Council sets street closings, appointments for 2023

We may be in the middle of winter but that didn’t stop thoughts from turning to warmer days ahead as the Greencastle City Council considered a number of spring and summer events during its January regular session.

“Here we are in January, and though it’s not very cold out, it’s still exciting to be talking about this,” Council President Mark Hammer said as street-closing requests were fielded for the Shamrock 5K race on March 11, the annual Greencastle Music Fest and spring and summer run of the Farmers Market.

Granted unanimously were street-closing requests for:

• The March 11 Shamrock 5K, put on by Gail Smith and Almost Home as a fundraiser for the Greencastle Music Fest. The run will have a 10 a.m. start and an 11:30 a.m. finish. Closings are Franklin Street from Jackson to Vine and Indiana Street from Washington to Franklin from 6 a.m. until noon. Rolling closures will be in effect at other locations as the runners and walkers progress.

• The Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25-26 Greencastle Music Fest. Street closures, as they have been for 13 years are Franklin from Jackson to Vine and Indiana from Washington to Columbia. Times are 11 p.m. Aug. 24-9 a.m. Aug. 27. A noise waiver was also granted for the music to play until 11 p.m. both nights.

Smith confirmed that the event does not conflict with the return of DePauw University students, which occurs a week prior. She did note that the Louisville Crashers, favorites of Music Fest-goers, will perform on Friday night this year in an attempt to boost the Friday night attendance.

• The May 13-Oct. 14 Farmers Market, operated by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. Closings are Franklin from Jackson to Indiana and Indiana from Washington to Franklin from 7 a.m. to noon on those Saturdays.

The Council also approved the closing of Larabee Circle (the east end of Larabee Street) on the DePauw campus to facilitate the renovation of the first floor of Harrison Hall to support the launch of the new DPU School of Business and Leadership.

The project will temporarily close the first floor for complete demolition and reconstruction beginning this month, Warren Whitesell, DePauw associated vice president for facilities management, said.

The opening is expected in August 2023 with the opening of the internal hub space in October 2023. The street closure was approved for Jan. 16-Oct. 1.

A temporary fence structure will barricade a portion of the east end of Harrison Hall and restrict the northernmost portion of Larabee Circle, which includes two handicap parking spaces. Two such spaces will be designated in the adjacent parking lot.

Meanwhile, for the fourth straight year, Hammer, the longest-serving member of the City Council, was elected president with Stacie Langdon re-elected vice president following a motion by Dave Murray and a unanimous vote of the four members present -- Hammer, Murray, Veronica Pejril and Darrel Thomas. Adam Cohen, Cody Eckert and Langdon were absent.

The Council agreed to keep its meetings for 2023 on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The group also renamed Erika Gilmore, one of its two appointees to the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC), to an additional one-year appointment, while the Council tabled until next month a decision on a successor to Lottie Barcus, who chose not to continue on the commission.

Mayor Bill Dory also announced that his three appointments to the RDC -- Gwen Morris, Gary Lemon and Bryan Cox -- have agreed to continue. Morris has been a member of the commission since it originated during Mike Harmless’ administration.

As far as City Council members’ appointments for 2023, they include:

• Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development Center -- Langdon (reappointment).

• Sustainability Commission -- Pejril (reappointment).

• Putnam County 911 Board -- Eckert (succeeds Cohen).

• Animal Control -- Police Chief Chris Jones (succeeds Tom Sutherlin).

• Plan Commission -- Hammer (remains on board).

• Budget Committee -- Murray, Eckert and Pejril (all reappointments).

• West Central Solid Waste Commission -- Thomas (replaces Cohen and joins Mayor Dory on the board).

Department liaisons named by the City Council are:

• Fire Department -- Thomas (succeeds Cohen).

• Police Department -- Pejril (succeeds Eckert).

• Public Works -- Murray (reappointment).

• Utilities -- Pejril (reappointment).

• Forest Hill Cemetery -- Eckert (succeeds Hammer).

• Parks and Recreation -- Langdon (reappointment).

• Planning Department -- Hammer (reappointment).

In other business, the Council:

• Heard Mayor Dory announce that a U.S. 231 project webpage has been set up on the city’s website for updates on the upcoming project from INDOT.

• Heard the mayor report that he has signed a contract with Duke Energy for the conversion of city street lights to LED, a project likely to start in late April or early May. Besides getting a rebate of $20,000, the city will see its cost for the lighting reduced by $3,000 a month.

• Heard Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar announce that the clerk’s office is getting a new “latest and greatest” accounting system that should be in by July at a cost of $28,360. The new software will enable the city keep staffing levels as they are, Councilman Murray noted.

• Heard City Attorney Laurie Hardwick report that the new accounting software program will enable the city to better keep track of parking tickets. Hardwick said she is redoing the chapter of the ordinance and under consideration is that five unpaid parking tickets would allow the city to attach a “boot” to offenders’ vehicles that immobilizes them.

“Gone are the days of chalking tires,” Councilman Hammer noted.

“Or using a spritz bottle and a rag to remove them,” Mayor Dory replied.

Clear-Treasurer Dunbar said it should be in place by April 1. “As downtown Greencastle changes, we’ll have flexibility to make changes,” she added.

• Heard Murray ask the mayor about a groundbreaking for the YMCA project, which Dory had previously suggested could come in March. “I’ll be checking with the contractor,” the mayor said. “It might be a little too muddy out there in March.”

• Adopted on second reading Ordinance 2022-17, which adds hotels as a special exception in the downtown or central business district. Asked if that meant a downtown hotel was a possibility in the future, Hardwick responded with “We’ve had interest off and on, several contacts throughout the years.”

“I look forward to staying in one of those rooms,” Murray said before making the motion for approval.

The City Council will next meet in regular session at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9 at City Hall.