JEFFERSONVILLE — The future of transportation in Jeffersonville was discussed at a Monday city council meeting.
Planning and Zoning Director Shane Corbin was asked by the council about a grant from the Indiana Department of Health that has been secured by the city to develop a bicycle and pedestrian master plan that totals $43,000.
However, Corbin said after receiving proposals back from planners, the expected costs to complete the master plan is closer to $70,000.
The city’s match to receive the grant is $7,000 and Corbin said the city has secured $5,000 from the Pioneering Healthy Communities Task Force to help defray that cost. Also, a requirement for the grant is that the city spend the money by June 20.
“It’s a really tight timeline,” he said.
As a result he said he had planned to formally come before the council in two weeks to request payment to cover the difference in the cost.
But Corbin didn’t have to wait. The council approved up to $25,000 be spent out of the city’s gaming fund to help pay for the development of the bicycle and pedestrian master plan. The appropriation was unanimously approved, with Councilman Dennis Julius absent from Monday’s meeting.
Corbin explained the goal to use the funding will be to set priorities of where the greatest needs exist and funding those projects first.
“This would be a huge step forward as far as getting us caught up with other cities in the region,” he said.
Look for more information about Jeffersonville’s bicycle and pedestrian plan in an upcoming edition of the News and Tribune.
Along with developing a plan for bicyclists and pedestrians for Jeffersonville, an ordinance was presented to amend the city’s plan for sidewalk construction.
The ordinance had been discussed in previous meetings as a way to develop a fund for payment in lieu of the construction of sidewalks in the city. Development requirements include provisions that when developers construct buildings in Jeffersonville, they construct sidewalks adjacent to the building or development. However, not all areas need or can accommodate sidewalks.
An ordinance was presented that would set up a fee in lieu of constructing sidewalks that set parameters about when a fee could be paid.
Questions of flexibility for approval and an allowance to review the plans on a case-by-case basis, as well as setting a fee range halted final approval. The second reading of the ordinance to establish a fee in lieu of constructing sidewalks was approved 7-1, with Councilman Zach Payne voting against.
1782 RETURNED
The city has received its 1782 notice from the Department of Local Government Finance and only one budget was cut, said City Controller Monica Harmon.
She said the council will be required to make cuts of $245,500 to the Parks Department budget. In addition, the city will be required to reestablish the rate for the city’s Cumulative Capital Development fund.
According to the DLGF website Clark County is in its 10-day review period, which is set to close Monday, March 11.
The greater impact to the city’s finances is likely to be handed down when the circuit breaker tax caps are returned to Jeffersonville. The tax caps limit the amount collected on personal property to 1 percent of the assessed value, 2 percent for rental properties and 3 percent for businesses.
Harmon would not venture an estimate on what the city will be faced with in cuts, but last year’s total lost to circuit breaker tax caps equaled $2.5 million.
Circuit breaker figures are expected to be returned to Jeffersonville in late March.
TABLED MATTERS
For the sixth time, the resolution to approve a $7.5 million bond on for the Jeffersonville-Clarksville Flood Control District was tabled.
City Council President Connie Sellers offered that the council should take the matter off of the city council’s agenda until a watershed study being conducted — which helps determine which homes will be affected and will estimate the costs to homeowners — is complete.
Corporation Attorney Tome Lowe said that he received notice just before the council’s Monday meeting that the study had been returned to the city. He added it will be reviewed and should be available to be presented to council at its next meeting.
A second resolution that would amend bonds to be issued by the Jeffersonville Redevelopment Commission was tabled, in part, because financial advisor Umbaugh and Associates was unable to attend the meeting.
The council asked the attorneys present to try and set up a joint meeting with the redevelopment commission to discuss the proposed project list.
