December 18, 2000 at 7: 30 p.m.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Janis Meyer.
The Pledge of Allegiance was repeated by all present. Present were: Clerk/Treasurer, Diane Collins; and Council members, Tom Haase, Ed Foster, Amy Haver, Mick Pocratsky, Ron Jones, and Max McDonald; Solicitor, Stan Yoder and Administrator, Kent Gardam.
Foster moved to approve the December 4 minutes. Haase seconded. Haase, Foster Jones & McDonald moved yes. Haver & Pocratsky abstained.

Foster moved to approve two sets of bills. Jones seconded. All voted yes.

Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals: Minutes of the December 14 hearing were passed out. A few items in the minutes were referred to other committees.

Police/Fire Committee: No report was given by Pocratsky.

Insurance Committee: Jones mentioned that rates are going up. Foster moved to approve changing the Group Insurance Policy to reflect paying the employees share of $15.76. This is simply due to a rate increase. Haase seconded. All voted yes.

Finance/Audit Committee: Jones noted the 2001 appropriations will need passed tonight.

Street/Light/Property: Haase did not have a report.

Personnel Committee:. Foster reported the committee has met two times. They clarified that Gardam’s vacation will be prorated due to ordinance 2000-15. The Police officers will get paid for holidays as other employees do. The committee met tonight and did job reviews/evaluations. Employee evaluations are to be turned over to the Clerk/Treasurer for the files. The committee recommended hiring a part-time police officer while waiting to apply for a COPS grant. Szabo was authorized to go ahead and advertise for the position.

Sidewalk Committee: No report was requested.

Water & Sewer Committee: There was no report by McDonald.

Ordinance Committee: There was no report from Haver.

Cable TV Committee: Foster reported there was a meeting at 8:00 a.m. on Dec. 9. The committee reviewed the proposed 2001 budget. It was noted there was a good article in the newspaper about the TV station.

Cemetery Committee:. Haase reported that the Board met with Eric Green on Dec. 13. He agreed to the sharing agreement. A twp employee will be taught Eric’s job along with a village employee eventually.

Pavilion Committee: There was no report requested.

Park Board: There was nothing to report.

Nuisance Board: No report was requested.

Administrator’s Report: Kent Gardam reported the following:

Basement work will begin Dec. 27. The Fire Dept. will begin moving things upstairs tomorrow.
They have been doing a lot of snow removal.

Miscellaneous: Ordinance 2000-18 establishing pay ranges was presented. Pocratsky moved to approve. Haase seconded. All voted yes.

Ordinance 2000-20 the Annual Appropriations Ordinance was read by caption only for the third reading. Jones moved to approve. Haver seconded. All voted yes.

Ordinance 2000-21 referencing holiday pay was read by caption only for the first reading. McDonald moved to suspend the rules. Haver seconded. All voted yes. Ord. 2000-21 was read by caption only for the second and third readings. McDonald moved to approve. Pocratsky seconded. All voted yes.

Ordinance 2000-22 amending the annual appropriations ordinance was read by caption only for the first reading. McDonald moved to suspend the rules. Jones seconded. All voted yes. Ord. 2000-22 was read by caption only for the second and third readings. Haase moved to approve. Jones seconded. All voted yes.

Nothing is happening on the farm lease as the ASCS office has not yet been out to measure the land that is to be mowed/farmed.

Chief of Police: Police Chief Szabo did not have a report.

EMS Reort: Greg Zimmerman asked council to consider hiring an out of town EMT to run with our squad. This would be a test case and the EMS facility does have sleeping quarters for this purpose. Mayor Meyer recommended hiring Arnold Brown of Monroeville, IN as an EMT pending a good physical and drug test. Zimmerman reported that he has passed his test. Haase moved to approve the mayors recommendation. McDonald seconded. All voted yes.

Fire Chief: Chief Stotler did not have anything to report.

Clerk’s Report: Collins reported that she attended an Ambulance Fee Schedule Training session last Friday. HCFA went over details of changes and formulas for calculations of payments. The changes will be phased in over a four year period. It looks as though Hicksville would collect 100% of their $225 bill at the end. Fire & EMS payroll reports were sent out in packets for councils review.

Greg Zimmerman asked questions about the downtown snow removal and the merchants responsibilities. Foster suggested we enforce the ordinance for parked cars during snow removal.

McDonald moved to go into executive session for personnel & property purchase. Haver seconded. All voted yes.

Mayor’s Report: Mayor Meyer did not have a report.

McDonald moved to adjourn.

MAYOR                                             CLERK