What happened: The Carmel City Council introduced its budget for 2016.
What it means: Workshops were held on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 to discuss the budget for each department in a public forum. The total budget is $125,258,011 with a general fund budget of $83,751,935. The property tax rate would be set at 71.43 cents per $100 of assessed value, an increase from the current rate of 70.07 cents.
What’s next: No member of the public spoke at the public hearing on the budget on Sept. 21 so City Council President Rick Sharp kept the public hearing open, meaning the public can speak on the issue at the next council meeting Oct. 5.
What happened: An ordinance was introduced with new parking restrictions.
What it means: The proposed amendments to parking laws would mean that a “person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to avoid conflict with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic control,” in the numerous places including on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, within an intersection, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, on a crosswalk, on a bridge and many other places designated in the changes to law.
What’s next: Sent to the Utilities, Transportation and Public Safety Committee which meets on Oct. 1.
What happened: The council approved dedicating the Carmel Fire Station No. 45 as “The Douglas Callahan Fire Station”
What it means: Doug Callahan is a Clay Township trustee and former chief of the Carmel Fire Department. He’s been instrumental in getting several fire stations rebuilt or renovated in Carmel, including station 44.
What’s next: The resolution was approved unanimously without debate.
