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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 1, 2025 Council Minutes COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA December 1, 2025 Regular Meeting Minutes The Common Council of the City of Jeffersonville, Indiana met for the Regular Meeting on December 1, 2025. Council President Stoner along with City Clerk Gill called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.The meeting was open to the public in person as well as live streamed via the City Website using Zoom. INVOCATION: Led by Council Vice President Burns PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: ROLL CALL: The roll call was conducted by City Clerk Lisa Gill and present in Council Chambers were Councilperson White, Council Vice President Burns, Councilperson Semones, Council President Stoner, Councilperson Reed, and Councilperson Hawkins. Councilperson Anderson, Councilperson Webb and Councilperson Snelling were absent. Let the record reflect that 6 Council Members were present in Council Chambers and 3 were absent. Daniel Walters, Council Youth Advisor was present for the proceedings. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve the Minutes for Regular Proceedings on 11/17/2025, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0. CLAIMS TO APPROVE: Civil City$ 1,811,149.15 Councilperson Semones made a motion to approve the Civil City Claims, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0. Parks$ 87,755.81 Councilperson Semones made a motion to approve the Parks Claims, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0. REPORT OF THE CLERK: None REPORT OF THE YOUTH ADVISOR: Daniel Walters addressed the council in regards to an email he had sent them the previous week. He informed the council that he would be sending another more detailed email the next day with an outline of dates and times. 4 I UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. Zach Stewart 2025-OR-53 Ordinance Amending 2008-R-29 Resolution Establishing a Merit Board for JFD (As Amended 2009-R-18 &2011-OR-45 (Ordinance Reaffirming the Authority of the Jeffersonville Fire Merit Commission) Zach Stewart, attorney for the Fire Merit Board: "I didn't know if anybody had any more questions after the last hearing, but I think the chief summed up the department's needs.This is not a situation where we're asking you to adopt a specific plan tonight — that would be the merit board. We're just asking you to grant the merit board the authority to investigate what the best option would be for creating this kind of secondary list.This is a methodology that's been used by other departments, as well as the Jeffersonville Police Department currently." There were no questions from the council. Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-53, seconded by Councilperson White; motion passed, 6-0 on the 3rd and final reading. 2. Heather Metcalf 2025-OR-54 Ordinance of Additional Appropriation Heather Metcalf, the city's controller, informed the council that she had no changes from the previous meeting. Council President Stoner opened the public hearing for anyone who wanted to speak for or against the ordinance at 6:06 PM. No one stepped forward to speak, President Stoner then closed the public hearing at 6:07 PM. President Stoner then asked if there were any questions from the council. Councilperson White: "So right now, in the General Fund, we're at 14.64%. Will this take us further below the 15%?" Mrs. Metcalf: "No, I need to add this revenue to that miscellaneous revenue. I tried to get that on your report today." Councilperson White: "Oh, and I apologize, because it didn't come up, so I can't see the budget line. So this will add the revenue to that, so it'll increase and get us closer to the 15%?" Mrs. Metcalf: "Yes." There were no further questions from the council. Councilperson Semones made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-54, seconded by Council Vice President Burns; motion passed, 6-0 on the 3`d and final reading. 3. Heather Metcalf 2025-OR-55 Ordinance Transferring Certain Funds Within the Same Department Heather Metcalf, the city's controller, informed the council that she had no changes from the previous meeting.There were no questions from the council. Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-55, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0 on the 3`d and final reading. NEW BUSINESS: PUBLIC COMMENTS: Chad Snow; 403 Crestview CT. Jeffersonville, IN Mr. Snow: "Good evening, I'm pleased to be here this evening and I appreciate your attention. My name is Chad Snow. I'm the civic engagement director at an organization called "Do Something Southern Indiana". We're a grassroots organization that began earlier this year around April or May. I joined in August of this year. We have about 600 nominal members, and we are interested in promoting democracy and justice and informed civic action in Southern Indiana. We are interested in supporting immigrant rights as one of our major areas of emphasis, and we also are interested in preserving the appropriate separation between church and state in our public schools. We're also interested in increasing civic engagement generally within our communities, and that's the area where I have a particular focus. We're doing a number of things, including voter outreach, as well as trying to produce civic education materials, and in particular, I'd like to talk this evening about a program that we've implemented called `Conversations That Matter".These "Conversations That Matter" workshops are individual standalone events that last about 90 minutes from start to finish. In these sessions, we invite people from across the political ideological spectrum to come into a room, sit down together and sit across the table from one another, and learn to listen to one another. We've held one of these already in early November at the Clarksville Library. We had about 24 attendees, and the response was really favorable and pleasing. People who attended said that they felt it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning. It was refreshing to hear someone speak respectfully about their opinions and to be heard and listened to. We're going to continue to do these listening sessions, and my request to the city council this evening is to consider whether you or any of your personnel or friends and family might be interested in participating in something like this. It's something that means a lot to me personally, and I suspect it means a lot to you as leaders in the community to find ways to bridge the divide that sometimes we perceive in our civic dialogue. With any time I have remaining, I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have. I should tell you our next session will be held on Wednesday, December 10th at 6:00 PM at the Clarksville Library." Councilperson White asked Mr. Snow to repeat when the next session will be, Mr. Snow informed him 4 that it will be Wednesday, December 10 at 6:00 PM at the Clarksville Library. Councilperson Reed: "I would like to say thank you. He's my constituent and he's amazing. I got to attend your last session, and it was just wonderful. It was wonderful the way you laid it out, and how both sides could come together and have those conversations and just understand each other better. And he's downplaying it a little bit because they've done this civic engagement, but they've also socialized it in other ways. I think there's a painting session, there was a park walk." Mr. Snow: "I think you might be referring to our social committee." Councilperson Reed: "But it's really interesting to see we're having the conversations that matter, but we're also learning how to interact with people again in such a productive way, and I just applaud you for undertaking that. It was a really great session and I recommend it to everybody here." Councilperson Semones: "Do you have a date set for January?" Mr. Snow: "We do not have a date set for January, but we are partnering with the NAACP in Clark County.They're going to sponsor one probably in mid-January at their meeting group. Each time we do this, I expect that there will be a slightly different partisan mix. Our first one leaned a little liberal, but we did have some people from both sides of the aisle.The more we can find that balance, the better it will be." Bev Flick; 3029 Pebble Brook Jeffersonville, IN Mrs. Flick: "The reason I'm here tonight, I would like to ask you about changing the fireworks ordinance for July the 4th. I would like to understand why that one night is an hour longer, and I understand that the policemen are overworked, but this year alone, there were people down at Thomas Jefferson putting off fireworks.There were people at the park that's out off of Charlestown, out by Buttonwood, they were putting off fireworks. I called the police department's non-emergency number at 12:05, the last fireworks I heard were at quarter to one. Having worked in a hospital and having to be at work at 6:30 in the morning, if there's still fireworks going off at 12:30, I've got an emergency the next day at the hospital and I'm working a 12-hour shift on five hours of sleep. I think if you guys were that person that I was working on, I think you'd be concerned about that. I think that we need to consider perhaps that there are senior citizens among us who have cancer, our family members may have cancer.They may be living with us or whatever,they need their rest, and if fireworks are going off at 12:30 at night,just about the time they're getting ready to go to sleep. I'm just not sure why that one night the ordinance goes until 12:00 when all the rest of the nights it's 11:00, and there's a lot of public fireworks, and I would appreciate it if you would consider changing that to at least 11:00, thank you." Councilperson Semones: "Mrs. Flick, I just want to thank you for coming. I know we love when our citizens come and engage with us on a real level with whatever their concerns are. I know that can sometimes be a little nerve-inducing, but I appreciate you being here and thank you for your work as a nurse. My mama has been a nurse for over 40 years, so you wonderful people hold a place near and dear in my heart. As I understand it, your request is for us to make the fireworks ordinance have an 11:00 shutoff each night?" Mrs. Flick: "Also, I was just wondering if it would be possible for some of the fireworks places that sell fireworks to put that ordinance out and make it so that if you buy fireworks, you get a copy of this ordinance." Councilperson Semones: "I think that's a great idea. I think education for our citizens is really important because I didn't read a fireworks ordinance until I got elected, but it was one of the first things that came to my attention. I'm not a big fireworks fan. I have a real problem with the environmental implications of fireworks, but I know that it's a tradition in this country. It was here before I got here, and it's going to be here when I leave. But I'm happy to take a look at that, and I love your idea about educating people by handing out that information, and I appreciate you being here. Thank you, Ms. Flick." 4 4 President Stoner: "Thank you, I would like to just echo Councilperson Semones' statement thereafter that comment. I was on a ride-along recently with JPD, and we actually started hearing some fireworks going off. Of course, I said to the officer immediately, "This is one of the biggest complaints that we get as council people, is I think on fireworks." I think we all can at least say we've gotten one or two emails on that topic. We were actually able to find the person that was doing it, and it was an education moment for that officer to explain our city ordinances. It is a very difficult issue to address, but I'd also be willing to communicate further with council members on that and see if there's anything that can be addressed." James R. McClure Jr.; 1006 Hazelwood Ct. Clarksville, IN Mr. McClure: "As I always begin, all lives matter. I would just like to take a moment to reflect upon the two West Virginia Guardsmen, Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe. Unfortunately, Sarah passed away recently and Specialist Wolfe is still fighting for his life. Any prayers or thoughts you may have on their behalf would be greatly appreciated by the family, and any condolences to their family would be greatly appreciated. As a veteran, it strikes me deeply to know that people that we had aided overseas were brought here,given refuge in this country, and then attacked those same people who had helped defend them in their home country. Not to be too down, we are at the beginning of the Christmas season. Everybody please be aware of your neighbors and try to be as positive and cheerful as you possibly can be when people are racing to get something that you may want, or getting in your way, or driving in a less than fully aware fashion. Again, thank you for all the hard work you guys do, and Merry Christmas to everyone, and I will continue to be fighting for your liberty." 1. Heather Metcalf 2025-OR-56 Ordinance Transferring Certain Funds Within the Same Department Heather Metcalf, the city's controller, explained that the ordinances being presented were end- of-year transfers, noting that this is normal for this time of year. She further explained that they are typically combined into one ordinance, but due to some recent changes, they were split into three. She stated that the first transfer was for the Motor Vehicle Highway fund, allowing the street department to move funds into "other supplies." The second transfer was for the animal shelter, and she clarified that a correction was needed—the second line should indicate funds going into building supplies, not both lines going into training. The final transfer, she noted, was for the IT department to cover their hardware. There were no questions or discussion from the council. Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-56, seconded by Council President Stoner; motion passed, 6-0 on the 15t and 2"d reading. 2. Heather Metcalf 2025-OR-57 Ordinance Transferring Certain Funds Within the Same Department There were no questions or discussion from the council. Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-57, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0 on the 1st and 2"d reading. 3. Heather Metcalf 2025-OR-58 Ordinance Transferring Certain Funds Within the Same Department There were no questions or discussion from the council. Council Vice President Burns made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-OR-58, seconded by Councilperson Reed; motion passed, 6-0 on the 1st and 2" reading. ATTORNEY COMMENTS: Larry Wilder—No comment Les Merkley—Not Present DEPARTMENT HEADS: No comment. COUNCIL COMMENTS: • Councilperson White— No comment • Council Vice President Burns— No comment • Councilperson Semones—"I'm almost at the end of my second year in this position, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be of service to my fellow citizens. If you're one of them, bring me something to work on. I'm grateful to have had a new level of engagement in my community, building those bonds with our department heads, our administration, and learning more about how the city works. So, I just wanted to mark the mid-point of my term with a moment of gratitude and a call to action. If there's anyone out there who has something they want worked on, like Mrs. Flick and her fireworks issue, I'm your tool. I'm here to work for you— bring me something to do." • Councilperson Anderson—Absent • Councilperson Reed—"First of all, that was wonderful, I can't believe we're two years in. I sent out an email to everybody about our Habitat for Humanity, with information including where we funded it from last year and ideas to fund it for this year. I know that $50,000 is a large chunk, so there is the option to split it between this year's budget and next year's budget. If we needed to do that, we would probably need to get it on the agenda before the end of the year, please respond to that email. I know Mr. White has given me a response, and if we don't want to do that, that's completely fine too.They are hoping to build two more homes in our area next year on Riddle Street. If you haven't been by that community, it's beautiful, it's wonderful. There are kids playing outside, it is what community looks like to me. But I am one of nine, so please respond with your thoughts so we can get it on the agenda or not before the end of the year. We can always wait and consider the funding next year. I just thought that with a tight budget, it would be good to split it." President Stoner: "Do you have any sort of thoughts about specific funds or anything like that 4 yet?" Councilperson Reed: "It had been from Civil City. I know we have some left in the Unhoused Fund, but I know that there had been other ideas for that. But I feel like we need to make some kind of decisive move before the end of the year. I just thought this was an easy one to split so that we have funding next year too. So it's really up to the council as to where they bring it. I don't want to push anybody in any direction. I just wanted to make sure that we took a proactive step on the issue." Councilperson Semones: "I'd love to see it on the agenda for next time. I'd be happy to support it out of our Homelessness Fund or any other fund geared toward that kind of work. I think Habitat for Humanity does the kind of work that is really unique in that it requires a lot of engagement and buy-in. I have a former client, a graduate of recovery court, and she did her 240 hours of work with Habitat so that she could buy a home. She regained custody of her children, whom she had lost during her case, because she now had a home and a job and was sober, it's life-changing—cold chills. You cannot underestimate the people who become involved in this program and put in the work.They really are the folks we want in our community, and I would love to support that, and I hope you will too. And if you want to meet my lovely, wonderful client who's a benefit of this home, she would love to come talk to you all, she's amazing." Councilperson White: "Just a little bit of history—when you turn onto Riddle Street, if you've been there, the first few houses were started with the Jeffersonville Housing Authority.The plan was to do exactly what Habitat is completing, and there were two houses in the back as well. But then, for whatever reason, they did not complete the project. So it's really a wonderful thing that Habitat has come in and filled those spaces, in partnership with the Jeffersonville Housing Authority, to build homes and provide housing at a very affordable rate. The buy-in is really incredible once you learn about it.They also help build the homes, and I think Councilperson Reed participated in a Women Build day." Councilperson Reed: "Riddle Street and New Albany now." Councilperson White: "Yeah, so it's really good that we did help with the homes that are completed and people have moved in. I would absolutely support further building of homes." Vice President Burns: "I had the opportunity to help build those houses that are on Riddle Street, and it was a great program for the people that moved in there. But the issue that I saw was that the Housing Authority didn't have a pool of buyers or a way to find people that would qualify, and the program was through HUD, and it was difficult for people to qualify. They were going through credit counseling and trying to qualify, but they had to have buyers in advance of building the house. So it seems like Habitat is doing a little more outreach and has a bigger buyer pool." President Stoner: "So, I would also like to add to the discussion. I want to check on the HUD grant money that we get, I believe we have a fund specifically for that. I don't know if there is a way to potentially loop any of the opioid settlement funds into those. I know that we have somewhat of a concept of a plan for the mobile command center and potentially usage of some of those dollars for that. Just to give a heads up, we've got$40,000 in the opioid settlement unrestricted fund and $158,000 in the restricted fund. I want to get the numbers on that HUD grant money so we can potentially see if that could be a usage for the houses. I also don't know if there's an economic slant to it. We have $388,000 in that economic abatement fund, so that could potentially be an option as well. I don't know if that's fully there, but just adding to the 4 conversation on that." • Councilperson Webb—Absent • Councilperson Hawkins—"It sounds like we may be doing some of the fireworks ordinance, maybe you're working on that? I have lost that vote twice in my ten years here to limit that. So, I would be more than happy to support cutting back the hours, as Mrs. Flick suggested. So if you're doing a head count, put me on that side, because that is something that I've always found to be borderline ridiculous. I know there's a problem with enforcement and it's impossible. Just because you pass an ordinance doesn't mean anybody gives a damn, they're still going to do it. But at least, I think, we're trending in making the right decisions. So put me down for a yes, and other than that, I have no comment." • Councilperson Snelling—Absent • Council President Stoner—"All right, I don't have much, I just wanted to say again, I appreciate the discussion that we had last meeting on the homelessness. I think this has happened several times where we've had a meeting and there's been a conversation, and then that conversation sparks other conversations and they go into a really positive direction. I think, as Councilperson Reed mentioned, we still have, I think it's around $38,000 or maybe a little less, that's available. But I think what's been kind of frustrating for me, and maybe it's been frustrating for others as well, is that it does seem like we have to have more of a comprehensive approach to the unhoused and the homelessness, and it doesn't seem like that's really happening right now. I know people have definitely tried, and I think everybody remembers when we sat here in 2024 and I told all three of those homelessness leaders that they needed to work together in order to fix this problem. So maybe there's a way internally that we can give more assistance when it comes to case management. I've continued to have conversations with folks in the community that say that case management is our biggest opportunity, because we can have as many resources in the community as we want, and we have a lot of resources in the community. But if we're not connecting those individuals to those resources and tracking them while they're on our streets, it's going to make it very difficult to get them off the streets, which is everybody's goal. So again, I just appreciate where that discussion started us off at our last meeting, and I hope that it continues." ADJOURNMENT: Council President Stoner made the motion to ADJOURN the meeting at 06:32 p.m. DISCLAIMER: These minutes are a summary of actions taken at the Jeffersonville City Council meetings. The full video archive of the meeting is available for viewing at www.cityofjeff.net for as long as this media is supported. APPROyD BY: 4. 1 Evan-S4e1er, Council President . ATTEST: L)sa Gill, Clerk