City's snow removal efforts called into question

The City of Greencastle's past snow removal efforts were called into question during Tuesday night's council meeting, prompting the mayor to call for a review of the city's policy.

Greencastle resident Ola Ekulona addressed council members John Lanie, Tom Roach, Mark Hammer, Bob Sedlack and Russ Evans, telling them that she felt the city has not done an adequate job, in years past, in removing snow from the alleyway running behind her residence on East Washington Street.

The alleyway is the only way for residents living between Bloomington and Locust streets to access their homes, Ekulona told the council. She said she was enrolled in educational classes last winter and had to withdraw because she could not get down the alleyway.

Ekulona told the council that she was under the impression the city did not plow alleyways, but Street Superintendent Paul Wilson said that is not the case.

After Tuesday night's council meeting, Wilson told the BannerGraphic that while the city does not plow all alleyways, it does plow some -- and maintain several throughout the year, including the one behind Ekulona's residence.

Mayor Nancy Michael told the council that she felt an assessment of the alleyways in the city, and possible re-evaluation of the policy, may be warranted.

"I'm not sure how many other residents may have situations like Ola's," she said. "We're gonna have to do a survey."

With winter coming just around the corner, Wilson took the opportunity to remind the public that the street department has a schedule it follows when plowing streets during major winter storms.

He said the main arteries, including Jackson Street, Indianapolis Road and Shadowlawn Avenue, are plowed first; followed by secondary arteries, including Hanna and Indiana streets; finishing up with neighborhood streets and finally, alleyways.

Wilson noted that some alleyways, which are actually private drives, are not plowed because the homeowner requests that they not be. As for the alleyway questioned by Ekulona, Wilson said it was plowed last winter, however the volume of snow during a March storm, in addition to equipment problems, did cause a delay.

Meanwhile, the mayor called on the council to begin thinking about updates to the city Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) fund. Currently the city has about $545,000 in that fund that can be used for various infrastructure improvements. The city has used the dollars to improve sidewalks in the city, pave roads, build parking lots and make certain land purchases.

Mayor Michael said it is time to update the list of projects the city intends to fund with EDIT funds. The city earns about $300,000 a year in that fund.

The Mayor said she would like to see money allotted for more sidewalk repairs, Albin Pond dam reconstruction, People Pathways projects and improvement of city parks. Councilman Tom Roach suggested money be set aside for a second fire station.

"You can see it won't take long to eat up $300,000," Michael told the council.

She gave the council a list of past and current projects funded by the EDIT fund and asked them to come back to next month's meeting with ideas for updating the list.

In other business, the council:

* Approved the temporary closure of Hanna Street, between Rector Village and Jackson Street, for DePauw University's annual Old Gold Parade, which will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 27.

* Approved ordinance 2007-14, fixing salaries for the employees of the City of Greencastle, on final reading.

* Approved Ordinance 2007-28, additional appropriations to the annual budget, to include $5,000 from the Cumulative Capital Improvements Fund for a computer se-rver back-up system; and $16,000 from the Cumulative Capital Development Fund for ne-w lighting on Glenview Phase I street lighting.

* Approved the salary ordinance for the mayor, city clerk-treasurer and other offices.

* Approved ordinance 2007-15, defining flood hazard areas in the city, of which there are none, according to City Planner Shannon Norman.