A request to annex 46 acres on the city’s south side gained a favorable recommendation Monday by members of the annexation committee of the Crawfordsville Common Council.
The four council members who serve on the committee, Stan Hamilton, Ethan Hollander, Jeff Lucas and Kent Priebe, were unanimous in their support of the proposal that will bring Rock Point Church at 429 W. C.R. 150S into the city limits as well as two other adjacent parcels of agricultural land.
The annexation request is voluntary, is not expected to add any burdens to city services and will be key to future development in the area.
The fiscal affairs committee, which includes Andy Biddle, Hamilton, Jennifer Lowe and Mike Reidy, gave a favorable recommendation to a proposed resolution designating an economic revitalization area and approving tax abatement for International Paper Company. The company intends to make $3.1 million in improvements on the 13 acres of land at 801 N. Englewood Drive.
If the designation and tax abatement are approved by the city, the company will add new, state-of-the-art equipment that will allow the facility to accommodate additional production and increase operation efficiencies.
The fiscal affairs committee also gave a favorable recommendation to a proposed ordinance that will provide an additional $51,100 needed for the post-barn construction project at the Crawfordsville Street Department. The overall project cost is $102,200. Half of the required funds will come from the Riverboat Revenue Fund and the remainder from local roads and streets and some storm water fees.
A proposed ordinance that provides an additional $550,000 for the Crawfordsville Fire Department for overtime also received a favorable recommendation by the fiscal affairs committee. The anticipated money will come from the city’s general fund (unappropriated).
Mayor Todd Barton explained the money is needed because of the ongoing staffing shortages at the department. He explained that current employees have been working overtime to maintain proper staffing levels. Some of the accumulated overtime also is a result of the agreement the city entered with the county to provide county-wide emergency medical services. Barton said the county has made one monetary installment and a second is due by the year’s end. He anticipates a third of that payment will be go back into city coffers.
The traffic, parking and safety committee, which includes Biddle, Hamilton, Lowe and Hollander, gave an unfavorable recommendation to a proposed ordinance designating multi-stop intersections at Curtis and Meridian streets and Vandalia and Meridian streets. The committee believes the current signage and designated stops are sufficient for the amount of traffic in the neighborhood.
All the items will now go before the full council for consideration at its regular meeting on Nov. 13 in the council chambers at the City Building.
