The Fairfield City Council met in regular session last (Tuesday) night at City Hall. The council approved the minutes from the previous meeting and the bills submitted for payment. No members of the public addressed the council during the comment section as the council discussed the appropriations for fiscal year 2024 to 2025. Mayor Gary Moore reported the anticipated revenue was $23,590.871 and the total expenditures were $27,047,727 leaving a shortage of $3.4 million. The council acknowledged that appropriations are estimates and they would work to control expenses and maximize revenues. The council approved a resolution to support and commit funds of $2,500 per year to the Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission, which assists the city with grant applications and planning.
The council approved two business district redevelopment agreements: a $10,000 grant for Nikki Gray’s new restaurant, Smash & Dash featuring burgers and fries that will be located on SW 6th St across from Subway and a $5,000 grant for Chad & Melissa Musgrave, owners of Mama Bears Shop for the reinforcement of an exterior wall.
The council discussed and approved the creation of a new job position for a Class A water operator with the water distribution department. This position would also assist with the water filtration plant to meet EPA requirements. The proposed wage for this position would be $30.31 per hour.
The council discussed strategies to improve utility bill collections, including the possibility of reinstating deposits based on credit scores, increasing connection fees for high-risk customers and offering prepaid meter options. The council acknowledged the significant amount of uncollected bills since 2015 amounting to $528,782.
The council addressed concerns about property maintenance and the process for addressing code violations. City Attorney, Darrin Rice clarified the legal requirements for issuing notices and fines before the city can take action on neglected properties. Finally, the council discussed the potential demolition of the old power plant and water filtration plant near the Little Wabash River east of Fairfield due to safety concerns.
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