At its Dec. 19 meeting, Noblesville Common Council approved an amendment to the downtown development fund, 9-0. The fund is sourced from the trash fee, which was implemented midway through 2016.
Nothing changed from the downtown development fund’s presentation at the council’s last meeting except for some minor language changes in one of the whereas clauses in the ordinance.
“In that whereas clause, it lays out the process by which the Downtown District Committee considers and recommends projects from the fund,” City Controller Jeff Spalding said. “It previously said the recommendation was to the mayor, and the new language says the recommendation is to go to the mayor and full council.”
The downtown development fund will accrue $500,000 from the trash fee each year. The $500,000 does not need to all be spent, as it can roll over each year. Any project using the fund with monies more than $25,000 must be presented to and approved by the common council.
Megan Wiles, council president and chair of the Downtown District Committee, said a portion of the fund this year was used to hire a consultant to better develop the downtown streetscape. Other projects this year include downtown streetlight replacements, minor sidewalk repairs and a design fee for Seminary Park improvements.
Through paying the trash fee, which was before covered by property taxes, Wiles said residents will see a return on the fee with downtown improvements.
“(The trash fee) is something that we can use on other things, and it guarantees half a million dollars on downtown enhancements,” Wiles said.
The trash fee approved in 2016 was $10.57 per residence beginning June 1, 2016. The bill slightly increased with the first wastewater bill in July 2017, and will continue a slight increase through July 2018 and 2019 to cover the increase in the city’s contract with Republic Services. The increase was to $10.69 in 2017, will be $10.82 in 2018 and $10.94 in 2019.
For more, visit cityofnoblesville.org.
