Clarksville Town Council Meeting and Work Session - August 19, 2025
Clarksville Town Council Meeting and Work Session - August 19, 2025
The Clarksville Town Council held its regular meeting and subsequent work session on August 19, 2025, beginning at approximately 6:00 PM in the council chambers. The regular meeting included a consent calendar, new business items all approved unanimously, and departmental reports. The work session featured three presentations: a parks tourism grant request for artificial turf fields, a detailed financial outlook for the fire territory under Senate Enrolled Act 1, and a wastewater/stormwater rate study for a proposed $20 million bond issuance.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from previous meetings and placement on file of various boards and commissions appointed by the town council. Motion by Councilman McEwen, second by Councilman Stotts. Passed unanimously.
New Business (All Unanimous Votes)
- Ordinance 2025-Z04: Amending the zoning code to add Article 4, Division 197 regarding renewable resources (solar panels). The planning staff noted that renewable energy technology has become cost-effective and widely accessible since the original zoning ordinance was drafted. Seconded by Councilwoman Henderson. Passed unanimously (one reading only).
- Extension of Landscape Service Agreement with Raymond's Lawn Care LLC: The original two-year contract (with two-year renewal option) expired in December 2024; both parties continued services inadvertently. The extension covers the balance of 2025. Motion by Councilman McEwen, second by Councilman Stotts. Passed unanimously.
- Grievance Settlement with IAFF (Firefighters Union) Regarding Staffing: The settlement has no financial impact on the town and provides up to five additional PTO days for firefighters working extensive overtime shifts while a new fire merit board develops a hiring eligibility list. Motion by Councilwoman Boiner, second by Councilman Stotts. Passed unanimously.
- Contract for Legal Services with Stole, Keenan, and Ogden (formerly Applegate Pfeiffer Pullium): The firm continues as legal counsel for building and planning departments, Board of Zoning Appeals, Plan Commission, and Building Commission. Motion by Councilwoman Boiner, second by Councilman Stotts. Passed unanimously.
Department Reports & Updates
- Director Turpin – Planning: Announced the town received the SolSmart designation (national solar-friendly city, analogous to Tree City USA) from the Department of Energy and IU. Recognized staff members Kaylee and Anna for their work. A plaque will be added to the trophy case.
- Director Gibson – Redevelopment:
- Litigation regarding the Clerks Landing (old Colgate factory) property was fully dismissed on Friday, August 16. The town is not contributing financially; Wayland Ventures will handle redevelopment.
- Clarksville Plaza (former Hobby Lobby) was sold two weeks ago to Shark Enterprises (Kenneth Shell) for retail or entertainment redevelopment; facade, parking, and roof work underway.
- Fire Station 3 on Hill Road: Bid documents are expected to be approved at the August 26 Redevelopment Commission meeting; designer finalized communications networking and security drawings.
- Clerk Treasurer Stone Cipher – Finance: Reported that the TIF district, which had struggled with negative cash balances, is now back in the black with over $1.5 million following the sale of Clarksville Plaza. Also noted closing on the South Clarksville property for the George project with Denton Floyd, adding funds to the redevelopment commission.
- Council Comments: Councilmembers thanked department heads, acknowledged the concert series (raised over $35,000, according to Councilman Stotts), and praised cooperation between council and public safety unions following a tense prior meeting. Councilwoman Schiller specifically thanked the council and FOP for collaborative work.
Work Session – Parks Tourism Grant Presentation
- Nathan Kane, Associate Parks Director presented a proposal to pursue a tourism bureau grant (up to $250,000) for converting six baseball/softball fields at the existing ballpark to artificial turf. The total project cost is $1.29 million, with $960,000 already secured through private sponsorships and donations. The turf would improve accessibility for the Challenger League (140 participants with disabilities, currently outgrown their rubber surface field) and allow hosting larger softball tournaments, generating an estimated $100,000 per weekend in economic impact. The council expressed strong support and indicated formal approval via resolution would come at the September 2 meeting.
Work Session – Fire Territory Financial Presentation
- Clerk Treasurer Stone Cipher presented a detailed analysis of fire territory funding, current budget, and the impact of Senate Enrolled Act 1 (SEA 1). Key points:
- The fire territory's 2025 certified not-to-exceed budget is $9.3 million, but actual property tax collections are about $6.7 million due to 30% circuit breaker tax caps (clawback of $6.8 million).
- Current tax rate for fire territory is 1.42%; SEA 1 may cap new fire territories at 0.4%, and the council is hearing that all territories may be forced to that rate.
- SEA 1 phases out the standard homestead deduction and replaces it with a percentage deduction, reducing net assessed value significantly. Projected annual reductions for the fire territory: $300,000 in 2027, then $1 million+ each year after 2028.
- Without action, the fire territory could be reduced to 2 crews by 2029, 1 crew by 2030, and must dissolve by 2031 (equivalent to losing 10 first-year firefighters per $1 million cut).
- The council noted these projections assume 4% growth and 2% inflation; actual could be worse. Councilwoman Boiner requested the report be shared with all department heads and firefighters for lobbying state legislators. Next steps: Council to continue dialogue with state lawmakers; possible changes to local income tax or impact fees.
Work Session – Wastewater and Stormwater Rate Study
- Scott Miller and Joey Maze (Baker Tilly) presented two financing alternatives for a $20 million bond issuance to fund wastewater and stormwater capital improvements (list of projects included pump station upgrades, sewer capacity, and South Clarksville lines). Key rate increase scenarios:
- Wastewater (sewer): Three-year phase-in. Under level debt service: 27% total increase (~$13.20/month for average 4,000-gallon user). Under wrapped debt service: 19% total increase (~$10/month). Optional Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the town would add ~$5–$8/month more, for up to ~44% total increase.
- Stormwater: Three-year phase-in. Level debt: ~$4.45/month cumulative (30% + 14% + 7% increases). Wrapped debt: ~$3.35/month cumulative.
- Combined total increase (wrapped, no PILOT): ~$13.35/month for a typical household.
- Council discussion focused on:
- Preference for a 5-year phase-in to soften impact on ratepayers.
- Desire to maintain AA bond rating (requires 150% debt service coverage).
- Examination of project priorities and possibility of delaying some improvements.
- Capacity fees for new developments may need adjustment (last updated ~2020).
- Consideration of moving fire hydrant fee from town subsidy to individual ratepayers.
- Next steps: Baker Tilly will prepare revised scenarios (including 5-year phase, lower inflation assumptions, wrapped vs. level options) for council consideration at a future meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar and all four new business items passed unanimously.
- Council expressed support for the parks artificial turf grant application; formal resolution expected on September 2, 2025.
- The fire territory financial outlook will be shared publicly and with state legislators; council plans to lobby for amendments to SEA 1.
- Wastewater/stormwater rate study to be refined with council feedback; ordinance and public hearing to follow in coming months.
- Work session concluded at approximately 7:45 PM (implied; council moved to executive session after adjournment).
Meeting Transcript
It's good to see you by the way. Thank you. Says this lawyer. Build a house. Except the war in Keith City. The watchman raided, but in vain. It reminds us that our polls says any measure that we have is in God's blessing. Our hope for security and protection is also in his hand. So it's good for us to begin as we call on him as to his blessing on this. And I thank you for every blessing that you give. We thank you for the truth of this very brief as a description. Our own personal lives and aspirations are our community's success and safety or blessing or anything that we do. Our hope is in you. And we know that our security is in you. And that you give your lesson, and you give your security to us and protection in any ways that we trust in you and we call upon you. You are our creator. You are our redeemer, and you are our Lord. And so we embrace you when we receive your rejection that we bow before you made our team. And we thank you for these who are gathered together here tonight to conduct the business of our town, our area, our city. And we thank them and their dedication. We pray for your wisdom to guide them and your strength we carry them. We pray for everything that you do. We thank you for each one that's here. And we pray all of it in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Congratulations to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for the United States. Claims, both current and pre-written, and then also the acceptance of minutes and placement on file of various boards and commissions that are appointed by the town council. I'd make the motion to accept. Second it. Motion from Councilman McEwen and a second from Councilman Stotts. All those in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye. Aye. Aye. That motion carries unanimously, and we'll move on to new business. First up this evening is ordinance 2025 Z04, amending the zoning code as it relates to renewable resources, solar panels. The town planning staff are proposing the addition of Article 4, Division 197 regarding renewable resources to the zoning ordinance. When the current zoning ordinance was drafted, renewable energy was not a significant consideration in the area. Since then, advancement in technologies has made renewable energy costs effective and widely accessible. This new division of the ordinance will outline guidelines pertaining to renewable resources to promote sustainability with it in the town. Okay. Second from Councilwoman Henderson. All those in favor, raise your right hand and say aye. Aye. That motion carries unanimously and only requires one reading. Next up, we have the approval of an extension of landscape service agreement with Raymond's Lawn Care LLC. In 2020, the town entered into a landscape service agreement with Raymonds for mowing and landscaping services. The original contract was for two years with an option to extend for an additional two. The contract expired in December of 2024.
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