Town Councilor Dianna Bastin nearly broke into tears as she made comments on an ordinance for second reading at the Ellettsville Town Council’s Aug. 21 meeting that bans people from keeping certain animals within the town limits. All council members were present, except for Council President Scott Oldham.
Animals banned under the ordinance include: exotic animals – wild animals and those belonging to a species, not including those specifically listed as domestic livestock, that is not native to the United States; and domestic livestock except in areas zoned agricultural such as buffalo, oxen, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, goats, pot-bellied pigs, fowl, pigeons and doves.
“I really wanted to find a way before the last meeting for this person to keep this animal that they were so bonded with,” Bastin said. “It’s one thing to be bonded to an animal and another thing that is tragic to use that to bother other people. I’m saddened that is the outcome.”
The ordinance passed 4-0.
Ellettsville Clerk-Treasurer Sandra Hash will publish notice of what the Ellettsville Town Council has changed regarding the keeping of animals. Violators will have 30 days to comply.
The council also approved, 3-1, the allocation of $90,000 to the Ellettsville Fire Department after a recommendation from the Monroe County Income Tax Council subcommittee. The funds will be generated by the public safety local option income tax to the Ellettsville Fire Department, which is able to request funding because it serves Richland Township.
Council member Scott Thomas voted against. Council member Brian Mobley voted yes, but reiterated that he is not in support of the tax itself.
Ellettsville Fire Department Chief Mike Cornman said Richland Township will likely reduce its contract with the town by $100,000 next year, making the money from the public safety tax more important than previously thought.
“For this next year, this is extremely important,” Cornman said. “If not, more than likely, reduction in staff would happen. Also, the station on Curry Pike would more than likely not be fully operational, if not closed completely.”
“I know when you asked for this money, it was going to go toward personnel and equipment to help Ellettsville,” Mobley said.
“That is correct,” Cornman answered.
“So we’re losing that money?” Mobley asked.
“Left pocket to the right pocket,” Cornman said.
The public safety local option income tax will have to pass again after a ruling from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance and the Indiana Department of Revenue found it invalid. The council discussed it coming back for first reading at its Sept. 12 meeting.
The council also considered implementing a fee for public records access to police videos recorded with dash or body cameras.
Town Attorney Darla Brown suggested that the town charge the maximum allowable fee of $150 to help offset costs the police department would incur storing and making legally required adjustments to the videos. However, council members were concerned about the fee and asked Brown to do more research on what other municipalities are doing.
One agenda item – the appointment of an alternative Ellettsville Plan Commission member – had to be tabled in the absence of Oldham, who is the appointing authority for the town. The item was placed on the agenda in response to a tie vote that recently occurred at a plan commission meeting in regards to the Centennial Park development when commission member Dan Calvert recused himself. The alternate would only be present to cast a vote on the Centennial Park issue.
The next meeting of the Ellettsville Town Council will be held at the Ellettsville Fire Department in the conference and training room, 6:30 p.m., on Sept. 12.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2016. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.