Greencastle City Council December 2024

Table of Contents

• 📢 Public Hearing on Stormwater Rates

• Regular Agenda Items:

• Old Business:

• New Business:

• Stay Involved, Greencastle!

• Here’s the Whole Packet

Hello, Greencastle!

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s on the agenda for tomorrow's City Council meeting, December 12th at 7 PM. As always, your participation matters, and we hope to see you there!

📢 Public Hearing on Stormwater Rates

We voted on and approved the stormwater rates last month. Tomorrow, we’ll hold a public hearing and take a second vote. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, this is your opportunity to share your thoughts! If nothing significant changes, it’s likely to pass on the second reading.

Regular Agenda Items:

• Department Head Reports

• Mayor’s Report

• Clerk-Treasurer’s Report

• Council Reports

• Approval of Minutes

Old Business:

1. Ordinance on Salaries, Wages, and Benefits – Second reading.
   Details are in the packet linked below.

2. Ordinance Authorizing Advance Payments – Second reading to allow city agents to make advance contract payments.

3. Economic Development Contract – A vote on the contract for professional services with the Economic Development Center.

   • Last month, I requested more measurable goals for the contract. I’ve outlined the suggested goals below, and the board’s response is in the meeting packet. While it’s a start, there’s room for more concrete measures. Let’s aim for even stronger goals next year to ensure our investments are effective.

   Here are some of the goals I suggested to the Economic Development Board to get the conversation started. You can see where we ended up in the final packet.

   • By March 2025, fully staff the organization with a minimum of two full-time employees dedicated to economic development activities, as evidenced by consistent reporting on staffing levels and roles provided to council. Additionally, establish a physical presence in Putnam County to address economic development requirements.

   • Launch a minimum of three targeted marketing campaigns by August of 2025, highlighting Greencastle’s assets to prospective businesses, with monthly tracking of outreach and response rates.

   • Identify and support at least five Greencastle businesses with retention or expansion needs by December 2025, documented through quarterly reports detailing specific assistance provided and measurable outcomes achieved.

   • Complete the annual review for all existing tax abatements by December 2025, providing the City Council with a comprehensive report detailing compliance and impact on local industry. Including the measurable economic benefits of abatements. 

   • By December 2025, facilitate the creation of at least 50 new jobs within Greencastle through partnerships with new or expanding businesses, with quarterly job creation reports submitted to the City Council.

   • Establish a tracking system by April 2025 to measure economic inquiries, visits, and commitments generated by marketing initiatives, providing a quarterly report to quantify the impact of outreach efforts.

   • Deliver quarterly performance reports to the City Council on all economic development activities and outcomes achieved, starting in January 2025, to enhance transparency and accountability.

   • Secure at least one major investment (minimum $500,000) in targeted sectors like technology, healthcare, or manufacturing by November 2026, evidenced by signed agreements or commitments.

   • Host two public forums by July 2025 to gather community feedback on economic development priorities and progress, documented through meeting notes and follow-up action plans based on input received.

4. Stormwater User Rates – Final vote following the public hearing.

New Business:

DORA Ordinance (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) – A revised proposal based on feedback from business owners:

• Compromises made:

  • Northern boundaries reduced to address concerns about the area being too expansive.

  • Sunday removed; the revised DORA will operate on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday only.

We hope these changes will gain broader support so we can boost downtown activity and adjust as needed in the future.

Stay Involved, Greencastle!

Your voice is essential to our community. Join us tomorrow and experience city government firsthand. Together, we can shape a better future for Greencastle.

Here’s the Whole Packet

Claims will be added here at a later date: