Special Council Meeting Set For October 17

The Whitehall Town Council will conduct a special meeting Tuesday, October 17 to vote on approval of its 2018-19 fiscal year budget. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. at Town Hall. The special meeting had originally been scheduled for October 12.

At their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, October 10, the budget was tabled after a lengthy discussion on a resolution that would transfer money from a mill levy used to raise money for a new fire truck to the Town General Fund.

The Council tabled Resolution 2017-6 that would transfer $63,289.49 to be used for the Whitehall Fire Department budget for 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021.

Mayor Dale Davis said at the meeting that if the town did not transfer the money, they would not have enough funding for the budget.

Clerk/Treasurer Summer Fellows said the Ladies of the Country Store have paid off the loan for the fire truck purchased after the levy. Davis said the money from the mill levy was sitting there and it is his suggestion to divide it over three years and use it for the fire department budget.

Whitehall Fire Chief Jeremy Ward asked the Council to not pass the resolution, stating the mill levy was intended to replace a truck that broke down and to keep it for the future and a replacement truck.

Using the funding from the mill levy money would enable to the Council to have $400 per month for health insurance for permanent town employees in the 2018-19 fiscal year budget. Fellows said the $400 would cost $24,000 a year.

“That determines where this pay raise could come from,” Davis said about transferring the money to the general fund.

Council member Joe Adams said they have very valuable employees and they need to keep them, and thinks they should do best they can to pay them the money for the insurance.

Council member Mac Smith suggested they use 1/3 of the $63,289.49 for this year’s budget and leave the next administration to figure out what to do.

The Thursday meeting will also include discussion on a proposal from local veterinarian Dr. Cory Tebay who has made an offer to purchase the Ambulance Barn Building located at 207 East Legion.

The Council voted in September to advertise requests for proposals for the space that was most recently used by the Community Beacon of Hope Inc. Ambulance Service.

The Monday night agenda included an executive session to discuss the offer from Tebay. Prior to the planned session, Jefferson County Commissioner Leonard Wortman voiced concerns about the legality of the governing body discussing the matter behind closed doors. Wortman said he would like to see the portion of the statute that says discussing the matter in executive session is legal.

Town Attorney Ed Guza said they are talking about negotiations and it is not a public matter. Wortman said it is. He said the constitution guarantees people have the right to observe all deliberations of a governing body unless someone’s personal rights are being discussed that cause it to be a closed meeting, or they are discussing litigation. He said to discuss proposals for the building in executive session would be illegal.

The Council did not enter into the executive session and will instead discuss the matter Thursday.

At their September meeting, Deputy Town Attorney Elizabeth Musick said if the town decides to sell, there was a contingency placed by the Ladies of the Country Store when they pledged $50,000 to the building, that it could not be approved without a unanimous, not majority, vote of the Council.

Tebay did however tell the Council he would have to check with them Wednesday to make sure he could attend the Thursday meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS

Guza reported that Community Beacon of Hope Inc. has yet to payoff their balance with the Town for use of equipment and the ambulance barn. He said has been communication with Tyler Steinebach of CBOH and they are right on the threshold of more serious consequences.

In his monthly report, Mayor Dale Davis said the chip sealing of the streets was completed and they stayed on budget with project.

Guza said they currently have 11 prosecution cases, which is an uptick from the normal five six. He said one of cases is going to a jury trial Nov. 1.

In her report, Fellows said she has been busy with budgets. She said the new water meters are working great and explaining to customers what is going on.

Public Works Director Kory Klapan said they had the water tank inspected and it was recommended they sandblast and coat the inside of tank. He said that every 10 years that is a common thing to do and if they let it go the bolts will eventually rust out. He said they would get a full report within three weeks.