Council Recap Mon 5/24

I attended the Council Meeting this past Monday. Here's what I heard:

Roundabout
Dan and Dennis appear opposed to the idea. The majority of Council, however seems open to further exploration. Money will be a tough nut to crack, but I'm convinced understanding the "what" before the "how" is appropriate. I have provided Dennis and Rick Hines the locations of successful Roundabouts in Indiana: Valparaiso, Carmel, as well as Columbus Oh. Committee of the Whole for discussion seems like overkill to me, but if we're progressing, then I'll not object. Slow progress is still progress.

Firefighter turnover
We've lost >80 years of experience in about 150 days. We'll lose more once another fire fighter is called to Iraq for 1 year beginning in June. As I said at the meeting, some turnover is expected, however we've lost over 1/3 of our experience since January. We need a plan to rebuild that experience.


Mowing problems
I think Jerry Vianello's concerns about the Dale Park Ballfield and Tennis Court hill are valid. Very fixable, but valid. I will defer to the Mayor to intervene here. I'm concerned because I played a big role in Grass Cor being selected. If "change" as basic as this goes South, then I lose credibility when I bring bigger "change" ideas forward. This is resolvable, and I look forward to the Mayor's report next meeting.

Composting
I've reached out to Mr. Elkin, who wrote the letter suggesting we entertain. I look forward to connecting with him, learning about neighboring villages, and bringing a reco to Council.

Paving Grant
While we never get grants, we did receive $40K for Plainville paving. This is such great news, and it whets my appetite for what's possible with a part time Administrator/Grant Writer.

Lawsuit
While costs will surely increase, we are 15% through our "Free" insurance coverage on litigation. I'll keep tabs on this, but if we remain below $10K in ligitation fees, the financial pain to the Village should be pretty low. Good news here.

Probationary Period for Rick Hines - this was not discussed, and I had hoped to hear a verbal report or even better an announcement of a Public Hearing. I will bring this up at next Council.

Voting
I voted in the affirmative on all votes, most procedural. Allowing FEMA flood zoning was the only semi-controversial vote. I voted in favor once I learned what we get for giving up our rights to develop: helping hand for future grants. I think makes it a worthy choice.


Cortney