Geneva distrcits will change (05/20/07)

GENEVA - A change in voting districts here won't have any impact on elections this year.

On Tuesday, the council discussed the results of more than 630 questionnaires sent to town residents and agreed to pare the current three districts down to two, along with creating one at-large seat on the council.

Town residents will continue to vote for all residents running for council seats.

The surveys sent to town residents asked if they prefer to eliminate the town's current three voting districts; keep the districts the same; or have two districts - including one district east of U.S. 27, one district west of U.S. 27 and the one at-large.

Currently, there are three districts. District one is west of U.S. 27 and north of Ind. 116; district two is east of U.S. 27 and north of Line Street and district three is south of Ind. 116 and Line Street both east and west of U.S. 27.

Of the 35 percent (211) questionnaires returned by the April 30 deadline, 98 residents (46 percent) voted for no change; 40 residents (19 percent) voted to make one district at-large and 73 residents (35 percent) voted for all districts to be made at-large.

"You could look at this and say 46 percent voted for no change so that should be the one we go with but I see that 54 percent want a change of some kind," councilman Mike Schwartz said.

After some discussion, Schwartz and councilmen Jim Timmons and Lew Wingler unanimously voted to create two voting districts: One east of U.S. 27, one west of U.S. 27 and one at-large seat.

Town clerk-treasurer Doug Milligan said this morning that the council will need to approve an ordinance to have this decision recognized by the county.

Also, Geneva fire chief John Kleinknight reported that several members of his department have finished an application for a $170,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

This grant, which requires a 5 percent match from the town if the application is approved, will be used by the department to purchase 29 sets of turnout gear, 20 air tanks and 12 self-contained viewing apparatus for members of the volunteer department.

The department is offering to pay a 10 percent match in hopes that this will help their chances, Kleinknight said. The department has applied for this grant for the last five years with no success, he added

The application is due by 5 p.m. Thursday.

In other business Tuesday, the council decided to table discussion on replacing three signs at the town limits on U.S. 27 (north and south), and Ind. 116 (west). Council members approved an ordinance at their March 6 meeting voting to change the signs to "Home of Indiana author Gene Stratton-Porter" and replace the current signs that read "Birthplace of Robert E. Lee Brown."

Brown was a leather worker who built saddles and other items for several famous actors.

Timmons mentioned that he had been approached by family members of Brown who had worked with the state to get these signs up and were disappointed to read in the newspaper that the signs were being replaced.

"I just think that we went about it in the wrong way," Timmons said Tuesday.

Council members plan to take another look at their decision to replace the signs. The council had also previously talked about placing the Brown signs in the small museum in the town hall.

The town can display only one of these sign according to state guidelines.

Also, council members:

•Approved the second reading of an ordinance on the clothing allowance for town employees.

Previously, the town police department has given officers the full amount of their clothing allowance and have had several problems with officers using the entire allowance then quitting the department and keeping the purchased items.

The new ordinance identifies items that will be returned to the department if an officer leaves the department, outlines which town employees get money for clothing and states that the town marshal and deputy marshal shall authorize all purchases by officers and submit the receipts to the town clerk. It also states that no officer can use a credit account for the city and all items purchased must be purchase in their name and then the officer will be reimbursed by the town.

•Heard town manager Steve Hampshire report on a Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation dinner planned for June 15. The dinner will begin with appetizers at the Gene Stratton Porter Cabin from 5 to 6 p.m. Dinner on the Ceylon covered bridge will follow from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and then everyone will return to the Geneva Town Hall. The price is $35 per person with reservations required.

•Asked Hampshire and superintendent of the street department Curt Chaffins to travel to Winchester to look at a street that was treated for cracks by Pavement Solutions. The town is looking at resurfacing East Line Street from U.S. 27 east to Hale Street.

The Middletown company submitted a quote of $16,196.45 while LICA Construction Corp. of Portland quoted $51,316 to remove the current asphalt and replace two inches of the road surface with new asphalt, Hampshire reported. These prices do not include the price of painting lines on the street.

•Decided to keep the alley between Harrison and Butcher streets open despite a request at the March council meeting by Von Jones, 340 W. Harrison St., to vacate the alley.

Jones asked council members if he could put up a gate on the east side of the stone alley to only allow traffic to enter and leave from the west. Jones said at the March meeting that the gate might reduce the chance of another burglary in his garage that occurred earlier this year.

•Heard Milligan report that the 25 water meters at Geneva Shores apartment complex, located at 295 S. Hale St., Geneva, will be combined into one master meter.

Currently, each apartment has a separate water meter and the town sends individual bills to each resident in the complex. With a high turnover rate in the government subsidized apartments, bills can go unpaid and the town then sends a delinquent notice to the manager of the apartments.

As of July 1, the town will send one bill to the manger of the apartment.

•Heard Hampshire report that he picked up three boxes of Altizoid briquettes from the Adams County Health Department that will be dropped into catch basins in town to kill mosquito larvae.

•Approved an agreement presented by Milligan with the county to provide election administrative services which include the polling site at town hall.

•Approved the final reading of an ordinance outlining how the town will utilize County Economic Development Income Tax funds.

Council members voted that half of the approximately $60,000 in annual CEDIT funds will go toward the town's commitment to the new Adams Memorial Hospital. Approximately 13 percent will go to the Adams County Economic Development Commission and the remaining funds will be used by the town.

•Approved the purchase of a sign to be placed on the side of the town hall informing people that the Geneva Police Department is located in the rear of the building. The 2-foot by 18-inch sign will cost $48 from Display Craft in Portland.

•Were told that clean-up day is May 19 from 8 a.m. to noon.

•Heard that Schwartz and Kleinknight will take a look at the roof of the fire station on Saturday to see if the entire roof or part of it needs to be replaced. After inspecting the roof, which is currently leaking at several spots, the town plans to seek bids for repairs.

•Noted the next council meeting will be Tuesday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m.

•Heard that Geneva Proud received a $950 grant from the Adams County Community Foundation. This grant will be used to purchase a portable water tank and a golf cart to water the flowers pots in downtown Geneva.[[In-content Ad]]