Members of the City of Plymouth Fee Schedule Subcommittee met Tuesday morning to go over proposed fee increases for each department. The main reason for the review of fees is to help each department cover their costs instead of using taxpayer money to subsidize deficits.
The Plymouth City Council members considered a resolution Monday night to add the REES Theater project to the list of Plymouth Redevelopment Commission projects.
By adding the theater to the redevelopment commission’s list, a donation request of $575,000 over the course of two to four years to be funded out of TIF #1 could be financially researched by Umbaugh and Associates. The funding request would need to be approved by the redevelopment commission.
The City of Plymouth was recently awarded a grant for the LaPorte Street historic footbridge.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver told the council members last week that the federal government will reimburse the city $1.3 million of the $2 million project. That leaves the city with funding the rest of the project. Xaver said the city should plan now to find the $800,000 needed for the project. While the entire amount doesn’t need to be appropriated this year, a fund should be set up so the money can be moved as needed.
The City of Plymouth User Fee Schedule Subcommittee members are reviewing department reports before bringing a recommendation for proposed user fee rate changes at an upcoming meeting.
Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter told the Plymouth City Council members that he is waiting on information from the police department and the fire department. Those statistics are expected on Wednesday so the subcommittee can formulate a plan to proceed.
Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter will be meeting with department heads to discuss user fees before potential increases are presented to the Plymouth City Council members for consideration.
The Plymouth City Council members approved the transfer of cash from the Rainy Day Fund to the Greenways Trail project fund in the form of a resolution.
In a previous story, Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver explained that the city council already authorized the transfer of $250,000 in cash from the Rainy Day Fund to the Greenway Trails Fund. Xaver explained that in order to cover the city’s share and to adequately keep funds in that budget line item the transfer needed to take place. The city will pay for invoices up front and the state will reimburse the city 80 percent of the costs.
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members took action this week to authorize an agreement for the preparation of the Indiana Medicaid freestanding governmental ambulance provider cost report for 2017.
The Plymouth City Council members recently discussed central dispatch fees.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver explained that the city has an agreement with Center Township and West Township to provide fire protection services for them. Plymouth Fire Department would provide what they need for services.
The Plymouth City Council will approve a resolution at their meeting next week pertaining to a transfer of money for the Greenway Trail project.
According to Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver, the city council authorized the transfer of $250,000 in cash from the Rainy Day Fund to the Greenway Trails Fund. Xaver explained that in order to cover the city’s share and to adequately keep funds in that budget line item the transfer needs to take place. The city will pay for invoices up front and the state will reimburse the city 80 percent of the costs.
A committee is looking into the user fees for the City of Plymouth to determine any increases needed.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver reminded the Plymouth City Council that she asked them in July of last year how a shortfall of approximately $452,000 will be made up due to a loss in property tax revenue. She said the loss could be due to tax abatements, property tax appeals, unpaid property taxes and property tax caps. In August of last year, she asked the council members how they were going to offset the raises for firefighters and police officers. Volunteers offered to form a committee to research user fees and possibly present a restructured fee schedule with increases to help offset the revenue loss.
Two new officers were sworn into active duty with the Plymouth Police Department this week.
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members discussed the intergovernmental agreement between the city and the county for planning services when they met Monday night.
According to Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver, the board members learned that the Marshall County Commissioners amended the agreement to pay Planning Director Ralph Booker for the first three months in 2018 and then conduct an evaluation of work in order to continue on with the contract for the next quarter. The board members agreed to the amendment.
Plymouth City Council member Don Ecker, Jr. asked Mayor Mark Senter and Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver this week why they aren’t getting raises in the 2018 salary ordinance.
Mayor Senter said he thought it was the right thing to do.
Plymouth Fire Chief Rod Miller asked the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members this week for the prepayment of a new ambulance.
“I’m asking the board authorize Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver to prepay an invoice to Crossroads Ambulance Service in the amount of $186,806 even,” said Miller. “It’s supposed to be done any time now. If we could have authorization for Jeanine to do that and hold the check until the inspection has been done by me and accepted by me.”
The Plymouth City Council members considered a resolution Monday night to transfer cash from the City Development Fund to the Safe Routes to School Fund.
The Plymouth City Council heard a proposal from Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver, and Eric Walsh from Umbaugh and Associates concerning an increase in water and wastewater rates.
Plymouth City Attorney Sean Surrisi told MAX 98.3 FM News that with Bay Valley Foods and Del Monte closing at the end of year, the city council learned that water and wastewater treatment revenue losses are imminent. Surrisi said a proposal to increase water and wastewater rates to help bridge the gap was brought before the council in a specially-called meeting Monday night. Continue reading
Plymouth City Attorney Sean Surrisi presented a resolution to the city council Monday night asking to transfer money so the Plymouth Fire Department can pay for repairs on a tanker truck. Continue reading
The ordinance fixing the 2018 salaries of appointed officers and employees, as well as fire and police personnel of the City of Plymouth, was recently up for approval by the Plymouth City Council.
The salary ordinance has been a topic of concern since the end of August, when the initial proposal was rejected. A committee was formed in order to review and work on the ordinance to come up with a more suitable solution. The revisions were presented at the City Council meeting Monday evening.
The committee consisted of Council members Shiloh Fonseca, Bill Walters and Don Ecker Jr. They worked with Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver and Emyle Kruyer-Collins from Human Resources discussing alternative options and looking into the survey that was provided by the city’s consultants Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele and Associates. Continue reading
A proposed ordinance that would help raise revenue for the construction and rehabilitation of roads and streets within the City of Plymouth died for a lack of a motion Monday night.
The Plymouth City Council members held a public hearing on a municipal excise surtax and municipal wheel tax ordinance earlier this month and called a first reading on the ordinance. The ordinance was up for second reading during a specially-called meeting last week during budget discussions. It was tabled and brought up for discussion on Monday night.
The 2018 salary ordinance for the City of Plymouth appointed officers and employees, and fire and police personnel will go to a study committee.
The proposed salary ordinance was before the city council Monday night for second and third readings, but the ordinance died after a motion to approve a second reading was not put before the members.
