[0:01] [music] You are watching Access Leaport
[0:04] County Channel 97. Coming up next is the
[0:06] October 6th meeting for the Michigan
[0:08] City [music] Common Council. You can
[0:09] find more information for this meeting
[0:11] by visiting www.acesslaport.org. [music]
[0:21] Good evening and welcome to the Michigan
[0:23] City Common Council. Today is Tuesday,
[0:26] October 6, 2026.
[0:30] I would first like to ask if you would
[0:32] all please silence all of your
[0:34] electronic devices.
[0:36] Should your cell phones, laptops, or
[0:39] whatever your electronic devices happens
[0:41] to ring, I ask that you please take your
[0:44] phone calls and exit the council
[0:47] chambers and take your phone calls out
[0:49] in the chambers or outside due to um
[0:52] non-interruptions.
[0:54] I would now like to also ask if you will
[0:56] all please join us in saying the pledge
[0:58] of allegiance and a moment of silent
[1:00] prayer.
[1:15] for all.
[1:34] And before we begin um our agenda, I
[1:38] would ask and to acknowledge that we
[1:40] have two council members that is online.
[1:43] Councilwoman Moldenhower and Councilman
[1:45] Nelson, please remember that um in order
[1:49] to cast your vote, you have to be
[1:51] visually visibly seen. You'll need to
[1:53] have your screen monitor on. Thank you.
[1:56] Madame Clerk, if you would please on the
[1:58] roll call. Mr. Vietri,
[2:00] >> present.
[2:01] >> Mr. Coulter,
[2:02] >> present.
[2:02] >> Mr. Dabney,
[2:03] >> present.
[2:04] >> Dr. Cora,
[2:04] >> present.
[2:05] >> Miss Lee, present. Miss Molden,
[2:08] >> present.
[2:10] >> Mr. Nelson
[2:14] » present.
[2:16] >> Mr. President Bolinski
[2:18] >> present
[2:18] >> and Miss Tman
[2:19] >> present.
[2:20] >> We have nine present and no one absent.
[2:26] » M president
[2:28] >> uh Dr. Core.
[2:29] >> Yeah. I'd like to
[2:32] add one item to the agenda and that is
[2:36] an ordinance establishing a temporary
[2:39] moratorum on new data center development
[2:44] and creating section 22-3 in the
[2:47] Michigan City Municipal Code
[2:50] >> support.
[2:54] Do you make the judgment?
[2:57] >> Is that a motion Dr.
[2:59] >> Yes. One moment. Is that a motion?
[3:00] >> That's a motion.
[3:01] madam.
[3:02] >> That entertain a second.
[3:04] >> Support.
[3:05] >> Madame clerk, on the vote, please.
[3:09] >> Mr. Coulter.
[3:10] >> Hi,
[3:11] >> Mr. Dabney.
[3:12] >> Hi,
[3:13] >> Mr. Dr. Cora.
[3:14] >> Hi,
[3:15] >> Miss Lee.
[3:15] >> Hi,
[3:16] >> Miss Moldenau.
[3:17] >> Nay,
[3:21] » Mr. Nelson.
[3:24] Um,
[3:28] » thank you, Councilman Nelson.
[3:29] >> Um,
[3:30] >> I'm sorry, but we can't
[3:32] >> abstain [clears throat]
[3:34] before we can take that vote. U Madam,
[3:36] we cannot see you. Councilman Nelson,
[3:38] >> I'm sorry. I'm at work. I'm in my car.
[3:40] Um,
[3:43] maybe that
[3:44] >> Okay, now you're visible. Thank you.
[3:46] Appreciate it.
[3:47] >> Abain. Abstain.
[3:51] » Okay, you're shamed now. All right,
[3:53] abstain. Uh Mr. President Balinski
[3:55] >> I
[3:56] >> Miss Tilman
[3:57] >> I
[3:57] >> and Mr. Beatatrice
[3:59] >> I
[4:00] >> we have uh eight and seven in favor one
[4:04] opposed and one abstained
[4:07] >> and so the moratorum um is now added to
[4:10] the council agenda for this evening.
[4:13] Madam President, I have one more uh
[4:15] request and a motion to change the order
[4:18] of business on our agenda so that we can
[4:21] move up the flock camera system.
[4:24] Consideration of the flock camera system
[4:26] uh which is listed as the last item on
[4:30] the agenda. I want to move it up.
[4:32] >> May I entertain a second?
[4:34] >> Second.
[4:36] >> Was that by Councilwoman Lee?
[4:40] Was that second?
[4:42] Madame clerk, if you would please on the
[4:44] vote.
[4:44] >> Mr. Dabney.
[4:46] >> I.
[4:47] >> Dr. Corora.
[4:48] >> Hi.
[4:48] >> Miss Lee.
[4:49] >> Hi.
[4:49] >> Miss Moldenower.
[4:55] » Miss Mr. Moldenour.
[4:59] >> I
[5:01] >> Mr. Nelson.
[5:02] >> Abstain.
[5:06] » Uh, Mr. Presolinsky.
[5:07] >> Hi.
[5:08] >> Miss Tolman.
[5:08] >> Hi.
[5:09] >> Mr. Beatri.
[5:10] >> Hi.
[5:10] >> And Mr. P. I
[5:12] >> we have eight in favor and one
[5:14] abstained.
[5:16] >> And so the flock has been moved up on
[5:19] the council agenda for this evening.
[5:23] Next we have reports of standing
[5:24] committees the finance committee
[5:26] meeting. Councilman Dabney.
[5:28] >> Madam press madam president we need to
[5:30] do the approval of minutes. I just
[5:32] >> Oh sorry all these errors.
[5:35] Um, the approval of minutes for the
[5:38] regular council hybrid Zoom September
[5:40] 15, 2026.
[5:42] Have all council members had an
[5:44] opportunity to review and to make any
[5:47] corrections if necessary?
[5:50] >> If there are none, may I entertain a
[5:52] motion?
[5:52] >> Motion to approve.
[5:53] >> Support.
[5:55] >> Madame Clerk, on the vote, please.
[5:57] >> Dr. Cora,
[5:58] >> I.
[5:59] >> Miss Lee,
[5:59] >> I.
[6:00] >> Mr. Moldenower,
[6:02] >> I.
[6:03] >> Mr. Nelson.
[6:04] >> Hi,
[6:06] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[6:07] >> Hi,
[6:07] >> Miss Tilman. Hi,
[6:08] >> Mr. Beatri. Hi,
[6:10] >> Mr. Coulter. Hi,
[6:11] >> and Mr. Dabney.
[6:12] >> Hi.
[6:13] >> We have nine in favor and no one
[6:14] opposed. And the approval of the minutes
[6:16] for the regular council hybrid zone
[6:19] September 15, 2026 is approved. Next on
[6:23] our agenda, we have reports of standing
[6:25] committees. Um, our finance committee
[6:28] meeting, Councilman Dabney.
[6:33] » Yes. All right. [clears throat]
[6:36] The finance uh committee meeting of
[6:39] October 6, 2026 was called to order by C
[6:42] by Chairman Bryant Dabney at 6:02 p.m.
[6:45] to review and approve claims uh since
[6:47] the last meeting. Committee member
[6:49] Councilman Dr. Kora, Councilman
[6:51] Beatatri, and Councilman Dabney were
[6:53] present. Uh, city controller Smith was
[6:55] also present. Claims reviewed were
[6:58] $189,92362
[7:02] from the riverboat fund, $0 from Boyd
[7:05] Development Fund, and $0 from the rainy
[7:07] day fund for a total claim docket of
[7:08] $189,92362.
[7:13] There were no further questions about
[7:14] the claims docket from uh the committee
[7:16] members. Councilman Beatri move to
[7:19] recommend approval of the docket. There
[7:21] was a second from Councilman Dr. Kora.
[7:23] The motion was approved unanimously.
[7:26] Then city controller Smith uh commented
[7:29] concerning the six Dodge Durango that
[7:31] are on the dock and explain why the
[7:32] payment is uh going to Everweise Credit
[7:35] Union. Um and everybody was sufficient
[7:37] with that explanation. I can explain in
[7:39] more detail if I need to. Finally, on a
[7:42] motion Councilman Beatatri and a second
[7:44] by Councilman Dr. Core, the meeting was
[7:45] adjourned at 6:08 p.m. The details of
[7:48] the claims are as follows. from the
[7:51] riverboat fund payment to Everweise
[7:54] Credit Union. Uh there were police
[7:56] vehicles, there were six of them. There
[7:57] were Dodge Durango total uh for a
[7:59] payment of $189,92362.
[8:04] Once again, there were $0 from Boyd
[8:06] Development and zero from the rainy day
[8:07] fund for a total claim docket once again
[8:09] of $189,92362.
[8:14] the October 6th uh 2026 riverboat and
[8:17] rainy day fund statement of cash
[8:19] position. In the riverboat fund, we have
[8:22] 5 million898,70
[8:25] $70.91.
[8:27] In the rainy day fund, we have 1,99,8946
[8:33] for a total between the two um accounts
[8:36] of $6,997,965.37.
[8:43] And into tonight's meeting with the uh
[8:46] committee members, I also reported uh
[8:48] things that will come up later in the
[8:50] council meeting, but since we discussed
[8:51] those in the uh finance committee, I did
[8:53] put those in the minutes here. There
[8:55] were some salary ordin going to be
[8:57] salary ordinance changes and some
[8:59] reductions to uh the budget that will be
[9:01] introduced tonight. I'll make a motion
[9:03] to approve those. Uh but budget
[9:05] reduction and this happened at our
[9:07] hearing of September 21st, 2026. It was
[9:11] fund 2209.
[9:13] All account numbers were included.
[9:16] Description was the lit economic
[9:18] development fund police department uh
[9:21] department 202. The original request
[9:23] showed $181,800.
[9:26] The council reduction was $181,800.
[9:30] So now the revised amount of that uh is
[9:34] $0. And council knows for that that was
[9:37] uh found to be a duplicate in the
[9:39] budget. So we had to uh get rid of that
[9:42] uh out of the uh said budget changes in
[9:45] salary ordinance planning and
[9:47] inspection. I will introduce these
[9:49] changes. The high end of pay range was
[9:52] listed at $69,345.
[9:56] However, it should have should be listed
[9:58] at $62,000.
[10:01] in the street department. There was a
[10:03] position that we needed to add um
[10:05] position of field super supervisor with
[10:07] a salary range of $56,000
[10:11] to $62,000.
[10:13] And that concludes the finance committee
[10:16] uh report tonight.
[10:18] >> Thank you, Councilman Dabney.
[10:22] Um may I entertain a motion to approve?
[10:25] >> So moved. Second.
[10:28] >> Madame Clerk, on the vote, please. Miss
[10:31] Lee
[10:32] I
[10:35] Yes.
[10:37] No. That's okay. For the money.
[10:40] Uh Miss Moldenower.
[10:42] >> I
[10:43] >> Mr. Nelson.
[10:47] » I
[10:49] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[10:51] >> Hi.
[10:52] >> Miss Tilman.
[10:53] >> Hi.
[10:53] >> Mr. Beatri.
[10:54] >> Hi.
[10:54] >> Mr. Calter.
[10:55] >> Hi.
[10:56] >> Mr. Dabney.
[10:56] >> Hi.
[10:57] >> And Dr. Kora.
[10:58] >> Hi. We have nine in favor and no one
[11:00] opposed.
[11:01] >> And the claims for October 6, 2026 is
[11:04] approved.
[11:07] Next on our agenda, we have reports from
[11:09] boards and commissions.
[11:11] We have Tristan Smith, president of
[11:13] Urban Enterprise Zone Association's 2026
[11:16] annual report.
[11:29] Good evening. My name is Carlton Bishop
[11:31] and I am the uh new executive director
[11:34] of the Michigan City Urban Enterprise
[11:36] Association. Um and I have with me Mr.
[11:39] Tristan Smith, the uh board president.
[11:42] Look at that. Right on time. All right.
[11:44] So, if you guys check your your TV
[11:46] monitors over here, um this is just our
[11:48] board so you guys can get familiar with
[11:50] it. Um it's it's kind of a hefty board
[11:53] and it's in between a mayor appointment
[11:56] and the council. So you guys do have
[11:58] some say um on the urban enterprise
[12:00] board. Uh just so you know. Um
[12:04] again and this is something where you
[12:07] know it's not public comment. So if you
[12:08] guys want to just give me a you know
[12:10] back and forth or or if you have any
[12:12] questions feel free to stop me and I can
[12:14] always answer any questions as we go
[12:16] through. So going to the next one. So,
[12:19] here's our zone. Um, the zone, it's it's
[12:23] very interesting how this happened. So,
[12:25] in the the Economic Development Corp of
[12:27] Indiana actually took this over or they started it and now us on the local
[12:32] level, we have more to do with it in um
[12:35] in operating this zone. So, here's our
[12:37] borders and what the urban enterprise
[12:41] does essentially is it administers
[12:44] grants to the community. So we can
[12:47] administer grants um on the residential
[12:49] level, on the business level, and um it
[12:53] works by collecting tax basis from
[12:56] businesses making an investment kind of
[12:58] like the RDC or the EDMC, but it's its
[13:02] own specialized lane where um you know,
[13:04] it could do a lot of things that like
[13:06] the RDC maybe can't do just because of
[13:10] statute of how it's set up. So, um, I'm
[13:13] coming in basically now to kind of like,
[13:15] uh, you know, just to check out how this
[13:17] was developed and look at incentives and
[13:20] different things that we could do to
[13:22] really give back to to the community and
[13:24] the the business, uh, sector. So, go to
[13:28] the next one. Um, again, so the purpose
[13:31] is is really um, you know, economic
[13:33] health and reinvestment within the
[13:35] enterprise zone. um current standing,
[13:39] you know, we're we're taking a look at
[13:40] kind of where we've been and where we
[13:42] want to go. Um and again, Mr. Mr.
[13:44] Tristan here knows Mr. Smith knows a lot
[13:46] more than I do about where they've been.
[13:48] I think last year you guys gave away
[13:51] upwards of $100,000 to um to residents.
[13:55] Um, and one of the big determinant
[13:57] factors is um, unlike an RDC or or
[14:01] within TIFF, you know, you're
[14:02] developing, you know, sewer and you're helping like 10 businesses all on one block. That's kind of how RDC
[14:10] works. We fit in more on the residential
[14:12] level, right? So, if they need to paint
[14:14] houses, if buildings uh, you know, need
[14:17] something specific, we can help those
[14:19] individual people, which is really nice,
[14:21] right? And it's by statute that it works
[14:23] that way that we can all work together
[14:24] in collaboration.
[14:26] Um let's see here. Yeah, perfect. So
[14:29] we're going to try to modernize, right,
[14:31] engage, educate, and predict. So um
[14:34] right now we're taking a look at
[14:36] different uh recordeping, bookkeeping,
[14:38] just everything that the kind of the
[14:40] zone has has been tracking. And it looks nice. We we looked through and
[14:45] it's been bookkept pretty well. Um I
[14:49] have also brought on Mary Jane and
[14:51] Associates. Uh she played a big role in
[14:53] setting up Leaport's uh urban enterprise
[14:56] zone. Um and she was the executive
[14:58] director for 10 years until she stepped
[15:00] down. So we're really happy to have her
[15:02] as well and she's helping us uh with all
[15:04] of these steps. And you know I'm trying
[15:07] to engage and let you guys kind of
[15:08] understand where we're at tonight and educate um and hopefully we can we
[15:13] can see uh progress moving forward. we
[15:15] go to the next one. So again, our lane
[15:19] is is not, you know, the we're not the
[15:22] RDC, we're not economic development MC
[15:25] uh urban enterprise. It's it's just a
[15:27] separate smaller piece that works
[15:29] together in unison with all of these
[15:31] things. Um and done correctly, you know,
[15:33] it it's great because it's Michigan
[15:35] City's just seen so much progress in the
[15:38] last 10 years. I tip my hat to the RDC,
[15:40] EDMC, and and all the above. Um, but you
[15:44] know, this is that last piece I think
[15:45] that can really help the residents out
[15:47] and I'm excited to do that.
[15:50] Go ahead. [gasps]
[15:52] Um, again, this is kind of uh stuff that
[15:55] I already hit on, but um, you know,
[15:57] we're corate coordinating directly with the city. Um, that's why I'm here
[16:03] tonight. Um, like I said, you guys hold
[16:06] the keys to our board in ways where um,
[16:09] there's a sunset clause. So, if we
[16:10] sunset in say 2028 or whenever that
[16:13] definitive time is, we can show you what
[16:15] we're doing or our projects that we're
[16:17] working on and then you guys can help us
[16:19] reinstate or lock us in for for more uh
[16:23] years for us to continue to uh help the
[16:25] community grow.
[16:30] So, again, looking ahead, um we we hope
[16:32] to work with the RDC, with the council,
[16:35] um with the mayor's office, um and you
[16:38] know, with the residents. It's outreach
[16:40] is going to be big with the residents
[16:42] and the business owners are already
[16:44] excited. So, the business owners are
[16:46] happy to just see, you know, some out of
[16:48] the box thinking, which by statute we
[16:51] can do and I always hate when I see, you
[16:54] know, people coming up here and they're
[16:55] like, well, how come the city's not
[16:57] doing XYZ? Well, sometimes the city
[16:59] can't because it's locked in a certain
[17:01] statute or a way of doing something
[17:03] where it can't distribute money. So
[17:05] that's why we're saying we're here to
[17:06] help fill in some of those gaps and
[17:08] we're excited. I think that would be
[17:10] about it. Is that all right? So yeah,
[17:14] that's our report. Um if I I [snorts]
[17:15] think Tristan, if you want to help me on
[17:17] our our numbers, I've been in this role
[17:19] for about 20 days or 30 days. So I think
[17:22] we're at 180,000 of retained earnings
[17:25] from last year. Correct.
[17:27] >> Correct. We're at 180,000 from this
[17:28] year.
[17:29] >> What's that?
[17:29] >> We're at We're at 180,000.
[17:31] >> 180,000. and we have about 60,000 coming
[17:34] in and that changes every year dependent
[17:36] upon which businesses are in our zone
[17:39] and are participating um in the uh the
[17:42] EZ program.
[17:45] » All right. Are there any comments or
[17:47] questions from the council?
[17:50] >> I just want to thank thank you for a
[17:53] very nice presentation. Um, I just
[17:56] wanted to ask if you could just um
[17:58] reiterate back to the map that that's
[18:02] only available to residents or
[18:04] businesses that are within the UEE.
[18:08] >> Yes, ma'am. It it was it was like I
[18:10] said, it was something that was
[18:11] developed by the Indiana Economic
[18:12] Development Corp for specialized areas
[18:16] that needed help, right? And that's how
[18:19] that was erected. And the borders can
[18:21] change. Um I I believe it's our board
[18:24] that can dictate that. But there's a
[18:25] whole process, but but yes, so um our
[18:29] borders encompass uh residents,
[18:32] businesses, and even some larger
[18:34] manufacturing. Um and again, the
[18:36] manufacturing is kind of what helps us
[18:40] kind of spread the wealth to to the
[18:42] residents that need it.
[18:44] >> Thank you, Councilman Prisbelliski.
[18:46] >> Yeah. Where does your uh organization
[18:50] get the funding to do what you do?
[18:54] >> So it comes from the tax basis of people
[18:56] in the zone. So if they um if they do a
[19:00] project or a a larger business has more
[19:03] assessed value, the the what we can do
[19:07] is work with them and their accountants
[19:10] go through a specific process to get um
[19:13] an incentive and then they save a little
[19:16] bit of money on what they would pay for
[19:18] assessed value and then a little piece
[19:19] of it goes back to the zone. But it's a whole process. Um, and again,
[19:24] maybe we should even have a workshop on
[19:26] it because it's it's something that's
[19:28] interesting that I think a lot of people
[19:30] don't know cuz it it's not something
[19:32] that is in standard economic development
[19:35] or, you know, or how cities function
[19:38] >> and how do you keep track of you're
[19:39] getting the right amount of money back
[19:41] from the different businesses? Who takes
[19:44] care of that?
[19:44] >> So, the auditor actually does that in
[19:46] the county. So, um if we work with the
[19:49] county, then the county looks at the
[19:52] numbers and then they can send us um the
[19:56] differences in assessed value and we
[19:57] don't really we don't even give an
[19:59] incentive. Technically, what it is is if
[20:01] they fill that form out and the assessor
[20:03] looks at the assessed value difference,
[20:05] they almost just tell us here's what it
[20:07] is, like here's the number. we can guess
[20:10] or kind of understand the upper limit or
[20:12] lower limits on that, but unless the
[20:14] assessor or the assessor's consultants
[20:16] stamp it, then you know, we're just kind
[20:18] of, I guess, making a proforma.
[20:21] >> Okay. And then how do you know that
[20:24] everybody in the zone is participating
[20:26] the way they should be participating? Is
[20:28] that through the county auditor? Do they
[20:31] let you know or?
[20:32] >> So, they actually send the forms to us.
[20:34] Um and the businesses also send a
[20:37] separate form to the urban enterprise
[20:39] association so we all understand and
[20:41] then the grants are administered
[20:43] to the public um through residential
[20:46] grants, small business grants, stuff
[20:47] like that. And that's all a very strict
[20:50] process too. Um you know it's it's all
[20:53] by statute. There's some stuff that we
[20:54] can do, some stuff that we can't do,
[20:56] which is why we have a certified grant
[20:58] administrator now handling all that,
[21:00] which I'm excited about. Okay. Thank
[21:02] you, sir.
[21:04] >> Are there any other questions or
[21:06] comments from the council?
[21:08] >> I got a question.
[21:09] >> Councilman Nelson.
[21:10] >> Yes, sir.
[21:11] >> Okay. Um,
[21:13] before I became council, I was on this
[21:16] board. I've been on this board probably
[21:17] about four or five years. I've seen
[21:20] three executive directors.
[21:23] What is your approach when it comes to
[21:26] um convincing businesses to buy into the
[21:29] UEE?
[21:31] what are you doing different?
[21:33] >> So, um I will say as of one month and I don't know 7 days,
[21:42] I've already talked to about 20
[21:45] businesses and I have 10 businesses
[21:47] already trying to buy into the program
[21:50] and they're investigating incentives in
[21:52] the zone right now. So, I'm I'm trying
[21:55] to take the experience that I have for
[21:58] living here in Michigan City for 10
[21:59] years and, you know, in being a
[22:02] contractor in different parts of the
[22:04] county that's really helped me to
[22:05] understand who the players are and and
[22:07] who can really benefit, you know, the
[22:10] zone. So, it's it's having those
[22:11] contacts, I think.
[22:14] >> Okay. So, once again, what are you
[22:16] doing? What's your approach? like walk
[22:18] me through what are you [clears throat]
[22:20] talking what are you saying differently
[22:21] than the last two executives that's
[22:24] getting them to feed into the UE is
[22:26] where I'm at right it's it's reaching
[22:29] out to the businesses to participate
[22:32] actively um cataloging all that right
[22:35] and it's stipening grants to make sure
[22:38] that we get to people in the
[22:39] neighborhoods that we get to businesses
[22:41] on the boulevard that we get to them on
[22:44] Midtown you know like it's it's working
[22:46] with the city in conjunction. Um, and
[22:49] again, that's that's why I'm here now.
[22:51] And I've had a meeting with probably
[22:54] four or five city officials already just
[22:56] to try to understand who needs uh these
[22:59] incentives the most and who we can help
[23:01] the most to be frank, you know.
[23:04] >> Okay.
[23:05] >> So, historically the city hasn't worked
[23:07] with the UEE. So, you're saying you're
[23:09] working with the city now and the UEE?
[23:13] Well, I think the city um you know was
[23:15] just focused on already seeing some
[23:18] other things, but the city has always
[23:20] done you know projects with the with the
[23:23] urban enterprise in some capacity, but I
[23:25] think I really can bridge that gap and and we can do
[23:29] >> familiar. I'm not familiar any projects
[23:30] they've done. So, and like I said, I've
[23:33] been on this board the last four or five
[23:34] years, so that's new information to me.
[23:37] Um, another question is when it comes to
[23:39] residential interaction, what is that
[23:41] going to look like with with um
[23:44] with with you and um the new executive
[23:47] director at HM?
[23:50] >> Uh, can you restate? Did you say
[23:52] >> what is residential interaction going to
[23:55] look like?
[23:57] So residential interaction uh we we're
[24:00] setting up a way where we have um we're
[24:04] working with the library so they could
[24:06] stay open later and give uh people forms
[24:09] so that they can apply for the different
[24:11] grants that we have at the different
[24:13] grant cycles. And we're also working
[24:15] with um we're going to be working with
[24:18] uh the different offices like the
[24:20] trustes office, right? Like if we give
[24:22] them information, they're going to be
[24:24] able to get a hold of people. Uh, and
[24:26] then we're going to be out on the the
[24:27] street, you know, if if there's people
[24:29] that could qualify, we want them to know
[24:31] about it. And that's with all the other
[24:33] marketing channels, right, of Facebook,
[24:35] the paper, standing at the council, and
[24:38] having uh, you know, the newspaper write
[24:40] about it the next day. I mean, that's the least that we could do,
[24:43] right? So, um, but yeah, again, we'll be
[24:46] here and let me let me know if uh if you
[24:49] have any ideas, Mr. Nelson, as part of
[24:52] my board,
[24:53] >> I will do so. Thank you. Thank you, sir.
[24:56] >> President Kilman, please.
[24:58] >> One more question. So, how far down in
[25:01] the Midtown area have you been down
[25:03] Franklin Street reaching out to those
[25:05] businesses?
[25:07] >> Um, so I was looking at businesses that
[25:11] were doing projects. So again, it's it's only been about 30 days, so I've
[25:18] our we go all the way south as far as
[25:21] what is is what that map showed, but we
[25:24] do have some on the docket right now. Um
[25:27] that you know, I'm not going to talk
[25:29] about their their project here, but
[25:33] >> how far how far south do you go?
[25:35] >> How far south is that, man?
[25:37] >> Pretty far down.
[25:38] >> H
[25:39] right. Yeah. Yeah, that's okay. Yeah.
[25:41] So, it's about Harrison down there and
[25:43] then the boulevard on the other side,
[25:45] there's a lot more space that it goes.
[25:48] Um, but remember, you know, if you're
[25:50] doing a project in any of these these
[25:53] urban enterprise zones, there could be a
[25:54] possible incentive there, but if you
[25:56] also need to do something, uh, you could
[25:59] take advantage of a grant that that
[26:01] we're doing. So, you know, we're getting
[26:03] together and we're going to come out
[26:04] with grants. So, anybody in the zone can
[26:06] take advantage of those if that makes
[26:07] sense. Um, and I want to just restate up
[26:11] here, there's a facade grant available
[26:13] from the RDC right now for $30,000.
[26:16] So, if you guys are there right now in
[26:19] Midtown and you're like, "Hey, I really
[26:20] wish that I could get some money for a
[26:22] project." It's a very generous um, you
[26:25] know, amount, I I would think. And we
[26:27] were going to try to duplicate that with
[26:28] Urban Enterprise and we said we don't
[26:30] have to. The RDC is doing a great job
[26:32] already.
[26:33] >> Okay. Thank you,
[26:34] >> sir. Thank you. Um, I don't think
[26:37] there's any other further Oh, Councilman
[26:39] Dabney.
[26:39] >> Yeah. Um, just something that you can
[26:41] look at in terms of helping the public.
[26:45] Um,
[26:46] I was on this I was a liazison from the
[26:48] council my early years on the council
[26:51] and we actually did a workshop down at
[26:53] the fire training station
[26:55] >> where we invited the public out to show
[26:57] them how to apply uh to both uee uh
[27:01] grant money and that was community
[27:03] development block grants as well.
[27:06] um we had quite a good turnout. It was
[27:09] over 100 people in there um learning how
[27:11] to apply for that. So that'd be
[27:13] something that would really be useful,
[27:14] man, to go out and and have just a
[27:16] session where you show people what the
[27:18] grants are and how to apply. I think
[27:20] that'll help you guys out quite a bit uh
[27:22] when you get around, you know, to that part of it cuz I know you're trying
[27:25] to raise the money now by getting the
[27:26] businesses in there. But that'll be good
[27:28] for you guys to do something like that,
[27:30] man. Organize that. I think it'll pay
[27:31] off good for you.
[27:33] >> Yeah. Thank you, Councilman.
[27:37] » Are there any others? If there are none,
[27:40] I would like to thank you for your
[27:42] annual presentation.
[27:43] >> Thank you.
[27:47] >> Next, we have John, is it Risa
[27:51] with the Michigan City Public Art
[27:53] Committee member, MAC
[27:56] Walking Arts 5K, happening on Saturday,
[27:58] October 10th, 2026.
[28:06] Hello, council members. Uh, thank you
[28:09] for having me today. I appreciate all
[28:10] the work that you're doing here today
[28:11] and giving me the opportunity to speak
[28:13] about the uh, Michigan City Public Art
[28:15] Committee's Walking Art 5K, which uh,
[28:19] we've been working on for more than a
[28:20] year developing it. It's our inaugural
[28:23] um weekend here where on this coming
[28:26] Saturday at starting at Millennium Park
[28:29] Plaza at 10:00 a.m. we're going to have
[28:32] a walk of um citizens who are dressed up
[28:38] in costumes hopefully looking like their
[28:40] uh favorite art pieces or artists or
[28:42] because it's October maybe even like
[28:45] just you know Halloween costume but we
[28:47] encourage citizens to get dressed up in
[28:50] costume. We've got a 5K route that's a
[28:52] big figure rate. So, if you get tired
[28:54] and you only want to do half, you'll
[28:56] wind up right back at the celebration at
[28:58] Millennium Park, but we'll be taking you
[29:00] through or past approximately 30 works
[29:04] of public art. Uh most of them have been
[29:06] brought to you by the Michigan City
[29:08] Public Art Committee. Um but there's a
[29:11] few others that are also on public land
[29:14] by public um participants in the uh
[29:16] community who are bringing beauty to our
[29:18] community. And the goal is to get
[29:21] Michigan City residents up, moving,
[29:24] doing something that brings awareness to
[29:26] the work that the Michigan City Public
[29:28] Art Committee is doing by creating um a
[29:32] space that's beautiful for all of our
[29:35] residents. We've got more than 31 public
[29:39] pieces of art that are scattered
[29:41] throughout all of Michigan City and then
[29:43] that are owned by the city of Michigan
[29:45] City. And then in addition to that,
[29:47] we've got a rotating uh group of pieces
[29:51] and there's 13 of those and that is
[29:53] called Sculpt Fusion. And what we'll be
[29:55] doing is taking you past 30 of those.
[29:58] And there's a guided tour that you can
[30:00] take by downloading an app. So, if you
[30:02] walk up to any of our public art pieces
[30:05] and see the little QR code down on the
[30:07] ground, you can scan that and it will
[30:10] show you a map of where all of our
[30:12] collection is at, scattered throughout,
[30:14] including sculptures and murals and park
[30:16] benches and things that we've done to
[30:18] make Michigan City more beautiful for
[30:20] all of our residents. And many of those
[30:23] have been done by Michigan City artists
[30:26] themselves. One of the ways that we
[30:29] spend the funds that we have will be
[30:31] generating through these different
[30:32] initiatives that um our fundraisers such
[30:34] as this one are to do things like the
[30:37] Leupold Park bench uh initiative that
[30:40] we've had going on. If you drive up and
[30:42] down Michigan City, you'll be seeing
[30:44] some of the uh benches that are on this
[30:45] flyer here. Uh there's a little snapshot
[30:48] right in the center. You can find this
[30:50] uh out on the table in front, but those
[30:53] were all created by um the actual
[30:56] benches themselves were the lumber was
[30:59] donated by a Michigan City company. The
[31:01] work was done over at the Magic's uh
[31:04] fabrication labs over on Ohio Street and
[31:07] then Michigan City artists were the ones
[31:09] who actually painted the benches. and
[31:11] we're going to be auctioning those off
[31:13] uh in the afternoon around 1:30 is the
[31:16] end of the p the silent auction, but you
[31:18] could own one of those uh if you're
[31:21] interested. Um but we also have um
[31:26] banners that have been uh created by
[31:29] Michigan City artists and we've been
[31:31] paying for those as well out of our
[31:32] funds. Um, and those will be going up
[31:35] and we're directly trying to fund
[31:37] Michigan City artists, giving them a
[31:39] voice to show the work that they're
[31:41] doing. And this is a way for us to
[31:42] celebrate them uh by creating an
[31:45] opportunity for their works of art such
[31:48] as the Leupold benches. We're going to
[31:49] be doing a um not only auctioning those
[31:52] off, but we're also going to have a
[31:54] voting competition where you can come in
[31:56] and pay a dollar to vote for your
[31:58] favorite bench. and the winner of that,
[32:01] one of their Michigan City residents
[32:02] will wind up getting a small gift
[32:04] package of different art supplies and a
[32:06] variety of things that we've had
[32:08] donated. Um, and it'll just celebrate
[32:10] them. Uh, and I really wanted to come
[32:13] out and to um just please in ask each
[32:18] and every one of you and each and every
[32:20] one of you to please come out and
[32:22] support Michigan City artists because if
[32:25] it weren't for those visionaries who are
[32:27] creating something beautiful, our city
[32:29] wouldn't be what it is today. We
[32:31] wouldn't have the sculptures everywhere.
[32:32] We wouldn't have the uh the benches and
[32:34] the murals and all of these fun things
[32:37] like the skate park murals and uh
[32:39] whatnot that are happening. And one of
[32:41] the things that we're trying to generate
[32:43] funds for for next year is um
[32:45] potentially painting a collection of uh
[32:50] bench not benches um picnic tables
[32:53] throughout our city. So that way when
[32:55] the children are going to the
[32:56] playgrounds to play they'll be able to
[32:59] sit at a piece of artwork that's been
[33:00] done by one of our locals. But we need
[33:02] to have um you know support from the
[33:04] community. So, please come on out and uh
[33:07] you know, walk the 5K. Uh sign up for
[33:10] that, take part in the costume contest
[33:12] because we'll have um the awards for
[33:15] that, too, for best costume. And uh
[33:17] yeah, do you have any questions? I don't
[33:19] want to keep it brief.
[33:20] >> Are there any comments or questions?
[33:22] Councilman Prisbolinsky.
[33:23] >> Yeah, I don't have any questions, but
[33:25] just a couple comments. Thank you very
[33:27] much, John, for the presentation and you
[33:31] being a visionary and the arts committee
[33:33] being a visionary for putting on this 5K
[33:36] walk and the whole program that's going
[33:39] to take place Saturday. I happen to be
[33:41] the lelays on to the arts committee. So
[33:44] I get all the insight on yeah what this
[33:46] group is up to and they do a fantastic
[33:49] job and any everyone that can both here
[33:53] and in TV land if you can come on out
[33:56] support the group. Even if you don't
[33:58] want to wear a costume still get in the
[34:01] walk and enjoy the day cuz it's supposed
[34:03] to be about 75° and especially the
[34:06] bench. Uh is that a silent auction?
[34:09] Yeah, that silent auction that'll start
[34:11] at 10:00 and it finishes up at 1:30 is
[34:14] when the last u your last bid on one of
[34:18] those benches can arrive.
[34:20] >> Okay, cuz I got my eye on a couple of
[34:22] them. So, anyway, appreciate your help,
[34:25] folks, to uh support the art program in
[34:28] Michigan City. Thank you, John.
[34:29] >> And uh I just want to say once again,
[34:31] there are these little flyers right out
[34:33] front there on the uh the table. So,
[34:35] please grab one of those. you can see
[34:37] the website and all of the uh further
[34:38] information that I didn't give you, but
[34:40] there's a lot of amazing things that are
[34:42] being done by these volunteers. Uh so
[34:45] yeah, thank you for your support.
[34:46] >> Thank you.
[34:47] >> I got a question. I got a question.
[34:49] >> I didn't see your hand up. Council
[34:51] Nelson.
[34:52] >> Yeah,
[34:52] >> hold on now. It's a lot of [laughter]
[34:55] It's a lot of sculptures throughout the
[34:57] city. How do we get one on the third
[34:59] ward?
[35:00] >> Oh, that's a great question. We are
[35:03] always open to um working with the
[35:05] committee or with the community and uh
[35:08] if you either come to one of our
[35:10] meetings and let us know our meetings
[35:13] are open to the public just like these
[35:14] are. They happen every third Thursday
[35:19] here in Michigan City at the city hall
[35:21] and the uh mayor's um circular office
[35:23] just outside her doors. They start at
[35:25] 10:00 and uh if you arrive there early,
[35:28] we're always open to public comment just
[35:30] like they are here. Um or you can look
[35:33] for the Michigan City Public Art
[35:35] Committee um listings on the eman city
[35:39] website and we have a email address that
[35:42] you can contact us there or contact us
[35:44] through Facebook. We're um trying to be
[35:46] active on that as well.
[35:49] But we very much want to um reach out
[35:52] into the larger committee uh community
[35:55] and we're trying to not just support the
[35:58] Michigan City Franklin corridor any
[36:00] longer, but really reach out into the
[36:02] larger neighborhoods and uh create
[36:04] beauty everywhere.
[36:06] >> To my knowledge, the sculptures are only
[36:08] um allocated to
[36:11] public property that's city-owned.
[36:15] Yeah, that's the only place that we can
[36:17] actively place sculptures as a Michigan
[36:20] city um committee. Uh because we're part
[36:24] of the city, we have to work within
[36:25] public lands, but uh there are lots of
[36:30] right of ways throughout the
[36:32] neighborhoods and parks and things that
[36:33] we can work with. and just people that
[36:36] own, you know, empty lots throughout the
[36:38] neighborhoods or, you know, um people
[36:41] that, you know, don't mind sculptures on
[36:44] their um property. Have y'all thought
[36:46] about that as being an option?
[36:49] >> We are looking at avenues for
[36:52] potentially working with the Michigan
[36:54] City School District to pair with them,
[36:56] but if it's on private land, our
[37:00] insurance cannot cover that. um as a
[37:03] Michigan city municipality. So that's
[37:05] not something that we can really do.
[37:11] » And and and that's because of insurance
[37:13] wise.
[37:14] >> Yeah. Yeah. If it's a Michigan city
[37:16] owned, then it has to stay on Michigan
[37:18] City property or if we're leasing it as
[37:21] we do as well.
[37:23] >> Okay. Thank you,
[37:25] >> Councilwoman Lee.
[37:27] >> Thank you, Madam President. Um John,
[37:28] thank you for your presentation and for
[37:30] all the work that you all do. Um to
[37:32] follow up with uh Councilman Nel
[37:33] Nelson's question about having um
[37:35] sculptures in the third ward. Um you all
[37:38] put one there. There's at least one um
[37:41] in the third ward at Shville Pond, the
[37:43] uh rainbow crystis, the monfly. So there
[37:46] is at least one in the third w I know of
[37:48] >> downtown
[37:50] >> and downtown.
[37:52] >> It's hidden.
[37:54] Well, if you check out the Ocst
[37:59] app, you'll be able to find a map of all
[38:02] of them that are scattered all
[38:03] throughout Michigan City. And there are
[38:06] some hidden gems that you wouldn't
[38:07] necessarily know are there unless you
[38:09] look at this app to find out where
[38:11] they're at because it's very obvious
[38:13] when you're going up and down Franklin
[38:14] Street, those that are very visible. But
[38:16] if you start exploring the
[38:17] neighborhoods, you'll find more and more
[38:19] of them. And our goal is to just
[38:21] continually reach out more and more.
[38:24] >> We have one more.
[38:25] >> And the visibility visibility is
[38:27] >> Councilman Nelson. I'm sorry.
[38:31] The city expands besides
[38:33] >> Councilman Nelson. Excuse me. Thank you.
[38:37] Um that that actually was uh
[38:39] Councilwoman Lee getting a response
[38:41] back. Um you've had your time and
[38:43] actually there's one more um comment or
[38:46] question from Councilwoman Moldenour.
[38:50] Thank you, Madame President. Um, John, I
[38:53] want to thank you very much for your
[38:55] presentation and also for the hard work
[38:57] that all of the committee members of the
[39:00] public art um group um put in to
[39:04] beautifying our city. And I want to
[39:06] remind people that it's been
[39:08] scientifically proven that artwork
[39:10] actually helps lower the crime rate in
[39:14] those neighborhoods that have public
[39:16] works of art. And I think that's often
[39:19] overlooked and I think it's worth um
[39:21] bringing that to people's attention
[39:23] again. And I wish you great success on
[39:25] Saturday. You have many um exciting
[39:28] activities planned and I do hope you
[39:30] have a really great turnout. Thank you.
[39:33] >> Thank you, Councilwoman Menau.
[39:35] >> Thank you so much. Um I don't believe we
[39:38] have any other comments or questions
[39:39] from the council. So um John, we
[39:42] appreciate your presentation. And again,
[39:44] October 10th
[39:46] >> at 10 a.m.
[39:47] >> Millennium Plaza. Thank you so very
[39:49] much. We appreciate you all.
[39:50] >> Thank you.
[39:53] >> Next on the council agenda, we're down
[39:55] to our reports of special or select
[39:57] committees. Do we have any reports of
[40:00] special or select committees?
[40:02] Mr. uh Councilman Beatri,
[40:05] >> I've got a report from the tax abatement
[40:08] committee and a recommendation.
[40:11] Thank you, Madam President.
[40:13] Um the tax abatement committee for
[40:15] Michigan City met on September 30th,
[40:18] 2026. Present was myself, uh chairperson
[40:22] from the fourth ward, council uh woman,
[40:25] council lady Lee from the second ward,
[40:29] Clarence Hulse, director of economic
[40:31] development corporation, Liliana Franco,
[40:33] the operations manager for EDC, and
[40:36] Hannah Chapman, economic development
[40:38] staff, as well as a community member,
[40:41] Ernie Halahan.
[40:43] The meeting was opened at 5:30 p.m.
[40:46] and noted that the tax abatement
[40:48] committee has three members. Two were
[40:50] present, so a quorum existed.
[40:53] Mr. Beatatri described the work that had
[40:55] been done with Liliana Franco and city
[40:57] clerk Gail Nand prior to the uh meeting.
[41:02] He was the only one present, so no
[41:04] violation of the open door occurred.
[41:07] Councilwoman Lee asked Mr. Hulse why he
[41:10] was in charge of this work. tax
[41:12] abatement. He then gave an informative
[41:15] discussion of what toxic tax abatement
[41:17] is about, how it is created, how and why
[41:20] it is evaluated every year, and the
[41:23] responsibilities of the city council to
[41:24] monitor each request. He explained that
[41:27] EDC is under contract with the city to
[41:30] complete this task. In other
[41:32] communities, it's sometimes done by the
[41:34] county. Others other communities
[41:37] contract the work to outside entities.
[41:40] He explained that the projects are that
[41:43] require public firm funds must first be
[41:46] approved by the council. This year there
[41:48] were 11 separate abatements up for
[41:51] renewal from eight different companies.
[41:54] Three companies were awarded two
[41:56] abatements. These represent over
[41:59] 25,300,000
[42:01] in real estate investment and over
[42:04] 44,500,000
[42:06] in equipment investment.
[42:08] After careful consideration of each
[42:10] request, it was determined that seven
[42:13] companies had all met a good faith
[42:16] effort to comply with the commitments of
[42:18] the city in terms of investment dollars
[42:21] and workforce development. One company,
[42:24] Aquagenics, had two abatements, but
[42:27] neither filings have been sent in on
[42:29] time. Councilwoman Lee re motioned that
[42:32] the tax abatement committee should
[42:34] recommend approval to the city council
[42:36] for all seven companies whose
[42:39] information was timely at the next
[42:41] council meeting. Councilman Beatri
[42:43] seconded there being no name votes. The
[42:47] uh motion passed unanimously.
[42:49] There was much discussion about how to
[42:51] address Aquagenics, the one company that
[42:53] had been tardy. The committee was made
[42:57] aware that the company that the company
[43:00] had prepared a resolution for the
[43:02] council at their next meeting
[43:07] to wave any penalties for their
[43:09] tardiness on filing the abatement this
[43:11] year. The data for Aquagenics is within
[43:14] the parameters acceptable to the council
[43:17] and this was not their first filing.
[43:20] Councilman Lee moved that we recommend
[43:22] approval of the abatement request
[43:25] pending the council's approval of the
[43:26] resolutions.
[43:28] If the resolution is not approved, they
[43:31] will forfeit this year's opportunity for
[43:32] abatement and will have to file in a
[43:35] timely manner next year. Councilman
[43:37] Beatri seconded the motion and it passed
[43:40] unanimously. There being no further
[43:42] business to conduct, the meeting was
[43:45] adjourned at six o'clock PM. Uh, one
[43:48] thing I'd like to add is that many times
[43:50] we hear from people community that there
[43:53] are businesses out or people out there
[43:54] who want jobs and they can't find jobs.
[43:59] Well, KTR
[44:01] Heartside Foods and Aquagenics all
[44:04] included letters with their request
[44:06] stating they've been trying to hire
[44:07] local people and people are showing up
[44:10] working for two days and not showing up
[44:12] any further or working for a week and
[44:15] then quitting and going for looking for
[44:19] um a money from the the state. So, there
[44:24] are jobs available out there if you're
[44:26] looking for a job and you're serious
[44:27] about it. KTR Corporation, Heartside
[44:30] Foods, Doing Businesses, uh, MA Makers
[44:34] Pride, and Aquagenics are looking. Based
[44:37] on the minutes I've just read in the
[44:39] recommendation of the tax abatement
[44:40] committee, I would move that we approve
[44:43] abatements for the seven businesses
[44:45] whose application was in on time. That
[44:48] would be a Mirlex Marquette. Both
[44:50] requests from KTR Corporation, Michigan
[44:54] City Paper Box, Shell Catalyst and Cor
[44:56] and Technologies, Cairer, Shady Creek
[45:00] Winer Winery, and both requests from
[45:03] Hearthside doing business as Makers
[45:06] Pride, Makaker's Pride.
[45:09] So, I'm I'm making that motion.
[45:12] Second.
[45:15] >> Madam clerk, on the vote, please.
[45:18] >> Miss Moldenour.
[45:24] » Miss Molden.
[45:25] >> Hi,
[45:26] >> Mr. Nelson.
[45:28] >> Hi,
[45:30] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[45:32] >> Hi,
[45:32] >> Miss Tilman.
[45:33] >> Hi,
[45:34] >> Mr. Beatric.
[45:34] >> Hi,
[45:35] >> uh, Mr. Coulter.
[45:36] >> Hi,
[45:37] >> Mr. Dabney. Hi,
[45:38] >> Dr. Kora. Hi,
[45:39] >> and Miss Lee. I we have nine in favor
[45:41] and no one opposed.
[45:44] >> And that has been approved for all seven
[45:46] of the um 2026 CF1 tax abatements.
[45:52] >> Do we have any other reports of special
[45:54] select committees? Councilman Dabney,
[45:58] Councilman Priski. Yeah, Madame
[46:00] President, being the uh chairman of the
[46:02] utilities uh committee and being the
[46:05] leazison to the sanitary district, I
[46:10] have some information here for the
[46:12] general public and for council members.
[46:15] Uh what the city is doing, they're doing
[46:17] a uh I'm going to call it a household
[46:21] Michigan city refuge fall cleanup. And
[46:24] as a part of an ongoing drive to help
[46:26] clean our community and reduce unwanted
[46:29] household clutter by popular demand, the
[46:31] Michigan city will continue the dumpster
[46:34] program at the airport. This program
[46:36] will give the community an opportunity
[46:38] to safely and responsibly rid their
[46:41] homes of unwanted and unused items.
[46:44] Beginning tomorrow, October the 7th, and
[46:48] Saturday, October the 10th, the city
[46:50] will host a drop off center located at
[46:53] the Michigan City Municipal Airport at
[46:56] Phillips Field, which is h out on North
[46:59] Highway 212 to dispose of a approved
[47:02] variety of unwanted household items. And
[47:06] this program is clearly designed with
[47:08] community care in mind, offering
[47:10] residents a chance to part ways with
[47:13] unused or unwanted household items in a
[47:16] safe and organized way. And you can also
[47:19] get rid of your waste tires if you got
[47:22] any tires sitting in the garage or in
[47:24] the backyard. Okay, real quick. Drop off
[47:28] dates and times this tomorrow,
[47:31] Wednesday, and this coming Saturday. And
[47:34] then the following week and the two
[47:37] following weeks, both the Wednesdays and
[47:39] the Saturdays. So October the 14th,
[47:42] October 17th, Wednesday, October 21st,
[47:46] and October 24th. All these dates. And
[47:49] it's from 8:00 in the morning till noon.
[47:52] 8 in the morning till noon.
[47:56] And just some items that are acceptable
[47:59] and nonacceptable.
[48:02] So, furniture, chairs, tables, and
[48:04] shelves. You can bring mattresses and
[48:07] box springsings. You can take toys,
[48:09] books, and games, kitchen wear,
[48:12] appliances such as microwaves, toasters,
[48:15] and vacuums, yard tools, and equipment,
[48:18] bicycles, and sports gear, and tires,
[48:22] which are a limit four per household. No
[48:26] commercial or businesses can bring tires
[48:29] out there. And items that are not
[48:31] accepted are hazardous waste, which
[48:34] deals with paint, chemicals, and
[48:36] batteries, construction debris, drywall,
[48:40] bricks, concrete, lumber, large
[48:42] appliances such as refrigerators,
[48:45] washers, and dryers, any medical waste
[48:47] or sharps. No yard waste,
[48:51] and any items from contractors or
[48:53] businesses, and no landlord moveouts.
[48:58] So, what you So, what what's it what you
[49:02] have to do is bring your unwanted items
[49:05] to the airport between 8 and noon. Like
[49:07] I said, you have to supply an ID showing
[49:11] that you are from Michigan City, and
[49:13] you'll be directed to the dumpster area
[49:15] for uh unloading.
[49:19] Now, certain vehicles will not be
[49:21] allowed access to the drop off center.
[49:25] There will be no box trucks over 16 feet
[49:28] in length.
[49:30] No trailers over 16 feet in length. No
[49:34] flatbed utility dump or semi trucks.
[49:38] Vehicles containing nonverbal
[49:43] contents. So they can't identify them.
[49:45] You're not going to be able to dump.
[49:47] Okay. And if you have any questions,
[49:51] call 219-8731530.
[49:58] Okay? And and I pass all these stickers
[50:02] out to the council members. And if
[50:05] anybody wants to see these stickers
[50:08] after the meeting, you're more than
[50:09] welcome to come and look at them. So
[50:12] what the refuge department is doing now,
[50:15] uh they will be putting these tags on
[50:19] your toers if you are in violation of
[50:23] city ordinances.
[50:25] And the first one is per city ordinance
[50:29] 9-8-144.
[50:32] It says your totar
[50:35] shall be set out no more than 24 hours
[50:38] prior to collection
[50:41] and it shall be removed within 24 hours
[50:45] after collection. So if the refuge
[50:48] department comes by and they see that
[50:51] your totar is still sitting out
[50:54] 48 hours after collection day,
[50:58] then you will get a sticker put on your
[51:00] toar.
[51:03] And this one here, a total shall be set
[51:06] out no more than 24 hours prior to
[51:09] collection. It's the same one, but it's
[51:11] just in a different form.
[51:15] And another sticker that's going to be
[51:18] put on the uh cans will be for
[51:22] non-collection refuge notice which means
[51:25] your refues will not get picked up. If
[51:28] this is on there it'll be there's four
[51:31] categories four categories. Wrong
[51:34] material in the toar. If that's checked
[51:37] off then your totar will not be picked
[51:40] up. garbage outside of the tower. Your
[51:44] garbage will not be picked up if it's
[51:46] overweight.
[51:48] your garbage will
[51:50] not be picked up.
[51:52] >> You say that again, please. It's
[51:54] overweight.
[51:55] >> Yeah, it's overweight.
[51:57] If so, if the gentleman, if the refuge
[51:59] department, if one individual cannot
[52:01] move the can, I don't want to put our
[52:05] city workers in peril of getting back
[52:08] problems and then the city having to pay
[52:11] workers compensation for that. So, it's
[52:14] a move, I believe, to protect the uh
[52:17] workers, whether you want to believe it
[52:19] or not.
[52:21] And this is a warning and please correct
[52:25] the uh issue and if you has have any
[52:28] questions it says you can call 219
[52:32] 8731530
[52:36] and there will be a date on there when
[52:37] it was issued. So I just wanted to pass
[52:40] that on to the council and to the public
[52:43] in an effort to clean the city up. We're
[52:46] going to be moving forward and that's
[52:49] what's going on.
[52:50] Thank you, Councilman Chris Valinski.
[52:53] Councilwoman Moldenhower.
[52:58] » Thank you, Madame President. Um, I
[53:00] missed making two announcements from the
[53:02] Michigan City Sustainability Commission
[53:04] during that portion of the meeting. Um
[53:07] there's going to be two there's going to
[53:08] be a workshop held that's called Soul
[53:11] Smart Do Your Part
[53:14] with Aaron Sharpening and she's a
[53:17] presenter from the nonprofit Solar
[53:19] United Neighbors Indiana and she'll be
[53:22] talking about um the free solar co-op
[53:26] which is beginning. It was launched
[53:28] earlier this week. Um, it's an
[53:30] opportunity for you to choose equipment
[53:33] as a group buyer and you can decide if
[53:37] you want to participate in receiving a
[53:40] discount or not at the end of the
[53:41] program. This is happening on Wednesday,
[53:44] October 21st from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at
[53:48] city hall and that will be in the EOC
[53:52] room. This is also a great opportunity
[53:54] for people to get like beginning
[53:56] information on solar and to be able to
[53:59] determine if their home or small
[54:01] business is a great place um for solar
[54:05] to be installed. The other thing that's
[54:07] happening is um Northwest Indiana green
[54:10] drinks. There's going to be a
[54:11] presentation on the Indigenous um Native
[54:14] American Indian Trail that's at the
[54:17] Indiana Dunes Information Center and
[54:19] that's going to be on Thursday, November
[54:21] 5th at 6:30 p.m. That's going to be um
[54:25] via Facebook live on Save the Dunes
[54:27] Facebook page or a Zoom link can be
[54:29] obtained from their website or m that's
[54:32] embedded.org.
[54:35] Um thank you very much for allowing me
[54:37] to make those announcements. Thank you,
[54:40] Councilwoman Moldenau. Councilman
[54:41] Nelson.
[54:43] >> Yes. Um, in reference to what in
[54:46] reference to what Don was talking about,
[54:48] what is the charge for the second
[54:50] infraction if they tag your can?
[54:57] » I do not have an answer for that and I
[54:59] don't know if that's been determined
[55:01] yet. I know that the uh
[55:05] refuge department,
[55:07] >> myself being a lesson on to the refuge
[55:10] department
[55:11] and uh the city public information or
[55:15] safety officer and uh Chris Carter.
[55:19] >> We're going to have a meeting
[55:22] next week and we're going to be
[55:24] discussing those items. But as of right
[55:28] now, Councilman Nelson, I do not believe
[55:31] that there is a charge.
[55:33] >> Okay.
[55:34] >> One moment. Uh, Councilman Nelson, um,
[55:37] actually, um, the director, um, Mr.
[55:39] Carter is in the foyer. If you would
[55:41] like, Mr. Carter, could you please, um,
[55:44] come come in?
[56:01] Councilman Nelson has a general has a
[56:03] question for you.
[56:07] >> Good evening.
[56:11] >> Councilman Nelson.
[56:13] >> Yes.
[56:15] >> Here's Mr. Carter.
[56:16] >> How you doing, Mr. Carter?
[56:18] >> I'm doing good. How you doing this
[56:19] evening?
[56:20] >> I'm doing good. I'm blessed. Um, my
[56:22] question was with the second infraction
[56:24] after the warning, what is the penalty
[56:27] um, monetarily wise?
[56:30] >> Uh, I know there's supposed to be a fine
[56:32] behind that. I want to say we talked
[56:34] about like $50. I have to go look at the
[56:36] ordinance for sure to make sure what it
[56:38] is. Are you talking about leaving the
[56:39] can out when you get an infraction?
[56:41] >> Um, a lot a lot right now. We're just
[56:44] kind of trying to do warnings just to u
[56:47] give us a handle on asset management
[56:49] because we feel that the toers are the
[56:51] property of the city and all we all
[56:54] we're doing is asking the the the public
[56:56] to uh be mindful of that and try to take
[56:58] care of the toers, put them up when they
[57:01] can. So I don't think we really want to
[57:04] enforce a fee or a fine behind that, but
[57:06] that's something that we would like to
[57:07] work on in the future.
[57:11] I I I like what you're doing, especially
[57:14] going down Willard. I hate seeing cans
[57:17] on the curb at the trash pickup days.
[57:20] So, um I tip my hat to you. Um to
[57:24] enforcing that I I feel like this
[57:26] something that's always been on the
[57:27] books just far as enforcement has been
[57:29] another thing. I remember when I first
[57:31] obtained my house on the west side, I
[57:33] tried to be slick and put some um some some bushings and trees in
[57:38] a toter and I got tagged for it. So,
[57:41] just to see that come back and um just
[57:45] enforcement, I really love that. On the
[57:47] same token, I just um I want us to
[57:50] follow through with it. I don't want it
[57:52] to be like a blind threat though. I I
[57:55] want us to really like charge people and make them compliant to like the laws
[58:00] of the land. So, I guess that's my only
[58:03] input on this. Yeah. And I and I agree
[58:06] with the sentiments that you just
[58:07] expressed and our our goal is to
[58:11] communicate with the public to inform
[58:13] them this is why we're doing these
[58:15] things. Hopefully the tags will create a
[58:17] curiosity for the people to call in and
[58:19] try to figure out what's going on, why
[58:21] did they get tagged, and then we can
[58:23] educate the public on the uh dos and
[58:25] don'ts with the containers. And so
[58:27] hopefully that opens that line of
[58:29] communication between us and the public.
[58:31] And then as we educate people, I think a
[58:34] lot of people love uh love the ideal
[58:36] complying. They understand once we
[58:38] explain it to them. And so hopefully
[58:41] this right here will get their attention
[58:42] and help us move forward to opening up
[58:44] better lines of communication.
[58:47] >> Thank you, Mer.
[58:48] >> Thank you, Mr. Carter.
[58:50] >> Thank you.
[58:50] Councilman Nelson. Are there
[58:52] any other reports of special or select
[58:54] committees
[58:56] from the council? If there are none,
[58:58] reports from mayor or other city offices
[59:00] and departments.
[59:12] » Good evening, council president, council
[59:14] members, clerk.
[59:15] >> Um, I'll I'll add a couple of things.
[59:17] So, we are the only city that doesn't
[59:19] charge for trash, and we don't want to do that anytime soon. This is really
[59:25] an education effort um for people who
[59:28] when people move here, they don't go to
[59:30] the city website to look up the
[59:31] ordinance on trash. They just don't. But
[59:35] um we know we have an issue. We know we
[59:37] have an issue with some uh individuals
[59:40] that do multiple cleanouts. They are
[59:43] being cited $2,500.
[59:45] So don't think that we're not citing
[59:48] folks for cleanouts and and those
[59:51] things. they are being cited by the code
[59:52] enforcement officers. This is an effort
[59:55] from residents to understand what's
[59:56] going on. We don't want to charge for
[59:59] trash pickup. Uh you can go to our
[1:00:02] neighbor in Leaport. They just did a fee
[1:00:04] increase for the next 3 years on trash
[1:00:07] pickup,
[1:00:08] right? So, uh we are one of the only
[1:00:12] communities that does not charge with
[1:00:14] trash and that information was shared
[1:00:16] with all of you when we had those
[1:00:17] workshops on fees. So, the goal here is
[1:00:21] to educate first before we start moving
[1:00:24] forward with fees and fines and and all
[1:00:26] of that because what you will find is um
[1:00:29] some of the folks that don't know are
[1:00:32] not able to pay those fines and so it
[1:00:35] just becomes a repeat thing. It's more
[1:00:37] about educating so that we don't even
[1:00:38] get to that. So, I just want to share
[1:00:40] that. So, thank you um Councilman
[1:00:42] Privolinsky for bringing that that up.
[1:00:45] Um, also thank you to the art um
[1:00:48] committee, uh, the Michigan City Arts
[1:00:49] Commission and the UEA for their reports
[1:00:51] this evening. Um, I appreciate the work
[1:00:54] that they do. Um, so show up Saturday.
[1:00:57] I'll be there with you. And then um,
[1:01:01] wanted to bring up um, I know that
[1:01:03] controller um, Smith did provide you all
[1:01:05] with some salary information that she
[1:01:07] sent. I know Councilman Pivinsky, you
[1:01:09] asked for it. I had her send that over
[1:01:11] to y'all so that you will have that. um
[1:01:14] making sure that you have that. And then
[1:01:16] um this evening um well, I'll bring up
[1:01:19] this first. Um I know uh there we had a
[1:01:22] release recently on um flock situation
[1:01:25] that's still with the state police. Uh I
[1:01:28] know that there's a process. I know that
[1:01:31] people want names and we have
[1:01:33] disciplinary things that happen all the
[1:01:34] time. And yes, our police officers are
[1:01:37] held to a higher standard, but there is
[1:01:38] a process and there's due process for
[1:01:40] individuals. We have good police
[1:01:42] officers and I think it's unfair that um
[1:01:45] they, you know, they want to smear our
[1:01:47] police officers, some that aren't even
[1:01:49] involved um for those things. There is
[1:01:52] due process. There are internal affairs
[1:01:56] investigations that occur. I know Chief
[1:01:58] Forker will will talk about that. But
[1:02:01] when when a situation occurs with the
[1:02:03] police department, we have what we call
[1:02:04] a police commission.
[1:02:06] There is our individuals are immediately
[1:02:09] put on administrative leave pending an
[1:02:11] investigation investigation and the investigations
[1:02:16] occur and if it's referred to um the
[1:02:19] state police that's where it's at right
[1:02:23] and once that is done and completed
[1:02:26] if there are no criminal actions it's a
[1:02:28] policy violation and I think people need
[1:02:31] to understand that we have policy
[1:02:33] violations where people are suspended in
[1:02:35] different departments We don't post them
[1:02:37] all on Facebook.
[1:02:39] We don't. Our employees do a good job
[1:02:42] and they work hard and and they deserve
[1:02:45] um to be treated as such until
[1:02:47] investigations are completed and due
[1:02:50] process is completed. So, I just want to
[1:02:53] share that. Um and I know that Chief
[1:02:55] Forker will be talking a little bit more
[1:02:57] about that. Um, on another front, um, on
[1:03:00] the agenda tonight, and I know I saw
[1:03:02] some of my my people in here, uh, there
[1:03:06] is a resolution that I authored, and I'm
[1:03:08] thankful for Councilman Beatatri and
[1:03:10] Privolinsky for um, sponsoring it uh,
[1:03:13] with our, um, uh, United Steel Workers
[1:03:17] um, from 12775,
[1:03:19] District 7, um, in support of their
[1:03:22] petition. Um, I had the opportunity to
[1:03:24] meet with President Ryan Baker and Vice
[1:03:27] President um, Kelly. I see Mr. Abraham
[1:03:31] Dudley is in here too this evening. So
[1:03:34] again, um, I ask for your support of
[1:03:36] that as well. And then um, I'll be here
[1:03:39] for any questions um, on the second
[1:03:41] reading of the budget as well. So that's
[1:03:44] my report for today.
[1:03:46] >> Thank you.
[1:03:49] Are there any other reports from mayor
[1:03:51] or other city officers and departments?
[1:04:06] » Good evening, council.
[1:04:08] >> Good evening.
[1:04:08] >> Um go ahead and give you our monthly uh
[1:04:11] run report for September. Um
[1:04:15] for fires, we had 13 fires. Three of
[1:04:17] those were actual structure fires. Um
[1:04:19] the rest were just outside grass fire,
[1:04:21] dumpster fire, car fires. We had 19
[1:04:24] hazardous situations. Um which would be
[1:04:27] such as gas leaks, fuel leaks. Uh
[1:04:31] three of those were just investigations.
[1:04:32] We had 273 medical calls. Uh 214 of
[1:04:36] those were just illness. Um
[1:04:39] and then 56 were actual injuries, trauma
[1:04:42] of some sort. And the three three of
[1:04:44] them fell under just other
[1:04:47] Uh, Narcam was used twice on those
[1:04:49] medical calls. Uh, we had 22 public
[1:04:51] service, which would be lift assist,
[1:04:53] somebody stuck in the elevator,
[1:04:54] something along those lines. Uh, two
[1:04:56] rescues, and then 80 were
[1:04:58] non-emergencies. They were either false
[1:05:00] alarms or good intent or canceled in
[1:05:01] route. Uh, for a total of 409 calls for
[1:05:04] the month of September, which brings us
[1:05:06] to 3,834
[1:05:08] to the end of September of 2026. And
[1:05:10] compared to the 3,792 we had at the same
[1:05:14] time last year, we are uh 42 more than
[1:05:17] we were last year on calls. And that's
[1:05:20] it for my call, my run report. Anybody
[1:05:23] any questions on that? Any
[1:05:25] >> Councilman Prisbolinski?
[1:05:26] >> Yeah, Chief, thanks for the uh the
[1:05:28] report. And one thing that that I would
[1:05:32] like you to follow up with and bring
[1:05:34] back to the council maybe within a
[1:05:36] month's time is what we I had mentioned
[1:05:39] during the uh budget hearings.
[1:05:41] >> Okay.
[1:05:41] >> About the drone that is able to, you
[1:05:45] know, be flown out and then it drops
[1:05:48] wherever the victim is at. Yeah. It'll
[1:05:51] drop a light preserver down that when it
[1:05:55] hits the water, it expands and the
[1:05:58] person can grab it.
[1:05:59] >> Okay.
[1:06:00] >> And if you have any questions about
[1:06:01] that, you can call Mark Swiss Neck in
[1:06:03] Long Beach cuz I know they got a couple
[1:06:05] already.
[1:06:06] >> Do that.
[1:06:06] >> Yeah.
[1:06:06] >> I'll give him a call. I'll talk to
[1:06:08] >> uh look into that.
[1:06:09] >> Okay.
[1:06:10] >> Not at all.
[1:06:10] >> But if you can get back to us in a month
[1:06:12] and let the council know what that
[1:06:14] >> email you or bring it up to the next
[1:06:16] >> No, just bring it up at the uh next
[1:06:17] meeting. I mean, that way we can start
[1:06:20] preparing for this summer and get ready
[1:06:23] and be proactive.
[1:06:24] >> All right, sounds good. Um, if anybody
[1:06:27] has anything else on that,
[1:06:29] >> any other comments or questions for
[1:06:30] Chief Taylor?
[1:06:32] >> Uh, just one more thing. This Saturday
[1:06:34] at Fire Station 1 at 10th in Nelston,
[1:06:37] uh, we're going to have our open house.
[1:06:39] We we did last year. Um, hopefully we
[1:06:41] have the turnout that we had last year.
[1:06:43] We had a pretty good turnout. There'll
[1:06:44] be a DJ. There's going to be some
[1:06:46] demonstrations. Um uh as far as live
[1:06:49] fire demonstration, stuff like that,
[1:06:50] there'll be some uh uh community risk
[1:06:53] reduction stuff such as uh information
[1:06:55] on how to keep your home safe. Uh
[1:06:58] possibly have some smoke detectors, uh
[1:07:00] things like that to to pass out like we
[1:07:01] did last year. I'm not 100% on what all
[1:07:04] we have. Um there'll be some food, uh
[1:07:06] hot dogs, hamburgers, uh no charges, all
[1:07:09] free. So if you've been to the national
[1:07:11] night out with the police, it's
[1:07:12] essentially the same thing except at the
[1:07:13] fire department. um just kind of opening
[1:07:15] the house up to everybody, let everybody
[1:07:16] see what's going on, ask questions, and
[1:07:18] just come and check everything out. Uh
[1:07:20] and that'll be from 10:00 to 1, 10:00
[1:07:22] a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Um if you can make it,
[1:07:24] that'd be awesome. I unfortunately will
[1:07:26] not be there. I have a a family function
[1:07:28] that's been a long time coming. Uh and
[1:07:30] it just happens to fall on the same
[1:07:31] weekend. So, my apologies for that. Um
[1:07:35] but any information, anybody wants any
[1:07:37] specifics, it should be on our uh it'll
[1:07:38] be on our website or our Facebook page.
[1:07:40] Uh just look it up and you'll get some
[1:07:42] specifics off of that. Okay.
[1:07:44] >> Okay.
[1:07:45] >> Anything else for me?
[1:07:47] >> No other comments from the council.
[1:07:49] >> All right. Thank you, Chief.
[1:07:50] >> Thank you. Have a good evening.
[1:07:51] >> I got something. I just want to say
[1:07:52] thank you.
[1:07:53] >> Excuse me. Councilman Nelson,
[1:07:55] >> with all due respect, please raise your
[1:07:56] hand so we can acknowledge that you
[1:07:58] would like to speak.
[1:08:00] Thank you, sir.
[1:08:03] Councilman Nelson,
[1:08:05] >> I just want to say thank you for your
[1:08:06] consistency with your reports and
[1:08:08] keeping us um up to date and real time
[1:08:10] what's going on in your world, sir.
[1:08:12] >> No problem. I appreciate that and and
[1:08:14] like you know maybe I haven't said it
[1:08:16] before. If I have I'll say it again. If
[1:08:18] there's anything you guys specifically
[1:08:20] want from me um just let me know and
[1:08:22] I'll start adding that in or however we
[1:08:25] got to do that. So but uh thank you.
[1:08:27] Have a good evening.
[1:08:28] >> Thank you Chief Taylor.
[1:08:31] >> Are there any other reports from mayor
[1:08:33] or other city offices and departments?
[1:08:43] Will the chief of police be speaking
[1:08:45] this evening?
[1:08:50] » Get our upcoming ordinance, right?
[1:08:57] » Okay.
[1:09:09] Good evening, Council Chief Steve for
[1:09:11] Michigan City Police Department.
[1:09:12] >> Good evening.
[1:09:14] >> Evening. Um, sorry. I just wanted to
[1:09:16] again touch base. I know over the last
[1:09:19] uh several months, we've been talking
[1:09:20] about flock, right, and the auditing
[1:09:22] systems, right, and policies and
[1:09:24] procedures in which we have in place.
[1:09:26] So, wanted to give an update. I know the
[1:09:27] mayor spoke a little bit on some issues
[1:09:29] that we're uh currently [clears throat]
[1:09:31] have and or are dealing with and just
[1:09:33] want to give an update on that and uh
[1:09:34] just fill you in more on our auditing
[1:09:36] process and how that works. So again,
[1:09:39] over the last several months, we've
[1:09:41] continued working with the council and
[1:09:42] community [clears throat]
[1:09:44] on flock and and the broader safe city
[1:09:46] initiative. You know, we've continued to
[1:09:48] listen to the concerns,
[1:09:50] you know, narrowed the scope of the
[1:09:51] proposal, reduced, you know, the
[1:09:53] permanent camera infrastructure and
[1:09:55] continue strengthening our policies,
[1:09:57] auditing practices,
[1:09:59] retention standards, and accountability
[1:10:01] measures that govern its use.
[1:10:03] [clears throat]
[1:10:04] Our auditing process has already
[1:10:06] demonstrated why those safeguards
[1:10:08] matter. One review identified recent
[1:10:11] activity that could not be validated as
[1:10:14] a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
[1:10:17] That officer later resigned and the
[1:10:18] investigation was forwarded to the
[1:10:20] Indiana State Police.
[1:10:22] [gasps and sighs]
[1:10:23] A separate historical audit has
[1:10:26] identified a second potential misuse
[1:10:28] involving a separate officer. That
[1:10:31] officer is currently on administrative
[1:10:32] leave and that investigation is will
[1:10:35] soon be finalized and prepared for the
[1:10:37] referral to the Indiana State Police as
[1:10:39] well. I think it's important to
[1:10:41] understand that an audit alone is not
[1:10:44] finding [clears throat] is not a finding
[1:10:45] of misconduct. An audit identifies
[1:10:48] activity that may require further
[1:10:50] review. And we have a responsibility to
[1:10:53] conduct that review thoroughly, and in context.
[1:10:58] Accountability is not demonstrated by
[1:11:00] claiming misuse will never occur.
[1:11:03] It is demonstrated by having systems
[1:11:05] capable of identifying concerns,
[1:11:08] investigating them appropriately, and
[1:11:10] taking action when warranted.
[1:11:13] Our expectation remains the same across
[1:11:15] the across this department. Law
[1:11:18] enforcement resources must be used
[1:11:20] lawfully, ethically, and for legitimate
[1:11:23] law enforcement purposes. when questions
[1:11:26] arise whether those standards have been
[1:11:27] met, we will examine them and follow the
[1:11:30] appropriate processes and hold people
[1:11:32] accountable when necessary. So again,
[1:11:35] just wanted to give you an update where
[1:11:36] we're at regarding again um our auditing
[1:11:39] system and uh the audits that we have in
[1:11:42] place. I know uh coming up here, I know
[1:11:44] we've moved up the uh uh agenda item uh
[1:11:47] regarding Flock. Chief Shaparski will um
[1:11:50] has another brief presentation regarding
[1:11:53] obviously questions and concerns from
[1:11:54] the previous uh meeting to address those
[1:11:56] and then obviously uh you know we'll
[1:11:59] move forward with questions or uh
[1:12:00] comments concerns from them.
[1:12:03] >> Are there any comments or questions for
[1:12:05] chief?
[1:12:07] >> I just have one. Will we be getting an
[1:12:09] email of our or would um
[1:12:12] >> the statistics I apologize. Yeah, sorry.
[1:12:16] We'll we'll get that email to us.
[1:12:18] Provide it to the
[1:12:19] >> Yeah, we'll provide it to the clerk then
[1:12:21] to the council and uh we'll prepare that
[1:12:22] for the next council meeting as well.
[1:12:24] Yeah, I apologize.
[1:12:25] >> Councilman Davney,
[1:12:27] >> and the question I have is regarding
[1:12:30] that public portal
[1:12:32] um that is supposed to go with the
[1:12:34] system. Is that up and running? Is it
[1:12:37] being worked on to be up and running?
[1:12:39] >> Uh that was a big part of the the sale
[1:12:41] to us
[1:12:43] >> uh how many years ago that
[1:12:45] portal.
[1:12:46] >> Yes.
[1:12:46] >> Yeah, it's on our website. I'm trying to
[1:12:49] think what link or page it's on, but
[1:12:51] yes, there's a link to it on our uh
[1:12:53] website at Michigan City INPD or
[1:12:57] Michigan City PDIN. US.
[1:12:59] >> Yeah, I I just think that would do a lot
[1:13:02] to show the effectiveness and what's
[1:13:05] happening with it. Um and I would
[1:13:07] actually work and try to get that onto
[1:13:08] the city web page as well. Um so you
[1:13:12] know information is out there from all
[1:13:14] sides coming from everywhere uh
[1:13:16] regarding their system.
[1:13:18] >> Thank you.
[1:13:19] >> Councilman Presbinski. Yeah. And the
[1:13:23] portal, what does that portal do? Like I
[1:13:26] don't remember what that portal actually
[1:13:28] does, but what does that provide for
[1:13:30] somebody that goes on there?
[1:13:32] >> Information about, you know, u number of
[1:13:34] searches being conducted, you know,
[1:13:36] agency which um you know, our flock
[1:13:39] system is shared with. Uh
[1:13:41] [clears throat] I know Chief Sparks
[1:13:42] probably has the exact answer, but
[1:13:44] again, basically how Michigan City
[1:13:45] Police Department uses flock, right? and
[1:13:47] or um how who in which we share data
[1:13:50] with right and um
[1:13:55] yeah again I'm trying to again I know
[1:13:57] searches I'm sorry number of searches um
[1:14:01] LPR I believe uh readings per month I
[1:14:05] think are on there's a whole list of of
[1:14:07] different um events again I personally I
[1:14:10] haven't looked at it myself but I think
[1:14:12] Chief Sarski might be able to answer
[1:14:13] that a little bit more details
[1:14:21] Yes. So in the last since this began and
[1:14:25] that request came across for that
[1:14:26] transparency portal, uh at that same
[1:14:29] time, Flock had expanded what you can
[1:14:32] put on there. Um so now if you go to
[1:14:35] Michigan City Police Department's web
[1:14:36] page under how do I you can say view the
[1:14:40] flock transparency portal. Um, we made
[1:14:42] that live uh the beginning, I believe,
[1:14:46] of last week or end of last week. But on
[1:14:49] there, what it has, it says gives you
[1:14:52] 30-day statistics on the number of plate
[1:14:54] reads that our flock system has. It
[1:14:56] lists every single agency, both the
[1:14:58] state, local, and federal, that we
[1:15:00] currently share with. Uh, it also has,
[1:15:04] uh, regional stories on flock successes.
[1:15:06] It has a few examples of successes that
[1:15:08] are happening locally here in Michigan
[1:15:10] City. Um and it also has uh those truths
[1:15:15] and myths about that we presented at the
[1:15:18] workshop and in subsequent meetings. So
[1:15:20] that is always updated by us. We're
[1:15:23] working um on a system to have that. But
[1:15:25] more importantly that will continue to
[1:15:26] evolve you know even with you know
[1:15:28] potential new technologies that
[1:15:30] transparency reporter will have
[1:15:32] potentially the you know the drone as a
[1:15:34] first responder data for flights that
[1:15:36] are being flown. people go in and look,
[1:15:37] hey, why was there a police drone above
[1:15:39] my house on, you know, December 10th of
[1:15:41] this year? And you can look at and see
[1:15:43] what the purpose was and all that. So,
[1:15:45] it's it's live. We can certainly post
[1:15:48] that to our, you know, our Facebook and
[1:15:49] the city page. We'll get that request
[1:15:51] in. Um, but it's it's it's up and
[1:15:53] running. So,
[1:15:59] are there any other question? Did you
[1:16:02] have anything else? Are there any other
[1:16:04] questions or comments for Chief Walker
[1:16:06] from the council?
[1:16:08] >> There. Thank you.
[1:16:13] » Next on our agenda, we're down to
[1:16:15] petitions. Madame clerk, are there any
[1:16:16] petitions this evening?
[1:16:18] >> There are no petitions this evening.
[1:16:20] >> Madame Clerk, if you would, uh,
[1:16:22] communications,
[1:16:24] please.
[1:16:28] » Okay. A correspondence was received in
[1:16:29] the clerk's office on September 16th
[1:16:32] from Sergeant Anthony Loose regarding
[1:16:34] the data center moratorum ordinance.
[1:16:37] Correspondence was received September
[1:16:39] 15th from Bayan Nixa regarding the data
[1:16:42] center moratorum as well.
[1:16:47] And madame clerk if you would our first
[1:16:49] resolution by title only.
[1:16:53] We're doing the ordinance. Oh, sorry.
[1:16:57] Do Go ahead.
[1:16:58] >> I didn't hear what she said.
[1:16:59] >> All right. Thank you.
[1:17:04] » Oh, okay. I was putting it under sec at
[1:17:07] the top of the second ordinances.
[1:17:12] Um we can we're now going to move
[1:17:17] as we approve to um move the
[1:17:20] establishment a temporary moratorium on
[1:17:22] the new data center development and
[1:17:24] creating section 22-3 in the Michigan
[1:17:27] City Municipal Code. We move that up on
[1:17:30] to the top of our agenda.
[1:17:32] So we will be hearing this at this time.
[1:17:35] And are there any comments from the
[1:17:37] sponsors? Dr. Kora. Thank you, Madam
[1:17:40] President. U
[1:17:43] we have been discussing this uh for um
[1:17:46] several months now. Uh and I thank uh
[1:17:49] Councilman Moldinar and Councilman
[1:17:52] Nelson the for their attempts in the
[1:17:55] past. Uh but I think what I've heard
[1:17:58] from the constituents is that they
[1:17:59] really wanted a simple language where we
[1:18:02] have a temporary moratorum. So that's
[1:18:04] the reason why this is on the agenda
[1:18:06] today. Um, ma'am present since we have
[1:18:09] introduced this ordinance late uh do you
[1:18:12] want me to quickly read this?
[1:18:18] What is your preference?
[1:18:20] >> Um, yes.
[1:18:22] >> Okay. Thank you very much. Whereas the
[1:18:24] common council finds that the Michigan
[1:18:25] City Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance
[1:18:27] number 4120 as adopted on January 4,
[1:18:30] 2011 did not anticipate or consider data
[1:18:34] center projects and their impacts on the
[1:18:36] city's incorporated areas. Whereas the
[1:18:38] plan commission is actively engaged in
[1:18:41] reviewing potential amendments to the
[1:18:43] comprehensive zoning ordinance governing
[1:18:45] data center development with the
[1:18:46] assistance of a qualified subject matter
[1:18:48] expert. Whereas the common council finds
[1:18:51] that allowing new data center
[1:18:53] development to proceed before completion
[1:18:56] of the re of that review may be
[1:18:58] inconsistent with the city's future land
[1:19:00] use regulations and planning objectives
[1:19:03] and whereas the common council finds
[1:19:05] that a temporary moratorium is necessary
[1:19:07] to preserve the integrity of the
[1:19:09] planning process while permanent
[1:19:10] regulations are developed. Now therefore
[1:19:13] be it ordained by the common council of
[1:19:15] the city of Michigan City.
[1:19:18] Section 22-3 is hereby created in
[1:19:21] Michigan City Municipal Code and shall
[1:19:23] read as follows. Temporary moratorum on
[1:19:27] new data center development. The purpose
[1:19:29] of this section is to temporarily
[1:19:31] suspend the approval of new data center
[1:19:34] development while the plan commission
[1:19:36] completes its review and recommends
[1:19:38] amendments to the comprehensive zoning
[1:19:41] ordinance.
[1:19:42] Definitions. The following definition
[1:19:44] shall apply to this section. Data
[1:19:46] centers defined consistently as follows.
[1:19:49] Any facility that primarily contains
[1:19:52] electronic equipment used to process,
[1:19:54] store, or transmit digital information,
[1:19:56] which may be a freestanding structure or
[1:19:59] a facility within a larger structure
[1:20:01] that uses environmental control
[1:20:03] equipment to maintain the proper
[1:20:05] conditions for the operation of
[1:20:07] electronic equipment moratorum. During
[1:20:10] the effective period of this section, no
[1:20:12] application for the establishment of a
[1:20:15] new data center shall be approved and no
[1:20:17] land use approval or permit authorizing
[1:20:20] the establishment of a new data center
[1:20:22] shall be issued by the city. Exceptions.
[1:20:25] This section shall not apply to existing
[1:20:27] lawful uses. routine maintenance, repair
[1:20:30] or renovation of existing facilities
[1:20:33] development for which vested rights have
[1:20:35] been established under applicable
[1:20:37] Indiana law with the exception of new
[1:20:40] data center development and the current
[1:20:42] Google data center including each of its
[1:20:44] two phases. the duration and effective
[1:20:47] period. This section uh shall take
[1:20:49] effect upon passage as provided by law
[1:20:52] and shall automatically expire upon the
[1:20:55] effective date of amendments to the
[1:20:57] comprehensive zoning ordinance
[1:20:58] establishing regulations governing data
[1:21:01] center development unless repealed or
[1:21:03] extended by the common council or by
[1:21:06] July 31st 2028. So that is the deadline
[1:21:10] July.
[1:21:11] That's all madam president. Thank you.
[1:21:16] >> Um before we go any further, um I guess
[1:21:18] I'm going to put point of order on
[1:21:20] myself. I just want to make sure because
[1:21:22] I don't want there to be any loopholes
[1:21:24] that I did not um bring this forth
[1:21:29] correctly. Did I or did I not? Or do the
[1:21:32] clerk needs to and me to reiterate this
[1:21:34] was also on second reading by title only
[1:21:38] >> or no?
[1:21:39] >> No. This was the this was the amendment
[1:21:41] to the agenda.
[1:21:42] >> Okay.
[1:21:42] >> That was an amendment to the agenda. Um
[1:21:45] uh Dr. Cora uh provided an overview
[1:21:47] because it was added late u and this
[1:21:50] would be first reading for the new this
[1:21:52] new matter.
[1:21:53] >> Okay.
[1:21:53] >> Do you have something that you want to
[1:21:54] add to that?
[1:21:55] >> No.
[1:21:55] >> Okay.
[1:21:58] >> Thank you. Well, any of the other
[1:22:00] sponsors like to make any comments?
[1:22:02] Councilman Dabney?
[1:22:04] >> Yes.
[1:22:05] Um
[1:22:07] and this has come about um you know few
[1:22:10] meetings back I was talking about this
[1:22:12] you know putting a moratorum on and I
[1:22:14] actually said give me a oneline uh
[1:22:17] ordinance here uh but we had to put
[1:22:19] other you know things in there whereases
[1:22:22] and that uh to make this work but we
[1:22:24] have the moratorum once this ordinance
[1:22:27] will be passed that will be in effect um
[1:22:29] and once again it's July 31st 2028 and I
[1:22:33] really am happy about that because this
[1:22:36] gives us a chance and I' I've said this
[1:22:39] a couple of times now. Gives us a chance
[1:22:41] to be able to collect real data uh from
[1:22:44] this data center, not something that we
[1:22:46] heard happen in Texas or in Tennessee or
[1:22:48] wherever it may be. We'll be able to get
[1:22:50] real data regarding noise, uh water
[1:22:53] usage, energy, and so forth from a data
[1:22:57] center right here in Michigan City that
[1:22:58] we can then look at. Um, and we can
[1:23:01] actually see, you know, how good of a
[1:23:03] partner uh Google has been over that
[1:23:05] time. Um, so I'm happy about that. As I
[1:23:09] said, we I talked about this a few
[1:23:10] meetings ago. So, I'm glad that we're doing this. Um, and I look forward
[1:23:16] to getting this passed and and start to
[1:23:18] move forward. And also, I do know there
[1:23:20] were a couple of council members who
[1:23:22] were working on ordinances um in the
[1:23:26] background. They had talked to different
[1:23:27] attorneys and things of that sort. And
[1:23:29] this is not to cut the legs out of what
[1:23:31] they were trying to do. There's still
[1:23:34] going to be uh talks and and
[1:23:36] negotiations or whatever you want to
[1:23:38] call them uh with the planning
[1:23:39] department. The planning department is
[1:23:41] going to have to come with something at
[1:23:42] some point. So this is not taking away
[1:23:45] um the the process that would be
[1:23:47] happening uh with with the uh the
[1:23:50] planning department to get these things
[1:23:51] in order. Uh so that still can happen
[1:23:53] while this moratorum is on. Um and and I keep I keep saying a moratorum. My
[1:23:59] mother would smack me in the face. It's
[1:24:00] a moratorum. Uh but once again, it gives
[1:24:04] the time for them to put together a true
[1:24:07] ordinance. Um maybe some some changes in
[1:24:10] zoning and things of that sort that
[1:24:11] could come along uh with this. But the
[1:24:14] moratorum is going to be put on for a
[1:24:17] certain amount of time. This is like I
[1:24:19] said, nothing can pass here in the city
[1:24:21] of Michigan City. It locks that down.
[1:24:23] But now it offers time to planning and
[1:24:26] the people who are like I said who have
[1:24:28] already started drawing up ordinances uh
[1:24:29] to get this together moving forward.
[1:24:33] Thank you Councilman Dabney. This
[1:24:35] ordinance will now be open for public
[1:24:37] comment.
[1:24:39] Public comments we ask that you
[1:24:43] he will have to wait until it comes back
[1:24:45] to the council. It is now open up for
[1:24:47] he's not one of the sponsors on this
[1:24:50] ordinance. Um, public comment is now
[1:24:53] open on this ordinance. We ask that you
[1:24:56] come up to the podium. Please state your
[1:24:58] first and last name and your address,
[1:25:00] please. And you are allowed your three
[1:25:02] minutes.
[1:25:06] All Bolinsky, 1716 Washington Street. I
[1:25:09] uh want to uh bring to the attention of
[1:25:12] all the council members that you're
[1:25:14] violating your own rules and the common
[1:25:17] law of the state of Indiana. There is in
[1:25:20] the rules a ordinant has to be filed in
[1:25:23] the clerk's office is there's a 72-hour
[1:25:26] rule and in the state law there's a
[1:25:29] 96-hour rule. So you shouldn't even be
[1:25:33] discussing it at this time cuz it
[1:25:35] doesn't meet any of that. So what you're
[1:25:39] doing as far as I'm concerned is
[1:25:42] discussing a ordinance that is illegally
[1:25:45] before you because it was not filed in
[1:25:47] the clerk's office. So if you want to do
[1:25:49] that and ignore your own rules,
[1:25:52] everybody here and in
[1:25:56] Elco,
[1:25:58] why do we have rules? We have rules for
[1:26:02] order. Thank you.
[1:26:04] >> Thank you, Mr. President.
[1:26:11] » Hello, council. This is uh Savannah
[1:26:13] Lyle, 7676 Mirror Road. Um, I just want
[1:26:16] to say thank you for moving forward and
[1:26:18] trying to establish a moratorum. Um, I
[1:26:21] want to say Google had a community event
[1:26:24] here in Michigan City that wasn't
[1:26:26] advertised for in my opinion very well
[1:26:28] because when I was there there was not
[1:26:30] very many people there. And when I asked
[1:26:32] Google questions surrounding water usage
[1:26:34] and testing, air quality, considering
[1:26:37] the kids at KGER, and whether they would
[1:26:39] publicly post how many of those
[1:26:41] positions would be filled by local
[1:26:43] residents, I wasn't given any answers.
[1:26:45] They took down my information and
[1:26:47] promised they would come back to me with
[1:26:48] answers. I still haven't heard anything.
[1:26:51] And furthermore, we've uh now have a
[1:26:53] Google page on Facebook if you haven't
[1:26:56] seen it. And there's a lot of rules on
[1:26:58] there about how you're allowed to speak
[1:27:00] to Google. And I just don't find it to
[1:27:03] be showcasing what a good neighbor will
[1:27:05] be to us because they haven't answered
[1:27:07] my questions that are very basic.
[1:27:09] They're about the health of the people
[1:27:10] here. It's bad enough that we have to
[1:27:12] deal with coal plants at NIPCO um and
[1:27:15] other things that are affecting our
[1:27:16] health. So, I'm I'm very happy that we
[1:27:19] have something in place to pause until
[1:27:21] we can correctly zone Michigan City so
[1:27:23] that we don't make a a a mistake um and
[1:27:28] other residents and children have to
[1:27:29] deal with a data center being right next
[1:27:32] to them. So, thank you.
[1:27:33] >> Thank you.
[1:27:45] » Hello. Uh my name is Johannes Pulard,
[1:27:48] 205 Shadow Trail, Michigan Shores,
[1:27:50] Indiana. Uh [clears throat]
[1:27:52] I'm very glad to hear about the passing
[1:27:54] of this moratorum. It's time for it's a
[1:27:57] need for it. Uh but I have a very
[1:28:00] serious question. Uh why is it that the
[1:28:05] city council members had to sign an NDA
[1:28:09] for these uh data centers?
[1:28:12] What is there that's kept secret?
[1:28:15] Because from what I understand, an NDA
[1:28:19] is a non-disclosure agreement. And as
[1:28:22] public servants,
[1:28:24] why what what is Google or any of these
[1:28:27] other companies with these data centers,
[1:28:29] what are they trying to hide? Thank you.
[1:28:41] » Dominic Yankee, 904 Willow Spring Drive.
[1:28:44] I am in favor of a data center
[1:28:45] moratorium. Data centers should not be
[1:28:47] close to residential neighborhoods due
[1:28:49] to air pollution and noise concerns,
[1:28:50] especially as Michigan City already has
[1:28:52] a failing grade in air quality due to
[1:28:53] other industrial polluters. This
[1:28:55] ordinance is a step towards temporarily
[1:28:57] protecting those with existing
[1:28:58] respiratory conditions from other data
[1:28:59] centers moving to Michigan City and
[1:29:01] releasing harmful emissions.
[1:29:02] Furthermore, this moratorium would give
[1:29:04] us a reprieve from other data centers
[1:29:06] flagrantly violating the city's
[1:29:07] vegetation ordinance that prohibits
[1:29:09] weeds, grass, and rink vegetation in
[1:29:10] excess of 6 in. This was brought to
[1:29:13] vector controls attention August 28th
[1:29:14] and the mayor's attention on September
[1:29:15] 18th. On September 21st, both of them
[1:29:18] reached out to Phoenix to bring their
[1:29:19] property into compliance more than two
[1:29:20] weeks later. As of this morning, a burm
[1:29:22] on the property still does not comply
[1:29:23] with city ordinance and daily fines
[1:29:25] still remain to be levied. I was
[1:29:27] blindsided by this ordinance as it
[1:29:28] wasn't listed on the online agenda under
[1:29:31] article 2 common council section 2-57
[1:29:34] procedure for ordinance enactment
[1:29:37] B. No ordinance or resolution shall be
[1:29:39] introduced unless the requirements of
[1:29:41] council resolution number 4365 as
[1:29:44] amended have been fulfilled and unless a
[1:29:46] copy has been delivered via electronic
[1:29:48] mail to the email address of each
[1:29:49] council member at least 96 hours prior
[1:29:52] to the meeting. So I am left wondering
[1:29:54] if all council members had been emailed
[1:29:56] this ordinance by Friday, October 2nd at
[1:29:58] 6:30 p.m. to comply with this
[1:30:00] requirement. Thank you for your time.
[1:30:12] Matthew Hoskins, 7676 Mir Road, Michigan
[1:30:15] City, Indiana. Um, I I also appreciate
[1:30:18] you guys taking a look at doing this,
[1:30:20] pausing it. My main concern is the air
[1:30:23] pollution. Unless you've been in an
[1:30:25] industrial environment and seen the size
[1:30:28] of the diesel generators that they're
[1:30:30] going to test and run, you don't
[1:30:32] comprehend the amount of pollution that
[1:30:35] is going to affect Michigan City. What
[1:30:36] I'm going to ask is as a city, and I
[1:30:39] don't know how it's tracked. I don't
[1:30:40] know how we keep track of it, but we
[1:30:41] keep the pressure on Google that if they
[1:30:44] do start to run their diesel generators
[1:30:46] more than they have told us, we have to
[1:30:49] step up and we have to confront them and
[1:30:51] hold them accountable because it's um
[1:30:55] the size of them, which I've looked at
[1:30:56] and I work in industrial environment. Um
[1:30:59] your normal citizen doesn't understand
[1:31:02] how much air pollution one of those
[1:31:04] diesel generators put out. It's not a
[1:31:06] house generator. All right. Thank you.
[1:31:14] Can I take the one that we have online,
[1:31:16] please? Miss Williams. Yeah, thank you
[1:31:19] so much, Tracy. Ashley Williams, 401
[1:31:21] First Street. I just want to be clear, I
[1:31:23] strongly support a meaningful data
[1:31:25] center moratorum, but not this ordinance
[1:31:27] as written. Uh, I have followed this
[1:31:29] process from the very beginning and
[1:31:30] tonight a mortorium came down that was
[1:31:32] never placed on the agenda. no resident
[1:31:34] knew, not that people have shown up ever
[1:31:36] at every meeting uh in support of a
[1:31:38] moratorum. And I I think that this is
[1:31:40] really the furthest thing from
[1:31:41] transparency. And like my neighbors, I
[1:31:43] also question the legality of how this
[1:31:45] was introduced. Uh this mortorium
[1:31:47] expires the moment the city passes its
[1:31:49] own amendments to the zoning ordinance.
[1:31:50] The very amendments the planning
[1:31:52] department has been working on all
[1:31:53] along. um it pauses just long enough to
[1:31:56] create an illusion of action while the
[1:31:58] planning department skates in an M3 data
[1:32:00] center zoning district that we know we
[1:32:02] it's been working on behind the scenes
[1:32:04] without public knowledge or input up
[1:32:06] till this point. So I am demanding a
[1:32:09] moratorium language with teeth, not one
[1:32:11] that shields Google and further
[1:32:13] expansion when they've already
[1:32:14] demonstrated they're not a good
[1:32:15] neighbor. uh just read subsection D4 of
[1:32:19] what is right in front of you tonight
[1:32:20] exempts and I'm quoting the current
[1:32:22] Google data center including each of its
[1:32:24] two phases two phases the first
[1:32:26] mentioned from this council or any of
[1:32:28] the city on the second building uh that
[1:32:30] shows up right there in the moratorum
[1:32:32] that is supposed to protect us from it
[1:32:34] uh we the people have been educating our
[1:32:36] communities about buildings one and two
[1:32:38] while the majority of this council has
[1:32:40] been absent and built brick walls
[1:32:41] whenever any of us have brought up about
[1:32:43] the data center and there is no mention
[1:32:45] of of the fact that Google's attempting
[1:32:47] to double its diesel generator fleet.
[1:32:49] So, I'm asking that the council amend
[1:32:50] the ordinance tonight by striking
[1:32:52] subsection D4 in its entirety. I ask
[1:32:55] that you make immediate amendments to
[1:32:56] place a moratorum in effect for a full
[1:32:58] year regardless of the timing of a city
[1:33:00] or uh rather ordinance being written
[1:33:02] behind closed doors to allow for public
[1:33:04] input and to ensure our community is
[1:33:06] kept safe from this predatory and
[1:33:08] energyintensive industry. As we know,
[1:33:10] our own utilities under investigation
[1:33:12] for prolonged outages due to neglect and
[1:33:15] layoffs and has experienced a risky and
[1:33:17] concerning volume of data center growth.
[1:33:19] If this council is unwilling to do that
[1:33:21] on the floor, then hold the ordinance to
[1:33:23] next month so that every council and the
[1:33:25] public can read what is actually in it.
[1:33:28] Thank you so much for your time.
[1:33:30] >> Thank you, Miss.
[1:33:36] » Madam President, if I could, unless
[1:33:38] there's other public comment. Yes. Um,
[1:33:40] are there any other public comments on
[1:33:43] We have one. Yes.
[1:33:46] >> Amy Lysinski, 104 Mayfield Drive. I'm
[1:33:50] It's getting very confusing how
[1:33:52] something so simple and as we talked
[1:33:54] about, it looked like everybody was for
[1:33:55] the moratorium has become so difficult.
[1:33:57] Uh, I've been attending these meetings
[1:33:59] for a long time. I have not ever really
[1:34:01] seen where an amendment was added of an
[1:34:03] ordinance where it's not been like
[1:34:05] advertised before. I think a big thing
[1:34:07] that like I would be concerned with or
[1:34:09] not is I really hope that Nancy and Joe
[1:34:12] were included because this is something
[1:34:14] I think that was very meaningful to
[1:34:16] them. They were our two powerful no
[1:34:18] votes. So I would hate to see that other
[1:34:20] people are trying to like jump in here.
[1:34:22] I want a clean one. I've stressed that
[1:34:25] but I little bit confused. I haven't got
[1:34:27] to see this to know what's going on yet.
[1:34:29] Um, I think I wrote down where you were
[1:34:31] talking about exceptions. And with the
[1:34:33] exceptions, I think you said something
[1:34:34] about existing buildings. You guys know
[1:34:37] I've been all about the variance letter.
[1:34:39] That variance letter allowed something
[1:34:41] to go into an existing building without
[1:34:44] the research. So, that's where I that
[1:34:47] part and I haven't looked at it. I got
[1:34:49] to look at it more, but that was a quick
[1:34:51] trigger to me that I think that needed
[1:34:53] to be looked at a little bit more. I do
[1:34:54] want to know because at the last meeting
[1:34:56] it came down to did it need to be
[1:34:58] resolution or an ordinance. So do we
[1:35:00] have that cleared up because I thought
[1:35:01] we tabled to possibly come back with a
[1:35:04] resolution. So just clarifying that that
[1:35:06] would be great. And I think a big thing
[1:35:08] too is from what I have researched and I
[1:35:10] could be completely wrong but I thought
[1:35:12] with the moratorium when it changes the
[1:35:13] zoning law we have to have also maybe a
[1:35:15] hearing at the planning department. So
[1:35:18] is that going to be happening before the
[1:35:21] third reading? like where does that come
[1:35:22] in into the play of passing this
[1:35:24] ordinance in the next three readings
[1:35:25] because I want to make sure this has
[1:35:27] legal standing because I do support
[1:35:29] putting this in place. Um I'll stop
[1:35:32] there and I'll save some of the others
[1:35:33] for later. So, thank you.
[1:35:35] >> Thank you.
[1:35:47] » All right. All right. All right. Uh
[1:35:50] Steve Coyle, 2015 Oral Trail, Long
[1:35:53] Beach, Indiana. Uh I support the
[1:35:56] moratorum. Thank you so much. Um this
[1:35:59] moratorum will give us an opportunity
[1:36:03] to develop a worst case scenario.
[1:36:07] Uh as we go through life, we all plan
[1:36:09] for worst case scenarios. A house fire,
[1:36:11] a tornado, the loss of the job. We buy
[1:36:14] insurance. We make plans. We don't wait
[1:36:17] for the worst day to start thinking
[1:36:19] about it. So tonight, I asked the
[1:36:21] council, are we prepared for a data
[1:36:23] center worst case scenario?
[1:36:26] Specifically, what happens if the diesel
[1:36:29] storage tanks fail cat fail
[1:36:31] catastrophically and there is a
[1:36:34] large-scale tank fire, a ruptured
[1:36:36] containment spill, or a vapor ignition
[1:36:40] event?
[1:36:41] Did the council know that there were
[1:36:43] going to be 135 storage tanks containing
[1:36:47] over 725,000
[1:36:50] gallons of diesel fuel.
[1:36:55] Um maybe it was hidden in the NDA,
[1:36:58] maybe it was hidden in the agreement
[1:37:02] um under the line that you know
[1:37:04] basically project maze is a data center
[1:37:06] campus to include without limitation one
[1:37:09] or more data center buildings as well as
[1:37:11] certain other building structures and
[1:37:13] infrastructure that are necessary in
[1:37:15] support of the foregoing use. So, what
[1:37:18] happens when 725,000
[1:37:21] gallons of diesel fuel catches fire?
[1:37:25] There is going to be a massive fireball
[1:37:27] and thermal radiation. Toxic smoke will
[1:37:31] endanger anyone with asthma, COPD, or
[1:37:33] heart condition. Over pressure waves
[1:37:37] will shatter nearly all windows and
[1:37:39] glass within a half a mile of the data
[1:37:42] center. A half a mile. That's Kger
[1:37:45] Middle School.
[1:37:47] Okay, you can Google it. What happens
[1:37:50] when 725,000
[1:37:52] gallons of diesel full fuel blows up?
[1:37:56] Okay, so we just suffered a delo and
[1:38:00] watch NIPS go fail. Its own worst case
[1:38:03] scenario plans. That is our evidence.
[1:38:06] That is not speculation. That is the
[1:38:07] city's own recent history.
[1:38:10] Unfortunately, storms are becoming more
[1:38:12] frequent. So, when the next storm hits
[1:38:14] and the power fails, how will the data
[1:38:16] center hold up? Will the diesel tanks
[1:38:18] handle the stress? And if not, are we
[1:38:21] prepared for the worst case scenario?
[1:38:24] Does the fire department have the
[1:38:25] equipment, training, and manpower to
[1:38:27] respond to a fuel tank fire of this
[1:38:29] scale? What does a diesel spill do to
[1:38:33] our water table?
[1:38:35] What would an eval evacuation plan look
[1:38:39] like with a Kreger Middle School and
[1:38:42] Paladin Head Start inside it?
[1:38:45] We cannot wait until building number one
[1:38:47] is completed. We need to act now. We
[1:38:52] need to consider pausing construction on
[1:38:54] building number two until these safety
[1:38:57] issues are properly addressed. Thank
[1:38:59] you.
[1:39:10] Greetings. My name is Elellanar
[1:39:12] Charlton, 122 North Calumet A. Um, I'm
[1:39:16] going to kind of dovetail on what my
[1:39:18] predecessor just said. Generators,
[1:39:22] that's a lot of generators.
[1:39:25] The smoke coming out of those, if you
[1:39:27] have asthma, if you have friends that
[1:39:29] have asthma, give it up. when they're
[1:39:32] going, they will be in the hospital.
[1:39:34] They will be in the ER because it's
[1:39:36] horrible.
[1:39:39] You guys had a storm. I don't mean to be
[1:39:43] rude. I know it was bad, but it wasn't
[1:39:46] really bad. If you want to see bad, look
[1:39:48] at April 11th, 2011. I was living in
[1:39:51] Alabama at the time. I spent 46 hours in
[1:39:55] a hospital ER working because we had
[1:39:59] F4s, F5s.
[1:40:02] 300 people died. Thousands of people
[1:40:04] were injured. It was terrible.
[1:40:08] Imagine that here. Imagine just two F5s
[1:40:11] here. And your infrastructure couldn't
[1:40:14] handle high winds. Bad high winds, I
[1:40:17] grant you. But what's NIPCO going to do
[1:40:21] when there's a power failure at that
[1:40:23] plant? Do you think Michigan City's
[1:40:25] going to get power back? And if so, at
[1:40:28] what rate? And I'll tell you a really
[1:40:30] horrifying story about your little storm
[1:40:32] that you did have. The thing that really
[1:40:34] buzzed me was I was working and you know
[1:40:38] what? We didn't have diesel. We didn't
[1:40:41] have any backup diesel.
[1:40:44] Think about that. I work at a hospital
[1:40:47] and we had to unplug everything that
[1:40:50] wasn't mandatory because we didn't have
[1:40:54] backup diesel. But feed for thought.
[1:41:04] U my name is Cooper Lyles and I just
[1:41:07] want to say I want to get rid of data
[1:41:08] centers cuz it's bad for our kids uh
[1:41:12] future.
[1:41:20] this. Yes. Thank you. First of all, I
[1:41:22] want to thank the council members. Uh I
[1:41:24] live in Long Beach, Indiana, among the
[1:41:26] millionaires of which I'm not one. And I
[1:41:29] just want to say a few things. Now, I I
[1:41:32] don't Women aren't supposed to say their
[1:41:33] age, but I just turned 74. Okay? And
[1:41:37] well, thank you. I'm still alive. And
[1:41:39] so, uh, I just took over, uh, a very
[1:41:44] important job. We do investigative
[1:41:45] reporting. It's called Who's Your
[1:41:47] Inquirer Lucas out of Indianapolis. And
[1:41:49] I just became CEO and president of the
[1:41:51] board. So, Dr. Corey, you can call me
[1:41:54] Madame President. All right. Wonderful
[1:41:56] doctor. So, anyway, I just want to say
[1:41:58] to you that I came here in 1956 when I
[1:42:01] was 3 years old. My father was the um,
[1:42:05] head of Barnes & Noble. Mr. Barnes and
[1:42:07] Mr. Noble have been to my house only
[1:42:09] because my mother was dying of cancer.
[1:42:10] They came to support us. But I'm telling
[1:42:12] you this because my brother who is 6
[1:42:14] years older than me and has since uh
[1:42:17] lives in heaven. Um he worked for Royal
[1:42:20] Medal. He got a job out of high school
[1:42:22] when he graduated from Marquette in
[1:42:24] 1961.
[1:42:26] And that's where the data center is.
[1:42:28] That's the old Royal Medal uh facility.
[1:42:31] You probably know this, right? Well,
[1:42:34] I've been doing a deep dive because I
[1:42:36] remember going to pick up my brother
[1:42:38] with my parents after work. There's a
[1:42:40] lot of stuff in the ground under Royal
[1:42:42] Medal. You know what I'm talking about.
[1:42:45] So, that's the first concern I have is
[1:42:47] what's really under there and what's
[1:42:48] going to be seeping to the poor people
[1:42:51] across the street, some of who I know
[1:42:53] who came here to retire in a very, you
[1:42:56] know, nice community among the trees and
[1:42:59] the deer and everything else. And
[1:43:01] they're like horrified. I don't blame
[1:43:03] them. If they moved across the street
[1:43:05] from my house, I'd be horrified, too.
[1:43:07] The second thing I wanted to ask you to
[1:43:09] think about, and I went to that big big
[1:43:11] meeting, did anybody else go who was at
[1:43:13] the uh Michigan City High School?
[1:43:16] Remember that? Um where they wanted our
[1:43:18] feedback. They came up from
[1:43:20] Indianapolis. I got up and I asked them,
[1:43:23] "What about my NIPCO bill? [gasps] I
[1:43:26] can't even concentrate on what it's
[1:43:29] going to be after the storm, but the
[1:43:31] bills are going way up. You know this.
[1:43:33] So, what are we going to do about that?
[1:43:35] I don't think I can't afford, you know,
[1:43:38] $500 a month in the summer and a,000 in
[1:43:42] the winter, which I just got, and it's
[1:43:44] only me and three cats. So, what am I
[1:43:46] supposed to do about that? And what is
[1:43:48] our community supposed to do about the
[1:43:50] bills that are really rising high from
[1:43:53] allegedly the uh center? So I'm just
[1:43:56] asking you to look into that when you
[1:43:59] start to, you know, focus on the data
[1:44:01] center and what is going to happen next.
[1:44:04] So um please think about it and thank
[1:44:07] you for the work you do and thank you to
[1:44:08] the mayor for uh fighting towards this
[1:44:12] goal. I know that she is into the police
[1:44:14] and the fire department. Thank you also.
[1:44:16] >> Thank you, Miss.
[1:44:18] This is the last call for public
[1:44:20] comments.
[1:44:23] This will be our last public comment.
[1:44:28] Hello, my name is Wayne Rifle, 4210 East
[1:44:30] Michigan Boulevard. Uh, I looked into
[1:44:32] the data center and one of the things
[1:44:34] that I found that their generator
[1:44:37] capacity, it's it's a really large
[1:44:40] capacity for their diesel and uh they're
[1:44:43] going to be supplying pretty much their
[1:44:44] own infrastructure for that as far as
[1:44:47] fuel goes. But you got a bigger problem
[1:44:49] with that because they're not going to
[1:44:50] use duel. They're going to use
[1:44:53] non-duelue, which they'll supply and you
[1:44:56] won't be able to trace it back along
[1:44:58] with uh there's no disclosure of what
[1:45:00] they're going to uh what you guys have
[1:45:03] made with in regards to the sewage plant
[1:45:05] that they're going to pump their their
[1:45:07] waste water out of. Okay. What that's
[1:45:10] going to do to the lake when you pump it
[1:45:11] back in or whether you're even cap
[1:45:13] capable of getting rid of the PAS that's
[1:45:15] going to come out of there. So along
[1:45:17] with that and then there's your your
[1:45:19] flock camera issue which uh I do happen
[1:45:22] to have some uh court cases here that
[1:45:25] say that specifically that not
[1:45:27] >> Mr. Rice this is strictly
[1:45:29] >> yes but I can mention what I need to
[1:45:32] mention but that you can um address that
[1:45:35] under public comment or when we get to
[1:45:37] >> Oh so you're going to go further into
[1:45:39] that
[1:45:40] >> to for for public comment for that.
[1:45:43] >> Yes.
[1:45:43] >> Okay. I just want to make sure. Okay. As
[1:45:45] far as Google goes, they're a lot of the
[1:45:47] data that they're collecting in the
[1:45:48] local area with their infrastructure,
[1:45:51] they're selling that data. That would
[1:45:53] include the the flock data that goes
[1:45:55] with it that they're going they got a
[1:45:56] contract to store. So when that comes
[1:45:59] through, your image and likeness is
[1:46:02] being sold. Okay? So you might end up on
[1:46:05] a herpes commercial. Okay? And it's
[1:46:07] going to be splattered all over Google's
[1:46:09] main website. So or your kids same way.
[1:46:12] So that's something you got to consider
[1:46:14] on what what what's been done with the
[1:46:16] data center itself from each local area
[1:46:18] it picks up from. Uh in a way it's
[1:46:21] better that it's here in the United
[1:46:23] States because then you can control the
[1:46:25] data you can regulate it but unfortunate
[1:46:28] part is it's here now.
[1:46:30] Thank you.
[1:46:31] >> Thank you Mr. Lizel.
[1:46:33] >> Public comments are now told attorney
[1:46:36] Harris.
[1:46:36] >> Yes. Um so I just want to provide some
[1:46:39] clarification as to what it is we're
[1:46:41] doing with the proposed ordinance on the
[1:46:44] temporary moratorum. Uh the sponsors of
[1:46:46] this ordinance uh requested an amendment
[1:46:49] to the agenda so that this could be
[1:46:50] added and that was approved. Um once
[1:46:53] it's added to the agenda, a discussion
[1:46:54] can be had which we've had public
[1:46:56] comment on it and there's no issue with
[1:46:58] doing that. It's a separate issue as to
[1:47:00] what the process is for enacting the
[1:47:02] ordinance. And uh one of the speakers
[1:47:04] did mention um section 2- uh 57 of our
[1:47:08] city code entitled procedure for
[1:47:10] ordinance enactment. And it does require
[1:47:12] a 96-hour prior notice of the ordinance
[1:47:15] before it starts the enactment process.
[1:47:17] I think the sponsors wanted to make sure
[1:47:19] that the public was aware that this this
[1:47:21] process for this particular version of a
[1:47:24] moratorum ordinance um has started. the
[1:47:27] work has started of drafting it. It's
[1:47:29] been made available or read aloud during
[1:47:32] this meeting, but it wouldn't advance to
[1:47:34] second reading at the next meeting.
[1:47:35] There would still be a requirement
[1:47:37] pursuant to the enactment requirements
[1:47:38] that it have a formal first reading at
[1:47:41] our next meeting. But instead of waiting
[1:47:43] until that next meeting to let the
[1:47:44] public know that there is this proposed
[1:47:47] uh temporary moratorum was added to the
[1:47:50] agenda and read aloud at this meeting
[1:47:52] for transparency. So, I just want to
[1:47:54] make sure, Madam President, I think your
[1:47:56] instruction would be that this matter be
[1:47:58] heard on first reading at the next
[1:48:00] meeting for formal enactment.
[1:48:02] >> Thank you.
[1:48:05] >> Are there any comments from the council?
[1:48:08] >> Yeah, Madame President, I'd like to be
[1:48:10] added as a co-sponsor.
[1:48:13] >> Madam President, I'd also like to be
[1:48:14] added as a co-sponsor.
[1:48:15] >> Are there any other council members that
[1:48:16] would like to be added?
[1:48:18] >> Yes, Madam President, I'd like to be
[1:48:19] added as a co-sponsor.
[1:48:21] >> I'd like to be added also. Councilman
[1:48:24] Nelson,
[1:48:26] >> in reference to um what we're talking
[1:48:29] about,
[1:48:31] Dr. Kora,
[1:48:33] I've spoken to you in reference to the
[1:48:36] moratorum.
[1:48:38] So, for you to like bring this forth to
[1:48:40] the public or however it is is
[1:48:43] disingenuous. You didn't speak to me or
[1:48:45] Nancy in reference to this. Like, it's
[1:48:48] undermining what we've done. Like I
[1:48:51] worked my ass off all summer for this.
[1:48:54] So for you to come,
[1:48:55] >> Mr. Nelson, your language.
[1:48:57] >> Excuse my language. I work my butt off
[1:49:00] for this. Me and Nancy and a lot of good
[1:49:03] people. So for you to come in and swoop
[1:49:06] and do this and not speak to me or Nancy
[1:49:08] about this, I do not appreciate that
[1:49:12] and I want that to be known publicly.
[1:49:18] Are there any other comments from the
[1:49:20] council?
[1:49:22] Madame clerk, I would like to add this
[1:49:24] to
[1:49:26] Oh,
[1:49:28] Councilwoman Moldenhower.
[1:49:32] » Um, thank you, Madam President. Um, I
[1:49:35] just want to go on record that I was not
[1:49:38] included any discussion regarding this
[1:49:40] new ordinance either. And, um, that's
[1:49:43] why I voted nay before
[1:49:46] um that
[1:49:49] >> I'm not hurt by this personally, but I
[1:49:52] think it's a matter of procedure
[1:49:54] that when our council is working on
[1:49:57] something, I hope that everybody's
[1:49:59] included that has been a part of what's
[1:50:02] been done up until this point in time.
[1:50:05] And I have no further comment on this.
[1:50:07] Thank you.
[1:50:08] >> Thank you, Councilwoman Moldenau.
[1:50:09] Councilman Dabney
[1:50:17] » and I would like to add um in regard to
[1:50:22] the comments that were made there. Um he
[1:50:24] said that we would have liked to have
[1:50:25] been included
[1:50:27] um in the process. U I would have liked
[1:50:30] to have been included when you guys
[1:50:32] started meeting with lawyers before. Um
[1:50:36] >> you never want you voted against the
[1:50:38] moratorum. You know the you know let him holler. Let him holler. Let him
[1:50:43] holler you order. Council Nelson.
[1:50:47] >> I'll shut that down.
[1:50:49] >> Councilman Dabney Councilman's we and
[1:50:52] women. We will not have that type of
[1:50:54] behavior sitting up here with each
[1:50:57] other. Not at all. So please respect
[1:51:00] each other as you will want someone to
[1:51:02] respect you sitting up here.
[1:51:04] >> All right. So what about a month ago?
[1:51:07] What? Over a month ago is when I had
[1:51:09] >> three months ago.
[1:51:11] >> I'm sorry.
[1:51:14] >> Three months ago. I've been working on
[1:51:16] this.
[1:51:16] >> Let him let him No, let him go. Let him
[1:51:18] go.
[1:51:18] >> Then Nancy been working on the moratorum
[1:51:20] system.
[1:51:29] » But you want a data center. Why would I
[1:51:31] include you in
[1:51:34] >> With all due respect, Councilman Nelson,
[1:51:36] I have had requested to have you muted.
[1:51:38] We are not doing this here
[1:51:41] either. We're going to have a
[1:51:43] conversation in regards to this specific
[1:51:45] order ordinance that is before us.
[1:51:48] >> Respect.
[1:51:51] » And again, those are personal
[1:51:53] conversations you can have after the
[1:51:55] meeting or over a phone call or in
[1:51:57] person, but not here.
[1:52:00] So if council still have
[1:52:04] comments regarding the ordinance,
[1:52:08] then let's have that conversation. We
[1:52:10] will debate what's in the ordinance, not
[1:52:13] how we derived at the ordinance.
[1:52:18] If there is no other comments,
[1:52:21] [clears throat]
[1:52:23] I would like to request that this
[1:52:24] ordinance that is on first reading be
[1:52:26] added to the council agenda.
[1:52:29] um for our next council meeting.
[1:52:33] >> Madame President,
[1:52:35] may I request may I request a fivem
[1:52:37] minute race? Yes.
[1:52:40] >> All those in favor for a fivem minute
[1:52:41] recess?
[1:52:42] >> I any naysay? There are none. 5 minutes.
[1:52:46] We'll be back at 8:30 p.m.
[1:52:51] Welcome back. We are still in
[1:52:55] the Michigan City Council meeting. We
[1:52:59] will return back to our scheduled
[1:53:02] agenda.
[1:53:04] And next we are on resolutions.
[1:53:08] Wait.
[1:53:15] » Oh.
[1:53:16] Yes. Madame clerk, if you would please.
[1:53:19] Our
[1:53:21] next ordinance
[1:53:25] re regarding flock on second reading. An
[1:53:28] ordinance on second reading by title
[1:53:30] only approving additional appropriation
[1:53:32] in the budget of the rainy day fund for
[1:53:34] limited use of the flock camera system
[1:53:36] for the Michigan City Police Department.
[1:53:39] And this is introduced by Mr. Dabney,
[1:53:40] Mr. President Bolinsky, Dr. Gora, and
[1:53:43] Mr. Coulter.
[1:53:45] >> And would the sponsors like to make any
[1:53:47] comments? Right.
[1:53:49] >> Yeah.
[1:53:51] >> Madam President, I would like to
[1:53:52] withdraw my support for this ordinance.
[1:54:02] » Dr.
[1:54:04] Madam President, and after listening to
[1:54:06] the feedback I've gotten from my
[1:54:08] constituents and seeing that the company
[1:54:11] itself that manufactures block systems,
[1:54:15] uh they are uh making some changes. Um
[1:54:18] and in response to the public feedback
[1:54:20] and the possibility that even Congress
[1:54:22] may get involved with this um I feel
[1:54:25] that this is not the right time to
[1:54:27] expand uh the flock program. Uh we'll
[1:54:31] just stick with what we currently have.
[1:54:33] So I would like to also drop my
[1:54:36] sponsorship
[1:54:41] » for
[1:54:43] allow us to get through. I'd like to
[1:54:45] drop my sponsorship for the expansion of
[1:54:47] the flock program.
[1:54:48] >> Thank you. Um, Council Nter.
[1:54:51] >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, it's silly
[1:54:53] to be holding food while I do this, but
[1:54:55] um, uh, as I've spoken various times
[1:54:59] about, um, I'm excited to see that the
[1:55:01] state and federal government, um, as
[1:55:02] well as Flock itself, are going to
[1:55:04] introduce more protections, um, and
[1:55:07] regulations. Um but at the moment uh
[1:55:11] with public feedback on this um I don't
[1:55:13] support the expansion of the system as
[1:55:15] we have it now.
[1:55:17] Um that said in the future I'd like to
[1:55:19] still be interested in the
[1:55:22] um the drone um and then further
[1:55:26] protections for the first ward um along
[1:55:28] the Southshore tracks um in the station
[1:55:31] there. But until then um I'm also
[1:55:34] withdrawing my sponsorship.
[1:55:38] Councilman Dabney.
[1:55:40] >> Yes. And obviously I've expressed u the
[1:55:44] whole process of how flock originally
[1:55:47] came to Michigan City due to the
[1:55:48] shootings and so forth. Uh but there
[1:55:51] have been things that have come up at
[1:55:52] this time. Um and I am going to uh drop
[1:55:56] my sponsorship at this time for this uh
[1:55:58] addition to the flock system.
[1:56:04] So at this present time that all
[1:56:06] sponsors um have dropped their
[1:56:08] sponsorships. So I will ask will any
[1:56:11] other council like to pick this
[1:56:13] ordinance up?
[1:56:16] I am asking again will any other council
[1:56:19] members like to pick this ordinance up?
[1:56:22] Would any other Councilman Nelson?
[1:56:27] » I want the motion motion to um table
[1:56:30] indefinitely.
[1:56:34] Well, well, due to that due to that all
[1:56:37] sponsors have dropped their sponsorship,
[1:56:40] then this is dead and no one else is
[1:56:42] picking this up to move forward.
[1:56:44] >> That's even better. Thank you.
[1:56:47] >> This ordinance is dead.
[1:56:57] » Okay, we have order. We still have
[1:56:59] business.
[1:57:01] I I I just want to take a moment to
[1:57:02] thank uh Assistant Chief Sheparski and
[1:57:06] the police chief uh for working with us
[1:57:09] throughout this process. Um and I just
[1:57:12] want to express my gratitude for that.
[1:57:13] Thank you so much.
[1:57:14] >> Thank you,
[1:57:15] >> Madam President. Madame President
[1:57:18] Binsky.
[1:57:19] >> Yeah, if I may. Uh I didn't express my
[1:57:23] opinion when I first said that I was
[1:57:24] going to withdraw my support, but I do
[1:57:28] want to thank uh Chief Saparski
[1:57:31] uh his work and uh hard diligence and
[1:57:35] going through the procedures and
[1:57:36] updating all the procedures.
[1:57:39] And believe me folks, to me, the police
[1:57:42] department's been very transparent on
[1:57:44] this on this whole uh issue. Uh so I
[1:57:50] wouldn't hold any grudges against the uh
[1:57:53] police department. Uh and and one thing
[1:57:56] though and just as Councilman Coulter
[1:57:58] said and I said it to Councilman Kora
[1:58:01] this morning that I still think and
[1:58:04] although it won't come up to us here
[1:58:06] anytime soon I don't think is the uh
[1:58:10] drone system. Now, if you look at it
[1:58:13] from this respect, look at it from this
[1:58:16] respect. It's not about going around and
[1:58:20] spying on people and what they're doing,
[1:58:24] but here in Michigan City, we have a
[1:58:26] lakefront
[1:58:28] that there's emergency calls that need
[1:58:30] to go out there. There's people
[1:58:32] drowning. There's boats that get uh, you
[1:58:35] know, in wrecks and things like that.
[1:58:38] And
[1:58:40] the drone can get there 50% faster than
[1:58:44] any squad car or any fire truck trying
[1:58:47] to get down there. And once it once they
[1:58:50] get down there for the emergency
[1:58:51] response, then they got to walk up and
[1:58:54] down the beach and try to get an idea
[1:58:57] where the person's at. the drone is out
[1:59:00] over the lake already looking down
[1:59:02] telling the uh police department where
[1:59:06] the person's at. You know, I I'm
[1:59:09] thinking at it from that respect as an
[1:59:11] emergency response. And take for
[1:59:13] example, if uh
[1:59:16] you know, there's a child that's out in
[1:59:19] the neighborhood and lost or there's
[1:59:22] some kind of gun altercation going on.
[1:59:25] The drone is up above giving the police
[1:59:28] down below the information they need and
[1:59:31] how to deal with this situation. So, I'm
[1:59:34] also looking at the safety of the police
[1:59:38] officers and the safety of the
[1:59:40] community. Not to say that that's going
[1:59:42] to be about come about, but that's
[1:59:45] something I think we need to put in our
[1:59:47] thought process instead of just worrying
[1:59:49] about the invasion of our privacy. I'm
[1:59:53] looking at it from a public safety
[1:59:55] standpoint also. So, I just want to
[1:59:58] express my opinion on that. Thank you,
[2:00:00] >> Councilman Pisbelli. Councilman Dabney.
[2:00:03] >> Yes. And as we all, you know, quickly
[2:00:06] dropped our sponsorship, but I did make
[2:00:08] the comment on how I feel about the the
[2:00:10] flock system when it first came to
[2:00:12] Michigan City and I still support. Um,
[2:00:15] and this is just I'm dropping my
[2:00:16] sponsorship of the additional of what's
[2:00:19] happening, but we still have what we
[2:00:21] have. And I was one of the original
[2:00:24] council members that was invited in by
[2:00:27] uh Chief uh Dion Campbell at the time
[2:00:29] >> as well as I
[2:00:31] >> and as well as Councilwoman Tilman. Um,
[2:00:34] but when that was brought up here in
[2:00:37] Michigan City, what was happening is
[2:00:39] there were lots of shootings uh all over
[2:00:42] the place here in Michigan City, the
[2:00:45] police would show up at the scene.
[2:00:47] There'd be 25 people standing outside.
[2:00:50] The police would ask, "Did anybody see
[2:00:52] anything?" They would all say no. Um cuz
[2:00:56] they were afraid to speak. And so this
[2:00:58] was the original reason why Flock was
[2:01:01] brought to Michigan City was because of
[2:01:03] the shootings. Um I had a shooting, a
[2:01:06] gunfight in the intersection right
[2:01:08] outside my house while I was laying on
[2:01:10] the bed asleep. Bullets, four bullets
[2:01:12] came into my house, missed me by about
[2:01:13] 10 ft. Um there were two other shootings
[2:01:16] that happened on Ridgeland Avenue, which
[2:01:18] are right right down the street from my
[2:01:20] house. Uh there were plenty of people
[2:01:21] out there. The police show up, asked
[2:01:23] questions. Um did they say anything?
[2:01:26] Everybody said no, they did not because
[2:01:28] they were afraid um to to to report what
[2:01:33] they had seen. And the flock cameras
[2:01:37] have been very good at picking up these shootings in that in certain
[2:01:42] neighborhoods. Maybe your neighborhood
[2:01:44] does not have the same kind of violence
[2:01:46] and the shootings that mine does, but
[2:01:48] that's where I'm coming from. Um the
[2:01:51] last meeting we had, there was a a woman
[2:01:53] sitting up top, but she didn't come and
[2:01:54] talk about the flock cameras, but right
[2:01:57] after they came in,
[2:01:59] um she's on the on the west side of town
[2:02:01] with her daycare center, and there were
[2:02:03] people shooting outside of the daycare.
[2:02:05] Bullets came into the daycare center. Um
[2:02:09] and the fl cameras tracked the shooting,
[2:02:13] the car that did the shooting right
[2:02:14] outside. They picked the person up in
[2:02:16] Marville. Um, so I see the other side of
[2:02:19] it. I understand the people in the, you
[2:02:21] know, wanting their their privacy and so
[2:02:24] forth. Um, and I I feel like you have to
[2:02:27] see both sides of it. Um, but I know the
[2:02:30] side that I come from. Um, I know the
[2:02:33] shootings have decreased in my
[2:02:35] neighborhood. I know the conversations
[2:02:37] that go on in my neighborhood about they
[2:02:40] are cognizant and they know about these
[2:02:43] cameras and what they can do uh regards
[2:02:45] to tracking shooters in our
[2:02:47] neighborhood. Um so I understand you
[2:02:50] know the the the jubilance and the you
[2:02:52] know the the happiness that happens but
[2:02:55] as I see your point of view I hope some
[2:02:59] people see mine as well because you know
[2:03:01] we come from a neighborhood where there
[2:03:02] were gunshots happening all the time.
[2:03:04] police show up and like I said, people
[2:03:06] were No, I I hadn't seen anything. Um
[2:03:09] there were people, you know, there was a
[2:03:10] shooting up at uh Memorial Park years
[2:03:13] ago. 100 kids out there at a party.
[2:03:16] Police show up, nobody saw anything. And
[2:03:18] so I see the whole scope of it. And that
[2:03:22] is very important to me as to why I was
[2:03:25] in big support of it earlier because of
[2:03:28] the shootings that were happening. And I
[2:03:30] don't feel like I want to sacrifice
[2:03:32] these unsolved shootings when this
[2:03:35] system has solved uh plenty of shootings
[2:03:38] around the area. Child kidnappings where
[2:03:40] somebody report a car has a child in it
[2:03:43] and we you know catch somebody down in
[2:03:45] Indianapolis that has kidnapped a child.
[2:03:47] Uh so I understand all sides of it and I
[2:03:50] just want to speak from the heart as to
[2:03:52] why I feel u in support of the the flock
[2:03:55] camera system that we have. But you know
[2:03:58] at this point the extension um I am like
[2:04:01] I said I dropped my sponsorship for
[2:04:02] that. But that is how I feel about the flock system going forward.
[2:04:06] >> Thank you Councilman Dabney. Councilman
[2:04:08] Deree.
[2:04:10] >> I've been largely silent on this issue
[2:04:12] of flock
[2:04:16] for months. I've heard every argument
[2:04:18] for and against flock. Um, I know that
[2:04:22] you always learn more about an issue if
[2:04:24] you listen rather than you speak
[2:04:26] yourself. So that's why I haven't really
[2:04:28] spoken in the past. I think it's time to
[2:04:31] speak now. I've heard Councilman Dabney
[2:04:35] make the comments he just made more than
[2:04:37] once before. Um, maybe two or three
[2:04:40] meetings. Um,
[2:04:43] he's not alone.
[2:04:47] To me, if we lived in a kind of
[2:04:49] community that felt any sense of
[2:04:52] responsibility for its own safety and
[2:04:54] its own protection, if we would share
[2:04:57] criminal activity with the police when
[2:05:00] we were aware of crimes that have been
[2:05:01] committed, I might feel differently, but
[2:05:05] we don't report crimes. We witness
[2:05:08] shootings. We witness attacks on other
[2:05:10] people, and we don't report those when
[2:05:14] asked by the police. We remain silent.
[2:05:18] In time, we even criticize the police
[2:05:20] because they're not being quicker or
[2:05:23] better at solving the crimes that we
[2:05:26] ourselves have betted to because we were
[2:05:29] silent when we shouldn't have been.
[2:05:32] Along comes Flock with a way to actually
[2:05:35] help the police
[2:05:37] identify criminals and actually aids
[2:05:40] them in doing their job. and we want to
[2:05:43] handcuff them by denying the one tool
[2:05:46] that can help them in ways that no other
[2:05:47] tool can.
[2:05:50] This makes no sense to me.
[2:05:53] I was in favor of Flock originally, the
[2:05:56] way it was employed, and the history
[2:05:57] shows that it's been valuable. It's
[2:05:59] helped us solve many, many crimes and
[2:06:02] identifying many, many criminals.
[2:06:04] It's way too valuable to me to give
[2:06:07] away.
[2:06:09] uh if if we ever become a community
[2:06:11] that's willing to work with police and
[2:06:13] be a partner in creating a safe
[2:06:15] environment for all of us, then I don't
[2:06:17] think we need flock. But until then, I
[2:06:21] think the existing flock definitely
[2:06:23] needs to be supported uh in place.
[2:06:28] >> Thank you.
[2:06:28] Mr. Beard. Councilwoman
[2:06:30] Moldenhau.
[2:06:34] » Thank you, Madame President. Um, I
[2:06:37] wanted to go back to the philosophical
[2:06:41] quandry that I was struggling with a
[2:06:43] couple council meetings ago about this
[2:06:46] expansion of flock. Was it a want or was
[2:06:50] it a need? And I'll have to say that
[2:06:55] since that time, I've gotten more emails
[2:06:57] on
[2:06:58] road conditions and on garbage pickup
[2:07:03] than I have regarding anything regarding
[2:07:06] flock or crime. So, I want to go back
[2:07:09] and make a recommmitment to Sean Smith,
[2:07:13] who's the director of the street
[2:07:14] department, that we as a council
[2:07:17] seriously look at his request for a
[2:07:20] small street paver that would allow them
[2:07:24] to do small jobs like fixing multiple
[2:07:27] potholes that are in a roll and the side
[2:07:30] streets, which are never going to get
[2:07:32] paved according to the um the system
[2:07:35] [clears throat] that we're using to rank
[2:07:37] streets because of their low traffic
[2:07:39] patterns. Also, I'd like to request that
[2:07:43] we consider Chris Carter has backup
[2:07:46] trucks in his department for picking up
[2:07:48] our trash because when anything breaks,
[2:07:52] >> counciloman hour
[2:07:55] to do that.
[2:07:55] >> Is this regarding flock?
[2:07:57] >> Yes, it is.
[2:07:58] >> Oh, okay. And after careful care careful
[2:08:00] consideration
[2:08:02] um of these other concerns,
[2:08:05] I perceive that the flock expansion is
[2:08:09] indeed a want and not a need for the
[2:08:15] residents of our community as they
[2:08:17] voiced it. Thank you.
[2:08:19] >> Thank you, Councilwoman Maldenau.
[2:08:23] So, with that being said, we will now go
[2:08:26] further onto our agenda. We are now
[2:08:29] under resolutions. Madame clerk, our
[2:08:31] first resolution by title only, please.
[2:08:34] >> A resolution by title only approving and
[2:08:37] of authorizing the 2026
[2:08:40] union contract between the Michigan City
[2:08:42] Firefighters Local 475 in the city of
[2:08:45] Michigan City, Indiana. And this is
[2:08:47] introduced by Mr. Coulter, Mr.
[2:08:49] Presolinsky, and Mr. Nelson. And would
[2:08:51] any of the sponsors like to make any
[2:08:53] comments? Councilman Halter.
[2:08:54] >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, this
[2:08:57] contract was a a long discussion that
[2:08:59] has finally come to an end. Um, uh, the
[2:09:04] union president, uh, Chief Shapars, not
[2:09:06] Shafarski,
[2:09:07] um, Zubudas, um, goodness gracious,
[2:09:10] Chris Zabudas, it has been a long day
[2:09:12] already. Um, uh, wanted to stay here,
[2:09:14] but, um, as long days often go, he's
[2:09:16] back at the firehouse. Um, so he just
[2:09:18] wanted to thank us for finally getting
[2:09:20] to a conclusion and an agreement on
[2:09:22] this. Um, that said, the board of works
[2:09:26] has also voted an approval of this
[2:09:28] contract and so we are ready to as well
[2:09:30] and I'd encourage our council members to
[2:09:32] do so. Thank you.
[2:09:34] >> Would any of the other sponsors like to
[2:09:36] make any comments? Councilman Prince
[2:09:37] Bolinsky. Yeah, Madame President, I just
[2:09:40] want to thank uh Firefighters Union 475
[2:09:46] uh for doing a great job of coming to
[2:09:48] the table and expressing their concerns
[2:09:52] and needs for the uh contract and with
[2:09:57] the uh leadership of Mr. Coulter uh for
[2:10:00] the labor relations committee and Mr.
[2:10:03] Joe Nelson. uh you did I think you did a
[2:10:05] fantastic job of getting this thing back
[2:10:08] on track and moving down and we got a uh
[2:10:10] agreement. So the firefighters are
[2:10:13] happy. Uh the city council is happy and
[2:10:16] I will also uh approve the passage of
[2:10:19] this resolution. Thank you.
[2:10:21] >> Thank you. Will any other other uh
[2:10:24] sponsors like to make any comments? If
[2:10:27] not, I will open this up for public
[2:10:28] comments on this resolution.
[2:10:32] Are there any public comments on this
[2:10:34] resolution?
[2:10:47] » Good evening. Good evening, Paul. Chris
[2:10:49] Bolinski, 1716 Washington Street.
[2:10:53] I would uh
[2:10:56] like to ask I know you probably won't
[2:10:59] answer but I'd like to know uh how many
[2:11:01] times did you not uh put notice up when
[2:11:04] you had called a meeting uh Councilman
[2:11:07] Cutotler and also
[2:11:11] did the fireman actually file a uh
[2:11:14] complaint and uh a mediator come in is
[2:11:18] that true
[2:11:21] » thank you Mr. Mr. President Billeski.
[2:11:23] >> No.
[2:11:27] Secret.
[2:11:28] >> Are there any other public comments on
[2:11:29] this ordinance? If the This will be the
[2:11:32] last call. Public comments on this
[2:11:34] ordinance.
[2:11:36] >> I'm sorry. On this resolution. Thank
[2:11:38] you, Dr. Corb. Um, public comments are
[2:11:41] now closed. Any comments from the
[2:11:43] council?
[2:11:48] >> We have to approve.
[2:11:50] >> Just one comment. I just want to thank
[2:11:52] uh the uh council members uh who were on
[2:11:55] the negotiating committee uh councilman
[2:11:58] Coulter, Councilman Priska, and
[2:11:59] Councilman. So, thank you.
[2:12:04] » May Councilman Davney.
[2:12:05] >> Yeah. And I was asking or going to ask
[2:12:09] what was agreed to.
[2:12:12] Can we discuss that? Uh what was agreed
[2:12:15] to?
[2:12:17] >> That is just because of what I heard. It
[2:12:20] sounds like it was agreed to just about
[2:12:22] what happened over a year ago.
[2:12:26] >> I would air that to attorney Harris to
[2:12:28] answer.
[2:12:29] >> Yeah, that would that would take us
[2:12:30] quite a bit of time to go over every uh
[2:12:33] element of the contract. Obviously, the
[2:12:34] collective bargaining agreement is 54
[2:12:37] pages, I believe, something like that.
[2:12:38] Um so, it's difficult. Um it is
[2:12:41] available in the clerk's office um for
[2:12:42] review, so the public can have it um as
[2:12:45] well as the council members. Um, and
[2:12:47] while it may be 54 pages, obviously all
[2:12:49] of all of the provisions of the contract
[2:12:51] were not an issue. Um, the last couple
[2:12:54] of issues that we were dealing with
[2:12:56] dealt with, um, primarily sick days that
[2:12:59] they were looking for and other
[2:13:00] incentives. Obviously, the city um has
[2:13:03] uh, as every municipality does in our
[2:13:05] area, its challenges um, with the
[2:13:08] unknown with funding. So, we were
[2:13:10] looking at creative ways to provide
[2:13:11] incentives for the firefighters while at
[2:13:14] the same time not committing to um large
[2:13:16] raises that could not be sustained. So,
[2:13:19] uh the long and short of it is that's
[2:13:20] what the current contract reflects.
[2:13:24] >> Thank you.
[2:13:26] >> May I entertain a motion?
[2:13:27] >> Motion to approve.
[2:13:29] >> Second.
[2:13:30] was uh Council Nola. Madam Clerk,
[2:13:33] on the vote, please.
[2:13:35] >> Mr. Nelson.
[2:13:40] >> Hi.
[2:13:42] >> I'm Thank you.
[2:13:43] >> There you go.
[2:13:44] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[2:13:46] >> Hi,
[2:13:46] >> Miss Tman.
[2:13:47] >> Hi,
[2:13:47] >> Mr. Beatatri.
[2:13:48] >> Hi,
[2:13:48] >> Mr. Coulter. Hi,
[2:13:50] >> Mr. Dabney. Hi,
[2:13:51] >> Dr. Cora.
[2:13:52] >> Hi,
[2:13:52] >> Miss Lee.
[2:13:53] >> Hi,
[2:13:53] >> and Miss Molden.
[2:13:54] >> I
[2:13:56] >> We have nine in favor and no one
[2:13:57] opposed.
[2:13:58] >> And with the unanimous, this resolution
[2:14:00] has passed.
[2:14:04] Madame clerk, if you would please. Our
[2:14:06] next resolution by title only.
[2:14:08] >> A resolution by title only. A resolution
[2:14:11] of the common council of the Michigan
[2:14:12] City Indiana opposing funding reductions
[2:14:15] that would jeopardize free public
[2:14:17] internet access at public libraries. And
[2:14:20] this is produced by Dr. Plura.
[2:14:22] >> And Dr. Cer, would you like to make any
[2:14:25] comments?
[2:14:26] >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh I'll be
[2:14:28] very brief. uh uh there is a program uh
[2:14:32] which is federally funded called the
[2:14:34] federal program uh that helps fund the
[2:14:38] availability of uh internet access in
[2:14:41] public libraries. Um and even though it
[2:14:44] is available for this year, there is a
[2:14:47] proposal to cut that funding um in the
[2:14:50] years to come. And so this resolution
[2:14:53] aims at um uh requesting our state and
[2:14:57] federal legislators uh to oppose those
[2:14:59] funding cuts because the um the internet
[2:15:03] access at public libraries is an is a
[2:15:05] very important tool for many of our uh
[2:15:09] community members. So I would also like
[2:15:11] to yield to uh Councilman uh Coloulter
[2:15:14] because he has a lot of um expertise on
[2:15:18] libraries. So in case you want to
[2:15:21] comment.
[2:15:22] >> Yeah, just to add a little bit to that.
[2:15:23] Um, as somebody who's worked in
[2:15:25] libraries and has a masters in library
[2:15:26] science, um, it's it's unspeakable how
[2:15:30] important uh, the internet is and
[2:15:32] internet access is to libraries and what
[2:15:34] they are and what they will continue to
[2:15:36] be into the future. Um, as books become
[2:15:38] less and less of a physical object, um,
[2:15:41] libraries almost become almost just
[2:15:43] computer lounges. Um and if many of us
[2:15:46] have privileges to have very good phones
[2:15:48] and and if not that then even more than
[2:15:51] that uh internet access at home. Um
[2:15:55] but for a lot of people uh the internet
[2:15:57] at the library is the only way that they
[2:15:59] can interact on the internet uh to do
[2:16:01] job research, job applications. Um
[2:16:04] medical research is a big thing. Um when
[2:16:06] I was at the library, I got a
[2:16:07] specialization in uh public health
[2:16:09] research. Um, and a lot of people will
[2:16:11] go to libraries right after their doctor
[2:16:13] appointment um to figure out what that
[2:16:15] guy just said to him.
[2:16:18] Uh, just in some clear language. Um, and
[2:16:23] with all of that, uh, it's it's
[2:16:25] incredibly important to have library
[2:16:27] internet access at libraries. Um, the
[2:16:29] rate program that is discussed in the
[2:16:32] resolution as we're looking at it, um,
[2:16:34] is something that the federal government
[2:16:36] provides through state libraries. So
[2:16:38] through the Indiana State Library um and
[2:16:40] then that trickles down to some of the
[2:16:41] local libraries. Um that said, uh the
[2:16:45] process of applying for that funding has
[2:16:47] become more ownorous with less of a
[2:16:49] reward. So some of our more local
[2:16:51] libraries like Michigan City and Leport
[2:16:53] County don't use that program, but Lake
[2:16:55] County relies heavily on it. And then
[2:16:57] when you look at places um on a federal
[2:17:00] level uh like uh Wyoming or or very
[2:17:04] rural states um other things in the -ate
[2:17:07] program uh become really important to to
[2:17:10] those areas. Um so while this might not
[2:17:13] be something that is pressing here at
[2:17:16] home with the -ate program uh it is
[2:17:18] something that just is nationally is is
[2:17:20] an issue that we're we're concerned
[2:17:22] about. Um yeah that's that's my big
[2:17:25] contribution. But then while I'm on the
[2:17:27] mic, uh
[2:17:30] the section five at the end of the
[2:17:32] resolution um introduces this space
[2:17:36] where we would list who we want it to go
[2:17:37] to and then it just kind of stops. Um
[2:17:41] can we add in there that we'd like this
[2:17:43] to go to Congressman Moran and Senators
[2:17:46] Young and Banks?
[2:17:49] >> Madam President, if I could add anybody
[2:17:50] else on that? Yes. I think that is
[2:17:52] what's intended with with the
[2:17:53] introduction of this resolution is for
[2:17:56] uh council members to express who they
[2:17:58] would like to see receive a copy of it.
[2:18:00] >> Okay.
[2:18:00] >> So, it would be appropriate. Yes.
[2:18:03] >> Is there anyone else that you would like
[2:18:05] to have added?
[2:18:07] >> Off the top of my head, no. But, um the
[2:18:10] uh FCC is looking for public feedback.
[2:18:12] Um so, you can get onto their website.
[2:18:14] Um like I said, local libraries don't
[2:18:16] use this program, but Lake County is
[2:18:18] pushing it. So, it's one of those
[2:18:19] situations that if you go into Lake
[2:18:20] County Public Library and you check out
[2:18:22] a book, they're like, "And then we need
[2:18:23] you to talk to the FCC." Um, so I
[2:18:25] imagine I could find a contact from them
[2:18:29] to send this to as well.
[2:18:31] >> Okay. And would you be able to provide
[2:18:32] that um to the clerk so that she could
[2:18:34] add that?
[2:18:35] >> Yeah, I'll make a point of stay on me
[2:18:37] about it. But yeah,
[2:18:38] >> Dr. Core that you would like added.
[2:18:40] Okay.
[2:18:41] >> Thank you very
[2:18:42] >> Thank you. So, I would like to open this
[2:18:44] up for public comment on this
[2:18:45] resolution. Public comments are now open
[2:18:48] on this resolution.
[2:18:50] Any public comments on this resolution?
[2:18:53] >> Uh, Roger will be 401 East 7th Street,
[2:18:56] Michigan City.
[2:18:58] This is for internet access at our
[2:19:01] library, right?
[2:19:04] >> Public,
[2:19:05] >> but primarily Michigan City.
[2:19:11] » So, the federal government is paying for
[2:19:13] that access or we're paying for that
[2:19:14] access? the federal government.
[2:19:18] >> Does anybody have any idea that can they
[2:19:20] tell me what the fee is for our public
[2:19:22] library that we're paying for internet
[2:19:23] access? Is that a T1 line? What is that?
[2:19:26] >> This is this is public comment, not Q&A,
[2:19:29] sir.
[2:19:31] >> Okay. Thank you.
[2:19:32] >> Thank you.
[2:19:37] Are there any other public comments? Do
[2:19:39] we have anyone online?
[2:19:41] This is last call for public comment.
[2:19:43] Public comments are now closed. comments
[2:19:45] from the council.
[2:19:47] >> Any conversation from the council?
[2:19:49] Nicoleter.
[2:19:50] >> Um just to go a little rogue and to
[2:19:52] respond to Mr. Willoughy's question a
[2:19:54] little bit. Um our public libraries here
[2:19:56] um as I mentioned in my first comments
[2:20:00] um they don't use this FCC rate funding
[2:20:03] um that just more or less helps reduce
[2:20:06] the cost of it. Um our local libraries
[2:20:08] rely on the local property taxes. Um,
[2:20:12] Senate Bill 1 has hamstrung our local
[2:20:14] libraries. Um, we we don't have good
[2:20:18] numbers. Ex. I don't have good numbers.
[2:20:19] I don't work at a library right now. Um,
[2:20:21] but
[2:20:23] because of the property tax reductions
[2:20:25] from the state house, I believe some
[2:20:28] libraries are looking at a like 25% cut
[2:20:30] to their funding. Um, and [snorts] that
[2:20:34] could mean closing branches. That could
[2:20:35] mean letting go of staff. It could mean
[2:20:36] letting go of entire programs. Um, I I
[2:20:39] can't believe that it would ever mean
[2:20:41] that they'd get rid of Wi-Fi. Um, but a
[2:20:44] 25% reduction in a budget is a
[2:20:47] significant thing. Um, I believe, and
[2:20:50] I'm not sure about this, but the there
[2:20:52] is a possibility that when we look at
[2:20:54] the countywide local income tax that
[2:20:55] could include libraries, um, but not
[2:20:58] necessarily. So, I would encourage our
[2:21:00] local county um council to consider if
[2:21:05] it's possible to include libraries on
[2:21:07] that local income tax in order to con um
[2:21:10] ensure that um those services continue.
[2:21:15] Every dollar spent on
[2:21:19] uh local libraries in Indiana brings $4
[2:21:21] back into the community. Um that's just
[2:21:23] Indiana's statistics on that. Um
[2:21:26] Wisconsin does a much better job with
[2:21:27] their libraries. every dollar spent in a
[2:21:28] Wisconsin library brings back $8. Uh so
[2:21:32] this is a fantastic economic development
[2:21:34] tool. Not just that, but also just like
[2:21:36] um I don't have to paint a picture.
[2:21:39] Early childhood literacy is an essential
[2:21:40] tool that is brought to us by libraries
[2:21:42] and Senate Bill One has hamstrung our
[2:21:44] their ability to do that.
[2:21:47] >> Thank you. C this is not Q&A. Council
[2:21:50] comments are council comments.
[2:21:55] Um, are there any other comments from
[2:21:57] the council in regards to this
[2:21:59] resolution? If there are none, may I
[2:22:01] entertain a motion?
[2:22:03] >> Uh, so moved. Second.
[2:22:04] >> Madame Clerk, on the vote, please.
[2:22:08] >> Mr. President Bolinski,
[2:22:09] >> I.
[2:22:10] >> Miss Tman,
[2:22:11] >> I.
[2:22:11] >> Mr. Beatri,
[2:22:12] >> hi.
[2:22:12] >> Mr. Coulter,
[2:22:13] >> hi.
[2:22:14] >> Mr. Dabney.
[2:22:14] >> Hi,
[2:22:15] >> Dr. Cora. Hi,
[2:22:16] >> Miss Lee. Hi,
[2:22:17] >> Miss Moldenhower. Hi.
[2:22:20] >> And Mr. Nelson abstain.
[2:22:28] We have eight in favor and one
[2:22:29] abstained.
[2:22:31] >> And this resolution has passed.
[2:22:34] Madame clerk, if you would, our next
[2:22:36] resolution by title only, please.
[2:22:39] >> A resolution by title only. A resolution
[2:22:42] of the city of Michigan City, Indiana
[2:22:44] common consult granting a waiver of
[2:22:47] non-compliance pursuant to Indiana code
[2:22:50] 6-1 1-12 1-9.5
[2:22:54] with respect to an assessed valuation
[2:22:57] bacon building deduction tax abatement
[2:23:00] for the tangible real property of kin
[2:23:04] kinitech resources LLC DBA aquagenics
[2:23:08] technologies and this is introduced by
[2:23:10] Mr. Beatry
[2:23:12] >> and would the sponsor like to make any
[2:23:13] comments?
[2:23:15] >> This resolution I I mentioned several
[2:23:18] hours ago when we were looking at tax
[2:23:20] abatements. Uh Aquagenics is a great
[2:23:24] company in Michigan City. Uh they
[2:23:26] operate a number of different uh areas
[2:23:29] primarily in the water treatment,
[2:23:30] filtration and sanitizing spaces. The
[2:23:34] company creates technologies and
[2:23:37] produces products with a primary goal of
[2:23:41] um making cleaner and safer environments
[2:23:44] for customers and industrial, medical,
[2:23:47] government and retail sectors. Um
[2:23:51] they have 5,137,200
[2:23:56] in real property that they added to
[2:23:58] Michigan City. They were [clears throat]
[2:24:01] tardy in their filings. Uh but they do
[2:24:05] uh make the the goal in uh industrial um
[2:24:13] investment. The owner of Aquagenics sent
[2:24:16] a letter with his request
[2:24:19] [clears throat] stating he currently
[2:24:20] employs 50 people for the Michigan City
[2:24:23] facility. He has the capacity to hire
[2:24:25] over a 100 but uh employees.
[2:24:29] uh but has had been unable to fill the
[2:24:32] up open positions because of a lack of
[2:24:35] potential candidates in the area. Since
[2:24:38] relocating to Michigan City, he says he
[2:24:40] has struggled to sustain a workforce
[2:24:43] required to meet his needs. A number of
[2:24:46] new hires have voluntarily left their
[2:24:48] position shortly after starting, which
[2:24:51] has led to staffing shortages,
[2:24:53] operational disruptions, and increased
[2:24:55] recruitment and time and training uh
[2:24:58] costs. Last week, he said he hired a
[2:25:01] Michigan city man. We trained for
[2:25:04] several days, uh remained a few days
[2:25:07] longer, and then didn't show up for work
[2:25:09] for 3 days. Um, this is a company that
[2:25:13] has worked hard in Michigan City, been a
[2:25:15] good candidate for us, a good partner
[2:25:17] with us. They have increased their pay
[2:25:20] rates, their hours, their bonuses, and
[2:25:22] benefits as a means of attracting
[2:25:25] qualified candidates. Uh other uh things
[2:25:28] they offer include uh moving to a 410
[2:25:33] day a 410 work week for a good portion
[2:25:38] of their staff and providing flexible
[2:25:40] hours in other areas as well. They offer
[2:25:42] education training and certification as
[2:25:45] well. So, I'm recommending that we allow
[2:25:48] them to be to wave the the penalty for
[2:25:52] this uh tardiness and allow their
[2:25:56] abatement to go in place for this uh
[2:25:59] this year.
[2:26:01] >> And that would be my motion.
[2:26:03] >> Second. Second.
[2:26:04] >> No, we have to open open it up for
[2:26:06] public comment. Um this resolution is
[2:26:09] now open up for public comment. Are
[2:26:11] there any public comments on this
[2:26:12] resolution?
[2:26:14] Yes, my name's Wayne Ritzel, 4210 East
[2:26:17] Mishka Boulevard. Uh, so you're going to
[2:26:19] wave uh his their fee or whatever
[2:26:22] because they were late. Well, uh, with
[2:26:25] in regards to some form of property tax.
[2:26:29] Well, you're not even waving the fees
[2:26:31] over for burnt homes or storm damaged
[2:26:34] homes through the disaster. and people
[2:26:38] aren't even getting the service when it
[2:26:39] comes time for the bills for the uh tax
[2:26:44] notice for the sales. And you can check
[2:26:47] mycasein.gov over there at the recent
[2:26:49] tax sale hearings and you go scroll down
[2:26:52] to my name on there. You type my name
[2:26:54] and search for it and you'll find at the
[2:26:56] bottom where they took and hid the fact
[2:26:59] that they violated the United States
[2:27:01] Constitution. They violated two US
[2:27:03] Supreme Court cases. So the judge just
[2:27:06] ignored your Indiana constitution which
[2:27:08] ties to all your power that you guys got
[2:27:12] elected officials. Yes, it is. It's
[2:27:13] regarding taxes and property taxes. Same field.
[2:27:17] >> But but not this resolution.
[2:27:19] >> It ties with this. If you're going to
[2:27:21] give somebody else a deduction, you got
[2:27:22] to give me a deduction.
[2:27:23] >> But this is regard I understand what
[2:27:26] you're saying,
[2:27:27] but we'd like to stay more on this
[2:27:30] actual resolution that's before us.
[2:27:33] >> Oh, I I understand that. So, you guys
[2:27:35] want to give them a deduction? They say
[2:27:37] that they they're not finding qualified
[2:27:39] candidates. Uh, but yet they're probably
[2:27:42] not offering the training that like say
[2:27:44] Waterburger does. And In-N-Out Burger,
[2:27:47] you know, their managers make $225,000 a
[2:27:50] year, right? So does Bies Truck Stop.
[2:27:55] So, great benefits, too. So, if you guys
[2:27:58] ever want to just bail from public
[2:28:01] service here and go get a job there,
[2:28:02] it'd be great. You make a whole bunch of
[2:28:05] money.
[2:28:06] >> Thank you, Miss.
[2:28:09] >> Are there any other public?
[2:28:12] >> Um, yes,
[2:28:15] Mr. Bodic, I believe.
[2:28:18] >> Yes. Can you hear me?
[2:28:19] >> Yes.
[2:28:20] >> Thank you, President Tilman and the
[2:28:23] council members. I appreciate it. My
[2:28:25] name is Dan Bodic. I work for
[2:28:27] Development Economic Finance Consulting.
[2:28:30] It was brought to our attention through
[2:28:32] Frederick Nukem who is the president and
[2:28:35] CEO of Aquagenics that their their
[2:28:39] assessed valuation deduction form CF1s
[2:28:43] for real property and vacant building
[2:28:44] deduction were not filed timely and that
[2:28:47] the uh form 322s for both real property
[2:28:52] and vacant building deduction were not
[2:28:54] filed timely. It was a a result of a
[2:28:58] changeover in their accounting staff who
[2:29:01] was using my my old email address that
[2:29:05] was updated last spring. And so
[2:29:09] immediately he contacted me by phone um
[2:29:12] and worked with Clarence Hulse of the
[2:29:15] EDC. Uh I had the forms and paperwork
[2:29:19] completed that afternoon. uh it was
[2:29:22] filed with the auditor on September 28th
[2:29:26] and then filed with the city on the
[2:29:28] 29th. He uh regrets that it happened. He
[2:29:32] pay he is will be paying for all the
[2:29:34] resolution costs and all the costs
[2:29:36] associated with the untimely filing and
[2:29:40] um paid for the resolutions to be
[2:29:43] prepared and draft for legal review and
[2:29:45] your consideration this evening. So the
[2:29:48] resolution is very specific u madame
[2:29:51] chair and president that no further
[2:29:55] waiverss of an untimely filing would
[2:29:58] occur and again just for all the
[2:30:00] council's understanding this is a waiver
[2:30:03] to um waiver for the untimely filing.
[2:30:06] They would if approved they would
[2:30:08] receive their deduction as they have for
[2:30:10] the past uh four years. They've never
[2:30:13] missed a deadline. Uh and they also have
[2:30:16] an imposed fee of 15% of their savings
[2:30:19] which they've always paid timely and
[2:30:21] they would continue to pay that uh
[2:30:23] imposed fee to the auditor and then that
[2:30:25] is distributed back to the uh city uh
[2:30:29] city's redevelopment commission.
[2:30:32] If there's any questions I'd be more
[2:30:34] than happy I would request uh uh
[2:30:37] confirmation and approval of the
[2:30:39] resolution.
[2:30:40] >> Thank you Mr. Bodic.
[2:30:42] >> Oh you are welcome.
[2:30:53] John Carrington 140 Street. I just have
[2:30:56] a quick comment. I heard I I believe I
[2:30:59] heard Mr. Beatri mentioned earlier this
[2:31:02] evening that one of the reasons this
[2:31:04] aquagenics company can't keep employees
[2:31:06] was that people come and work there for
[2:31:07] 2 days or something like that and then
[2:31:09] leave or they come and work for a short
[2:31:11] period of time and then go on public
[2:31:14] benefits or something like that and I I
[2:31:17] thought how did how would they possibly
[2:31:19] know this? That's quite a bit of uh
[2:31:23] knowledge that a company would have when
[2:31:24] somebody leaves a job to to know that
[2:31:27] they're going on public benefit. And I
[2:31:28] wonder what that means. It sounds to me
[2:31:31] like kind of a disdain for people who
[2:31:33] collect public benefits, maybe disabled
[2:31:35] people or something like that. So, how
[2:31:38] would a company know that somebody who
[2:31:40] left their employee after just a few
[2:31:42] days went on public benefits? That kind
[2:31:45] of disturbed me and I thought I'd say
[2:31:46] something.
[2:31:48] >> Thank you, Miss K.
[2:31:53] » Hello, Scott Melon. Hello, council.
[2:31:55] Scott me kind of place. Long time no
[2:31:56] see. long night um about the abatement.
[2:31:59] If this company was um meeting the
[2:32:02] standards of the abatement, I would
[2:32:04] think we should not let a paperwork
[2:32:06] sniff get in the way. But if they are
[2:32:08] not meeting their commitments, I think
[2:32:10] you should deny this tonight if I have
[2:32:13] an understanding of this. If they're
[2:32:15] doing what they're supposed to do, let's
[2:32:16] not let our paperwork snafu get in the
[2:32:17] way. If they're not doing what they're
[2:32:19] supposed to do, they don't deserve the
[2:32:20] abatement. It's that simple. Thank you.
[2:32:22] >> Thank you.
[2:32:25] We have one online. Mr. Kavic.
[2:32:27] >> Hey. Yeah. This is Tommy Kavik from 1316
[2:32:31] Ohio Street. To me, this sounds like a
[2:32:33] really crappy place to work. I don't
[2:32:35] think people in Michigan City want to
[2:32:37] work for you. You all you council
[2:32:39] members, even all the past council
[2:32:41] members from years ago, you keep on
[2:32:44] granting all these tax abatements to all
[2:32:46] these companies up until the day they
[2:32:48] all pull out. And I I bet this is not
[2:32:51] even a union shop. So, I I hope you all
[2:32:55] just vote this down. I you know me, I'm
[2:32:57] not a big fan of the tax abatements.
[2:33:00] Thank you.
[2:33:01] >> Thank you, Mr. Kavik.
[2:33:04] This will be the last call for public
[2:33:06] comment.
[2:33:08] Public comments are now closed. Comments
[2:33:10] from the council.
[2:33:11] Councilman Prince Bolinski.
[2:33:13] >> Yeah, I I do have a question of the
[2:33:15] gentleman that was uh
[2:33:18] here representing uh the company. So,
[2:33:22] how much would the uh if this waiver is
[2:33:25] not granted, how much does the company
[2:33:27] have to pay in fines?
[2:33:29] >> Uh there would councilman there would be
[2:33:32] no fines that would be associated with
[2:33:34] the deduction being applied. The audit
[2:33:38] office of the auditor would uh accept
[2:33:41] the form CF1 and would accept the form
[2:33:45] 322 as filed untimely as being waved as
[2:33:49] an unttimely and file and and consider
[2:33:52] the deduction to their gross assessed
[2:33:54] value as if it was filed timely. There's never been a fine. There's no
[2:33:59] statutory fine required. So what would
[2:34:02] be the deduction to their
[2:34:05] >> the total deduction was included uh in
[2:34:10] the packet. Um so the deduction for the
[2:34:15] uh let me get it let me get it. So, the
[2:34:17] deduction for the vacant building
[2:34:18] deduction um that is also on the agenda
[2:34:21] was 1 I'm going to round 1.56 million of
[2:34:25] assessed value and the deduction for the
[2:34:29] real property improvements made to the
[2:34:31] building because it had previously been
[2:34:33] an unoccupied building were is uh 2
[2:34:37] million8 $2.89
[2:34:40] million.
[2:34:41] Um so that uh I I apologize I have that
[2:34:45] wrong. The vacant building deduction is
[2:34:47] 1.56 million. The real property
[2:34:51] deduction is 1.3 million and the total
[2:34:53] is 2.8 million. Uh if you add them
[2:34:56] together because it's under one key
[2:34:58] number and so they have to they have to
[2:35:01] calculate them separately and then add
[2:35:03] sum them together to for the total.
[2:35:06] They're uh
[2:35:06] >> okay
[2:35:08] >> their total qualified investment is 5.7
[2:35:10] million. They're at a 50-year uh their
[2:35:13] abatement percentage is at 50% in year
[2:35:15] five.
[2:35:16] >> All right. All right. So, if they don't
[2:35:17] get this wave, then they won't be able
[2:35:19] to take this deduction of 2.8 million.
[2:35:21] Is that what you're saying?
[2:35:22] >> Correct.
[2:35:24] >> Okay. Let me ask you. So, besides the
[2:35:27] accounting snafu that was used uh as an
[2:35:31] excuse, how come it took like 8 months
[2:35:33] to get this thing filed? Right? It's
[2:35:37] supposed to be filed in January and it
[2:35:39] didn't get filed until
[2:35:42] September, right?
[2:35:43] >> So, the auditor will then look at all the form CF1s and
[2:35:50] all the 322s that are filed. And this
[2:35:53] evening, the um the city council was to
[2:35:57] consider the form CF1s which you
[2:35:59] approved. Once the auditor receives
[2:36:01] those CF1s, they then apply the
[2:36:04] deduction. And when
[2:36:07] >> I understand that what what my question
[2:36:09] is what my question is is why it took so
[2:36:12] long after they they didn't do in
[2:36:15] January but it didn't get filed until
[2:36:17] September. That's where I'm having a
[2:36:20] problem with this. If you're running a
[2:36:22] company, there should be some checks and
[2:36:24] balances to make sure that you're filing
[2:36:27] whatever you're supposed to be filing.
[2:36:29] But then if you don't get filed, if it
[2:36:30] doesn't get filed properly, then well,
[2:36:33] we'll just go to the city and we'll go
[2:36:35] to the economic development corporation.
[2:36:38] They'll come to the council and we'll
[2:36:39] get this deduction put in and we won't
[2:36:42] have to worry about it because the
[2:36:43] council will automatically uh red stamp
[2:36:46] it and be done with it. That's my
[2:36:48] concern.
[2:36:49] >> Okay.
[2:36:49] >> But I appreciate your answer, sir.
[2:36:51] >> No, no. the councilman, if I may, the forms are due May 10th and May 15th.
[2:36:58] And by the time the auditor reviews them
[2:37:00] usually in the beginning of August,
[2:37:02] that's when I reached out to make sure
[2:37:03] everything was filed for all the
[2:37:06] businesses. And that's when kinetic
[2:37:07] resources showed up as not being filed
[2:37:10] and that's when we contacted them to get
[2:37:11] everything in order.
[2:37:13] >> Okay. Thank you.
[2:37:14] >> And it took time. It took a little
[2:37:16] >> You're welcome, Councilman.
[2:37:17] >> Yeah.
[2:37:18] >> Are there any other comments from the
[2:37:20] council? If there are none, may I
[2:37:22] entertain a motion?
[2:37:23] >> It's motion to approve.
[2:37:25] >> Is there a second? Support. Madame clerk
[2:37:28] on the vote, please.
[2:37:31] >> Miss Chilman,
[2:37:33] >> I.
[2:37:34] >> Mr. Beatatri,
[2:37:35] >> I
[2:37:35] >> Mr. Coulter.
[2:37:36] >> Hi,
[2:37:37] >> Mr. Dabney.
[2:37:38] >> Hi,
[2:37:38] >> Dr. Cora.
[2:37:39] >> Hi,
[2:37:39] >> Miss Lee.
[2:37:40] >> Hi,
[2:37:40] >> Miss Moldenour.
[2:37:42] >> Hi.
[2:37:43] >> Mr. Nelson,
[2:37:45] >> nay.
[2:37:46] >> And Mr. President nay.
[2:37:50] >> We have seven in favor and two oppos.
[2:37:55] >> And this resolution has passed as well
[2:37:59] for the record. Madame clerk, our next
[2:38:01] resolution by title only, please.
[2:38:03] >> Resolution by title only. A resolution
[2:38:06] of the city of Michigan City, Indiana
[2:38:08] common council granting a waiver of
[2:38:10] non-compliance pursuant to Indiana code
[2:38:12] 6-11-121-9.5
[2:38:16] with respect to an assessed valuation
[2:38:19] vacant building deduction tax abatement
[2:38:22] for the tangible real property of Kitech
[2:38:25] Resources LLC DBA Aquagogenics
[2:38:29] technologies and this is also introduced
[2:38:31] by Mr.
[2:38:35] And would the sponsor like to make any
[2:38:37] comment?
[2:38:39] >> This is the second of the two abatements
[2:38:41] that Aquagenics has had for the last
[2:38:44] four years. They've been filing on time.
[2:38:48] You've heard the reasons why it wasn't
[2:38:50] filed on time when we discussed this
[2:38:53] last one. Uh the gist of it is was
[2:38:57] stated by someone in the community.
[2:38:59] They're they're a good a good partner
[2:39:03] for Michigan City. Um
[2:39:07] they've done nothing wrong. They're
[2:39:08] meeting the requirements of the
[2:39:10] abatement. The only thing that was aired
[2:39:12] done in error was the fail to uh to file
[2:39:16] on time and that was done because of
[2:39:18] errors explained by Mr. So I
[2:39:23] recommend that we approve it.
[2:39:26] >> Thank you, Mr. B. Councilman Vry, I will
[2:39:29] now um open this up for public comment.
[2:39:31] Are there any public comments on this
[2:39:33] ordinance?
[2:39:38] This um resolution? Are there any public
[2:39:41] comments on this resolution? If there
[2:39:44] are none, public comments are now
[2:39:45] closed. Comments from the council.
[2:39:48] Are there any comments from the council?
[2:39:50] Councilman.
[2:39:51] >> Yeah, Madam President. Yeah, Madame
[2:39:53] President. Uh, if the representative is
[2:39:56] still on
[2:39:58] for kinetic resources,
[2:40:01] are we talking about the same amount,
[2:40:03] the $2.8 million?
[2:40:06] >> Yes. uh councilman. So the deduction
[2:40:09] amount that would be specific to the
[2:40:12] real property improvements because what
[2:40:15] had happened is they I they relocated
[2:40:18] their manufacturing facilities from
[2:40:20] Illinois from a suburb in Illinois to
[2:40:23] Indiana specifically Michigan City and
[2:40:26] they occupied a previously vacant
[2:40:28] building and made improvements to that
[2:40:29] building. The deduction on the real
[2:40:32] property improvements is $1.3 million.
[2:40:36] Now, that's a deduction amount. That's
[2:40:38] not a tax savings. That's the deduction
[2:40:40] amount from their gross AV.
[2:40:44] >> Thank you. You're welcome.
[2:40:47] >> Are there any other comments from the
[2:40:48] council?
[2:40:50] Councilman Dabney?
[2:40:51] >> Yeah. U just wanted to say real quick
[2:40:53] and and once again, uh as uh Mr. Mr.
[2:40:56] Melon came up and and stated if they're
[2:40:59] meeting all of the the qualifications to
[2:41:03] receive the abatement, but they just
[2:41:05] happen to file this this information
[2:41:07] late. Uh but they are meeting and what
[2:41:10] happens and what goes into tax
[2:41:12] abatements when the agreement comes
[2:41:13] down. Um a lot of times there's
[2:41:15] agreement of how many people they're
[2:41:17] going to hire, how much investment
[2:41:19] they're going to make into the city and
[2:41:21] so forth. that if they're meeting these
[2:41:23] things, uh, but they just happen to file
[2:41:25] late, I see no reason not to go ahead
[2:41:28] and approve. Um, but, you know, if they
[2:41:31] tell us they're going to hire 150 people
[2:41:33] and they hire two people, you know,
[2:41:35] obviously, you know, you you've um shook
[2:41:38] your duties of of meeting the the
[2:41:40] abatement, but that's what happened. If they're meeting the abatement with
[2:41:43] all of those uh qualifying things in
[2:41:46] terms of hiring people, making
[2:41:47] investments into Michigan City and so
[2:41:48] forth, um, I think it should it needs to
[2:41:50] be improved. uh just because of late
[2:41:52] paperwork. Uh I don't think that we
[2:41:53] should deny. I think we should approve.
[2:41:55] >> Thank you, Councilman Dabney. If there
[2:41:57] are no further uh questions or comments
[2:42:00] um for discussion, may I entertain a
[2:42:02] motion?
[2:42:02] >> Motion to approve support.
[2:42:05] >> Madame Clerk on the vote, please. Mr.
[2:42:07] Beatric,
[2:42:08] >> I
[2:42:08] >> Mr. Culture.
[2:42:09] >> Hi.
[2:42:10] >> Mr. Dabney,
[2:42:11] >> I
[2:42:11] >> Dr. Corora.
[2:42:12] >> Hi.
[2:42:13] >> Miss Lee,
[2:42:14] >> I miss Moldenau.
[2:42:16] >> I
[2:42:17] >> Mr. Nelson. Nay,
[2:42:20] >> Mr. President Bolinski.
[2:42:22] >> Nay.
[2:42:22] >> And Miss Tman.
[2:42:23] >> I.
[2:42:24] >> We have seven in favor and two opposed.
[2:42:31] » Madame Clerk, if you would please. I'm
[2:42:32] sorry. That resolution has passed.
[2:42:35] Madame Clerk, if you would please. Our
[2:42:37] next resolution by title only, please.
[2:42:39] >> A resolution by title only. a resolution
[2:42:42] of the Michigan City Council in support
[2:42:44] of the 2026 Michigan City area school
[2:42:47] referendum. And this is introduced by
[2:42:49] Mr. Dabney, Mr. Beatatri, Miss
[2:42:51] Maldenhower, and Mr. President Valinski.
[2:42:54] >> And would the sponsors like to make any
[2:42:56] comments?
[2:42:59] Councilman Dabney.
[2:43:00] >> Yes. Uh I've actually spoken about this
[2:43:03] before. Some of the other council
[2:43:04] members u chimed in as well. This is uh
[2:43:07] the referendum that is happening with
[2:43:09] Michigan City area schools and uh I
[2:43:12] actually you know came at this from a
[2:43:14] different angle. Um when I was on the
[2:43:17] board uh now uh you know Councilman Dr.
[2:43:20] of course sits on the board of the
[2:43:21] EDCMC.
[2:43:23] Um there are times when we're brought
[2:43:26] out to talk to businesses who are
[2:43:28] thinking about relocating into Michigan
[2:43:30] City, coming into the city, and one of
[2:43:32] the questions that they ask is they want
[2:43:35] to know um you know what's going on with the school system, your public
[2:43:38] school system. And so I wanted to kind
[2:43:42] of bring another angle. You know, this
[2:43:45] is for funding of teachers and to make
[2:43:47] sure they're able to keep programs and things of that sort going uh so that
[2:43:51] our our our students can continue uh to
[2:43:54] learn valuable um you receive valuable
[2:43:58] educational content and move forward in
[2:44:00] life. And I I think this is extremely
[2:44:02] important for the city of Michigan City.
[2:44:04] This is their third referendum and I
[2:44:06] can't remember exactly how long and we
[2:44:09] really need this in order to fund once
[2:44:11] again to keep the teachers and so forth
[2:44:14] um at our schools. You know, we've had
[2:44:16] the the the people when I was a guidance
[2:44:18] counselor at one point they would come
[2:44:19] and say, "Why do I have 35 kids in my in
[2:44:22] my class, you know, with my student?"
[2:44:24] And these are reasons why when you
[2:44:25] cannot afford the proper amount of
[2:44:27] teachers in order to keep those classes
[2:44:29] small. um and we're looking at
[2:44:31] devastating cuts that could happen uh
[2:44:33] based on some of the state laws and you
[2:44:34] know the the drainage of the dollars
[2:44:36] that are going into the public school
[2:44:37] systems. So I think it's very important
[2:44:39] um that we do this and get this in
[2:44:41] support of Michigan City area schools
[2:44:43] which happens to be a partner of the
[2:44:46] schools the council I mean u you know
[2:44:48] the city and the council and so forth.
[2:44:51] >> Thank you Councilman Davney. Any other
[2:44:54] sponsors? Councilman Prisbolinski.
[2:44:57] >> Yeah. Thank you madam president. Well,
[2:45:00] first of all, [clears throat] in my
[2:45:02] mind, this is a uh a real problem. And
[2:45:07] it all started with the uh governor of
[2:45:09] Indiana and the Republican state house
[2:45:12] with uh bill SB1 in the in the funding
[2:45:16] cuts to the state cuz we want to make
[2:45:19] sure we're not spending too much money
[2:45:21] on our education on our children or on
[2:45:25] the teachers that have to teach these
[2:45:27] children. Uh so that's where it starts.
[2:45:32] But uh like other things that have come
[2:45:34] before this council and we've had to
[2:45:36] raise rates. We've had to put in a wheel
[2:45:39] tax because that's what the govern
[2:45:41] governor said or you're not getting any
[2:45:43] other money for anything else. Well,
[2:45:46] basically this is the same thing because
[2:45:48] what they're telling us down in
[2:45:50] Indianapolis is that if you want better
[2:45:52] schools, we're going to cut your
[2:45:54] funding, but you got to make up the
[2:45:56] difference. basically a referendum and
[2:46:00] that and that's what we're doing here
[2:46:02] and I I forget and councilman Dabney I
[2:46:05] don't know if you can remember how much
[2:46:06] exactly I know that when uh window
[2:46:10] mullum was here speaking before us it
[2:46:12] was like I don't know $5 a month or it
[2:46:15] wasn't very a lot of money it wasn't a
[2:46:18] lot of money but
[2:46:19] >> 50 cents a month
[2:46:20] >> pardon
[2:46:22] 50 cents a month 50 cents a month is
[2:46:25] what this referendum is going to uh do.
[2:46:28] I thought it would be a lot higher than
[2:46:30] 50 cents a month. Uh
[2:46:32] >> it is
[2:46:33] >> my wife being a school teacher, a
[2:46:36] retired school teacher, and many of her
[2:46:38] friends. Uh in my mind, school teachers
[2:46:42] should be getting paid a lot more than a
[2:46:44] lot of other professions cuz they're the
[2:46:46] ones that are educating our k children
[2:46:49] and bringing our children up. Uh
[2:46:53] we need to do this. I know there were
[2:46:55] signs all over Michigan City to uh
[2:46:58] Michigan MCSA,
[2:47:02] Michigan City Schools. Yeah. Well,
[2:47:05] anyway, that's all about the referendum
[2:47:07] and we need to vote the referendum in
[2:47:10] progressive cities around the state,
[2:47:13] around the area. You take a Valparezo,
[2:47:16] you take a Chesterton, you take a Crown
[2:47:18] Point and cities of that nature when
[2:47:20] they have referendums, they get voted
[2:47:23] in. They have money and then the people
[2:47:26] want to invest in their schools. We have
[2:47:29] to do this. We have to invest in our
[2:47:32] schools. If we want a great city and a
[2:47:34] progressive city, then you got to kick
[2:47:37] in and you got to pay and you got to
[2:47:39] make sure that it happens. So that's why
[2:47:41] I'm totally in support of this uh
[2:47:43] referendum and I hopefully on election
[2:47:46] day when you go vote, whenever that may
[2:47:48] be, vote for the referendum. Thank you.
[2:47:52] Councilman Priski. Will any
[2:47:54] other Councilwoman Moldenau?
[2:47:57] >> Thank you, Madame President. Um, for me,
[2:48:01] this is all about our kids and it's
[2:48:04] about the future of our community. Um, I
[2:48:07] worked for the Michigan City Area
[2:48:09] Schools for 15 years as an instructor, a
[2:48:12] teacher, a library media specialist, and
[2:48:15] as a substitute teacher. And I saw daily
[2:48:20] the importance of what all of the staff
[2:48:23] at the Michigan City Area Schools
[2:48:25] provides to our students. And that goes
[2:48:28] down even to the bus drivers and the
[2:48:31] custodians. You never know what
[2:48:34] individual a certain student is going to
[2:48:37] connect with and how that individual is
[2:48:40] going to make an important difference in
[2:48:42] that student's life. And if this
[2:48:46] referendum does not pass, it's probably
[2:48:48] going to affect those online workers in
[2:48:51] the cafeteria,
[2:48:53] in the buses, in maintenance. Those are
[2:48:56] the ones who are probably going to
[2:48:57] suffer the greatest cuts. So, I
[2:49:00] encourage everybody in Michigan City to
[2:49:02] consider this carefully and to vote yes
[2:49:05] on this referendum. I'll have to say
[2:49:08] that the last time this came up in
[2:49:11] Michigan City, I and numerous employees
[2:49:14] in the Michigan City area schools went
[2:49:16] around knocking on a lot of doors and
[2:49:18] ours didn't pass. But surprisingly, as
[2:49:22] Councilman Pris Bolinsky indicated, all
[2:49:24] of the cities around us always pass
[2:49:27] these referendums. And I think it's
[2:49:29] because they realize the economic
[2:49:33] importance of having a strong school
[2:49:38] system. So, I really encourage um our
[2:49:41] council persons to vote in favor of this
[2:49:43] and that all Michigan city residents
[2:49:45] when you go vote, please vote yes on
[2:49:49] this particular
[2:49:51] item. Thank you.
[2:49:53] >> Thank you, Councilwoman Modenau.
[2:49:55] Councilman Bedry,
[2:49:57] >> to me that this is really a no-brainer.
[2:50:00] Uh yes, this the state has threatened
[2:50:03] our schools. They threatened all the
[2:50:05] schools in the state of Indiana. They
[2:50:06] threatened us. So, we have to step up.
[2:50:10] We have to man up
[2:50:12] and we have to do what's necessary for
[2:50:13] our kids. Uh I don't know how you could
[2:50:16] vote anything but yes for the referendum
[2:50:19] cuz you care about the kids.
[2:50:21] >> Thank you, Mr. Beard. Councilman Dadley.
[2:50:23] >> Yes. Just real quick, I I went online
[2:50:25] and and found the calculator where you
[2:50:28] could actually calculate what you would
[2:50:30] pay based on the assessed value of your
[2:50:31] home and where Councilwoman um Lee came
[2:50:36] up with the 50 cents a month. And this
[2:50:38] the baseline $200,000 homestead assessed
[2:50:42] value. Total net impact over 8 years
[2:50:47] from 2027 to 2034 would be $48 total.
[2:50:51] That's where the 50 cents a month is
[2:50:53] coming into play. I just wanted to put
[2:50:56] that information out there. How is 50
[2:50:58] cent a month?
[2:51:00] >> Thank you, Councilman Dabney.
[2:51:05] » I'll now have to open this resolution up
[2:51:07] for public comments. Are there any
[2:51:08] public comments on this resolution?
[2:51:16] Roger. Will it be 401 East 7th Street,
[2:51:18] Michigan City, Indiana?
[2:51:22] It It's hard
[2:51:24] to digest numbers
[2:51:27] when you're in any city in the position
[2:51:29] that you are with numbers. So, if you
[2:51:32] want a comparison, I would encourage
[2:51:35] everybody to subscribe to the Post
[2:51:37] Tribune cuz they'll show you the numbers
[2:51:40] across the entire Northwest Indiana.
[2:51:43] They'll tell you the story
[2:51:45] and I think it was in Tuesday's or
[2:51:48] Wednesday's paper. Uh if you want to
[2:51:51] digest the numbers
[2:51:53] cuz it's it's it's more than 50 cents a
[2:51:56] month. It's that's not the issue. The
[2:51:59] issue is
[2:52:01] we're in this position
[2:52:04] because your population is declining.
[2:52:08] That's the whole problem. Everybody's
[2:52:09] scrambling for fees to maintain what we
[2:52:11] have.
[2:52:12] That's just a cold heart reality. So
[2:52:15] it's not the Republican who did it down
[2:52:18] state. He's not attacking you. Every
[2:52:21] city in the state of Indiana
[2:52:24] has been told you have to do less more
[2:52:28] with less.
[2:52:30] Not just not just Michigan City,
[2:52:32] Indiana, not just not just the blue
[2:52:34] cities, the red cities, the pink cities,
[2:52:36] the purple cities. It's across the
[2:52:38] board.
[2:52:40] It it is across the board.
[2:52:43] You you can laugh and scoff however you want to do it. The numbers
[2:52:48] don't lie.
[2:52:50] Okay?
[2:52:53] We we are scrambling in this town. I've
[2:52:55] lived here for 32 years. I'm not a
[2:52:57] native here. The number one thing we
[2:52:59] always did right in this town since I've
[2:53:01] lived here was refu.
[2:53:04] And we're about ready to kill that.
[2:53:07] Okay. That was the number one thing this
[2:53:10] city did better than anybody in
[2:53:12] northwest Indiana anywhere I've ever
[2:53:15] been. Refuge pickup. They picked up
[2:53:18] everything.
[2:53:21] And when you start nickel diamond
[2:53:22] everything people we they don't have the
[2:53:25] money.
[2:53:27] Your county is 40% on aid. Don't look
[2:53:29] off over there. Your county number 40%
[2:53:33] of Leaport County is on some type of
[2:53:35] government assistance.
[2:53:37] Okay, let's start there. Those are cold,
[2:53:41] hard, factual numbers. Some people want
[2:53:43] to blame it on the on the prison.
[2:53:46] Everybody wants to blame it on somebody
[2:53:48] else, okay? The people who are fortunate
[2:53:52] enough to have a job in this town, okay?
[2:53:55] Are footing the bill
[2:53:57] for all of it. And I want to give you
[2:53:59] some simple numbers, okay? Let's just
[2:54:02] say hypothetically
[2:54:04] police and fire consume 30% of your
[2:54:07] budget. Let's just take that number.
[2:54:09] Let's say it's 20%. Okay? Let's say
[2:54:12] that's $30 million a year. Let's say
[2:54:14] it's $25 million a year. Do you know
[2:54:17] that's for less than 200 people?
[2:54:22] It's not sustainable.
[2:54:24] >> Mr. Willoughby, I'm sorry, but your time
[2:54:26] has passed.
[2:54:27] >> It's not sustainable.
[2:54:29] >> Thank you.
[2:54:38] Mr. Willoughby.
[2:54:41] » So, Paul Prisbolinsky, 1716 Washington
[2:54:45] Street, a lifong
[2:54:48] resident of the second ward and also a
[2:54:51] graduate of our system,
[2:54:56] I'll tell you there 1970. I'm not
[2:54:58] ashamed of it. So, this is what I
[2:55:02] received on my They couldn't even put it
[2:55:05] on the door knocker. They laid it on one
[2:55:07] of the tables. There's no documentation
[2:55:11] on this. And you all know what this is.
[2:55:15] There's no
[2:55:17] information anyway on how much money and
[2:55:20] how they're going to spend it. Just all
[2:55:23] ad libs.
[2:55:24] Okay. But I will tell you that Mr.
[2:55:27] Willoughby is not far off. Our poverty
[2:55:30] rate in Michigan City is 19.7%.
[2:55:34] Our retirement income households in city
[2:55:38] Michigan City is 3,500.
[2:55:42] But I in I see there's a report on the
[2:55:46] internet that [clears throat] this is
[2:55:49] going to cost
[2:55:53] a average home
[2:55:55] at 200,000.
[2:55:59] So you got to adjust the tables because
[2:56:01] there's houses more expensive.
[2:56:06] $200
[2:56:08] a year on my property taxes. I don't
[2:56:10] know where you're coming up with that 50
[2:56:12] cents, but I'm I'm believing what I'm
[2:56:14] reading. So, anyway, here's what I am
[2:56:17] going to say tonight. Some of you have
[2:56:22] a problem with even voting on this.
[2:56:24] [snorts]
[2:56:25] You have a conflict. You're receiving
[2:56:28] money from the T state teachers fund in
[2:56:32] your household.
[2:56:35] Mr. Bri, you receive a pension from the
[2:56:38] school system. their personal
[2:56:39] information. Don't disclose that, Mr.
[2:56:41] >> I am making a point of a conflict. I'm
[2:56:44] making a point.
[2:56:46] >> You know who you are
[2:56:48] and one of you are employed. That's a
[2:56:51] direct conflict. You may not think it
[2:56:54] is, but it's an to me it's more than an
[2:56:57] appearance. So, what I'm saying is that
[2:57:00] yeah, you're going to pass another tax
[2:57:03] rate on us, but come on. The key to this
[2:57:06] is not all these school systems are
[2:57:09] asking for $10 million. They might be
[2:57:12] asking for one million
[2:57:14] >> or two million.
[2:57:16] So you see there's a problem here. I
[2:57:18] want you to think about this or table
[2:57:21] it. Let's get all the facts out. Don't
[2:57:23] pass another god darn tax on us or
[2:57:27] support it. People can't afford to buy
[2:57:29] these homes in Michigan City right now.
[2:57:32] You know what my son told me today? He
[2:57:35] looked at one of them apartments, a
[2:57:36] one-bedroom apartment in the Franklin,
[2:57:39] $1,800. You think anybody making 17 or
[2:57:43] $19 an hour can afford that?
[2:57:46] >> Come on. It's reality. Don't tax us
[2:57:49] anymore.
[2:57:52] >> Uh, yes, sir.
[2:57:55] >> Bill Newton, 604 Black Oak Drive.
[2:57:58] I represent the Michigan City uh
[2:58:01] community action group and we've looked
[2:58:03] into this subject right here. We've
[2:58:06] attended uh two meetings with the
[2:58:08] superintendent here and there's no tie between the money that's
[2:58:15] going to be spent on increased taxes and
[2:58:19] the improvement of the schools. None.
[2:58:22] Okay. US US News and World Report
[2:58:27] produced these statistics for Michigan
[2:58:28] City area schools high school. Okay. 30%
[2:58:33] English comprehension rate 30%.
[2:58:37] Math comprehension rate 18%.
[2:58:40] Okay. Science comprehension rate 8%.
[2:58:46] That's pathetic. Okay. and
[2:58:49] [clears throat]
[2:58:49] and they never talk about that during
[2:58:52] these meetings. Okay. What they do talk
[2:58:55] about is graduation rate 90%.
[2:59:00] So I'm a teacher, okay, at IvyTech and
[2:59:03] also Purdue. I get these students from
[2:59:06] Michigan City area schools. I look at
[2:59:08] the transcript, it's all Fs. I said,
[2:59:12] "How did you ever graduate from school?"
[2:59:16] Well, they just pass you on. They don't
[2:59:18] hold you back. They just keep passing
[2:59:19] you on. I said, 'Well, you're going to
[2:59:22] have to take zero level zero level
[2:59:25] classes in at at these places. You know
[2:59:27] what that is? That's all remediation.
[2:59:30] You can't even get into a program. You
[2:59:33] have to take remediation. I mean, you're
[2:59:35] not doing these kids any favor. And and
[2:59:38] I agree. I voted today. Today was the
[2:59:40] first day for early voting. I voted on
[2:59:43] this. Okay. And it spells right out in
[2:59:45] there. This is this is an increased tax
[2:59:48] for a person with a $200,000 home.
[2:59:51] You're going to pay $264 per year. So, I
[2:59:55] don't know where you come up with these
[2:59:56] little numbers. This this this whole
[2:59:58] thing is coming down to $80 million that
[3:00:02] they they need to have raised in 10
[3:00:05] years. You're not doing it for 50 cents
[3:00:08] a month.
[3:00:09] Come on.
[3:00:11] >> Thank you.
[3:00:14] Um, Mr. Kavic.
[3:00:17] >> Yes, this is Tommy Kavik from 1316 Ohio
[3:00:20] Street. I was going to mention this
[3:00:22] during the regular comment, but the
[3:00:24] early voting is open now at 8 Wash. So,
[3:00:27] get out and vote and support this uh
[3:00:29] resolution.
[3:00:31] I'm not native to Michigan City. I'm I'm
[3:00:34] a product of the Portage Township School
[3:00:36] Systems. 1988 we came over and we won
[3:00:40] your Michigan City Rogers boys
[3:00:42] basketball princ regional. Uh we only
[3:00:45] had one principal though me and him out
[3:00:47] the great late great forest dusty yellow
[3:00:49] road but I want everybody to get out and
[3:00:51] support the previous gentleman that
[3:00:53] spoke said we getting all left. He
[3:00:55] obviously never had none of my students
[3:00:58] and my extended family. All my students
[3:01:02] are all National Honor Society and top
[3:01:04] athletes and so I'm going to support
[3:01:06] this. So all vote vote yes so all my
[3:01:09] students can continue to excel and
[3:01:11] dominate at the Michigan City area
[3:01:13] schools. Thank you.
[3:01:14] >> Thank you Mr. Kavic.
[3:01:22] Angie Nelson D126 Lady Lane. Um I'm in
[3:01:25] favor of this. I chaired one of the
[3:01:27] failed referendums
[3:01:29] uh and and what people don't understand
[3:01:32] uh with the last one uh before SB1. This
[3:01:36] is before we even got into the the tax
[3:01:39] situation. And I agree, population is is
[3:01:42] an issue. And that's why growing our
[3:01:44] population is important because we know
[3:01:46] that we're transitioning from property
[3:01:48] taxes to local income tax. And what that
[3:01:52] means for us is we need people living
[3:01:54] here and working here. Living and
[3:01:56] working here. Your dollars follow where
[3:01:58] you live.
[3:02:00] And we know that to be true. That's how
[3:02:02] the bill is set up. and going into long
[3:02:04] session is going to be worse. So with
[3:02:07] the school system understand with the
[3:02:09] last failed referendum the things that
[3:02:11] left here and this is where we don't
[3:02:14] talk what we don't talk about is all the
[3:02:16] additional supports the additional aids
[3:02:19] all of that was cut all the
[3:02:21] extracurricular when we didn't pass the
[3:02:24] referendum before there were any tax
[3:02:26] implications downstate
[3:02:29] you know they say well this school over
[3:02:32] here is doing this those those cities
[3:02:35] pass referend randoms
[3:02:38] to support those efforts. They did.
[3:02:42] So, you want to compare us to Michigan
[3:02:44] City to all these schools? Well, go back
[3:02:48] in history and figure out what's
[3:02:49] happening there. Those people are
[3:02:51] working in Michigan City and working in
[3:02:52] different places and taking all their
[3:02:54] money back to where they live.
[3:02:58] That's what's happening. We want to talk
[3:02:59] about market rate and all this because
[3:03:02] people are referring them to homes and
[3:03:04] places outside of Michigan City when
[3:03:06] they work here cuz there's no place for
[3:03:08] them to live. So population is an issue.
[3:03:12] But the biggest issue is when we failed
[3:03:14] the last referendum,
[3:03:16] all those programs were cut. All the
[3:03:18] additional reading assistance, all of
[3:03:20] all that was cut. Now I'm a proud
[3:03:22] parent. Both of my daughters who
[3:03:24] graduated from Michigan City High School
[3:03:26] graduated college in three years because
[3:03:28] you know why,
[3:03:29] >> right?
[3:03:30] >> They got dual credits and they had AP
[3:03:32] classes. I used to teach at IvyTech and
[3:03:34] PNC as well. I taught those remediation
[3:03:37] classes and I also goed and was ticked
[3:03:40] off when I had to do those classes and
[3:03:42] teach them, right? But when those needs
[3:03:47] aren't being met because we can't pass a
[3:03:51] referendum or do the right thing, that's
[3:03:54] what happens. I remember the first
[3:03:55] referendum. Oh, they said some nasty
[3:04:00] things. Almost left Michigan City. The
[3:04:03] rhetoric behind that first referendum
[3:04:05] almost had me take my kids away from
[3:04:07] here.
[3:04:09] And I was so upset because it was such a
[3:04:13] racial thing back then on the first
[3:04:16] referendum.
[3:04:18] It's only going to support certain kids
[3:04:20] and all this other stuff. No, it's not
[3:04:22] about that. We want your property tax
[3:04:24] values to go up. The school system has
[3:04:26] to be thriving.
[3:04:28] We can't continue. We heard today in
[3:04:30] your tax abatement on on Aquagenics,
[3:04:33] they they're struggling to hire folks.
[3:04:36] If you go to the chambers website, they
[3:04:38] have a a place where you can go see all
[3:04:40] the open jobs. People say, "Well, we
[3:04:43] need more jobs." Okay, they're available
[3:04:46] in Michigan City. I'd rather you live in
[3:04:48] Michigan City and work here. So, we
[3:04:51] really have to do a better job in in
[3:04:55] stating the facts. Um, you know,
[3:04:58] everybody, like you said, can't afford
[3:05:00] certain things, but we have a high
[3:05:01] rental population, too. We know we do.
[3:05:05] Um, that's a whole
[3:05:08] another a whole another thing. I'm not
[3:05:11] going to even get into that. But the
[3:05:13] support of it
[3:05:15] is important for us in the future of
[3:05:18] Michigan City. And I just want everybody
[3:05:20] to know that voting for this will help
[3:05:22] us in the long run. When when the the
[3:05:25] school system thrives, the whole city
[3:05:27] will thrive. So, um, I hope you support
[3:05:30] it. And this is a resolution. This is
[3:05:32] not an ordinance. This is not you
[3:05:33] determining the tax rate. This is not
[3:05:35] you doing it. It's just you supporting
[3:05:38] the school system in in their efforts.
[3:05:41] That's it. So, I appreciate your support
[3:05:43] and thank you for bringing this
[3:05:44] resolution.
[3:05:46] >> Thank you.
[3:05:49] That was our last public comment on this
[3:05:51] resolution. I will now open this up for
[3:05:54] comments from the council. Councilman
[3:05:56] Dabney.
[3:05:57] >> Yes. I did not know this would cause
[3:05:59] such consternation
[3:06:02] and but
[3:06:05] this is what dollars would be used for
[3:06:08] after passing of the the referendum.
[3:06:11] Academic programs, $6.5 million
[3:06:14] annually, maintaining appropriate class
[3:06:16] sizes, teacher and staff recruitment and
[3:06:18] retention, literacy development, career
[3:06:20] and technical workforce development,
[3:06:23] educational related programs, $2 million
[3:06:25] annually, transportation services,
[3:06:28] student extracurricular uh curricular
[3:06:29] activities and opportunities, essential
[3:06:32] student support services, as the mayor
[3:06:35] said, we did not pass the last
[3:06:37] referendum. safety and security
[3:06:39] measures, $ 1.5 million annually. School
[3:06:41] resource officers, student mental health
[3:06:43] and behavioral supports, enhanced safety
[3:06:46] capital investments. So that's what the
[3:06:48] money would be used for. That would be
[3:06:50] raised from the referendum and and
[3:06:54] the the comment about people having all
[3:06:56] Fs getting into college. That's a new
[3:06:58] one. Um wish I'd have known that. Could
[3:07:01] have gotten to Notre Dame with all Fs.
[3:07:02] That would have been awesome. But here
[3:07:05] we are. And like I said, I didn't think
[3:07:07] it would cause this much of an issue to support Michigan City area schools.
[3:07:12] >> Councilman Priscali.
[3:07:14] >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam President,
[3:07:18] >> and anyone that's worked for the
[3:07:19] Michigan City Area Schools and
[3:07:24] is retired now or do work for the school
[3:07:26] system. I don't see it as a conflict of
[3:07:29] interest. I see it as those people
[3:07:31] really knowing that this is an
[3:07:33] investment to the children and to the
[3:07:36] future of Michigan City. So that's why I
[3:07:39] take that comment too. Thank you,
[3:07:42] >> Dr. Kora.
[3:07:43] >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam President. You
[3:07:44] know, as a former uh school board
[3:07:46] member, I I understand the difficulty
[3:07:49] people have because of inflation and
[3:07:51] everything else. But having said that,
[3:07:54] as Councilwoman Moldenhau has said and
[3:07:56] councilman Dabney has said that the
[3:08:00] quality of our schools is directly
[3:08:02] linked to the economic development, it
[3:08:04] it's it it is inevitable and if if we
[3:08:08] allow our school system to go down then
[3:08:11] the chances of economic development also
[3:08:13] goes down. So I think these are interlin
[3:08:16] um and u u so that's the reason why I'm
[3:08:20] going to support this. Thank you, Dr.
[3:08:22] Coral. Councilwoman Lee. Thank you,
[3:08:24] Madam President. Um I, as a current
[3:08:26] teacher in Michigan City Area Schools,
[3:08:28] I'm obviously in support of this um for
[3:08:30] so many reasons. Um I'm out there
[3:08:33] canvasing. I may have knocked on some of
[3:08:34] your doors already about it. Um but due
[3:08:37] to Michigan City Area Schools being my
[3:08:39] current employer, um I will be
[3:08:41] abstaining from voting on this
[3:08:43] resolution, but vocally obviously I do
[3:08:46] support it 100%. Thank you, Councilwoman
[3:08:49] Lee. May I entertain a motion?
[3:08:51] >> Motion to approve. Support
[3:08:53] >> second.
[3:08:55] >> We have a motion and a second. Madame
[3:08:57] clerk on the vote, please.
[3:08:59] >> Mr. Coulter,
[3:09:00] >> I
[3:09:00] >> Mr. Dabney.
[3:09:01] >> Hi.
[3:09:02] >> Dr. Cora,
[3:09:03] >> hi.
[3:09:03] >> Miss Lee,
[3:09:07] » Miss Moldenau,
[3:09:09] >> I
[3:09:09] >> Mr. Nelson,
[3:09:11] >> I
[3:09:12] >> Mr. President Bolinsky,
[3:09:13] >> I
[3:09:14] >> Miss Tilman,
[3:09:15] >> I
[3:09:15] >> and Mr. Beatatri,
[3:09:16] >> I. We have eight in favor and one
[3:09:19] abstained.
[3:09:22] >> And this resolution has passed.
[3:09:25] Madame clerk, our next resolution by
[3:09:27] title only, please.
[3:09:29] >> A resolution by title only. A resolution
[3:09:32] of the common council of the city of
[3:09:33] Michigan City, Indiana, supporting the
[3:09:36] United Steel Workers Local Union 12775,
[3:09:41] District 7's petition to strengthen
[3:09:44] NIPCO staffing reliability and storm
[3:09:47] response for Northern Indiana. And this
[3:09:50] is introduced by Mr. Beatatri and Mr.
[3:09:53] President Bolinsky.
[3:09:54] >> And would the sponsors like to make any
[3:09:56] comments? Councilman President Bolinski.
[3:09:58] >> Yeah. uh madame president uh what this
[3:10:01] deals with and there's a lot of uh
[3:10:04] whereouses and one one thing I want to
[3:10:07] say that I've always supported issues
[3:10:11] that fall against uh NIPCO. Uh I've been
[3:10:15] to a number of the IURC hearings that
[3:10:19] were held in Northwest Indiana when they
[3:10:21] were always going to uh raise our rates.
[3:10:25] I've been there to speak for the people
[3:10:26] in Michigan City and now I'm here to
[3:10:29] speak for the United Steel Workers uh
[3:10:31] against the NIPCO staffing reliability
[3:10:35] and storm response for northern Indiana
[3:10:38] and it deals with uh whereas the
[3:10:40] reliable electric and natural gas
[3:10:42] service is a public necessity for public
[3:10:45] safety, economic development and healthc
[3:10:47] care education and quality of life for
[3:10:50] the residents and businesses of Michigan
[3:10:53] City. And whereas NIPCO provides
[3:10:55] electric and natural gas to Michigan
[3:10:57] city. And whereas the Durco that struck
[3:11:01] northern Indiana on August 11th caused
[3:11:04] widespread outages across Leaport Lake
[3:11:06] Porter counties and the city of Michigan
[3:11:08] City. Worked closely with Niscoco
[3:11:11] throughout the restoration act effort.
[3:11:14] And whereas severe weather events have
[3:11:16] shown that the value of well staffed
[3:11:18] local crews who know our communities
[3:11:20] understand our infrastructure and can be
[3:11:22] deployed quickly when outages occur. And
[3:11:26] whereas aging infrastructure, economic
[3:11:28] growth, and increasingly severe weather
[3:11:31] are placing greater greater demands on
[3:11:34] the utility system serving northern
[3:11:37] Indiana. And whereas United Steel
[3:11:40] Workers Local 12775
[3:11:42] District 7 has circulated a petition
[3:11:45] titled keep utility jobs local
[3:11:49] strengthen NIPCO staffing reliability
[3:11:51] and storm response for Northern Indiana.
[3:11:55] And the said petition is attached here
[3:11:57] too as exhibit A. Uh and also whereas
[3:12:01] the petition calls on the state leaders,
[3:12:04] regulators and local elected officials
[3:12:07] to assess current utility staffing
[3:12:09] needs, develop workforce growth targets
[3:12:12] and support utility apprentice expansion
[3:12:15] and encourage local hiring and training
[3:12:17] initiatives and ensure communities
[3:12:19] receive the level of you utility service
[3:12:23] and emergency preparedness they deserve.
[3:12:26] And whereas a permanent local utility
[3:12:29] workforce lives in our community, pays
[3:12:31] taxes in our community, and is available
[3:12:33] year round, while mutual aid crews
[3:12:36] remain a valued resource during
[3:12:38] emergencies.
[3:12:40] And whereas the city of Michigan City
[3:12:41] has hosted and funded two Indiana plan
[3:12:44] classes for Michigan City residents,
[3:12:46] creating a pathway into skilled careers.
[3:12:50] And whereas the city of Michigan City
[3:12:52] established an internship program that
[3:12:54] has served more than 40 interns over the
[3:12:56] last two and a half years with several
[3:12:58] members of the first cohort hired as
[3:13:01] full-time city employees.
[3:13:04] And whereas the city of Michigan City
[3:13:06] has partnered with Goodwill Industries
[3:13:08] on a re-entry program and will continue
[3:13:10] to support local workforce initiatives.
[3:13:13] And whereas the goals of this petition
[3:13:16] of the United Steel Workers Local 12775
[3:13:19] District 7 align with the strengths the
[3:13:23] workforce development work already
[3:13:25] underway in Michigan City. Now for now
[3:13:29] therefore be resolved by the common
[3:13:30] council of Michigan City, Indiana.
[3:13:35] The common council supports a petition
[3:13:37] of the United Steel Workers Local Union
[3:13:41] 12775
[3:13:42] District 7 to strengthen the NIPCO
[3:13:45] staffing reliability and storm response
[3:13:48] for Northern Indiana. And the common
[3:13:51] council respectfully calls upon Governor
[3:13:54] Mike Brown, the Indiana general
[3:13:56] assembly, and the Indiana Utility
[3:13:59] Regulatory Commission, and the Indiana
[3:14:01] Office of Utility Consumer Council to
[3:14:04] assess current utility staffing needs in
[3:14:07] Northern Indiana, develop workforce
[3:14:09] growth targets, support utility
[3:14:11] apprenticeship expansion, encourage
[3:14:14] local hiring and training initiatives,
[3:14:16] ensure northern Indiana communities
[3:14:18] receive the level utility ility service
[3:14:21] and emergency preparedness they deserve.
[3:14:24] And the common council encourages the
[3:14:26] Indiana utility regulatory commission to
[3:14:29] consider workforce adequacy and
[3:14:32] emergency response readiness in
[3:14:34] proceedings affected NIPCO customers.
[3:14:37] encourage public reporting on frontline
[3:14:40] staffing levels, vacancy rates, and
[3:14:43] storm restoration performance,
[3:14:45] contractor use, and workforce
[3:14:47] development invest investment. and the
[3:14:50] city clerk is directed to send copies of
[3:14:54] this resolution to the governor, state
[3:14:57] senator Rodney Pole, state
[3:14:59] representative Randy Novak, the Indiana
[3:15:01] general assembly to the speaker of the
[3:15:04] house and president prom in the senate,
[3:15:06] the Indiana office of utility consumer
[3:15:08] counselor, the Indiana utility
[3:15:11] regulatory commission and United Steel
[3:15:14] Workers Local Union 12775
[3:15:17] District 7. Thank you.
[3:15:20] Councilman Prince Bolinsky.
[3:15:22] Would the other sponsor like to make any
[3:15:23] comments?
[3:15:25] >> You just read the whole resolution,
[3:15:27] right? What else did I add?
[3:15:28] >> It's all done.
[3:15:30] >> I can't talk no more.
[3:15:31] >> Indeed. I would like to open this up for
[3:15:33] public comment on this resolution. Are
[3:15:36] there any public comment?
[3:15:48] Thank you, Madam President, members of
[3:15:49] the council. My name is Ryan Baker. I'm
[3:15:52] president of USW Local 12775.
[3:15:56] This is my safety chair, Abraham Dudley,
[3:15:58] standing with me. We represent roughly
[3:16:02] 1,300 utility workers covering the
[3:16:05] northern third of the state. That's gas,
[3:16:08] electric, generation, and support
[3:16:10] workers. I'm asking you tonight to stand
[3:16:12] with the NIPCO workers, families, and
[3:16:14] customers across northwest Indiana by
[3:16:16] supporting this petition calling for a
[3:16:18] full investigation into NIPCO staffing
[3:16:20] levels. The concern is simple. When
[3:16:22] staffing's too low, emergency response,
[3:16:25] storm restoration, everyday service all
[3:16:27] suffer
[3:16:29] after the August 11th storm. Crews
[3:16:31] worked for long hours, responded to gas
[3:16:32] emergencies, power restoration needs,
[3:16:35] downlines, and public safety concerns in
[3:16:38] communities from Leaport County all the
[3:16:40] way to the Illinois state line. But
[3:16:43] let's be clear, that storm did not
[3:16:44] create the problem. It exposed it.
[3:16:47] >> For years, in-house staffing has
[3:16:49] declined, including significant
[3:16:51] reductions among linemen and gas
[3:16:52] workers. Headcount is down roughly 20%.
[3:16:56] Just 6 years ago, there was roughly 230
[3:16:59] linemen servicing NIPCO service
[3:17:01] territory. And now we're down to 180.
[3:17:04] That's 50 less linemen working in
[3:17:06] emergencies.
[3:17:08] At the same time, customers have
[3:17:10] continued to see bills rise while more
[3:17:12] work has shifted to out of state
[3:17:13] contractors.
[3:17:15] And we are not against outside help, and
[3:17:17] we aren't against our union brothers and
[3:17:19] sisters in the trades we work with every
[3:17:20] day. But they shouldn't they should
[3:17:23] supplement a strong local workforce, not
[3:17:26] replace the baseline staffing needs to
[3:17:28] keep our communities safe every day.
[3:17:30] Local workers live here, pay taxes here,
[3:17:34] raise families here, and respond when
[3:17:36] our ne neighbors need it most. Our
[3:17:39] petitions not demand any specific
[3:17:40] headcount and ask for transparency,
[3:17:43] accountability, and a serious
[3:17:45] investigation into whether current
[3:17:46] staffing levels are sufficient to
[3:17:48] protect the public and provide a
[3:17:50] reliable service.
[3:17:53] Tonight, I'm asking you to approve the
[3:17:55] re resolution to support our petition to
[3:17:58] investigate NIPCO. This is about more
[3:18:01] than workers. It's about public safety,
[3:18:03] storm readiness, rising cost, and the
[3:18:06] future reliability of our electrical
[3:18:08] grid in our communities.
[3:18:12] Together, we can ask the right
[3:18:13] questions, demand honest answers, and
[3:18:16] make sure our communities have the
[3:18:17] workforce needed when emergencies
[3:18:18] happen. Thank you for your support, your
[3:18:21] voice, and your willingness to spread
[3:18:23] this petition.
[3:18:24] >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[3:18:30] I would like to open this up for public
[3:18:33] comments at this time on this
[3:18:35] resolution.
[3:18:37] Paul Prisbolinsky, 1716 Washington
[3:18:40] Street. I rise in favor of the
[3:18:43] resolution with my brothers, my fellow
[3:18:46] brothers from the USW.
[3:18:49] But I will tell you this,
[3:18:52] I was going to speak about this on
[3:18:54] public comment. I think you elected
[3:18:57] officials should take the bull by the
[3:19:00] horn
[3:19:02] and
[3:19:04] contract
[3:19:06] with a consultant who's won time and
[3:19:10] time again against NIPKO. And this needs
[3:19:14] to be in front of the URC for a major
[3:19:17] investigation. You had hospitals without
[3:19:20] power,
[3:19:22] neighborhoods without power. I mean I
[3:19:25] mean two three what was it almost three
[3:19:27] weeks and and I know there were some
[3:19:30] problems in Lake County but
[3:19:34] this to me I was lived in that
[3:19:37] neighborhood where I'm at right now the
[3:19:40] majority of my life
[3:19:42] every storm now since the hospital moved
[3:19:46] out the same grid goes out and I rode
[3:19:50] through the whole neighborhood and I got
[3:19:52] it mapped out. And I'm I'm going to tell
[3:19:54] you, some people didn't know it because
[3:19:57] they weren't in that grid. But I know
[3:19:59] the people that are in that neighborhood
[3:20:01] know they were without power because a
[3:20:04] lot of people I mean to me it's to me
[3:20:09] personally
[3:20:11] NIPO
[3:20:13] is responsible. It's a public utility
[3:20:18] and they don't give a care about their
[3:20:22] linemen, about their product. All
[3:20:24] they're looking at is the bottom line
[3:20:26] profit. They're buying power off the
[3:20:29] grid. All right?
[3:20:32] They're they don't care if they shut
[3:20:34] down, you know, the gen station. I know
[3:20:38] a lot of people would like to see it
[3:20:39] shut down, but this is all already
[3:20:43] converted. They just want to shut it
[3:20:45] down so they can get rid of their
[3:20:47] employees.
[3:20:48] By gosh, by by God, you better put some
[3:20:54] money in a legal account and get
[3:20:57] somebody working for you down in
[3:20:59] Indianapolis. Lead the way.
[3:21:04] » Thank you, Mr. President.
[3:21:17] Johannes Pollard, 205 Shadow Trail, uh,
[3:21:20] Michigan Shores, Indiana. Um, to really
[3:21:24] look at the issues of NIPCO, I think you
[3:21:27] need to look at their shareholders. Who
[3:21:29] are their shareholders? Blackstone.
[3:21:32] is a subsidiary of Black
[3:21:34] Rockck. you all you need to do is look
[3:21:36] at that look at the reputation of Black
[3:21:38] Rockck and you'll get all your answers
[3:21:41] right there. Why NIPCO is the way it is.
[3:21:43] Thank you.
[3:21:44] >> Thank you.
[3:21:46] >> Are there any other public comments on
[3:21:47] this resolution?
[3:21:50] >> I'll be quick.
[3:21:59] » Steve Coyle 2015 oral Trail. So, uh
[3:22:02] let's be candid. Um, Nipco is a terrible
[3:22:06] company. I'm sorry. It is. They're not a
[3:22:09] good neighbor. Uh, the people who work
[3:22:11] for them, awesome. The linemen,
[3:22:14] absolutely fantastic. The people in
[3:22:16] customer service who have to put up with
[3:22:18] the abuse that we do every time we call
[3:22:20] them because we're complaining about
[3:22:22] something, absolutely fantastic. But at
[3:22:24] a management level, this is a group of
[3:22:27] people who are just stealing money from
[3:22:30] us. Okay? They're reducing their
[3:22:33] workforce, lowering their labor costs,
[3:22:36] increasing their profits. Last year,
[3:22:38] Nyource
[3:22:39] earned $18 billion in profit. It's a
[3:22:43] damn good investment if you own stock in
[3:22:46] utility companies. Okay? They paid zero
[3:22:49] taxes. We all paid more taxes than a
[3:22:53] corporation who made $18 billion. How do
[3:22:56] you justify that? How do you absolutely
[3:23:00] justify that? You are a public utility.
[3:23:03] You are a monopoly. The only way to
[3:23:06] change this, folks, the only way to
[3:23:08] change it, first and foremost, there's a
[3:23:10] guy in Belasel named Solid. That guy's
[3:23:14] got to be beaten
[3:23:15] >> here. Here,
[3:23:16] >> has to be absolutely beaten. The uh
[3:23:19] Democratic candidates come, he is well
[3:23:22] worth that uh that position and we need
[3:23:25] to do everything we can to help him. If
[3:23:27] you have friends in Velpo, that's where
[3:23:28] they should vote. If you want to know
[3:23:30] why your utility rates are this high,
[3:23:32] Mr. Solid is the person who
[3:23:34] single-handedly
[3:23:36] brought up all the laws that have
[3:23:39] changed our rate structure,
[3:23:42] including the data centers. Okay? They
[3:23:46] got to go. And then you have to get
[3:23:49] people elected such as uh Rodney Paul.
[3:23:54] We have to change the legislature,
[3:23:56] folks. You have to change it. Then you
[3:23:59] can change the IURC board and then you
[3:24:02] can make rate changes.
[3:24:04] Today, there are people in this town
[3:24:07] that are hurting. They are hurting. They
[3:24:10] don't have the money. The utility rates
[3:24:14] are going to go up 9 to 10% every year
[3:24:17] for the next 10 years. And the only
[3:24:20] thing NIPCO is going to offer them is a
[3:24:24] finance plan.
[3:24:25] >> So it's bad enough. I got to take your
[3:24:28] principal money each month. I'm going to
[3:24:30] tack on 98
[3:24:32] 7% whatever it is. I'm sorry. So I
[3:24:36] encourage you get out to vote.
[3:24:39] Make a change.
[3:24:42] We can make that change. It can be made
[3:24:44] in Valparezo. It can be made in Michigan
[3:24:46] City. It can be made in the state.
[3:24:48] That's our only hope at this point.
[3:24:50] Thank you very much.
[3:24:51] >> Thank you.
[3:24:54] >> Public comments are now closed. Comments
[3:24:56] from the council.
[3:24:58] >> Are there any comments from the council?
[3:25:00] Councilman Prisbolinski.
[3:25:02] >> Motion to approve. Support.
[3:25:04] >> Madame Clerk. On the vote, please. Mr.
[3:25:07] Davney.
[3:25:08] >> I.
[3:25:08] >> Dr. Cora.
[3:25:09] >> Hi.
[3:25:10] >> Miss Lee.
[3:25:10] >> Hi.
[3:25:11] >> Miss. Molden.
[3:25:12] >> I.
[3:25:13] >> Mr. Nelson.
[3:25:14] >> Hi.
[3:25:16] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[3:25:17] >> Hi. Miss Tilman
[3:25:18] >> I.
[3:25:19] >> Mr. Beatri I
[3:25:20] >> and Mr. Coulter.
[3:25:21] >> Hi.
[3:25:21] >> We have nine in favor and no one
[3:25:23] opposed.
[3:25:24] >> And this resolution has passed
[3:25:26] unanimously.
[3:25:29] Madame clerk, our ordinance on second
[3:25:31] reading by title only, please.
[3:25:34] >> An ordinance on second reading by title
[3:25:36] only. An ordinance or resolution for
[3:25:38] appropriation and tax rate. And this is
[3:25:40] introduced by Mr. Dan.
[3:25:42] >> And would the sponsor like to make any
[3:25:44] comment?
[3:25:51] comments at this time.
[3:25:53] >> I'm sorry. I do have a couple of um
[3:25:56] changes that need to be made and I need
[3:25:58] to make some motions here, but I'll do
[3:25:59] that when it comes back to us.
[3:26:01] >> Okay. I would like to open this up for
[3:26:03] public comments. Are there any public
[3:26:05] comments on this ordinance? That's on
[3:26:07] second reading.
[3:26:10] Correction. Um,
[3:26:13] this was a formal public hearing will be
[3:26:16] held on October 6, 2026. Downloaded to
[3:26:20] Gateway on September 24th, 2026. I will
[3:26:24] now open this up for a formal public
[3:26:26] hearing. Are there any public comments
[3:26:28] on this ordinance? Are there any public
[3:26:31] comments on this ordinance?
[3:26:34] Last call for public comments on this
[3:26:36] ordinance? And we have no one online.
[3:26:38] Public comments are now closed. comments
[3:26:40] from the council.
[3:26:42] >> Yes,
[3:26:42] >> Councilman Dabney.
[3:26:44] >> And I want to make a motion. I'm going
[3:26:45] to read when we went through budget
[3:26:48] hearings, the committee uh voted on and
[3:26:51] approved a budget reduction which we
[3:26:54] voted upon. Now we bring back to the
[3:26:56] council to consider uh to vote on that
[3:26:59] as well. And this was the budget
[3:27:01] reduction. Uh once again this happened
[3:27:03] on uh committee meeting night uh
[3:27:07] September 21st 2026. It was fund 2209
[3:27:11] account numbers. It was all account
[3:27:13] numbers in that that fund. The
[3:27:15] description of the fund was lit economic
[3:27:17] development fund police department uh
[3:27:19] department 202. The original request was
[3:27:22] $181,800
[3:27:25] and the council reduction is $181,800
[3:27:29] for a revised amount of zero. So the
[3:27:32] whole uh fund was uh cut out and it was
[3:27:37] the council notes I have that that was
[3:27:38] because it was a duplicate had already
[3:27:40] been budgeted somewhere else in in the
[3:27:42] uh in the uh budget. So we made the
[3:27:46] motion and approved this unanimously to
[3:27:48] make this cut and I bring it here to
[3:27:51] make a motion to the uh rest of the
[3:27:53] council to approve said cut.
[3:27:56] >> Second.
[3:27:59] Attorney Harris, do this need to be
[3:28:01] presented to the clerk?
[3:28:03] >> Yes.
[3:28:04] >> In writing?
[3:28:05] >> Yes.
[3:28:09] » You did?
[3:28:10] >> No, I did not.
[3:28:10] >> I was going to say I never saw it.
[3:28:12] >> Yeah, I I can
[3:28:16] submit it to you. Do I need to have it
[3:28:19] tonight or you I mean,
[3:28:23] » that's what the order is, sir.
[3:28:24] >> Yeah. And I made it uh on the finance
[3:28:27] committee meeting minutes. I have that
[3:28:29] when we coded in tonight's finance
[3:28:31] committee, but I'm sorry I didn't have
[3:28:32] that in writing. No,
[3:28:36] » then I I don't
[3:28:39] You mean your minutes that you sent
[3:28:40] tonight at the meeting?
[3:28:42] >> Yeah.
[3:28:42] >> Okay. I don't have that either.
[3:28:44] >> Yeah. I I emailed that right after the
[3:28:46] uh meeting.
[3:28:48] >> According to MUN code,
[3:28:50] >> I understand.
[3:28:51] >> You have to have your amendment in
[3:28:53] writing.
[3:28:54] >> Correct. And so
[3:28:55] >> so should we
[3:28:56] >> send it over?
[3:28:58] >> I have you can say if the goal is to get
[3:29:00] this amended and that's what you're
[3:29:02] asking to be approved by the council and
[3:29:04] we don't have that ready yet. I would
[3:29:06] set it over. You don't have you don't
[3:29:08] have what's being requested to take
[3:29:10] action on. So
[3:29:11] >> so just table this to the next
[3:29:13] >> correct
[3:29:16] you need a motion for that.
[3:29:17] >> Third reading. So they have to make an
[3:29:18] amendment to make amendments on third
[3:29:21] reading.
[3:29:21] >> Right. We'll have to follow that
[3:29:22] procedure when we get there. But yes. So
[3:29:24] may I may I ask a question just for next meeting? What I am submitting
[3:29:29] tonight for the finance committee
[3:29:30] meeting minutes will that suffice as
[3:29:34] being put in writing or would I need to
[3:29:36] make it separate from what I reported in
[3:29:38] tonight's finance committee meeting
[3:29:40] minutes?
[3:29:41] >> It'd be better that it's separate and
[3:29:42] not just the minutes. We could talk
[3:29:44] about that afterwards, but we'll make
[3:29:45] sure it's in proper order for the clerk.
[3:29:47] >> Yep. Just want to make sure it's in in
[3:29:48] order. Okay.
[3:29:50] May I entertain a motion to have this um
[3:29:54] tabled until the next council meeting.
[3:30:00] » Madame clerk, on the vote, please.
[3:30:11] » Yeah, we could do second and third week.
[3:30:23] I know.
[3:30:33] » I know.
[3:30:34] >> There is a time.
[3:30:35] >> There's a time.
[3:30:36] >> So, you you can vote to suspend the
[3:30:40] rules to approve it amendments on third
[3:30:43] reading.
[3:30:44] >> That's what you can do. You don't have
[3:30:46] to table it. You can just have a motion
[3:30:49] to amend on third reading and still let
[3:30:53] it be move on to the next reading. But
[3:30:56] you all have to vote to amend. I mean,
[3:30:59] you all have to vote two/3 vote to be
[3:31:02] able to do it on third reading.
[3:31:04] >> Yeah. At the next
[3:31:05] >> at the next meeting.
[3:31:06] >> So, I have also changes in the salary
[3:31:08] ordinance that would need to be made as
[3:31:10] well. So, we do it all on third reading.
[3:31:12] >> I thought Amber sent those over.
[3:31:13] >> She did. The other ones were sent over.
[3:31:16] >> Yeah, the other ones were sent over.
[3:31:18] >> Okay.
[3:31:19] >> It's just that particular one that um
[3:31:21] was the duplicate in the uh
[3:31:25] >> that we caught after the fact.
[3:31:27] >> Yeah. If timing is the issue, then that
[3:31:29] is the better route to go.
[3:31:31] >> Okay.
[3:31:32] >> Everyone just has to be on board to make
[3:31:33] the amendment on third reading.
[3:31:34] >> Do I need to withdraw my
[3:31:36] >> two3?
[3:31:43] Do I need to withdraw my motion?
[3:31:47] Excuse me. Id like to withdraw my motion
[3:31:49] to have this table to the next council
[3:31:51] meeting.
[3:31:53] May I entertain?
[3:31:56] >> Do I have to vote? Okay, just
[3:31:58] withdrawing it. Okay.
[3:32:00] >> Okay.
[3:32:01] >> Then
[3:32:03] are there any other comments from the
[3:32:04] council? If there are none, this
[3:32:07] ordinance will carry over to the next
[3:32:10] council meeting.
[3:32:13] Okay,
[3:32:15] >> Madame Clerk, our next ordinance by
[3:32:17] title only, please.
[3:32:20] >> And a uh an ordinance on second reading
[3:32:22] by title only, an ordinance setting
[3:32:25] salaries and wages for an appointed
[3:32:27] officials and employees of the city of
[3:32:29] Michigan City, Indiana for the calendar
[3:32:31] year 2027. And this is introduced by Mr.
[3:32:34] Davany.
[3:32:35] >> And would this sponsor like to make any
[3:32:37] comments? Yes, as we just heard, this
[3:32:39] was sent over into the clerk's office um
[3:32:43] by our uh city attorney and so I can uh
[3:32:47] make these changes in the salary
[3:32:48] ordinance and I will make a motion that
[3:32:50] we approve these changes and um in
[3:32:56] planning and inspection
[3:32:58] uh the high-end uh pay range was listed
[3:33:01] at $69,345
[3:33:05] and however it was listed
[3:33:07] at um
[3:33:10] at 60 it should be listed at 62,000
[3:33:15] and that was a pay rate um change in uh
[3:33:18] planning and inspection
[3:33:22] and I make a motion that we approve such
[3:33:24] change
[3:33:26] support.
[3:33:28] >> Madame clerk on the vote please
[3:33:31] >> you should make a motion to amend by
[3:33:32] substitute.
[3:33:33] >> Yes.
[3:33:37] Second, Tim.
[3:33:38] >> Yeah.
[3:33:40] >> Um,
[3:33:45] » Mr. Dr. Corora.
[3:33:48] >> Hi,
[3:33:49] >> Miss Lee.
[3:33:50] >> Hi,
[3:33:51] >> Miss Molden.
[3:33:52] >> Hi.
[3:33:54] >> Oh,
[3:33:58] yes.
[3:34:00] >> Okay. Uh
[3:34:04] she
[3:34:06] miss
[3:34:09] » we just want to make a point of
[3:34:10] clarification because this is a budget
[3:34:12] matter and Councilwoman Waldenower is
[3:34:14] attending virtually that she's not
[3:34:16] eligible to vote on any matters
[3:34:18] concerning uh the budget. Yes,
[3:34:20] >> I abstain.
[3:34:27] » Okay. Yeah. Mr. President Binski
[3:34:30] >> I.
[3:34:30] >> Miss Tilman.
[3:34:31] >> Hi.
[3:34:32] >> Mr. Beatri.
[3:34:33] >> Hi.
[3:34:33] >> Mr. Calter.
[3:34:34] >> Hi.
[3:34:34] >> And Mr. Dabney.
[3:34:36] >> I.
[3:34:36] >> We have seven in favor and no one
[3:34:38] opposed.
[3:34:39] >> And I actually I read over something. I
[3:34:41] missed it when I was reading that. This
[3:34:43] is for that associate planner position.
[3:34:46] >> We did it by substitution. I think
[3:34:48] >> but I didn't just I didn't put that out
[3:34:50] loud that it was the associate planner
[3:34:51] position. I'm sorry about that.
[3:34:55] And then I have a another
[3:34:58] that we need to approve as well. And
[3:35:00] this is for the street department. And
[3:35:02] we needed to add the position back into
[3:35:05] the budget um because it was just
[3:35:08] missing from the the paperwork. It was
[3:35:10] the field supervisor with a salary range
[3:35:13] of 56,000 to $62,000.
[3:35:16] And I make a motion that that is added
[3:35:19] back into the the street department
[3:35:21] budget.
[3:35:22] >> Good work.
[3:35:24] Is there a second by substitution?
[3:35:27] Amendment
[3:35:27] >> by substitution.
[3:35:31] » Okay, we're good.
[3:35:33] >> Okay,
[3:35:34] >> we got a support by Councilman Beatric.
[3:35:38] >> She said we didn't we didn't need it.
[3:35:42] Well, fine. Well done.
[3:35:45] >> We didn't vote on that.
[3:35:49] » Pardon?
[3:35:52] What did what did you
[3:35:57] » I didn't do the street department. I I
[3:35:59] read planning and inspection.
[3:36:02] So I just did the same thing with street
[3:36:03] department.
[3:36:06] So we're voting on them. We're voting on
[3:36:08] them separately.
[3:36:10] I didn't put them both in in the same
[3:36:12] motion,
[3:36:14] >> but it's all in the same packet.
[3:36:16] >> It's all in the same packet, but there's
[3:36:18] two separate changes. and I just want us
[3:36:20] to vote on each change.
[3:36:22] >> Yeah, it it's your motion. So,
[3:36:24] >> thank you.
[3:36:26] >> May I entertain a motion?
[3:36:30] >> I made a motion to to change the street
[3:36:33] department or add the position of field
[3:36:34] supervisor with a salary range of 56,000
[3:36:38] 62,000. And I thought that Councilman
[3:36:40] Beatri seconded that.
[3:36:43] >> I mean, those were in the changes that
[3:36:45] uh attorney Leage gave.
[3:36:48] >> Yes, it was. Okay. Yes.
[3:36:49] >> All right. To be you want them separate.
[3:36:53] >> You want your motion to be separate.
[3:36:55] >> There were I did two separate motions. I
[3:36:57] did the the planning and inspection
[3:36:59] first and now I just did street
[3:37:00] department. There were two separate
[3:37:01] motions. I didn't put them all in in
[3:37:03] one.
[3:37:12] » Okay.
[3:37:13] >> And we have Dr. Kora.
[3:37:16] >> Hi.
[3:37:17] >> Miss Lee. I
[3:37:19] >> Miss Molden.
[3:37:21] >> Oh, she can't.
[3:37:22] >> She can't. Mr.
[3:37:25] >> Mr. Presolinsky.
[3:37:27] >> Hi,
[3:37:27] >> Miss Tman.
[3:37:28] >> Hi,
[3:37:28] >> Mr. Beatri. Hi,
[3:37:29] >> Mr. Coulter. Hi.
[3:37:31] >> And Mr. Dabney.
[3:37:32] >> Hi.
[3:37:33] >> There are seven in favor and no one
[3:37:35] opposed.
[3:37:37] Okay.
[3:37:44] Madame clerk, if you would on our next
[3:37:46] ordinance,
[3:37:47] >> an ordinance on second reading by title
[3:37:49] only an ordinance setting the annual
[3:37:52] salary for the mayor and this is
[3:37:53] introduced by Mr. J.
[3:37:57] >> Does the sponsor like to say anything?
[3:37:59] >> I do not have any comment.
[3:38:02] >> I would like to open this up then for
[3:38:04] public comment on this ordinance on
[3:38:06] second reading. Are there any public
[3:38:08] comments on this ordinance?
[3:38:11] Are there any public comments on this
[3:38:13] ordinance? We have no one online.
[3:38:16] This is last call for public comments.
[3:38:18] are now closed. Comments
[3:38:20] from the council. Are there any comments
[3:38:22] from the council? Councilman Dabney?
[3:38:26] Okay. If there are no comments from the
[3:38:28] council, this ordinance will be held
[3:38:30] over for um for third reading.
[3:38:37] Madam clerk, our next ordinance by title
[3:38:39] only, please. An ordinance on second
[3:38:41] reading by title only. An ordinance
[3:38:43] setting the annual salary of the city
[3:38:45] clerk. And this is introduced by Mr.
[3:38:47] Dav.
[3:38:48] >> And would council Davin like to make any
[3:38:50] comments?
[3:38:50] >> No comment.
[3:38:52] >> If there are none, this ordinance is not
[3:38:54] open for public comments. Are there any
[3:38:56] public comments on this ordinance? Any
[3:38:59] public comments on this ordinance? This
[3:39:02] is last call for public comments on this
[3:39:04] ordinance. There are none. No one
[3:39:06] online. Public comments are now closed.
[3:39:08] Any comments from the council?
[3:39:12] No
[3:39:14] comments from the council. This
[3:39:16] ordinance will carry over to third
[3:39:17] reading.
[3:39:19] Madame clerk, our next ordinance on
[3:39:22] second reading by title only.
[3:39:23] >> An ordinance on second reading by title
[3:39:26] only. An ordinance setting the annual
[3:39:28] salaries for the common council members.
[3:39:30] And this is introduced by Mr. Dav.
[3:39:33] >> Any comments from
[3:39:36] >> sponsor? There are none. This ordinance
[3:39:38] is now open for public comment. Are
[3:39:40] there any public comments on this
[3:39:41] ordinance? Any public comments on this
[3:39:44] ordinance?
[3:39:46] >> No.
[3:40:04] Chris Bolinsky, 1716 Washington Street.
[3:40:07] This is uh I am correct what I'm looking
[3:40:10] at then. Ordinance setting the an annual
[3:40:12] salaries of the common council members.
[3:40:16] Well, I don't think a damn one of you
[3:40:18] should get a raise for all the taxes you
[3:40:21] passed on me this year.
[3:40:24] >> Thank you, Council Member Prisbolinski.
[3:40:25] Are there any other public comments?
[3:40:30] This will be the last call for public
[3:40:32] comments on this ordinance. Public
[3:40:34] comments are now closed. Any comments
[3:40:36] from the council?
[3:40:38] There's
[3:40:40] no comments from the council. This will
[3:40:42] be held over for third reading.
[3:40:49] Well, we are now on the end of our
[3:40:52] agenda. Um, Madame Clerk, do we have any
[3:40:55] new business?
[3:40:56] >> Uh, we uh have the 2027 common council
[3:41:01] meeting dates.
[3:41:03] >> Okay. So, council members, we have
[3:41:06] before us um the 2027 common council
[3:41:09] meeting dates um which reflect um in
[3:41:13] 2027 the primaries, the national night
[3:41:18] out and um the general election as well.
[3:41:22] Is that correct? Um Madame Clerk?
[3:41:24] >> Yes.
[3:41:24] >> Okay. So, may I entertain a motion to
[3:41:28] approve the 2027 common council meeting
[3:41:30] dates?
[3:41:31] >> So,
[3:41:32] >> is there a second?
[3:41:33] >> Second. Madame clerk, on the vote,
[3:41:35] please.
[3:41:36] >> Miss Lee, I
[3:41:37] >> Mr. Miss Moldenower,
[3:41:40] >> I.
[3:41:41] >> Mr. Nelson,
[3:41:44] >> I
[3:41:45] >> Mr. Presolinski,
[3:41:47] >> hi.
[3:41:48] >> Miss Tman,
[3:41:49] >> hi.
[3:41:49] >> Mr. Beatric,
[3:41:50] >> hi.
[3:41:50] >> Mr. Calter,
[3:41:51] >> hi.
[3:41:52] >> Mr. Dabney,
[3:41:53] >> hi.
[3:41:53] >> And Dr. Coral,
[3:41:54] >> hi.
[3:41:55] >> There's nine in favor and no one
[3:41:56] opposed.
[3:41:58] >> Thank you. The 2027 has been approved
[3:42:01] for the Michigan City Common Council
[3:42:03] meeting dates. Madame Clerk, do we have
[3:42:06] any unfinished business?
[3:42:07] >> There is no unfinished business.
[3:42:12] » Um, we are now at public comments. Are
[3:42:15] there any public comments at this time?
[3:42:18] Are there any public comments at this
[3:42:20] time?
[3:42:22] Please state your name, your full name,
[3:42:24] and your address, please. And you are
[3:42:26] allotted your three minutes.
[3:42:28] >> Roger. Will it be 401 East 7th Street?
[3:42:32] Um,
[3:42:36] I think the most difficult thing
[3:42:39] uh everybody that's elected on the city
[3:42:41] council has to understand and sometimes
[3:42:44] it gets lost in translation.
[3:42:47] When I hear
[3:42:50] city employees
[3:42:52] say that uh the totar is the city's
[3:42:56] [sighs]
[3:42:58] uh property.
[3:43:00] That's where we get we lose our our
[3:43:03] base.
[3:43:05] I am the city. So is everybody behind
[3:43:08] me.
[3:43:12] When you when you do something, we pay
[3:43:15] for it. And I think what might change
[3:43:18] your perspective on a couple things here
[3:43:19] as we go forward in 27,
[3:43:22] maybe forego your raise
[3:43:26] and put yourself in the 40% that are
[3:43:30] struggling. Cut your pay in half and see
[3:43:33] how you feel about an NIPCO race.
[3:43:38] That that's the disconnect.
[3:43:41] It's really disconnected.
[3:43:44] It it's it's becoming a job. It's not
[3:43:46] becoming public service.
[3:43:50] Okay. The number is going to keep going
[3:43:53] up. And there will come a time and point
[3:43:54] in my kids generation, police, fire, all
[3:43:58] that. It's going to dissipate because of
[3:44:01] technology.
[3:44:02] It's it's just going to the cars will
[3:44:05] stop. You won't you won't have a police
[3:44:07] chase.
[3:44:09] They're just going to press a button and
[3:44:11] you're not going anywhere.
[3:44:13] From your money to everything.
[3:44:16] And I'd like to say something for the
[3:44:18] record. The data center did not fall on
[3:44:20] anybody on this city council.
[3:44:23] It was a redevelopment commission. You
[3:44:26] didn't have a say in it at all. It was
[3:44:28] already a done deal.
[3:44:30] Okay. I paid attention. It's not
[3:44:32] anybody's fault here what happened with
[3:44:35] the data center. That's not even on the
[3:44:36] mayor.
[3:44:38] It's not.
[3:44:40] It was done through redevelop commission
[3:44:42] and they did a terrible deal and you
[3:44:44] should fire that guy.
[3:44:47] You should fire it. It's the worst deal
[3:44:49] on the planet.
[3:44:51] A billion dollar computer
[3:44:54] for a $16 million permit and a $350,000
[3:44:57] year annuity over 40 years.
[3:45:00] A fifth grader could do better than
[3:45:01] that.
[3:45:03] Have a good evening.
[3:45:04] >> Thank you, Mr.
[3:45:13] Johannes Pollard, uh, 205 Shadow Trail,
[3:45:16] Michigan Shores, Indiana. Uh, first of
[3:45:20] all, I would like to thank the council
[3:45:21] for killing the ordinance on the rainy
[3:45:24] day fund uh, for the flock cameras, the
[3:45:27] additional flock cameras. But I believe
[3:45:30] we need to go farther. I believe once
[3:45:33] the contract for flock comes up in
[3:45:35] January, it should be cut and the flock
[3:45:39] cameras should be all removed from
[3:45:40] Michigan City. We need to go back to the
[3:45:42] US Constitution and the Fourth Amendment
[3:45:46] that bars any kind of uh seizure,
[3:45:49] unlawful seizure without probable cause,
[3:45:52] including surveillance.
[3:45:54] And I think it would do well to have the
[3:45:58] police be back in the good old days
[3:46:00] where they would be more part of the
[3:46:03] community speaking with local members of
[3:46:06] the community instead of a lot of the
[3:46:08] harassment that I've been reading about
[3:46:11] uh including what happened to me last
[3:46:13] year. Uh, and I think maybe that might
[3:46:16] solve a lot more problems instead of
[3:46:18] having a surveillance setup that treats
[3:46:21] all the law-abiding citizens like common
[3:46:23] criminals. Thank you.
[3:46:32] » Assistant Chief Ks Michigan State Police
[3:46:34] Department.
[3:46:35] past several months uh has given the
[3:46:38] council in this community a fairly
[3:46:40] uncommon look inside of this police
[3:46:43] department. We've discussed what if
[3:46:45] officers required to do when using
[3:46:47] systems like flock and other technology.
[3:46:49] We've discussed documentation,
[3:46:51] supervision, retention, information
[3:46:53] sharing, auditing, policy, and
[3:46:55] discipline. And as that hap or and as
[3:46:58] the chief's update uh highlighted
[3:47:00] tonight demonstrates, you've also seen
[3:47:04] what happens when activity raises
[3:47:05] concerns and department administration
[3:47:08] has to has a responsibility to examine
[3:47:10] the conduct of one of our own. The
[3:47:13] accountability isn't something we
[3:47:15] created for this proposal. Our officers
[3:47:17] have always been expected to use law
[3:47:19] enforcement systems for legitimate
[3:47:21] purposes. Our supervisors and
[3:47:24] administrators have always been
[3:47:25] responsible to oversee those systems.
[3:47:28] And when information indicates that one
[3:47:30] of our employees may not have met our
[3:47:32] standards, we have a responsibility to
[3:47:35] examine it.
[3:47:36] What we have done throughout this
[3:47:38] process is look critically at these
[3:47:40] practices and make strong system
[3:47:42] stronger. As the technology itself
[3:47:45] continues to evolve, we have
[3:47:47] strengthened documentation requirements.
[3:47:49] We have incorporated enhanced auditing
[3:47:51] capabilities. We have used multifactor
[3:47:53] authentication for our users. We have
[3:47:55] increased public transparency through
[3:47:57] the MCPD transparency portal and we have
[3:48:00] developed clear policies and more
[3:48:02] defined governance framework around
[3:48:04] these technologies. Those improvements
[3:48:07] are here to stay. They aren't contingent
[3:48:09] upon an appropriation. They aren't
[3:48:11] weren't developed simply to secure
[3:48:12] approval for an ordinance. They are
[3:48:14] responsible practices and they're
[3:48:16] consistent with the standards that we
[3:48:17] expect ourselves as a department.
[3:48:20] [snorts]
[3:48:20] We will continue auditing the technology
[3:48:22] we operate. We will continue requiring
[3:48:25] legitimate law enforcement and
[3:48:26] appropriate documentation. We will
[3:48:29] continue being transparent about how
[3:48:31] these systems are used. And uh when
[3:48:33] something raises a concern, we will
[3:48:35] continue to examine it and hold our
[3:48:37] personnel accountable when appropriate.
[3:48:40] Technology will continue to involve and
[3:48:42] our safeguards will involve with it, but
[3:48:44] the underlying standard does not change.
[3:48:47] We expect the men and women of this
[3:48:49] police department to use the authority,
[3:48:51] information, and tools entrusted to them
[3:48:53] professionally, lawfully, and
[3:48:55] responsibly. MCPD continues to support
[3:48:58] the safe city initiative because we
[3:49:00] believe these additional capabilities
[3:49:03] can provide meaningful public safety
[3:49:05] value, and we also recognize that our
[3:49:07] responsibility to govern the technology
[3:49:09] already entrusted to us exists
[3:49:11] independently of that proposal. And I'll
[3:49:14] finish
[3:49:17] We are extremely proud of the men and
[3:49:19] women of the Michigan City Police
[3:49:20] Department. There has been a tremendous
[3:49:22] amount of discussion over the last
[3:49:25] several months about technology. Behind
[3:49:26] every statistic we have presented, every
[3:49:29] investigation we have discussed, and
[3:49:30] every policy we have examined are police
[3:49:33] officers, detectives, supervisors,
[3:49:36] civilian staff, and administrators doing
[3:49:38] the work every day. The overwhelming
[3:49:41] majority of that work will never be
[3:49:43] discussed here. It will never appear in
[3:49:46] a newspaper. And it's simple. Simply
[3:49:49] people coming to work, serving this
[3:49:51] community, and making difficult
[3:49:53] decisions and doing so with the
[3:49:55] professionalism that we expect.
[3:49:57] Accountability when someone may fall
[3:49:59] short of that standard doesn't diminish
[3:50:01] that work. It is part of maintaining the
[3:50:04] standard those men and women demonstrate
[3:50:07] every day. I'm proud of that work. I'm
[3:50:09] proud of this department and I'm
[3:50:11] confident in our ability to continue
[3:50:13] using the tools entrusted to us
[3:50:15] responsibly. Thank you.
[3:50:17] >> Thank you,
[3:50:26] » Dominic Yankee, 904 Willow Spring Drive.
[3:50:33] for my comments.
[3:50:37] While many Michigan City residents have
[3:50:39] had transparency concerns with how the
[3:50:41] new data center moratorium was
[3:50:42] introduced, I was surprised to hear
[3:50:44] attorney Harris surmise that the two
[3:50:46] council members intentions had not been
[3:50:47] to vote on this ordinance on first
[3:50:49] reading at this meeting, but merely to
[3:50:51] foster transparency and allow the public
[3:50:52] an opportunity to see the ordinance. It
[3:50:54] is quite skillful to ascertain their
[3:50:56] motives and determine that this was an
[3:50:58] over and above attempt at transparency.
[3:51:04] Thank you for your time.
[3:51:05] >> Thank you.
[3:51:20] » Paul, President Malinski, 1716
[3:51:23] Washington Street. I would like to uh
[3:51:26] thank Mr. Willoughby for his uh previous
[3:51:29] comments, but now I want to make some
[3:51:32] comments
[3:51:34] about what Mr. Willoughby said about the
[3:51:38] worst deal ever there. Where's your
[3:51:41] money for your school system? Oh, gee
[3:51:46] whiz, what happened? That guy needs to
[3:51:49] be fired. And I'm not joking. He screwed
[3:51:53] Michigan City upside down and inside
[3:51:55] out. We would have plenty of money for
[3:51:59] anything you wanted to do. Anything.
[3:52:03] You need to rectify that situation.
[3:52:06] And also, you need to cut in the budget
[3:52:09] the $250,000
[3:52:11] to the engineer needs to stay in the
[3:52:13] general budget because he never
[3:52:14] explained what he was going to do with
[3:52:16] that money. And I was at the budget
[3:52:18] hearings.
[3:52:20] Some of you weren't.
[3:52:22] and 500,000 in overtime for the police.
[3:52:27] I think that needs to be cut at least in
[3:52:30] half and kept
[3:52:33] >> and overtime for the fire needs to be
[3:52:36] cut.
[3:52:38] Also, the legal services need to be
[3:52:42] [clears throat] put out for a a um I
[3:52:46] call it a PS, professional services bid
[3:52:51] for all the legal in the in the inhouse
[3:52:55] and also a bidding out of the insurance
[3:52:59] for auto [clears throat] and
[3:53:03] the employees.
[3:53:05] And I would like to ask our
[3:53:08] representative to the sanitary uh
[3:53:11] department and uh county uh waste board
[3:53:16] does the trash policy
[3:53:21] should it be
[3:53:23] where the toers and how much is that
[3:53:26] weight limit?
[3:53:30] Because what are they going to do? drive
[3:53:32] around with scales and and put the toar
[3:53:34] on a scale.
[3:53:36] And where are the toers for our yard
[3:53:40] waste?
[3:53:42] Because I just saw them pick up garbage
[3:53:43] by my house and they put that they put
[3:53:45] that darn uh yard waste right in the
[3:53:48] back of that truck. Bang zoom to the
[3:53:51] landfill. So now, why can't we get some
[3:53:56] help from the county waste board on
[3:53:59] recycling and reclaiming our dump by the
[3:54:03] city barns and get something out of that
[3:54:05] solid waste district and also have the
[3:54:08] sustain sustainability get on that the
[3:54:11] committee. That would be a hell of a
[3:54:13] good project. Thank you.
[3:54:16] >> Thank you, Mr. Kavic.
[3:54:20] >> Tommy. Yes, this is Tommy Kavik from
[3:54:23] 1316 Ohio Street. I got a quick public
[3:54:26] service announcement to make. They said
[3:54:29] he's going to have the dumpsters at the
[3:54:30] airport. You can haul all your excess
[3:54:33] waste. I got about 600 lb of waste I had
[3:54:36] to clean out from a house of a family
[3:54:38] member that passed away recently sitting
[3:54:40] on the back of my mom's utility. I'm
[3:54:42] going to take it over there first thing
[3:54:44] in the morning. And I like what
[3:54:46] Councilman President Bolinski, Paul
[3:54:48] President Bolinsky said a couple of
[3:54:50] meetings ago. There's no way I was going
[3:54:51] to take all that stuff and put it out at
[3:54:53] the alley the the curb. The people that
[3:54:56] do all that, you had no community spirit
[3:54:58] or no civic pride. If you ain't got
[3:55:00] spirit or pride, you ain't got nothing.
[3:55:03] None of that. I want to say go wos beat
[3:55:05] the slicers Friday night at homecoming
[3:55:07] at Ames Field. Get out and support.
[3:55:10] Thank you.
[3:55:12] >> Thank you, Mr. Kavik. And this will be
[3:55:14] our last public comment.
[3:55:16] >> Two.
[3:55:16] >> Oh, okay.
[3:55:18] >> Uh, hi there, Anastasia Gums, 222
[3:55:21] Springland A. Uh, first I would like to
[3:55:23] thank the council for withdrawing the
[3:55:24] expansion of the Flock contract.
[3:55:26] However, I would like to ask once again
[3:55:28] for the council to resend the FL
[3:55:30] contract completely from Michigan City.
[3:55:32] Clearly, your citizens are not in favor
[3:55:34] of this. Fun new flock update. A federal
[3:55:37] judge in Oklahoma just ruled that these
[3:55:39] flock-based warrantless searches can
[3:55:40] violate our Fourth Amendment rights. and
[3:55:42] they threw out evidence found with flock
[3:55:44] license plate readers. These devices are
[3:55:48] not necessary. The fire department or
[3:55:50] park department can fly drones at the
[3:55:51] beach. The police aren't the only folks
[3:55:53] who can buy and fly a drone. If the city
[3:55:55] wants to prioritize keeping downtown
[3:55:57] businesses safe, they have a police
[3:55:58] force that could be better served
[3:56:00] walking the streets again than sitting
[3:56:01] in their cars searching databases. These
[3:56:04] downtown businesses can also do the same
[3:56:06] thing that I'm expected to do as a
[3:56:08] private citizen if I don't find that to
[3:56:09] be enough. Buy your own cameras. don't
[3:56:12] ask taxpayers to pay for our own mass
[3:56:14] surveillance. And for the record, after
[3:56:17] looking for a flock transparency portal
[3:56:19] on the public uh police website, there
[3:56:22] wasn't one. Um I checked the how do I
[3:56:24] page. I looked their whole website up.
[3:56:26] There's nothing. I searched through the
[3:56:27] police department website. I searched
[3:56:29] the city website. The only link I found
[3:56:32] was from a September 2023 article from
[3:56:34] WIMS.
[3:56:36] That's it. So, let's talk about
[3:56:38] transparency for real. I would love to
[3:56:40] know where that link is because it's not
[3:56:41] on the cop's website.
[3:56:42] >> Thank you.
[3:56:50] » Amy Lassinski 104 Mayfield Drive. Uh
[3:56:52] adding on a little bit to the flock and
[3:56:54] how I know we put down the one and that
[3:56:56] was about 300,000 and I know you're
[3:56:58] probably going to hear a lot of calls
[3:56:59] are possibly cancelling the one that
[3:57:00] will come up for renewal. I would love
[3:57:02] to even see if you cancel those taking
[3:57:04] that 700,000 and I think it's a little
[3:57:06] more and giving that to the police
[3:57:08] department to hire more police officers
[3:57:10] because that might be a better use of
[3:57:12] that money. Um I would love to see some
[3:57:16] numbers. I think I feel like I missed
[3:57:18] the public comment in the area where it
[3:57:20] was like talking about the city
[3:57:20] employees and that area with their
[3:57:22] raises, but I would love to see like
[3:57:24] some numbers that show who's employed
[3:57:27] like locally to out of out of our city.
[3:57:30] I think that would be a fun fact to
[3:57:32] share with us. I'm going to add on to
[3:57:34] the accountability to the redevelopment
[3:57:36] area. You guys know that I have done a
[3:57:38] whole lot of research there. There is a
[3:57:39] big name that's added on there that's in
[3:57:41] that department. I won't name names, but
[3:57:43] I think that as an area, if you guys
[3:57:45] have done that research, if you've
[3:57:46] looked over some of the stuff, there
[3:57:47] should be accountability to the stuff
[3:57:49] I'm saying that happened that was wrong.
[3:57:52] Um, and as you're getting ready to look
[3:57:54] at the stuff with the moratorium, an
[3:57:55] article came out as we're sitting over
[3:57:57] here today talking about Google in Fort
[3:57:59] Wayne is looking at like trying to
[3:58:00] pursue buying the houses in that area.
[3:58:02] So, I guess you're not safe with what
[3:58:04] you're contained to in that area. Um, at
[3:58:08] the last meeting, I ran out of time and
[3:58:09] I did want to also give some feedback to
[3:58:10] the Google community event that was
[3:58:12] held. It was poorly advertised and I'm
[3:58:14] curious if it was intentional to keep
[3:58:15] crowds away as maybe we didn't really
[3:58:17] want people attending. Again, something
[3:58:19] I didn't know about until it was sent to
[3:58:21] me. However, you know, I have done a lot
[3:58:23] of research. I believe at that event, I
[3:58:25] was told two lies. One on when Google
[3:58:28] was involved and another on the area of
[3:58:30] the verification letter, to which this
[3:58:32] council knows I focused on a lot. How
[3:58:34] can you trust anything stated if you
[3:58:36] have evidence that shows they weren't
[3:58:38] being transparent and truthful? Why are
[3:58:40] we the ones catching these lies and
[3:58:42] asking the hard questions? These should
[3:58:44] be coming from you guys. We all know
[3:58:46] companies like Google use shell
[3:58:47] companies with projects like this to
[3:58:49] hide their identity even longer. A
[3:58:51] little research goes a long way and is
[3:58:53] strongly believed that Lavender Fields
[3:58:54] mentioned in the city resolutions that
[3:58:56] you guys received in late July or early
[3:58:58] August of 2025. This is something any of
[3:59:01] you guys could have researched prior to
[3:59:03] your final vote. So Google's been around
[3:59:05] since the very beginning, but they're
[3:59:08] telling me they came in about very late
[3:59:09] in the process. Um, a little bit also to
[3:59:13] the foyas. I've had cuz it wouldn't be
[3:59:16] me without an update. I've had three
[3:59:17] that were into the city. Two of the
[3:59:20] three I got back in the timely manner
[3:59:22] that it should have been in. I am a
[3:59:23] little disappointed. Although I've had
[3:59:25] great responses right now, at least
[3:59:27] being replied from the city, that the
[3:59:29] last foyer that I'm waiting on, it
[3:59:31] appears that the research to get it
[3:59:33] didn't even start to after kind of that
[3:59:35] 30-day deadline. So, if you're trying to
[3:59:38] be accountable and transparent and give
[3:59:40] us these foyas, why did it take so long
[3:59:43] before the city um started the research?
[3:59:46] I don't believe it falls on the city. I
[3:59:47] believe it was requested sooner, but
[3:59:49] then the people that should have been
[3:59:50] following up, they dropped the ball and
[3:59:52] then that delays my foyas. Um I will
[3:59:56] stop there. Thank you.
[3:59:57] >> Thank you.
[4:00:01] >> And this is our last public comment for
[4:00:03] the evening. I just wanted to talk about
[4:00:05] the uh ordinance for data center. Um
[4:00:10] you've got it happening right here in
[4:00:11] Leapor County and that's the Leaport
[4:00:14] County Commissioners already did this.
[4:00:16] They have the second uh approved
[4:00:19] ordinance of the state and they'd be
[4:00:21] glad to help you put one together.
[4:00:23] >> Thank you.
[4:00:25] Public comments are now closed. Are
[4:00:28] there any comments from the council?
[4:00:32] if any comments from the council.
[4:00:36] >> Yeah, Madame President, I just want to
[4:00:38] uh
[4:00:41] say thank you to the Michigan City
[4:00:43] Police Department uh for all their work
[4:00:46] and
[4:00:47] information they passed on to the
[4:00:49] council and to the general public about
[4:00:51] the uh bulk system. And I want to thank
[4:00:55] uh assistant chief Shaparski for all his
[4:00:58] hard work and effort during this uh time
[4:01:01] and chief uh Forker and uh yeah, I just
[4:01:06] want to say they put a lot of work and
[4:01:07] effort and I think they were very
[4:01:09] transparent and I think the police
[4:01:11] department's going to be better for all
[4:01:13] the procedures that they've updated and
[4:01:15] I want to thank them for their work.
[4:01:18] >> Are there any other public uh comments
[4:01:20] from the council?
[4:01:22] I would just like to thank the public um
[4:01:24] and the council members. We had a long
[4:01:26] agenda this evening um but we made it
[4:01:29] through it. And if there's nothing else,
[4:01:32] may I entertain a motion to adjurnn?
[4:01:35] >> So move.
[4:01:36] >> Have a good evening.
[4:01:45] [music]
[4:01:57] » [music]