9 April 2025 Greendale Council Meeting Notes

 9 April 2025 Greendale Council Meeting Notes

Present: Mayor Vince Karstetter, Erin Marqua, Brett Hamilton, Mike McLaughlin, Kurt Mollaun, David Hall, Richard Steuer, and Ryan Goode.

Also present: Anthony Smart, Attorney

Moved this presentation to the beginning of the meeting.

Otto “Buzz” Krohn - water and Electric Rates Study for 2025- There is a big water project coming. Greendale has some of the lowest rates in Indiana. Increased about 3% per year. 2019 was a 16%retail  increase. 4%wholesale now.

Per Indiana Code- Rates SHALL be sufficient to cover- 

Cash operations and maintenance, Debt service, Working capital and debt service reserves funds, depreciation, allowance for replacements and improvements.  

IC Codes for:

Water and Electric rates IC- 8-1.5-3.8

Sewage rated 36-9-23

Rate Study Process is now at the time for Presenting the Rate Study and recommendations to Council.

There are some issues that need shoring up to have the money needed for the future.

 

4000 gallons is average water bill. 

The average monthly bill is about $7.91 / month  needed to increase  for 4000 gal average bill. Needed to increase. 

$22.94 is Greendale’s current average water bill. 

Lawrenceburg increased their fairly recently- he said. 

25% of Greendale customers are minimum use customers. 

Anthony Smart has a proposed water rate ordinance. 

Electric Study- 

Proposing. To recalibrate their energy tracking factor. 2019 was the test year. In 2024 test year- This was 1.7 cents per KWH. They are only proposing a 1% increase. 

The 2 part tracking factor is more complicated that Greendale is using. It’s about 1 or 2 mils apart in terms of rate classifications. They would like to make this a simpler thing to administer.

They have. A new bond issue that is closing in May on the L-bg Bond Bank at 4%. New bonds are coming in. 

Revenue requirement is $14.5 million. Once they get the roll in- they need only a 1% increase to generate the revenue requirements. 

Anthony Smart has a proposed electric rate ordinance. 

Krohn does not want speculate what IMPA is going to do. They have a summer tracking factor- when energy needs increase. There is not a big change on the electric rates proposed as they have responsibly addressed these rates before they became a problem. 

Krohn said that he was open to answer more questions and they should call him on his cell too. By deferring that big project the numbers are better than he thought.

He signed off the zoom call. 

Will get back to this later in meeting. At the end. 

Audience Comments:

Steve McCane- He stressed that this was not anything against the police force. They do a good job and it is hard. Probasco Rd resident regarding speeding. He has asked for help with this before.There is a speed sign out there now. He calls dispatch with plates and make and model of cars speeding there. He wants to be proactive- not reactive. He has a 4 year old- he’s trained to head for the house if she hears an engine revving. He’s asking what MORE can we do?

We had a 2 day speed study in Nov. on Probasco by SIRPC. 

25mph is posted speed. 11-12% people are speeding. 

Regarding the speeding- Education, Enforcement and Environment.- Ryan Goode proposed to do things in these categories to help get more attention from the community too. Council asked Ryan to come to April 28th Board of Works meeting. Austin - the City manager- said that the results from Probasco and Parkside were similar. Mc Cane will be at that next meeting for BOW.

Clerk Treasurer- Minutes approved and the treasurer repost was given out. 

DONATIONS REQUESTS

Logan Lawrence is asking for donations for the car show for the Cure for ALS. People come from all over and it showcases the community supporting restaurants and businesses. $1,000 approved donation for him. 

Tamara Taylor- A Community Bridge- This has made a dream for her come true. This is for JCAP that Judge Sally McLaughlin started. 80% rate of success when going out 3 years. JCAP We’ve all been touched by chemical addiction. 

Guilford Bridge Gala raised $30,000

Triple Whipple Bridge raised $60,000

Expectant mothers program and a liaison who goes between these people. She thinks this would be a vital employee to hire fro JCAP.  

This year she will hold it on a private piece of land with a candlelit concert. Asking Greendale for a donation $1500 and the  Mayor will donate “5” from his fund. Approved.  

Sons of American Legion- for 4 scholarships.$500 approved. 

Lions Club- Approved $275 as long as they get the paperwork in. 

Elks- $100 Approved. 

Redevelopment Report: Mike McLaughlin

132 Ridge house will be demolished. McLaughlin gave GRC Report ( Redevelopment.)

Asking for support letters for the Conservancy District 

Soft wash program rollout. They are 7 homeowners meeting Tuesday. They are trying to get these done- but awnings and gutters were questioned. The metal ones clean. The vinyl and cloth ones are a problem cleaning at times. They’ve got about 10% of the 155 that qualify. Good as only a week or so this  started. The area  that was part of the lawsuit- Probasco to the end of Greendale by Lawrenceburg. 

Police report- gave the stats on arrests etc. Going to take the speed sign down at Probasco.. 

Mayor- Up 70 plus calls for the year on EMS because they have a bigger territory now. ( they go all the way up SR1 to Zimmer Rd at top of the big hill) 

Greendale Main Street- Goode Free help with curb appeal and a facade grant starting Friday. Shredding day- Dumpster day at  end of the month.

Stellar Pathways- Grant Administration proposal- only one application- SIRPC responded. NTE 8% plus $5,000 and $5,000  for other parts. Taken under Advisement for now. 

UDO Update- Anthony Smart- There is a revision to the Text- and will go back to PC on April 28th. Suburban residential will now have farming in it and definition of farming and permitted uses.

Bob Folke- on our farm in 1996-7 annexed19 acres of it it. Been there 140 plus years want to keep it Ag. Smart will check to see if this Ag matches the county’s Ag zoning. Discussion that they will get with him to show what that looks like. McLaughlin was going to help him get together with Anthony Smart.

Smart -

$14,500 - appraisal for the Oakey Lot 

Smart- LCD- Lawrenceburg Conservancy District- their  ask has been revised. To get $100,000 Council and $4.? million from Greendale Redevelopment Commission. The non- binding language is taken out as to looks like they are not committed. Pursuant to a future  interlocal agreement. So that all 4 parties enter into this.

They are going to do one resolution and love the Council money into the GRC and do it that way. 

New Business- 

TABLED Stormwater with American Structurepoint.

Mayor- looking at Krohn info-  - Water and Electric Rate Review- should we read the Ordinances? 

Discussion points- 

77 million gals not accounted for- like things that the city does and doesn’t get charged. Flushing lines, etc. 

The electric loss is minute really.

Borrowed another $2 million from LBG bond bank. Which is why we did the rate study. Electric only went up 1%

We need to get this water main started down on Nowlin. 

We will do first reading- per Anthony Smart- then schedule a public hearing. 

Mayor- You could also do an annual rate increase. Which would be smart. Then when rate study is done- if overshot- you can PAUSE the rate increases.  

Mayor- Using American Structurepoint that  Lawrenceburg uses- and they are IMPRESSIVE -working with “Queen of Water in Indiana”- a woman- who just had her 6th child and is on maternity leave. 

They are looking at combining with Lawrenceburg possibly. 

Linda Cromer- Discussed using simple examples like how much more you will pay per month- not percentages. 

Also the sewer bill is not being touched- just water. 

Ordinance 2025-02 regarding the electric rate was read. Biggest electric user is Anchor Glass

Ordinance 2025-03 regarding water rates was read. 

Considered reading the full titles as  first reading done. 

US 50 is open now.

Adjourned7:50 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township.