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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS1995 STATE OF TIlE CITY ADDRESS Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council, Mr. Spencer and concerned citizens of Jeffersonville. This is the "State of the City" address to inform each of you of the progress and condition of our City in 1994 and a small preview of some things I believe should be accomplished in 1995. First, I would like to personally thank the members of the City Council, my department heads, every City employee and all of the citizens who serve as appointed members of the various boards and commissions of the City, who have all helped me and the City throughout the last year. STREET DEPARTMENT It would seem to me that the biggest and most notable change in the City of Jeffersonville in the last year has been the streets. When I took office I promised to try and address some of the basics, including the roads, which seemed to have decayed over the years prior to my election as Mayor. Due to the winter storm that paralyzed Louisville for nearly a week, with its record breaking low temperatures and icy conditions, the fulfillment of that campaign promise became as much a matter of necessity as it was the right thing to do. 2 Thanks to a payment in lieu of taxes from the Sewage Utility, and some other creative budgeting from our City Clerk Treasurer, Dick Spencer, the City was able to pave many of the decaying streets in town. At this time I feel confident in saying the streets are in better condition than at anytime in recent memory. In 1995 we hope to continue to pave streets on an as needed basis. In June 1994 the State let a contract for the second phase of Market Street. Because of the extensive repair work, it has been a major inconvenience to residents and businesses who live in that area and travel Market Street and Utica Pike. Fortunately, the project is nearing completion and, whether permitting, should be opened to traffic in less than a month. The new sidewalks, curbs, gutters and drainage systems which have been installed are a dramatic improvement to what is one of the most heavily travelled roads in Jeffersonville. In an effort to continually improve the health and appearance of our community, the City has recently purchased another vacuum type street sweeper. Now we have two highly functional sweepers to keep our streets cleaner than ever before. POLICE DEPARTMENT 3 1994 saw a few face changes in the Police Department. In 1994 Police Chief Rick Elliott retired from the department after many years of dedicated and exemplary service to Jeffersonville. Under his leadership, progress was achieved and the professionalism of our Police Department was enhanced. Fortunately, when Chief Elliott retired to take a position with the Parks Department, a young, well trained and able Assistant Chief was ready to succeed him. Our new Chief, Charles Elder, has been at the helm of the department for nearly five months and already is becoming comfortable with the duties and responsibilities expected of him. Although Chief Elder is not the oldest or most experienced officer on the department, he is among the best trained, having graduated from the FBI National Academy. With the promotion of Charles Elder to Chief, Major Charles Thompson became the new Assistant Chief of Police. Due to retirement of some of the older officers, two new officers have been hired for the Police Department. The abundance of well-qualified applicants made the task of finding suitable replacements easy. The biggest problem was to narrow the final choices from among the applicants. The new officers are a welcome addition to the department and will no doubt maintain or improve the high standards which the police department has set 4 for itself. For 1995 1 feel it is important to continue to upgrade the aging fleet of police cruisers. Several new vehicles were brought on line in 1994. It is my intention to continue to upgrade the fleet to insure the standards we expect our officers to maintain. Administratively, I have asked Chief Elder to develop a better system for providing officers with comp-time in a timely manner, rather than allow the accumulation of hours and hours of overtime. FIRE DEPARTMENT 1994 was another progressive year in the Fire Department because Jeffersonville developed a HAZMAT response vehicle in conjunction with the Town of Clarksville. It is one of those things you hope you never have to use but feel assured knowing that in case of a chemical accident or disaster, it is ready to perform. The City has never been better equipped to handle emergencies as it is now. Chief Dooley and Assistant Chief James have done an excellent job on this project, in addition to handling their other day to day responsibilities. In 1995 the Fire Department needs to take stock of its equipment and develop a long term plan for replacement of the aging fleet of trucks and other vehicles. We also need to consider the growth of the eastern end of 5 town due to the continued development of the Clark Maritime Centre, the Northport project and the opening of 1-265 to Highway 62. ANIMAL SHELTER In 1994 our Animal Shelter, under the new leadership of Ed Voyles, continued to perform their function well by controlling the population of stray and loose animals and providing an adoption program for those people from our community who were seeking a pet. In fact, the adoption rate is up -- meaning the number of animals which must be destroyed is down. Director Voyles is a seasoned administrator who stepped in as temporary director on short notice when an internal investigation and State Board of Accounts audit investigation indicated some irregularities in the payroll records. Recently I named Mr. Voyles as the permanent director of the shelter, based upon the fine work that he has demonstrated to date. Hopefully he will continue to maintain the high standards for the treatment of animals which has been the trademark of Jeffersonville in recent years. RECYCLING The Board of Public Works, with the assistance of Les Kavanaugh and with strong support from the Council, has been able to advance to the forefront of the governments in Clark County when it comes to environmental issues. In 1994 a contract for pick up of yard waste was signed and a contract was recently executed with the Clark County Solid Waste Management District for the composting of that yard waste. This year I expect to further refine the composting program and to attempt to make it self-supporting. This should encourage alternative uses of yard waste materials the way the law intended. Full scale recycling of household waste was also initiated in 1994, again in conjunction with the Clark County Solid Waste Management District. This has been funded through the increased tipping fees at the Clark/Floyd Landfill and has been achieved at no additional cost to the City. SEWAGE DEPARTMENT In 1994 the City had its first full year at the new wastewater plant location. Because of the new treatment techniques and efficient management of the facility, offensive odors are practically non-existent. Complaints are at a record low and are hardly ever received. One of the most exciting things with regard to the Sewage Department started in May 1994. That was the awarding of a contract for Operations and Management Services. The City hired EMC (Environmental 7 Management Corporation) to operate the collection system and plant. In turn this is saving the City hundreds of thousands of dollars which are being spent on maintenance and infrastructure improvements which makes our system better for our current users and more attractive to potential businesses and developers. The transition to EMC operating the system has gone smoothly. In addition to the treatment aspect of the wastewater treatment plant, the sewage collection office, which is managed by Jim Marra, has continued doing an excellent job collecting delinquent sewer fees. Literally tens of thousands of dollars have been collected again this year. These collections, in addition to the monies saved by hiring EMC, make it unlikely that a sewage rate increase will be necessary, unless revenues are reduced for some reason. PARKS DEPARTMENT The Parks Department is now being headed by Donnie Poole after former director Roger Caldwell resigned in May. Donnie is a long time employee who has worked his way to the directors position after performing nearly every job in the department at one time or another. Donnie's experience in parks, along with Rick Elliott's administrative skills and 8 experience, make for a great combination. The Parks Department has continued to surpass previous attendance records at its public events such as Halloween in Warder Park and Christmas in the Park. Recently the Parks Board renamed the old Ingramville Park to honor Mr. Bob Hedge, a local businessman who has given thousands of hours and raised thousands of dollars for the sick, disadvantaged and handicapped members of this community. PLANNING AND ZONING In 1994 the City worked more closely with developers to attempt and prevent the onset of new drainage problems and to help correct old problems. One major issue which needs to be decided this year is the decision whether or not to complete the Inter City Road. Something must be done to help ease the congested roads and problem access of Jeffersonville's fastest growing residential area. As leaders we owe it to the community to find a way to finance a solution to the problems which are developing on those residential areas if growth is to continue. The needs of the community outweigh the desires of the few who are opposed to the development of the Inter City Road. I encourage swift and decisive action on this project. 9 (I-265 and Northport) 1-265 finally opened, creating easier access to the far eastern areas of the City. The Northport project is getting underway, thanks to the continued efforts on the part of developers and thanks to the securing of a 2.8 million dollar economic development grant which was applied for by the City of Jeffersonville through its Department of Redevelopment. With the completion of the infrastructure for that project and the anticipated annexation of that property this year, Jeffersonville should continue to be a prime spot for economic development and the east end of Jeffersonville should continue to show a surge of growth. (Maritime Centre) Several new businesses have finished construction of new facilities at the Maritime Centre and at least two others are currently under construction. There are numerous new jobs which are coming to Jeffersonville this year as a result of the incentives in the form of temporary tax abatements supported by the administration and the Council. Several other businesses are inquiring about moving to the Maritime Centre and several companies presently located there are seeking to expand. Again, for anyone who has not been to the Maritime Centre in the last year, you need 10 happened there to appreciate the progress which is to see what has occurring. (Youngstown) In the business district, Mr. Jeff Agan has continued his renovation of the Youngstown Shopping Center and has located several new businesses there. Nearby, Winn-Dixie has constructed a new store and recently held its grand opening celebration. A new business has already located in the spot vacated by Winn Dixie. (Downtown) Downtown has continued to see growth as the old Jeffersonville sewer plant has come on line as a tax paying business entity. Likewise several new professional offices have been constructed and the Clark Memorial Hospital is preparing for a major addition to its rehabilitation center. Thanks to Jeff. Mainstreet, local businesses and interested citizens, the intersection of Spring Street and Chestnut Street has been renovated to match the intersection of Spring and Market Streets. Perhaps the most exciting thing occurring downtown is along Riverside Drive. A lease agreement has been executed with Ogden Entertainment for 500 feet of the riverfront at the foot of Spring Street. The Overlook is currently under 11 renovation and some major sewer and road work is occurring along that area which will include the addition of curbs, gutters and sidewalks along the south side of Riverside Drive. The Department of Redevelopment and its director, Mr. Carroll Gowens, have been instrumental in helping develop and implement that project. This year I hope to find other revenue sources to continue financing other improvements in this area. COOPERATION_ With three years experience as Mayor and City Council members, we are becoming much more effective at managing the City. I would like to thank Mr. Stemler for his fine leadership as Council President this past year and I look forward to working with the new Council President, Peggy Wilder. It is my hope that 1995 can be another year marked by progress and cooperation. The City is at a turning point. There are many economic opportunities available at this time. The City has an energetic and ambitious Council who have demonstrated that they are willing to work hard to try and accomplish the things they feel are important. Like I said last year, if there is a problem with the way the City is operating, the Buck Stops Here. I want the chance to solve problems. That's why I ran for Mayor and that's why I was elected. My door is open 12 and my telephone number is listed. I want to continue to be able to speak with an open mind with each citizen or councilperson.