CITY COUNCIL MEETING 12/5/11

Tonight's city council meeting was relatively quiet. I guess everyone wants to end the year on a positive note, or they are thinking about the holidays.

First of all I want to commend Josh Lawrence, an Eagle Scout candidate who changed those ugly rocks on the hillside near the river from "welcome" to a beautiful sign spelling New Albany.  If they ever re-open the Sherman Minton Bridge we will have to pleasure of seeing this sign daily.  Josh was helped by his father, Asst. Police Chief Mike Lawrence and members of his troop.

Now back to the meeting:

R-11-31 Benedetti
Cost of Living Recognition Payment for non-bargaining employees.  The amount was determined by their years of employment. The funds were part of an appropriation from the EDIT Fund which has been left unused. For 49 employees the total of the bonuses was $45,750. Instead of the usual show of hands CM Coffey asked for a roll call. It was passed with 5 Yay votes and 3 Nay (Coffey,Price,McLaughlin) (CM Messer was absent)

G-11-16 Coffey 1 & 2
Amendment to the Abandoned Vehicle Non-Reverting Fund.  The proceeds from the fines will be used to pay the expenses for a tow-in-lot and offset fuel costs for the police and fire departments. Passed 8-0.

G-11-17 Price 1 & 2
Amendment to the noise regulation. This was a clarification to the original ordinance with specific fines for each offense.
$50.00 1st offense, $100.00 2nd offense. Passed 8-0

G-11-18 Coffey 1 & 2
This was the Ordinance authorizing $6,000,000 in  Sewage Works Revenue Bonds.CM Coffey tabled this for now and asked to chair the standing committee.

A-11-26 Coffey 2 & 3
Ordinance for the Appropriation of Rainy Day Funds $500,000 for MVH (Street Dept.) and $100,000 for the Parks Dept. Passed 7-1 CM Zurschmeide cast the Nay vote.

A-11-27 Caesar 3
Final vote on the Ordinance for the Appropriation of EDIT Funds. This was the 2.3 Million dollars transferred to the General Fund to balance the budget.Passed 6-2 with CM Price & CM Zurschmeide voting Nay.

There were a few tabled Ordinances which were withdrawn. 

The meeting went pretty smoothly, especially considering the lengthy agenda.  Let's hope this trend continues.