Mayor Peterson Is Coming To Clermontby Linda KarnIndianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson is coming to Clermont February 27 as part of his City Hall tours throughout Marion County. Councilman Walt Miller gave a brief over view of the preliminary schedule at the February 8 town council meeting. The Mayor’s tour begins at 10:30 a.m. at Robey Elementary School and will end with an afternoon bus tour around town, including the site of the new Speedway Super Gas Station. The gas station’s southeast site remains idle until the INDOT completes widening Crawfordsville Road and Raceway this spring. The bus then will travel northward to Clermont’s premier subdivision Lincoln Woods. Miller is requesting Main Street businesses to participate in the Mayor’s visitation. Greater Clermont Merchant’s Association officially dissolved recently, but Miller said he would work from the Merchant’s old list to involve businesses. Miller also discussed locating points of interest that might include a visit to Buford Hall. Hall is known as the town historian. Miller thought the Mayor might be intrigued to see Hall’s antique car collection. In other matters, the council voted 4-0 for Nancy Baxter to fill the vacancy left by Diane Tyra’s resignation. After taking the oath of office, Baxter pulled up a chair to join the rest of the council body. In other business, Councilman John Miller and Police Chief George Hughes appeared to have fallen under the scrutiny of Council President Bob Hinshaw and Councilor Vonda Kiger. Before Miller even took action to pay reserve officers or even hinted that he was thinking of it, Kiger pulled a letter from 2003 to remind Miller that he could not do it then, nor could he do it now. In 2003, Miller wanted to pay reserve officers $25 dollars to offset the cost to go to court because too many cases were being dismissed due to officers not showing up for court date. Miller said the reserve officers have no incentive to show up for court dates because it means missing time from their regular jobs. “That is part of the job,” Hinshaw said. Miller told Hinshaw that it would have been nice to have been confronted prior to the meeting that the two councilors were having issues concerning the police department instead of being blind sided with a barrage of issues that he was not prepared to answer. Hughes said he would contact the prosecutor’s officer to find out how many cases are dismissed due to officers not showing up for court. Hinshaw also complained about the patrol boundaries extending North to 38th Street, East to High School Road, and South to 21st Street and West to County Road 1000 E in Hendricks County. Hughes noted these boundaries are to assist other police officers in mutual aid, not regular patrol boundaries. He said he was hesitant to sign a mutual aid agreement with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department because dispatch would always call Clermont’s available officers to respond for backups. Clermont currently has mutual aid agreements with Avon and Brownsburg. Miller said the officers are to stay in town, especially to patrol the school during the beginning and ending of the school day. Miller said the bigger boundaries were also given so officers could go get a meal beyond just always eating at the village pantry at Crawfordsville Road and Dandy Trail. Hughes also requested the town use Zore’s for towing vehicles. He said the City of Indianapolis receives a $25 franchise fee by using the current towing service. “We are doing all the work, and they are getting all the money,” he said. Town Attorney Robert Lutz indicated an ordinance would have to be drafted to enter into an agreement with Zore’s. |
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