OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Indianapolis City-County Council Meeting - October 6, 2025

City-County Council — Monday, October 6, 2025
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionCity-County Council
DateMonday, October 6, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:34

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good evening, everyone.

0:02

Let us begin our meeting with a prayer and pledge of allegiance led by Councillor Allie Brown.

0:12

Before I call up Pastor Lindsay, I want to take a moment of personal privilege to talk to my colleagues and our neighbors.

0:19

October is breast cancer awareness month.

0:21

And this year it's deeply personal for me.

0:24

My mom, Joyce, was diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer.

0:27

She'll complete her radiation treatments this Friday.

0:30

Watching her walk this journey has been humbling and inspiring.

0:33

Because of her diagnosis, and because I turned 40 this year, I scheduled my first mammogram and my BRACA genetic test.

0:40

Early detection and prevention are the best tools we have.

0:43

When breast cancer is caught early, the five year survival rate is nearly 99%.

0:48

But if that if that if it is diagnosed late, that survival rate can fall to 30% or less.

0:54

The difference is why screening matters so much.

0:56

Here in Marion County, our breast cancer rate is higher than much of the state.

1:00

Yet too many women still put off mammograms, and too many families face this disease without enough support.

1:06

Today, more than four million people in the United States are breast cancer survivors.

1:10

Each one a reminder that early detection, strong treatment, and community care truly can save lives.

1:16

A mammogram can save a life.

1:18

A word of encouragement, a ride to treatment, or simply showing up for someone can remind them that they do not fight alone.

1:24

Survivorship is not just about getting through treatment, it's about rebuilding lives.

1:28

That requires us as a community to walk alongside our neighbors.

1:32

Long after that last radiation or chemotherapy session ends.

1:36

As a council and as a city, let us stand united against breast cancer with awareness, with action, and with compassion.

1:42

So now I would like to ask Pastor Lindsay to lead us in prayer tonight.

1:47

Thank you, President.

1:48

Heavenly Father, your word tells us that we're to give supplications and prayers, intercessions, and thanks for everyone, for rulers and for all that are in authority.

1:57

You tell us this is the path to a quiet and peaceable life.

2:01

So I pray for their work.

2:02

I pray for their staff, their families.

2:04

I pray for wisdom, for health and safety, for balance in their lives, for the courage and for strength.

2:10

Tonight is the culmination of many months of hard work.

2:13

I thank you, Lord, for each of the agencies, the departments.

2:17

They've strived their best to steward limited resources.

2:20

So I ask that you give them wisdom as they serve this great city.

2:23

For tonight, I pray for our counselors.

2:25

This essential task, I pray there'll be an example to our community.

2:29

Cooperation when possible, compromise when necessary, always done in civility and courtesy.

2:34

So thank you for grace and thank you for your abundant blessings.

2:37

In the name of Jesus, I pray.

2:39

Amen.

2:42

I would ask you to keep standing as we do the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:46

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

2:54

One nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

3:01

Thank you.

3:11

Thank you.

3:12

Counselors, please select your green button to indicate your attendance.

3:33

There are 25 counselors present.

3:37

We have no guests this evening.

3:40

So proceed to the next item on our agenda, which is official communications.

3:46

Madam Clerk.

3:48

Thank you, Mr.

3:49

President.

3:50

Ladies and gentlemen, we are hereby notified that regular meetings of the City County Council, police, fire, and solid waste collection special service district councils will be held in the City County Building in the public assembly room on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 7 o'clock PM.

4:09

The purposes of such meetings being to conduct any and all business that may come that may properly come before regular meetings of the council.

4:18

Sincerely, Bob Osely, President City County Council.

4:22

Ladies and gentlemen, pursuant to the laws of the state of Indiana, I call to be published in the Indianapolis Star on the home page of the council's website on Friday, September 26th, a copy of a notice of public hearing on proposal number 273, 2025, said hearing to be held on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 7 o'clock PM in the public assembly room of the City County Building.

4:51

Ladies and gentlemen, I have approved with my signature and delivered this day to the clerk of the City County Council, Yolanda Winfield, the following ordinances.

5:00

Special special ordinance numbers 12 and 13, 2025.

5:05

Joseph H.

5:06

Hawksett Mayor.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Fiscal Sustainability████████████████████20%
Budget██████████████14%
Homelessness██████████10%
Public Safety████████8%
Energy Efficiency██████6%
Airport Operations███3%
Public Transit███3%
Illegal Dumping██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Indianapolis City-County Council Meeting - October 6, 2025

The Indianapolis City-County Council met on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Public Assembly Room of the City-County Building. The meeting included the regular order of business, with the primary focus on adopting the 2026 city-county budget and related fiscal ordinances. The council also approved a $20 million supplemental appropriation for homelessness initiatives and pedestrian safety, a local income tax modification, and a resolution opposing AES Indiana's rate increase, among other items.

Consent Calendar

  • Proposals 323–327, 2025 (rezoning ordinances certified for approval by the Metropolitan Development Commission on September 22, 2025) were passed into law without objection.
  • Proposal 328, 2025 (rezoning ordinance certified for approval on October 3, 2025) was also passed into law.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Monero Brantley, age 10, spoke in support of Proposal 273, noting that a 2025 count showed 1,815 people in Indianapolis experiencing homelessness and stating that every person deserves a safe place to stay.
  • Harmony Street, age 15, a participant of Girl Talk Inc. on Power Her Academy, spoke in support of Proposal 273, highlighting the definition of chronic homelessness and the need for supportive services.
  • Dominique Carris, founder of KBDB Inc., a re-entry sober living home, spoke in support of Proposal 273, expressing concern that a grant for housing sex offenders had run out of funding, potentially leading to eight individuals returning to the streets.
  • Yvette Markey, founder of In Touch Outreach Resource Center, a recovery community organization, spoke in support of Proposal 273, stating she works daily with unsheltered individuals and families in Marion County.

Discussion Items

  • Proposal 273, 2025 – Additional Appropriation for Homelessness Initiatives and Infrastructure: Councilor Mascari moved the proposal, which passed out of the Administration and Finance Committee 9-0. Councilors Gibson, A. Brown, and Barth expressed support, emphasizing the importance of funding the Streets to Home Initiative and pedestrian safety. Councilor A. Brown noted that this year was the deadliest year on record for cyclists and that the Vision Zero task force had missed deadlines. Councilor Barth commended Councilor Nielsen for leadership on the issue. The President abstained due to his employer's involvement.
  • Proposal 275, 2025 – Local Income Tax Rate Modification: Councilor Mascari moved the proposal, which passed out of committee 9-0. The proposal modifies the local income tax rate and allocation of the expenditure rate. No public comments were made. Passed 22-3.
  • Proposal 306, 2025 – Rezoning Withdrawal: Councilor Hart noted that the rezoning case (2025-CZN-814) was withdrawn by the Metropolitan Development Commission on October 1, 2025, eliminating the need for a public hearing. The council acknowledged the withdrawal by consent.
  • Proposal 239, 2025 – Fee and Penalty Changes for BNS: Councilor Lewis moved the proposal, which passed out of committee 8-1. Councilor A. Brown supported the increases but argued that illegal dumping fees should be higher. Councilor A. Brown noted that the director can waive fees for nonprofits creating affordable housing. Councilor Hart expressed concern that raising permitting costs could increase housing costs and called for better service from the city. Passed 23-2.
  • Proposal 259, 2025 – 2026 Annual Budget: Reports from six committees were received. Councilor Hart moved an amendment to transfer $2 million from the Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) to the Department of Public Works for urban forest preservation. Extensive debate followed. Councilor A. Brown supported the amendment but opposed taking from elevation grants, noting that 80% of public comments had urged funding for urban forest preservation. Councilor Boots opposed, arguing it was the wrong time and would damage trust with the administration. Councilor Evans stated that $4 million was already available for forest acquisition. Councilor Robinson noted that since 2022, $40 million had been invested in elevation grants, reaching 194 organizations and 70,000 residents, and that criminal homicides had decreased 50% since 2021. Councilor Hart countered that aggravated assaults were up to over 7,000 per year with low clearance rates. The amendment failed 7-17-1. Councilor A. Brown then moved to divide the question into nine parts, which was approved. Each part was voted on separately, with various abstentions based on conflicts of interest. After the division, the balance of the budget (Question 9) was adopted 17-8. Several councilors spoke for and against the final budget, with Councilor Nielsen emphasizing the challenges of SB1 and the need for engagement, while Councilor A. Brown, Hart, Carnino, Day, Bain, and Cahill voted no, citing insufficient funding for infrastructure, public safety, and lack of transparency.
  • Proposal 282, 2025 – Indianapolis Airport Authority Budget: Adopted 22-0-3 (abstentions: President, Robinson, Delaney).
  • Proposal 283, 2025 – Capital Improvement Board Budget: Adopted 21-1-3.
  • Proposal 284, 2025 – Health and Hospital Corporation Budget: Adopted 23-1-1.
  • Proposal 285, 2025 – IndyGo Budget: Adopted 16-5-4.
  • Proposal 286, 2025 – Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Budget: Adopted 23-2. Councilor A. Brown voted no, citing concerns about bonus allocation and budget mismanagement.
  • Proposal 287, 2025 – Resolution Opposing AES Indiana Rate Increase: Councilor Mascari moved the resolution, which passed out of committee 9-0. Councilor Hart, the lead sponsor, urged support, noting that AES's rate increase would burden ratepayers. Councilor A. Brown added that AES had reported that 49% of its customers had received disconnection notices and that AES was considering selling to BlackRock. He also called for exploring the city purchasing AES as a cooperative. Councilor Boots supported, calling utilities a basic human need. Passed 25-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Proposal 273 passed 24-0-1 (President abstained).
  • Proposal 275 passed 22-3.
  • Proposal 239 passed 23-2.
  • Proposal 259 (2026 budget) passed 17-8 after a failed amendment and division of the question.
  • Proposal 282 (Airport) passed 22-0-3.
  • Proposal 283 (CIB) passed 21-1-3.
  • Proposal 284 (Health & Hospital) passed 23-1-1.
  • Proposal 285 (IndyGo) passed 16-5-4.
  • Proposal 286 (Library) passed 23-2.
  • Proposal 287 (AES resolution) passed 25-0.
  • Police Special Service District budget (Prop 256) passed 25-0.
  • Fire Special Service District budget (Prop 257) passed 25-0.
  • Solid Waste Special Service District budget (Prop 258) passed 25-0.
  • The council authorized the general counsel, CFO, and chief administrative officer to correct technical errors in the budget ordinances.
  • The meeting adjourned with a motion honoring the memories of Sandy Games, Florence M. Caine, Obi O'Kequi, BC Patel, Ernest Embry, Charles James Kirk, and Peggy and Hetty X Penn.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. Let us begin our meeting with a prayer and pledge of allegiance led by Councillor Allie Brown. Before I call up Pastor Lindsay, I want to take a moment of personal privilege to talk to my colleagues and our neighbors. October is breast cancer awareness month. And this year it's deeply personal for me. My mom, Joyce, was diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer. She'll complete her radiation treatments this Friday. Watching her walk this journey has been humbling and inspiring. Because of her diagnosis, and because I turned 40 this year, I scheduled my first mammogram and my BRACA genetic test. Early detection and prevention are the best tools we have. When breast cancer is caught early, the five year survival rate is nearly 99%. But if that if that if it is diagnosed late, that survival rate can fall to 30% or less. The difference is why screening matters so much. Here in Marion County, our breast cancer rate is higher than much of the state. Yet too many women still put off mammograms, and too many families face this disease without enough support. Today, more than four million people in the United States are breast cancer survivors. Each one a reminder that early detection, strong treatment, and community care truly can save lives. A mammogram can save a life. A word of encouragement, a ride to treatment, or simply showing up for someone can remind them that they do not fight alone. Survivorship is not just about getting through treatment, it's about rebuilding lives. That requires us as a community to walk alongside our neighbors. Long after that last radiation or chemotherapy session ends. As a council and as a city, let us stand united against breast cancer with awareness, with action, and with compassion. So now I would like to ask Pastor Lindsay to lead us in prayer tonight. Thank you, President. Heavenly Father, your word tells us that we're to give supplications and prayers, intercessions, and thanks for everyone, for rulers and for all that are in authority. You tell us this is the path to a quiet and peaceable life. So I pray for their work. I pray for their staff, their families. I pray for wisdom, for health and safety, for balance in their lives, for the courage and for strength. Tonight is the culmination of many months of hard work. I thank you, Lord, for each of the agencies, the departments. They've strived their best to steward limited resources. So I ask that you give them wisdom as they serve this great city. For tonight, I pray for our counselors. This essential task, I pray there'll be an example to our community. Cooperation when possible, compromise when necessary, always done in civility and courtesy. So thank you for grace and thank you for your abundant blessings. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. I would ask you to keep standing as we do the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you. Counselors, please select your green button to indicate your attendance. There are 25 counselors present. We have no guests this evening. So proceed to the next item on our agenda, which is official communications. Madam Clerk.

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