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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 8, 2015CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE COMMON COUNCIL WORKSHOP 500 QUARTERMASTER COURT, ROOM 101 5:30 P.M. The Common Council of the City of Jeffersonville met in a workshop on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. Council President Gill called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm and on the roll call members present were: Councilperson Smith, Councilperson Zastawny, Councilperson Webb, Councilperson Julius, Councilperson Samuel, and Council President Gill. Councilperson Wadsworth notified Council President Gill he was running a few minutes behind schedule. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: Councilperson Samuel made the motion to APPROVE, seconded by Councilperson Webb passing on a vote of 5-0. AGENDA ITEMS: 1. ANDY CROUCH; LARRY CHANEY, KIPDA; INDOT — 10TH STREET WIDENING PROJECT Council President Gill read the minutes to the representatives. Senator Ron Grooms arrived at the Workshop and Council President Gill recognized his presences. Council President Gill stated the Council is just trying to ensure that they are making informed decisions for this project. Mr. Andy Crouch went over the phases of the project and the funding source and amount for each phase. Utilities are not to relocate the utilities it is to upgrade the railways. Councilperson Julius asked if the project was broken down into two phases, if the City would be eligible for additional funding. Councilperson Smith stated if we maximize the amount of funding we are able to get, we will not have to use such a substantial amount of TIF dollars and other projects will be able to progress as well. Ms. Kathy Eaton stated whether the City phases the project is up to the City. What Ms. Eaton does is administer the local funds, these are funds for areas that are outside of an urban setting. KIPDA administers the funding for urbanized areas (Jeffersonville). There is a 5 -year spending plan however there is now a "use it or lose it" strategy. Each MPO has to use the funds that they have or they lose it. There is a back balance of funds that every MPO has so now every February they revisit the plan and can redistribute funding as opposed to losing it. There are many local projects that move in and then they move out for whatever reason. Council President Gill asked if this meant that come February there was additional funding because a project had moved out under a different local government that Jeffersonville would be . eligible for that additional funding. Mr. Larry Chaney (KIPDA) answered that and stated yes, and that Jeffersonville has already received additional funding because it was ready to go with the Right Away Phase. If there is additional money then KIPDA is going to look at all possible avenues to use it so it is not forfeited. Additional money happens in two ways, either projects fall off or they come under budget. There is a possibility that once the Bridge Project is finished price of materials and labor will go 1 down, this could identify additional funding that was originally accounted for. Councilperson Zastawny asked if the percentage of each phase that was funded was standard or if it was more dependent on the money available. Mr. Chaney stated it was dependent on the money available at the time. Councilperson Zastawny asked if we were to break the project into two phases and we were to start the first phase as soon as the funding became available would we have access to the full amount at that time or would we have to split that funding in half. Mr. Chaney stated the City would have access to the full amount. Councilperson Zastawny asked if during the second phase if the City would be eligible for additional money and Mr. Chaney said yes, but to keep in mind the funding through KIPDA is technically laid out already through 2019. Councilperson Zastawny asked if there was a commitment to follow the timeline of the project as originally laid out. Mr. Chaney stated no, but there is a general commitment to the public that the project is going to be completed. Councilperson Zastawny stated they (the Council) are committed to finishing the project, they just want to ensure they are utilizing maximum federal dollars. Mr. Crouch asked if the timeline changed if the project description would need to change. Mr. Chaney stated as long as it is still the description of the project it does not need to be updated just for the timeline. There are additional funds to be applied for sidewalks, ADA accommodations, trails, etc. Mr. Crouch stated if we are going to split this into phases we need to take it back to the consultant to design some transition phases. Ms. Eaton stated the Right Away clear date is May of 2016. Before INDOT allows a project to go out for bid, all of the documents need to be submitted 4 months prior. You really don't want to release a project for bid in June or July because the prices are higher in those months and typically don't see a drop in those prices until January or February. Right now potentially if everything went according to schedule (which the schedule can change) Jeffersonville could get the certificate to move the utilities in May of 2016. Mr. Crouch stated that utilities being moved at this time is not costing the City anything and the consultant that the City has stated in order for the utility companies to invest this money they would want to see that this project is going to move beyond the two beginning, approved phases. Council President Gill stated this is why she asked a representative from the utility company (Duke Energy, Jeff Gaines). Mr. Gaines came to the podium and Council President Gill asked him if the company has budgets specifically for this type of relocation work. Mr. Gaines stated they do. Mr. Gaines stated the right ways have to be purchased and cleared before they can start their work and will know the intent is to move forward with the project. Council President Gill asked if it made a difference if this is done in phases and Mr. Gaines stated that it did because they would have to utilize more materials if it were to be done in phases because they will do their work based on what the City's plans are. They are hesitant to do everything at once if the City plans to proceed in phases because then if the City never moves forward with a phase they (Duke) have invested their resources for nothing. Mr. Crouch pointed out if that were to be the case it would be legal for Duke Energy to then send the City a bill for the work that had been done. This has been designed and is ready to go. Councilperson Julius stated that the Council is just trying to spend the tax payer's dollars as wisely as possible. Mr. Gaines stated if they could just get a timeline statement from the Council that outlined the project that should be perfectly fine. This would be about an eight month project. 2. Melissa Fry — Homeless Taskforce Dr. Fry apologized as she did not have the reports with her and she will deliver them to City Clerk Conlin. Over the year and a half they have spoken with individuals, groups, and forums. They have heard a lot of things that are really going well and things that are being done effectively and then some areas for improvement. On any given night there are 200-300 homeless on any given night and there is reason to believe this is an underreported number. Our efforts really focused on two main things: preventing people from becoming homeless and quickly returning them to stable housing in the event that 2 homelessness occurs. At some point we need to focus on our shelter needs, but right now we are focusing on stabilized housing. A few of the key centerpieces of the plan are: establishing a Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana to provide case management to those who are not receiving case management through another organization (mental health, child services, VA, Domestic Violence, etc.), this would be an organization where people could start if they are in fear of losing their housing; have a universal intake process for a needs assessment which improves efficiency and referrals; improve . transition programs for homelessness (no longer as a community discharge to homelessness); increase access to affordable housing; develop a coordinated white flag system so a plan would be in place when this occurs; remove barriers to health, mental health, substance abuse issues that cause barriers to housing. Leslea Townsend presented the initial project. What they are asking for is a $75,000 yearly pledge from three communities while this is getting started. This is a grounding point. This will start out with an Executive Director and eventually hire a Case Manager. The City of New Albany has loosely committed to $75,000 for the next three years, there are also additional foundations that are looking at contributing to the cause as well. Southern Indiana Housing Initiative has agreed to be the board overlooking the finances (which is already a 501C). We are looking at a day shelter in the future but we would like for a case manager to see what services are needed most. We have a lot of subsidized housing but not enough low income housing and that issue will need to be address. APPROVED BY: Vicki Conlin isa Gill, President 3