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Record of Proceedings

Clarksville Town Council Meeting - February 17, 2026: Awards, Ordinances, and Animal Welfare Discussion

Town Council & Commissions — Tuesday, February 17, 2026
BodyClarksville, Indiana
SessionTown Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, February 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:31:54

Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

Good evening.

0:09

Welcome tonight to our February 17th town council meeting.

0:14

At this time, I'd like everyone to please rise and share our Pledge of Allegiance at this time.

0:32

One nation, neither God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:44

Thank you all.

0:45

This evening we have some recognitions and appointments we'd like to cover at the beginning of our meeting.

0:55

You want fire to go first?

0:57

Hey, you got it.

0:59

Brent Wilson coming up with our fire chief.

1:02

Thank you.

1:08

I can speak five.

1:10

Or you can speak to you.

1:16

In case you want to dance.

1:18

I definitely can dance.

1:22

There we go.

1:23

Yay.

1:24

Okay, good evening.

1:25

Thank you guys for uh being here tonight.

1:27

Uh, we do have a few awards that uh and recognitions that we want to present tonight.

1:32

Uh the first, which is our firefighter of the year for 2025.

1:36

And each year we have the opportunity to recognize a member uh of our department whose development professionalism and commitment have contributed to moving this organization forward.

1:48

Uh and for this year, the firefighter of the year is for Sergeant Matt Feight.

1:52

Matt, if you would come up here for just a moment, I've got a couple words I'd like to say.

2:13

Over the past year, Matt has demonstrated significant professional growth and a willingness to invest in both personal development and the success of this department.

2:22

And beyond assigned duties, he consistently made himself available to participate in departmental programs and initiatives that strengthened our operations training and the service to this community of Clarksville.

2:34

This recognition reflects the commitment to improvement, the mission of this organization, and a readiness to contribute wherever needed.

2:41

Matt has always been consistent and he has always been reliable.

2:46

Sergeant Matt Feight, thank you again for your professionalism, your growth, and your dedication to the advancement of this department.

3:16

So all right.

3:33

On top of that, by the way, comes from my group.

3:36

Without them, none of those projects, none of those extra activities, none of that would have been accomplished.

3:41

So this isn't just for me, it's for everybody out there.

3:44

Um lastly, my family for all the uh long hours coming home grumpy, uh always tired.

3:51

Uh thank you for putting up with me.

3:53

I really appreciate it.

4:02

Okay, so uh these next couple of boards uh just bear with me for a moment.

4:07

Um I do want to take a couple of these moments to recognize a few members of our department for actions that were taken last year.

4:14

They were uh recommended, these are recognitions and recommendations uh that were made at the time in 2025, but were never formally presented, so that's what we're here to do tonight.

4:27

And it's regardless of changes in leadership.

4:29

It's important that we follow through with the commitments that we make to our uh to our personnel and acknowledge the service that reflects the values of this department and this community.

4:41

On March 25th, 2025, firefighters Jacob Wheeler and Steve Wooten provided immediate CPR and EMS to a patient that was in cardiac arrest of this community.

4:50

It's through their rapid action, their training and their calm execution under that pressure that a family was given more time with someone that they love.

5:00

This recognition reflects the importance of readiness training and decisive care in those critical moments.

5:07

Firefighter Wheeler and Firefighter Wooten, we would appreciate you representing this profession in this department with the professionalism and compassion that you have.

5:16

If you would please come forward.

5:50

Okay.

5:51

And this will be our last one for the evening for the fire department.

5:54

On January 30th, 2025, during a uh structure fire that we had here in this community, firefighters Blake Corbett and James Steadman.

6:02

They took to fight decisive action in an immediately dangerous environment while operating to protect life and property.

6:10

In conditions that carried real and very real risk, these actions were taken with courage, discipline, and commitment to the mission of protecting others.

6:21

This recognition acknowledges those actions and the willingness to place service before self when it comes to when lives are at stake.

6:30

Firefighters James Steadman and Blake Corbett, please come forward.

6:51

And I forgot to say, but family, if you'd like to come up and get a picture, I see people you can come up in the middle.

6:57

Feel free to walk up there and take a good picture.

7:10

Thank you.

7:12

Clear as out.

7:14

Again, we do appreciate you for your service and your your commitment to this community.

7:19

And these recognitions serve as reminders of the responsibility we carry and the impact our actions have on the lives of others.

7:27

Please once again join me for congratulating and recognizing these members of our community.

8:09

Some of them were over the course of mostly earned in 2025.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Animal Welfare██████████████████████████████████████38%
Public Engagement███████████████████19%
Public Safety███████████11%
Personnel Matters█████████9%
Zoning Variance███████7%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Procurement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Clarksville Town Council Meeting - February 17, 2026

The town council held a regular meeting followed by a work session. The meeting began with recognitions and awards for fire and police personnel, then proceeded to unanimous approval of the consent agenda and several ordinances. A contentious debate occurred over the purchase of body armor for the police department, which ultimately passed 6-1. The work session focused on revising the animal welfare ordinance in light of issues at a local pet store.

Recognitions and Awards

  • Firefighter of the Year 2025: Sergeant Matt Feight was honored for his professionalism and commitment.
  • Life-saving awards were presented to firefighters Jacob Wheeler and Steve Wooten for CPR/EMS actions on March 25, 2025, and to firefighters Blake Corbett and James Steadman for actions during a structure fire on January 30, 2025.
  • Police awards included Reserve Officer of the Year Bradley Dangler, Police Officer of the Year Austin Johnson (unable to attend, to be presented later), Detective of the Year Tyler Jackson, and a Lifesaver Award to Officer Daniel Carr, who applied a tourniquet at a crash scene on May 11, 2025. The accident victim, Greg McClure, presented the award.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda, including minutes of February 3, 2026 meeting, claims, wastewater items, bonds, grants, payroll, minutes from boards/commissions, and conflict of interest statements, was unanimously approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were signed up for the regular meeting.
  • During the work session, multiple residents spoke about puppy mill issues and the need for stronger animal welfare ordinances. Key speakers included Jeff Cowelly (Jeffersonville), Tara Bassett (Louisville), Lauren Casden (Louisville), and Jen (a local advocate). They described sick puppies purchased from Puppy Gram at Green Tree Mall, high veterinary costs, and difficulties with the three-day vet check requirement. They urged the council to adopt stricter local regulations, possibly with assistance from Humane World (formerly Humane Society).

Discussion Items

  • Annexation (Item 7.1): Ordinance 2026 G06 annexed 1.781 acres at 201-207 Potters Lane for four single-family homes. Approved unanimously after first and second readings.
  • Parking Regulations (Items 7.2 & 7.3): Two ordinances amending general code and zoning code regarding parking of vehicles, RVs, and trailers were presented. Both passed 6-1 (Councilwoman Henderson opposed), with second reading scheduled for the next meeting.
  • Rezoning Cleanup (Item 7.4): Ordinance 2026 Z03 removed 1409 Ryan Lane from a previous rezoning due to notification issues, returning it to business zoning. Passed 7-0.
  • Budget Transfers (Item 7.5): Ordinance 2026 BUD 01 ratified $2,074,175.90 in intra-budget transfers for fiscal year 2025, primarily for a traffic signal ($979,766) and a wastewater pump station ($824,000). Passed unanimously.
  • Temporary Loans (Item 7.6): Authorized $240,000 in short-term loans from the rainy day fund and wastewater operating fund to cover cash flow needs. The clerk-treasurer noted that $220,000 in interest earned in 2025 nearly offset the loans. Passed unanimously.
  • Body Armor Purchase (Item 7.7): A proposal to purchase 70 vests from Angel Armor for $153,930 (split between public safety and drug funds) sparked debate. Councilwoman Henderson argued for tabling to explore a federal grant that could reimburse 50%, but others noted vests expire in April and the grant application opens later. The motion to approve passed 6-1, with Henderson voting no but stating she supports the purchase, not the lack of earlier work session discussion.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
  • Annexation Ordinance (2026 G06): Approved on first and second readings.
  • Parking Ordinance (2026 G07): Approved 6-1, second reading pending.
  • Zoning Code Amendment (2026 Z02): Approved 6-1, second reading pending.
  • Rezoning Cleanup (2026 Z03): Approved 7-0.
  • Budget Transfers (2026 BUD 01): Approved unanimously.
  • Temporary Loans Resolution: Approved unanimously.
  • Body Armor Purchase: Approved 6-1; vests to be ordered from Angel Armor.
  • Work Session on Animal Welfare: Council directed staff (Public Works Director Brad Cummings, Animal Control Officer Ronnie Sharp, and Attorney Chris Sturgeon) to revise the animal welfare ordinance based on discussion. Council expressed interest in incorporating input from Humane World and reviewing the Westfield, Indiana draft ordinance. Topics included requiring a local veterinarian, extending the three-day vet check period, limiting the number of animals for sale, and considering backyard breeder regulations and microchipping requirements.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. Welcome tonight to our February 17th town council meeting. At this time, I'd like everyone to please rise and share our Pledge of Allegiance at this time. One nation, neither God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you all. This evening we have some recognitions and appointments we'd like to cover at the beginning of our meeting. You want fire to go first? Hey, you got it. Brent Wilson coming up with our fire chief. Thank you. I can speak five. Or you can speak to you. In case you want to dance. I definitely can dance. There we go. Yay. Okay, good evening. Thank you guys for uh being here tonight. Uh, we do have a few awards that uh and recognitions that we want to present tonight. Uh the first, which is our firefighter of the year for 2025. And each year we have the opportunity to recognize a member uh of our department whose development professionalism and commitment have contributed to moving this organization forward. Uh and for this year, the firefighter of the year is for Sergeant Matt Feight. Matt, if you would come up here for just a moment, I've got a couple words I'd like to say. Over the past year, Matt has demonstrated significant professional growth and a willingness to invest in both personal development and the success of this department. And beyond assigned duties, he consistently made himself available to participate in departmental programs and initiatives that strengthened our operations training and the service to this community of Clarksville. This recognition reflects the commitment to improvement, the mission of this organization, and a readiness to contribute wherever needed. Matt has always been consistent and he has always been reliable. Sergeant Matt Feight, thank you again for your professionalism, your growth, and your dedication to the advancement of this department. So all right. On top of that, by the way, comes from my group. Without them, none of those projects, none of those extra activities, none of that would have been accomplished. So this isn't just for me, it's for everybody out there. Um lastly, my family for all the uh long hours coming home grumpy, uh always tired. Uh thank you for putting up with me. I really appreciate it. Okay, so uh these next couple of boards uh just bear with me for a moment. Um I do want to take a couple of these moments to recognize a few members of our department for actions that were taken last year. They were uh recommended, these are recognitions and recommendations uh that were made at the time in 2025, but were never formally presented, so that's what we're here to do tonight. And it's regardless of changes in leadership. It's important that we follow through with the commitments that we make to our uh to our personnel and acknowledge the service that reflects the values of this department and this community. On March 25th, 2025, firefighters Jacob Wheeler and Steve Wooten provided immediate CPR and EMS to a patient that was in cardiac arrest of this community. It's through their rapid action, their training and their calm execution under that pressure that a family was given more time with someone that they love. This recognition reflects the importance of readiness training and decisive care in those critical moments. Firefighter Wheeler and Firefighter Wooten, we would appreciate you representing this profession in this department with the professionalism and compassion that you have. If you would please come forward. Okay. And this will be our last one for the evening for the fire department. On January 30th, 2025, during a uh structure fire that we had here in this community, firefighters Blake Corbett and James Steadman. They took to fight decisive action in an immediately dangerous environment while operating to protect life and property. In conditions that carried real and very real risk, these actions were taken with courage, discipline, and commitment to the mission of protecting others.

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