Banner Graphic, Volume 22, Number 108, Greencastle, Putnam County, 9 January 1992 — Page 1

BannerGeaiibic

City taking act on the road to comply with law

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Editor Football fans may be looking forward to Jan. 26 as Super Bowl Sunday but Greencastle city officials aren’t so sure super is the operative adjective for that date. For on Jan. 26, the Americans With Disabilities Act will take effect as federal law. And it’s local officials who will be forced to punt And it’s no political football; there appears to be no option. The new law requires public meetings to be scheduled at a handicappedaccessible location. WITH ITS LONG, narrow stairway, City Hall, of course, is no such site. And the Tuesday and Wednesday night meetings of Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals and Board of Park Commissioners, respectively, marked two of a handful of 1992 meetings that will be booked on site. As of Jan. 26, having public meetings at City Hall would put the city in danger of litigation for violation of the federal act. Mayor Mike Harmless informed the Zoning Board as it pondered where to schedule its February meeting. “This is something every local government is dealing with right now. We need to make every effort to comply,’’ Harmless said of the federal law which somehow exempts federal buildings from compliance. CITY OFFICIALS, Harmless said, will have to begin conducting

Ticket issue spawns Fillmore petition

By JOE THOMAS Banner-Graphic Assistant Editor FILLMORE ticket fixing is such a common practice that is it almost considered an unofficial perk of being in public office. But in Fillmore, such alleged activity has led to a cry to throw out the town board president Town board members Charles Smith, Tonny Cox Jr. and Lloyd Bumgardner were presented Wednesday night with a petition signed

Reservations needed for Chamber’s annual dinner meeting Jan. 23

Jim Mooney, executive director of the Hendricks County Economic Development Partnership, will be the guest speaker when the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce conducts its annual Membership Dinner Meeting Thursday, Jan. 23. THE DINNER meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the ballroom of the DePauw University Union Building. It is open to all Chamber members and their guests. Cost of the dinner is sl6 per person. Reservations are necessary and can be made by contacting the Chamber of Commerce office (653-4517) or returning

Annie was wrong

Cloudy and cold overnight with flurries possible. Low overnight in the middle 20s. Continued mostly cloudy and cold cm Friday with high in the middle 30s. Westerly wind around 15 mph during the period. Indiana Extended Forecast Saturday through Monday. Dry Saturday, followed by a chance of rain Sunday and a chance of rain or rain mixed with snow On Monday. Daily highs will range from around 40 degrees Saturday, the middle 40s

a self-evaluation of facilities, services, programs, policies and procedures before Jan. 26. That evaluation must be completed within one year. The mayor reminded Park Board members Wednesday night that they are building a handicappedaccessible pool, but their regular meetings are not in a handicappedaccessible building at present. That could pose a problem if it continues, Harmless noted. During its public hearings on the pool project, however, the Park Board did hold its meetings at the Greencastle Middle School, which is handicapped-accessible, and GTE, which technically is not. IN ADDITION TO the Zoning Board and Board of Park Commissioners, public meetings held at City Hall include those of the City Council, Board of Public Works and Safety, City Plan Commission, Clean City Committee, 2,000 by 2000 Tree Committee, Citizens Advisory Commission for Industrial Development (CACFID), Greencastle Economic Development Commission and the Channel 19 Cable TV Advisory Board. The latter, however, has recently been convening at the DePauw University Center few Contemporary Media. Obviously, rescheduling those sessions outside City Hall is going to be a datebock nightmare. For example, the Jan. 27 City Plan Commission meeting is withCol. 2, back page, this section

by 77 residents calling for the resignation of board president Smith and urging Prosecutor Bob Lowe to file charges against him. MEANWHILE, the exact location of the speeding ticket that precipitated the outcry from residents has not been determined. “I’ll tell you people one thing,” Smith said emphatically near the end of the meeting, “I have no intention of resigning. None whatsoever.”

invitation cards to P.O. Box 389, Greencastle, by Jan. 16. In addition to remarks by Mooney whose group contributed to and stands to benefit from Indianapolis’ acquisition of the United Airlines maintenance hub the annual meeting will include comments from outgoing Chamber President Gary Druckemiller and incoming President Dana Moses. ALSO, THE 1991 Putnam County Citizen of the Year Award will be presented during the evening. Because of the annual meeting, no Chamber luncheon will be held during January.

Sunday to the upper 30s on Monday. Lows will range from the 20s Saturday morning, the 30s Sunday morning, to around 30 Monday morning. Abby AS Calendar AS Classifieds AB,A9 Comics A 4 Crossword A 9 Heloise AS Horoscope A 9 Obituaries AlO People A 4 Sports A6,A7 Theaters AlO

i. I ll> .I' AI 'lm g- ,■ „•< _____ _ X ' lIT YITr •* " I jßilillls ihk «

The main entry to City Hall looks like a mountainous climb as mayoral secretary Jodi Veiplaetse descends the stairway to run an errand Wednesday. Beginning Jan. 26, City Hall will be off-limits to public meetings because of its inaccessibility in accordance

The petition was presented by Scott Kennedy, who said copies of it would be forwarded to Lowe, to State Rep. Susan Crosby and to Attorney General Linley Pearson. Kennedy also said the petition would be forwarded to the state prosecutor, however, there is no such office in Indiana. JOHN ZEINER, THE town board’s attorney, took a copy of the petition and said he would study it and make a report to the board at its

it * > i j 41®, i i urf/ $ *

Overseeing the function of town government in Roachdale are newly elected members of the Roachdale Town Council (from left) ClerkTreasurer Peggy Plunkett, Debra Sillery, Steve Jones and Wayne Allee. Plunkett was re-elected

Busy night for town council

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer ROACHDALE Taking care of business Wednesday night, the newly elected Roachdale Town Council straightened out a typing snafu, retained the town utility operator until a new one can be certified, and heard a report from two Putnam County Council members on a proposed income tax. TOWN COUNCIL members Wayne Allee, Steve Jones and Debbie Sillery unanimously approved an additional appropriation that was not really additional. Cleik-Treasurer Peggy Plunkett explained that when she typed up a legal advertisement for a hearing date last summer on the 1992 town budget, she mistyped the date as Aug. 16 rather than the correct date

with the Americans With Disabilities Act. City officials will be moving all public meetings off site for a year and must make City Hall totally han-dicapped-accessible by Jan. 26, 1995. (Banner-Graphic photo by Gary Goodman).

February meeting. The bruhaha began when Freida Plasters, Coatesville, was reportedly cited by Fillmore Marshal Ernie Newby for running 55 mph in a 35-mph zone on Oct. 17, 1991. Plasters is Smith’s niece and word got out that Smith allegedly took the ticket from Newby and reportedly tore it up. Usually, all such tickets are forwarded directly to the prosecutor’s Col. 1, back page, this section

to another term in office, while Sillery and Allee are new to the council. Jones, who had been appointed to fill a previous vacancy, was elected to office for his first full term in November. (Ban-ner-Graphic photo by Lisa Meyer).

of Aug. 19. During a hearing on the budget with the State Board of Tax Commissioners, she was told that the budget should be readvertised to give anyone who was misinformed by the earlier advertisement an opportunity to comment on the budget THE WORDING in the legal advertisement for Wednesday’s meeting stated that it was an “extraordinary emergency” and may have unduly scared some people, Plunkett said. The town’s budget for 1992 is set at $128,445 in the general fund, $20,520 in the motor vehicle highway fund, $3,760 in the local road and street fund, and $5,000 in the cumulative capital improvement fund.

—..Jfill site gets attention of county planners

By ANGIE HOWLAND Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Still reeling from word that a second landfill is planned for Putnam County, county plan commission members discussed Wednesday evening what, if any, action to take to deal with the situation. County officials learned last week that Heritage Environmental Services Inc., Indianapolis, has made a preliminary permit application to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the construction of a sanitary landfill in Russell Township. THE NEW LANDFILL, if approved by IDEM, is designed to house “special waste” that is now being deposited in HES’s existing 23-acre hazardous waste landfill near Russellville. The existing landfill houses treated oily wastes, spent sludges, wastewater treatment hydroxide sludges and other materials. HES President Dr. Kenneth Price told the Banner Graphic last week that about 50 percent of the hazardous waste deposited in the existing facility, is considered nonhazardous and could be placed in a “special waste landfill.” HIS FIRM PLANS to put the new facility on about 87 acres of property northwest of their current facility located just off State Road 236. HES reportedly made application to IDEM on Nov. 8 but county officials did not learn of the request until Jan 6, through a copy of a letter to HES from IDEM. And because of that indirect notification, Plan Commission members voiced their displeasure by not being told directly by HES. “THE WAY THEY did it was rude but they haven’t broken the law,” Plan Commission attorney Robert Lowe explained to the members. Currently, applying to IDEM for the landfill permit is the only approval that HES needs since there is no county zoning in place. If the county had been zoned, and the land being suggested for the new landfill zoned anything but industrial, HES would have been re-

Once receiving the council’s approval, a tax rate for the budget will be set by the state. The town council also voted to retain the operator of its water plant and wastewater treatment plant until a new operator can be certified. JIM SPEAR, FORMER town council member, has served as the operator for 12 years. However, Greg Poole is in the process of getting his license to do the job. Council member Jones pointed out that until Poole is certified, the town needs someone who is certified to do the job. Spear said that for a monthly fee of $125, he will continue to help at the facilities and inspect the plants one a week. Spear pointed out that it is a state requirement to have a Col. 2, back page, this section

quired to appear before the Plan Commission for a variance. “They should’ve notified the Plan Commission, the commissioners, the West Central Solid Waste District but they didn’t,” plan commission member and county commissioner Gene Beck said. PRICE TOLD the BannerGraphic last week, he wishes he had discussed the matter with the county officers but “forgot” County Environmental Sanitarian James Gaston explained that the county has always had a positive relationship with HES but is concerned that the county could lose money on the new landfill. Currently, HES pays about 25 percent of a tipping fee for the hazardous material dumped in the existing landfill as required by law. Last year, the county earned about $250,000. In total, the county has about $829,062 accumulated in the hazardous waste fund. That money may only be used for items specified by law. THE POTENTIAL for the new landfill could see the county lose about 50 percent of incoming money if the special waste is deposited into a new landfill, Gaston said. The other 50 percent of the hazardous material will continue to be put in the existing facility. In addition, Gaston said that county employees will be doing double work on the new landfill by monitoring and lab testing. “The No.' 1 priority in my job is to protect groundwater and we can’t afford to take a hit and lose money on this,” Gaston told Plan Commission members. THE SANITARIAN said that in talking with Dr. Price last week after the notification, the HES president said an agreement could be worked out so that the county would not lose any money. But Plan Commission members Jerry Masten, Tim Yingst, Dan Hutcheson, Gene Beck, Kenny Ames, David Penturf, Alice Cantonwine, Dick Young and Larry Jones discussed the viability of enforcing a moratorium originally apCol. 2, back page, this section

Brazil men charged in motel heist Armed robbery and theft charges have been filed in Putnam Circuit Court against two Brazil youths who allegedly robbed the Cloverdale Days Inn twice last fall. Jason Brink, 18, was waived into adult court Thursday morning to face two Class B felony charges of armed robbery and aiding armed robbery, and two class D felony charges of theft and aiding theft IDENTICAL charges also have been filed against 20-year-old Albert M. Richardson 111. Indiana State Police DeL Dick Rice told the Banner-Graphic Wednesday that the duo committed armed robberies of the Cloverdale Days Inn on Sept. 21 and OcL 2. They switched rolls in each of the robberies with one being the gunman and the other being driver of the getaway vehicle, the detective said. THE PAIR ALSO face charges in Hendricks County for a later robbery of the Plainfield Days Inn. And, they face charges in Clay County for various crimes, including burglary, theft, conspiracy to commit theft and criminal recklessness with a weapon. Brink and Richardson have been in police custody since last October when they were arrested at a residence on the Clay-Putnam county line while reportedly firing stolen rifles on the property of Beau Yakel. Yakel was also arrested at that time on charges on conspiracy to commit burglary and receiving stolen property. PARKE AND VIGO county authorities are also investigating the youths for crimes there.