The Carmi City Council met Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Room of the Municipal Building, 225 East Main Street.
Prior to opening the council meeting, Mayor Pollard asked Alderman Winkleman to give the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Pollard presided with the following Aldermen present: Steve Winkleman, Mark W. Blake, Jeremy Courson, Tracy Nelson, Sheila Jo Headlee, Mike Knight, Doug Hays, and Lance Yearby
Minutes from the March 20, 2018, council meeting were presented. Motion was made by Alderman Hays and seconded by Alderman Knight to approve the minutes as presented. The motion carried on roll call by each Alderman present answering “yes.”
Mayor Pollard presented Chief Jason Carter from the Carmi Police Department to seek the council’s approval for hiring of a police officer. Chief Carter stated back in January 2018, he began meeting with the school board regarding hiring of a School Resource Officer (SRO) in the Carmi White County School System. The salary would be split between the school and the city with the school paying 2/3 and the City of Carmi paying 1/3. There would be a contract between the City and School Board drawn and agreed upon by both sides. The SRO would work 260 days per year for the school and 80 days for the Carmi Police Department. Qualifications for a SRO include being a police officer for three (3) years. The cost to hire and train an additional police officer with salary and benefits alone is $48,068.80. Single insurance is $8219.28, family insurance is $21,216.48, pension (15%) $7,210.32, workman’s compensation 4.02% is $1,932.37, unemployment $1,041.25. The total cost for hiring a single individual would be $66,472.02 and a married individual would be $79,469.22. The officer would receive a one-time fee for equipment and uniforms of $5900.00. Per contract, the officer would get $750.00 per year for clothing allowance. After discussion, a motion was made by Alderman Hays to hire a police officer for the City of Carmi. Alderman Blake seconded the motion. The motion carried on roll call by each Alderman present answering “yes.”
Mayor Pollard presented a TIF#2 Façade Improvement Grant Agreement for Amber Ackerman. She is planning to convert the structure at 104 Rice Street into a real estate office building and the business will be called The Property Shop. Improvements will include new windows, new doors, and exterior lighting. The garage door will be removed and will be filled in with stone. A new exterior sign is required by the state to clearly mark the office along with a directional sign from Main Street. Address numbers, a new mailbox, and other enhancements will be made to the front of the building. Landscaping will also need to be done and gravel added to the parking area on the side of the building. Ms. Ackerman is requesting façade improvement funds of $5,000.00 to assist in completing this renovation. Local contractors and suppliers will be used when possible. Alderman Headlee made a motion to approve the TIF#2 Façade Improvement Grant Agreement for Amber Ackerman. The motion was seconded by Jeremy Courson. The motion carried on roll call by each Alderman present answering “yes.”
Reports from Standing Committees
Alderman Knight stated the shower building at Burrell Campground has been painted. They are having some difficulty with it drying due to the fluctuations in the temperature and humidity. Exhaust fans will be installed in the shower house to help with this.
Adjournment
At 5:42 p.m. Alderman Headlee made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded by Alderman Courson. The motion carried on roll call by each Alderman present answering “yes.”
Cynthia J. Attebury, City Clerk
Jeff Pollard, Mayor
