The Logansport City Council had a busy Monday night, with a brand new animal ordinance, police station building, lodge and park improvement, land acquisition and Bird Co. electric scooters filling the agenda.
The council tabled an anticipated new animal ordinance for the second month attributable to language discrepancies. The ordinance might be tabled till City Attorney Kelly Leeman resolves the discrepancies and the ordinance is obvious and comprehensible.
The council additionally decided on whether or not to approve funding for C.H. Garmong and Son, Inc., for the wants and design of a brand new police station. The vote was a unanimous no.
“I think there’s some local interest in this contract, and I’d like to see it be a little more competitive,” councilmember Dave Morris stated, including, “I’m just not comfortable paying for things that we didn’t agree to pay for before they’re completed, and on top of that, I think every exhibit that is part of this agreement would have to be amended anyway.”
Ordinances authorizing the town to problem Indiana Taxable Economic Development Revenue bonds for each the lodge and The Junction initiatives had been handed. Developer Sulai Hospitality Inc. plans to construct Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotel within the previous mall, and Park Development, LLC, has additional plans to redevelop former mall area.
There was some dialogue on an ordinance to enter right into a land acquisition settlement with the Logansport Redevelopment Commission. The land being thought of for redevelopment is in Heritage Park close to the Farmers Market. The developer within the mission plans to construct business area.
Despite a stipulation returning the land to the town if redevelopment will not be completed in six months, the council voted to desk the ordinance whereas ready on the Historical Society to develop a request for proposal.
“I want to see the development done, but I also want to see us get there through the proper procedures,” Councilmember Carl McPherson stated.
Morris agreed with McPherson and expressed concern about speeding to a call on the property’s redevelopment. He stated he doesn’t wish to circumvent the Historical Society and would favor to attend.
“It seems like we’re passing something we don’t have the authority to pass,” Morris stated.
After tabling the Heritage Park redevelopment ordinance, the council handed a zoning ordinance for the Hoosier Heartland Vision Plan to create extra cohesiveness when constructing new constructions round Ivy Tech. The council additionally handed the primary studying of an ordinance to vacate the southern portion of Fourth Street.
The final and most controversial merchandise on the agenda involved an ordinance establishing a Bird Co. electric scooter program in Logansport. There was concern from some council and group members that the scooters can be pushed recklessly on trails and in parks.
Councilmember Jonathan Nelms stated Bird Co. can gradual the scooters down in designated areas or cease them utterly with GPS monitoring. Nelms stated he desires the program “to be done right” and inspired the council to move the ordinance on first studying so it may be additional mentioned subsequent month.
Councilmember Amy Densborn stated she was nonetheless not assured that the scooters wouldn’t change into a nuisance.
“I think it’s a poor choice,” Densborn stated.
The ordinance finally handed its first studying with Nelms, McPherson, Jake LeDonne and Scott Peattie voting in favor. Densborn, Morris and Larry Hood voted towards the ordinance. The electric scooter ordinance will face a second studying on the subsequent Logansport County Council assembly at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7.