No Impass With CRC Transition

No Impasse with CRC Transition

Last week both Mayors Ballard and Brainard were out of town attending the US Conference of Mayors in Washington, representing the concerns of cities in Indiana.. I suspect that may have lead to miscommunications between the Clerk and the Mayors office that resulted in the Current in Carmel’s article that an impasse had developed between the Clerk Treasure and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission.   http://currentincarmel.com/city-and-crc-at-an-impasse

I had heard second hand before I left the 4CDC that the CRC had been making plans for the transition to be a department of the city per the councils new ordinance. There had been several emails between the Mayor and the Clerk treasure discussing this. 

Knowing how things can get distorted in the press and how easy it is to get misquoted, I will share the following about the CRC’s transition.

The CRC has always been a department of the city. An ordinance was passed back in the early 90’s.  To avoid using general funds from the city in the past, the CRC has funded its expenses through self generated non TIF funds.

There is no reason that the CRC files need to be kept in the clerk’s office or at city hall. The utility and street departments have remote offices where their files are kept. That is also true with the fire and police departments. Why the clerk treasure would order the files to be moved doesn’t make sense.

As to the clerk’s claim that there had been no communications with the CRC, Jim Higgins the former treasure indicated he had been in daily contact with the clerks office about the transition.  Steve Engleking from the mayors office had a number of meetings with the Deputy Clerk to work out details for the approval process of claims and the transition.

The only thing that hasn’t happened is a salary ordinance by the council authorizing the clerk to make payroll for the CRC.. Councilor Snyder at the last council meeting suggested the CRC payroll continue as in the past until the new ordinance was approved.

The only changes are #1 the CRC will have to have council approval for future borrowing. Note that Council President Sharp approved borrowing that circumvented the council while he served on the CRC.

Number #2, the clerks office will once again pay all bills and payroll.  With the Performing Arts Center completed this should not over whelm that office.

Number #3 like all the city departments the City Council will be including the CRC’s budget into the yearly city budget process.

Other than the 3 items mentioned above, the CRC reports to the Mayor and will operate basically the same as it has in the past.  It will  continue a number of projects that have become models for cities near and far.

As Governor Daniels stated about a year ago, “Carmel is a city that every knowledgeable Hoosier should be proud of.