Carmel Common Council Meeting - October 6, 2025
Carmel Common Council Meeting - October 6, 2025
The Carmel Common Council met on October 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a public hearing on the 2026 budget, extensive public comments regarding funding for Prime Life Enrichment, and discussion of several ordinances and resolutions. Key actions included rejection of the 2025 salary ordinance, approval of amended ordinances on zoning notice and parking, and passage of a resolution to study the energy center. The 2026 budget was introduced but not voted on.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the September 15, 2025 regular meeting.
- Approved claims totaling $11,241,345.73, including payroll ($4,104,628.06), general claims ($6,983,188.07), purchase card ($26,382.00), and retirement ($127,147.10). Passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Prime Life Enrichment Supporters (Blue Card Section): Sixteen speakers addressed the council, including Gary Wagner (Executive Director of Prime Life), Marcia Clairbaugh (Board President), Lisa Brooks (water therapy instructor), Lisa Brandt (healthcare executive), Angela Coven (daughter of a member), Andrew Ingall (widower of a former member), Cynthia Kirawak (with 94-year-old mother-in-law Pearl), Beth Napik, Jan Hurlbutt, Mark Jones, Matt Carroll, Mary Wignall, and Winnie Nessel. All expressed strong support for continued city funding of Prime Life Enrichment, highlighting its role in providing senior services (transportation, exercise, social connection) and the impact of potential funding cuts. Gary Wagner noted that $50,000 is less than 0.03% of the proposed 2026 general budget. Angela Coven shared a personal story of how Prime Life helped her father after his wife’s death and during dialysis. Several speakers referenced campaign promises to provide dedicated funding.
- Jan Hurlbutt also spoke critically about the city’s “She Leads” conference, calling it discriminatory to men and questioning its taxpayer funding.
- Public Hearing on 2026 Budget: Two speakers testified. Sean Sutton (President, Carmel Firefighters Union) expressed support for the fire department budget, emphasizing needs for training, hiring 25 firefighters, and mental health funding. Jim Spelpring (Carmel city employee) voiced concern about pay disparity between sworn and civilian employees.
Discussion Items
- 2026 Budget Presentation: CFO Zach Jackson and Mayor Finkham presented the proposed $144.263 million general fund budget. Revenues were forecast at $144.265 million (flat compared to 2025). The budget avoids a property tax increase, uses $5.2 million in underspend from 2025 to pay down capital leases, and reduces 15 positions. A three percent COLA for most employees (excluding senior leadership) was included. The mayor emphasized collaboration and fiscal discipline.
- Council Budget Questions: Councilors Locke, Schneider, Minard, and Taylor asked detailed questions about revenue forecasts, personnel reductions, food and beverage tax usage, arts funding, and the proposed Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Councilor Minard expressed frustration about lack of transparency on the ERP, which could cost up to $2 million in one-time implementation plus ongoing costs. Councilor Taylor highlighted the impact of Senate Enrolled Act 1 on future property tax revenues.
- 2025 Salary Ordinance (D-2779-25): Returned from committee with a negative recommendation. After debate, the council rejected the ordinance 8-0. Discussion centered on eight employees who were promised pay adjustments tied to title changes. Council expressed intent to bring a separate ordinance to address those employees at the next meeting.
- Ordinance D-2780-25 (Zoning Notice): Amended to require proof of notice publication at least two business days prior to Plan Commission hearings. Passed unanimously.
- Ordinance D-2781-25 (Parking on 2nd Street SW): Amended to create two 15-minute loading/unloading zones on the south side of 2nd Street SW near Monon Boulevard. Passed unanimously.
- Ordinance D-2784-25 (Rental Ordinance): Held and sent back to committee for consolidation of amendments.
- 2026 Salary Ordinances:
- Clerk’s office (D-2789-25): Passed 8-0 after suspension of rules.
- Executive branch (D-2790-25): Held at the dais, with discussion continued.
- Elected officials (D-2791-25): Held without action. Debate centered on whether to accept the three percent COLA; mayor, clerk, and judge declined their increases. Councilors expressed frustration that last year’s attempt to depoliticize the process failed.
- Historic District Designations (D-2792-25 and D-2793-25): Held to allow the historic preservation officer to attend the next meeting.
- Street Vacation (D-2787-25): Approved unanimously after suspension of rules.
- Resolution CC-1006-2501 (Energy Center Study): Approved, transferring $150,000 within the finance department to hire consultants to evaluate the energy center’s chiller and boiler capacity.
- Resolution CC-1006-2502 (Property Tax Rate Cap): Held for further information on the impact of capping the rate at 0.7783%.
Key Outcomes
- 2025 Salary Ordinance rejected (8-0) – Council will bring a separate ordinance to address eight employees’ pay adjustments.
- Zoning notice and parking ordinances amended and passed unanimously.
- Clerk’s salary ordinance passed (8-0).
- Energy center study resolution passed.
- Street vacation approved.
- Public hearing on 2026 budget concluded; no vote taken. The budget remains under consideration.
- Council confirmed that $50,000 for Prime Life Enrichment for 2025 will be paid shortly via the Board of Public Works and claims process. The 2026 budget does not currently include this funding; discussion will continue.
- Gazebo concerts funding of $15,000 was approved via a council sponsorship from its own budget (7 yes, 1 abstain).
Meeting Transcript
I call this meeting of the Common Comp Carmel Common Council to order for Monday, October 6th. First item on our agenda is agenda approval. All right, please vote. Our agenda is approved. Giving the invocation tonight, we have Pastor Steve Lancaster from Northview Church. Let's pray. God, thank you for the opportunity to be standing here today. Hi. Thank you for the blessings which you have poured out over this city. I thank you that we can live in a nation that's free to express our opinions, God, free to debate, free to uh discuss ideas, and free to praise you and recognize your sovereignty and the high value that you place on human life made in your image. I pray for wisdom and discernment for these leaders here tonight, God, that decisions would not simply come from the experiences and knowledge they have acquired, but that discernment would come from your spirit as they humble themselves before you. Remind those in positions of authority in our city, whether it's in government or businesses, churches or schools, that they are stewards of the authority you have entrusted to them, and all influence they have has been given by their creator. Let us take seriously the charge you've placed on our lives, and let us remember that we will all stand before you someday to account for how we stewarded these positions. Above all, Father, help us hold fast to the hope that comes only through Jesus Christ. God, would you protect the families of these leaders here who are sacrificing just as much for their spouses and parents to be involved in this public service? And pray that these leaders would first resolve to be the best spouse and parent that they can be. Let them not show up here to make decisions for the community without first caring for their families, and help them to maintain the priorities that you've established in the sacred institutions of marriage and family. God, would you bring unity to our city, to our nation, and to our world? May the laws, ordinances, legislation, and ideas discussed in this room reflect the ethics of your kingdom. And may our nation flourish as we humbly turn to you. God, I pray that if there's anyone here today who does not have a personal relationship with you, Jesus, I pray that you would open their hearts and minds to recognize you as the one true God, as their Savior, as the way, the truth, and the life. Help them to fully surrender themselves to you, Father. We open this uh evening up to you, and God would you just bless our time here together. In your name we pray. Amen. Thank you. Uh, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, and I'll get started. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And just a reproductive for which stands. One nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All right. Next on our agenda, we have recognition of uh we have recognition of city employees and outstanding citizens. We have many but not on the agenda tonight. Then recognition of persons who wish to address the council, otherwise known as the blue card section. We've got a lot tonight, so I'm gonna run through a few rules and some updates kind of before you we get up there to speak. Uh, first off, I'm gonna call your name when you go up to the podium. I'm gonna push the button to speak. You'll see green light goes out on, that means it's time to go. You get three minutes. And I do apologize for having to cut off at three minutes. We've got a lot of speakers and a lot on our agenda tonight. But when you see the yellow light, that means you've got about 30 seconds left. Red means finish up the sentence. Um we do reward brevity though, if you know, with your comments. Um I see a lot of people here to speak about prime life enrichment, um, and some people have written in the 2026 budget. There are two opportunities. We please don't speak twice, but if you could either speak during the blue card section if you filled it out, if you did not fill out a blue card and would like to speak later in the agenda, the budget is a public hearing, which means at that point people who would like to comment on items on the budget can be welcomed up to speak at that time. So you can speak at either moment. Um just to know on this, this we're not entering to a dialogue at this time.
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