEL BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE EXCELLENT. AND SO THIS IS A TIME FOR LEADERSHIP AND, FRANKLY, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS ENTIRE RESOLUTION. THIS IS A TIME FOR ACTION.

THIS IS A TIME FOR ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND BY VOTING TO EXTEND THE PREVIOUS REFERENDUM AND ENSURE OUR CHILDREN DON RECEIVE THE VERY BEST OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED, I WILL VOTE YES, NOT ONLY FOR THIS RESOLUTION, BUT FOR THIS REFERENDUM. LY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN A POSITIVE BUT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.

>> MADAM VICE PRESIDENT? >> COUNCILOR RIDER?

>> AS USUAL, MR. WORRELL, VERY WELL SAID.

PRESIDENT WORRELL, I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING AFTER THAT.

I WAS GOING THE MAKE A MOTOR MO, BUT SOMEBODY ASKED ME, I HAVE NO KIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHY SHOULD BY PAYING THE EXTRA MONEY? BECAUSE YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH WHAT IT'S WORTH IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF HOPEFULLY WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE MAYOR AND OURSELVES, BUT SCHOOLS AS WE SAY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THAT. SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS, IF WE DIDN'T DO THIS, WE WOULD PROBABLY HARM OUR PROPERTY VALUES. I WOULD ALMOST SAY THAT FOR SURE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE THE NUMBER-ONE REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE COMING AND YOU DON'T FUND IT PROPERLY AND KEEP IT THE LEVEL IT IS, IT INEVITABLY WOULD HARM OUR PROPERTY VALUES. WITH THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE A

MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

MOTION CARE RISK UNANIMOUSLY. AND RESOLUTION PASSES.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE, AND COUNCILORS FOR YOUR TIME AS

WELL. >> WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 14B, FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE D-2675-23, AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 9, SECTION 8-120 OF THE CARMEL CITY CODE.

CORRESPONDENTSERS ARE COUNCILORS WORRELL, AASEN, AIRED, FINKAM, AND RIDER. COULD I HAVE A MOVE TO

INTRODUCE, PLEASE. >> MOVE TO INTRODUCE.

>> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE. WE HAVE COUNCILOR FINKAM, WOULD

YOU LIKE TO READ IN T SYNOPSIS. >> SURE, THIS ORDINANCE ADDS ADDITIONAL STOP SIGNS ON CITY STREETS.

>> ALL RIGHT. WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS ONE? OKAY.

JEREMY CASHMAN. >> GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. JEREMY CASHMAN, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL STOP SIGNS IN TWO LOCATIONS. ONE IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MAIN STREET AND VETERANS WAY. THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF MULDOON'S AREA. AND THE OTHER ONE WE'RE ADDING IN HERE IS AT 3RD AVENUE NORTHWEST AND 1ST STREET NORTHWEST. SO STARTING OFF AT VETERANS AND MAYNE STREET. WE TEMPORARILY PUT STOP SIGNS IN DUE TO LOCATIONS IN TRAFFIC PATTERNS DUE THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN ALSO JUST FROM WHEN WE GO LOU THE PROCESS OF WARRANTING A STOP SIGN, THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC ON VETERANS WAY, BOTH VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS AT THE INTERSECTION WARRANT A STOP SIGN AT THIS INTERSECTION. SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING IT THIS TIME. THEN ALSO AT 3RD AVENUE NORTHWEST, THIS LOCATION IS NORTHBOUND AND THEN IT IMMEDIATELY MAKES A RIGHT-HAND TURN, AND THERE'S TOWNHOMES THERE. THERE ARE SIGHT ISSUES.

WE WANT TO STOP THE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC THAT.

WAY IF ANYONE IS IS COMING WESTBOUND OR THOSE PROPERTY

[01:25:02]

>> OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. CASHMAN REGARDING THE DETAILS OF THIS?

THIS IS A FIRST READING? >> MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE WE SUSPEND THE RULES AND ACT ON THIS THIS EVENING.

>> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT.

ANY DISCUSSION ON SUSPENDING THE RULES?

PLEASE VOTE. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK WE

MIGHT HAVE TO DO A VOICE VOTE. >> OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL

THE ROLL. >> COUNCILOR?

>> AYE. >> AYE.

>> >> AYE.

>> AYE. >> COUNCILOR AASEN.

>> AYE. >> AYE.

>> [INAUDIBLE] >> AYE.

>> [INAUDIBLE] >> AYE.

>> OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT CARRIES.

WE WILL NOW -- I WILL NOW TAKE A MOTION.

>> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. PLEASE VOTE.

WE'RE GOOD THAT. MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE SUCCESSFUL ON ITEMP .M. MOVING TOC. RESOLUTION CC-08-07-23-02, A RESOLUTION OF THE COME COP OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA, EXPRESSING INTEREST IN THE PURCHASE OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES VALUED AT OVER $25,000 AND ASSOCIATED WITH CITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. SPONSOR IS COUNCILOR WORRELL.

MOVE TO INTRODUCE. >> SECOND.

>> OKAY. SYNOPSIS, AUTHORIZES THE PURCHASE OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES VALUED AT MORE THAN $25 THAW THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR VARIOUS ROAD AND MULTIUSE PATH IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. MR. CASHMAN?

>> THANK YOU. THIS IS... THIS LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE BRINGING BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A COLLECTION OF THE PROPERTIES FROM THE PROJECTS IN THE LAST BOND THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED. SO THIS IS COLLABORATION OF A LOT OF MULTIUSE PATH PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON AS WELL AS A COUPLE OTHER INTERSECTION PROVE. PROJECTS.

>> ALL RIGHT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

FOR MR. CASHMAN? >> YES.

>> DR. HANNON? >> THANK YOU.

JEREMY, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING QUESTION NUMBER ONE.

THIS IS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PACKETS, IT'S EIGHT-PLUS PAGES OF VERY SMALL PRINT OF LOTS AND LOTS OF ADDRESSES AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE.

THAT WAS QUESTION NUMBER ONE. THESE ARE ALREADY APPROVED PROJECTS. NOW WE H TO DO... A LOT OF THIS ENDS UP PAYING FOR A RIGHT-OF-WAY.

IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> THAT SECOND THING JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, ALL WE'RE DOING IS SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S OVER $25,000, SO ALL OF THESE GO OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.

HOW ACTUALLY IS THAT DONE SUCH THAT WE GET IT AT FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THIS AND WHO DOES THAT?

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. SO AS WE DEVELOPED THE PROJECT, WE WILL GET INTO THE DESIGN. THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS GO GET A SURVEY DONE SOME IF YOU SEE FLAGS IN YOUR YARD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S JUST A SURVEYOR TRYING TO GET ALL THE LANDMARKS AND ANY UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, SO WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A GOOD PLAN. AND A LOT OF LOCATIONS, WE HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY THAT IT'S ON, AND A COUPLE LOCATIONS LIKE SUCH AS WESTFIELD BOULEVARD, WE'RE KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD MOST MAKES SENSE TO PUT A MULTIUSE PATH ON. THEN ONCE WE GET THE DESIGN FAR ENOUGH, WE'LL DO WHAT WE CALL A RIGHT-OF-WAY ENGINEERING.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I TURN IT OVER TO A CORPORATION COUNCIL'S OFFICE. WE'LL DO BACK HISTORY RESEARCH ON THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW EVERYONE WHO HAS AA FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE TEAM OF APPRAISERS AND BUYERS THAT WORK THROUGH CORPORATION COUNCIL'S OFFICE SO THEY ESTABLISH THE FAIR MARKET VALUE AND THEN WE

TENDSER THEM AN OFFER. >> THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR FINKAM? >> JEREMY, WHAT DOES THIS APPROXIMATELY TOTELE? IT'S OVER $25,000 OBVIOUSLY, BUT

BALLPARK? >> THAT I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE RIGHT NOW. JUST BECAUSE --

>> I KNOW YOU HAVE NEGOTIATED A THING.

I'M CURIOUS. >> I KNOW WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE MULTIUSE PATH PONDS, I THINK WE WERE SOMEWHERE IN THE $2 MILLION

TO $3 MILLION IN RIGHT-OF-WAY. >> [INAUDIBLE]

>> YES. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. EVERYBODY GOOD? THIS IS A RESOLUTION. I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION.

>> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE VOTE. THAT CAR TAR RISK.

[16. OTHER BUSINESS]

MOVING ON NOW, I THOUGHT THE BEST NEWS EVER WAS GOING TO BE

[01:30:05]

I APOLOGIZE I GOT THESE RESUMES TO YOU LATE.

HE COMES HIGHLY QUALIFIED. IF YOU WOULD ACCEPT COUNCILOR CAMPBELL'S REFERENCE AND OUR BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALL THAT, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER HIM AND ASK COUNCILOR FINKAM IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

>> COUNCILOR CAMPBELL. >> EXCUSE ME.

I'M LOOKING THAT WAY. SORRY.

HEARING NONE, ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS?

>> MR. PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE NOMINATIONS AND

NOMINATE SANTASH RAJMAIN. >> SECOND.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE WE CLOSE NOMINATIONS.

>> ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A CANDIDATE.

DO WE VOTE ON THIS? OKAY.

BY ACCLIMATION. HE'S IN.

MR. RAJMAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STEPPING FORWARD AS A CPA TO SERVE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT.

IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I DO ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING FORWARD. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY TONIGHT? HEARING

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.