City of Salem Council Member at Large Roger Pennington proposed an investigative committee to help renew “community faith” in the City of Salem after two years of water issues with the new treatment plant.
He asked the council to adopt an ordinance to establish “Task Force Clean Water,” a joint investigative committee consisting of 5 members for the purpose of reviewing the current operations of the city’s water plant and water infrastructure.
Pennington presented the one page proposal to Salem Mayor Justin Green and the council during Monday’s regular meeting.
“In light of the ongoing issues with the water department, ranging from brown water in 2023 to insufficient revenue, capital projects and the need for a possible rate adjustment, and an overall lack of public trust and confidence,” said Pennington.
However, City Attorney Jacob Vissing said he would need time to review the proposal in order to make a recommendation to the council before acting on this proposal.
Pennington made the original motion followed by Randy Lee’s second, which led to a 2-2 vote (Danny Libka and Steve Crane provided the opposition) with Mayor Justin Green breaking the tie with a third “No” vote.
Libka said the proposal “had merit” but needed to be vetted by the attorney and followed up with a motion to direct Vissing to review the proposal and report back at this Thursday’s special meeting of the council (to be held at 5p to review bids for a project).
Crane gave a second to the motion and both Libka and Crane followed up with votes for, with Pennington and Lee voting against. Green provided the tie-breaking vote in favor of allowing the attorney to do further research.
The Council’s fifth member Dylan Moore was absent for the meeting.
Watch the City Council meeting here https://www.facebook.com/wslmradio/videos/923312969458207/
TASK FORCE CLEAN WATER
The proposed “Task Force Clean Water” committee would consist of two members of the City Common Council and three members appointed from the community.
The two members of the council would be appointed by Council President Steve Crane.
The Mayor would appoint one of the community members and the remaining two would be adopted to the committee through an application process.
Pennington said the members would be those living within the City of Salem limits and within the city’s two-mile fringe area and also City of Salem water customers.
None of the members would be paid or reimbursed for any expenses and once the committee served its purpose, it would be disbanded.
The duties of the committee would be to review the current operating procedures of the City of Salem Municipal Water Utility to include, but not be limited to — personnel and their respective duties, status of current facilities, water production costs and customer rates; consider recommendations to address any issues, items of concern, inefficiencies or upgrades and to provide an oral presentation and in writing to the council no more than three months after it has been created.
The task force would then report back to the council with a final report.
REVIEWING THE PROPOSAL BY CITY ATTORNEY
Vissing said he would need time to review the Indiana Code to see if allowing citizens to serve on an investigative committee would be within the law.
“I have some reservation about giving advice in the affirmative here tonight,” he said.
“I think we have the authority,” said Pennington. “I think that’s part of the function of this body.”
Green said the majority of the proposed committee’s investigative duties would fall under the Board of Works and Public Safety.
“My immediate concern is the appointment of non-council members,” said Vissing. “I would need to look at this in greater detail. What you’re implying is that the council can delegate its investigative duties to non-council members? The legistlative body does have investigative powers. But I think what you’re proposing a task force of council members and non-council members. You’re suggesting by implication that non-council members would have the same investigative authority as the council under statute.”
Pennington asked to recess for 15 minutes for Vissing to review that. There was no response.
Vissing said he would need to review the matter in more detail to provide advice to the council.
“I’m trying to think of a way to build back confidence in our water utility,” said Pennington. “And what better way than to involve the community. I think it’s important for transparency for the community to involve them.”
Pennington said if non-council members could not serve on a committee like this, he would amend his recommendation to only include council members.
“In order to give good, full legal advice, I would need to have more time than a few minutes at this meeting in order to give good advice,” said Vissing. “Now that this has been presented, I would recommend it being tabled until the next meeting.”
“I guess from this office, this is kind of left field, coming at us at once,” said Mayor Green. “There has been a whole lot of efforts and attempts and hard hours put in to improve the whole system. Whether it’s distribution or production…I think we’ve done a very good job at getting this done. This is a little bit out of left field. I think the number of phone calls that don’t come in here speaks volumes to that.”
“I think we need a fresh approach to this. I don’t understand why this would scare anybody,” said Pennington. “I’m out in the community every day. I think there is an overall lack of trust — whether it’s warranted or unwarranted.”
“There’s nothing to defend,” said Mayor Green. “It’s just an aged water works system. We’re going to keep fighting. That’s how an aged infrastructure works.”
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
- The council approved minutes of the past regular February meeting and the called meeting Feb. 26.
- The February financial statement was approved.
- The city received its monthly Senior Center Report.
Mayor Green gave an update on the Eclipse on April 8.
“Planning for this is key in public safety,” he said. “The main focus has been addressing public safety. Planning the overnight vs the day traffic. All of this has been shared and discussed. Trying to navigate this with different departments — Sheriff and EMS, tourism, Chamber. My key thrust is public safety. We have our residents to consider and be engaged with along with the visitors.”
Green noted that a lot of the traffic would be determined by the weather. The current forecast for April 8 is 65 degrees but no indication of cloud cover or precipitation.
“It will be a big day,” noted Green. “A lot of our attendance will be predicated on the weather. If it’s a cloudy, cool and overcast day, the day travelers will be thinner. The overnighters will probably come anyway. A lot of job duties will change that day on April 8. All hands on deck.”
Green said more information would be forthcoming and said the city was looking at not just “who’s coming but who is traveling through. We’re close but we’re not 100 percent. We’re so close it might as well be. Our duration is not as much as others. The die-hards and true experience seekers will go to the center of the path and Lawrence County and Bloomington will be pretty much close to the 100 percent totality.”
Salem is on the south end of the band of totality with approximately 2 minutes of total darkness. Vincennes is along the center line of most totality for a total of.4 minutes and 5 seconds.
Mitchell will experience 3 minutes and 24.7 seconds of total darkness while Bloomington will experience 4 minutes and 2 seconds. Paoli will experience 2 minutes and 49.4 seconds. Scottsburg on the other hand will only experience 54 seconds.
The Mayor commented on the pedestrian islands that are being constructed on the square in Salem and said the overall project is scheduled for completion this summer.
“The specs required a completed set of plans and there always some ADA compliant issues,” he explained. “As we navigate those — there are some ramps, curbs, and pedestrian islands. Not a surprise, it was always part of the project under federal specs.”
He said the islands were designed to allow a 50’ tractor trailer to navigate through the square.
“They are properly sized and engineered,” Green said. “They will accommodate and I’ve already watched from the courthouse. They can and will navigate this. It will travel much smoother when they are finished. I think it will be just fine and add some attraction to the downtown area. It will be nice when it’s done.”
OTHER BUSINESS
- The council also approved the rezoning of Jim Day Road and SR 56, property owned by Destiny Investments. According to Green, the Salem Planning Commission has held a public hearing and voting in favor of rezoning the property to B2.
The board approved.
- Also, Green said the City Council need to appoint a new member to the Board of Zoning Appeals since Roger Pennington had won a seat on the council.
Two names were submitted – James Moore and Tommy Brown.
Dan Libka recommended Moore and a vote was taken and Moore was approved.
- Accounts Payable. Approved.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Rene Mather brought two items to the council. She agreed with the creation of a citizen group saying, “…have the citizens involved in the future of our community. I request you keep that in mind.
She also asked if the City Council would consider moving meetings to another night.
“There are six [meetings] that have not been moved to Tuesday — May, June, July, August, September and December,” said Mather. “Your meetings fall on the same time and date as Salem School Board meeting. I feel there should be a representative of the City at the county meetings, and someone from the city at the school board meetings and someone from the school board at the city meetings. This way everyone would be able to attend each other’s meetings.”
Rick Longworth thanks Mayor Green for discussing the eclipse.
He also asked why the water system wasn’t included in the city’s budget and Mayor Green said it was based on user fees and not allowed by the state to be included in the regular budget.
He said he would gladly pay a few dollars extra to have the system brought up to standards.
The board will meet March 14 at 5p to receive bids and other misc. items, including hearing from the attorney on the proposed creation of a committee to investigate the water issues.
