Monday evening the Washington City Council met for the first time under the constraints of the Center for Disease Control’s social distancing requirements. Only Mayor Rhoads, the Councilmen, and other essential individuals were physically present at the meeting, which was also live-streamed on Washington High School’s WHSH You-Tube channel. The Council members were spaced throughout the Council Chamber to keep the essential 6 feet of separation.
The Council suspended the rules and passed an emergency ordinance giving the Mayor authority to issue certain emergency declarations in regard to the current pandemic, to authorize Hazardous Duty Pay, or stay-at-home pay during the current emergency The ordinance also gives the Clerk-Treasurer the authority to pay the City’s bills without Council and Board of Works approval for a period of 7 to 28 days in case circumstances keep the Council and Board from meeting for an extended period of time. Passage of the ordinance also puts Washington in line with the State of Indiana, and allows the City to draw emergency supplies from the State if necessary.
The Mayor reminded everyone that all city offices are closed to walk-in traffic. Utility bill can be paid at drop boxes at City Hall, or at the drive-up window at at the Utility Office. Bills can also be paid on-line or through the mail.
In other business was the Council passed on second reading of an ordinance approving an additional appropriation allowing the Clerk-Treasurer to pay transfer funds already in the bank to the car dealership to pay for new police vehicles. City Clerk-Treasurer told the Council members that the ordinance was necessary to establish a paper trail for the payments.
The Board of Public Works and Safety met Monday and gave VS Engineering the authority to advertise bids for water and sewer infrastructure for the west section of the Business 50 Project. The Board also accepted the recommendations of Building Commissioner John Casper to accept the bid of Don Gress Construction to demolish all structures on the property at 1705 North Street, and to accept the bid of Hardrock Concrete to do this year’s sidewalk and curb replacement program and other general concrete work for the city. In other business the Board approved a contract with Reedy Financial Group to help develop a plan for capital improvements for the City’s departments.
