Jasper Council approves $150,000 to begin planning downtown redevelopment

The Jasper Common Council approved $150,000 for a developer to plan the downtown redevelopment project.

The Jasper Redevelopment Commission began the process of redeveloping the courthouse square and a block in each direction leading from the square as part of the recommendations from the Jasper Downtown + Riverfront Master Plan. The redevelopment commission created a request for proposal that was submitted to several firms last month.

According to John Bell, who serves as president of the redevelopment commission, a volunteer selection committee whittled a dozen responses received down to two firms to complete the planning for the redevelopment.

Members of that selection committee included City Engineer Chad Hurm, Director of Community Development Darla Blazey, City Attorney Renee Kabrick, Mayor Terry Seitz, City Councilman Earl Schmitt, Chocolate Bliss owner Ann Knies, Rachel Siebert of Sieberts, Economic Development Commission president and redevelopment commission board member Andy Seger, and Bell.

Bell and Seger both appeared before the Jasper City Council meeting Wednesday night to request the $150,000 to fund phase one of the downtown project.

Both firms submitted quotes of about $150,000 to complete the first phase of the project which includes schematic drawings, boundaries, topographic survey, merchant and town hall meetings to seek input on the design, utility assessment, preliminary design, final schematic design, soil assessment and finally, detailed estimate of the total cost of the project.

Bell explained phase one would take four to six months to complete and hoped to begin the design process right after the first of the year.

Seger said they had planned on beginning construction after Strassenfest in 2016. However, with the last few months of the year being the most important to the downtown merchants, Seger stated construction on the project would probably be put off until January of 2017.

Bell stated construction on the project could be in the $4 million range.

The council approved unanimously allocating funds to the project not to exceed $150,000.00, but the transfer of funds cannot be done until a public notice is given.

Bell and the council agreed to meet in a joint session on December 11 at 8 a.m. to facilitate making the announcement on the developer and complete the funding allocation. The state of Indiana mandates all appropriations be accomplished by December 16, 2015.

Mayor Seitz reported to the council that they have a Redevelopment/Economic Development line item of 2015 funds of around $350,000 to $450,000 not currently allocated that could be used for the appropriation.

Bell commented this morning that he was very grateful that Siebert and Knies had hand-delivered invitations to the merchants around the square and the affected area to attend the council meeting Wednesday. In all, 13 business owners showed up in support of the project moving forward.

Also in the meeting Wednesday night the council:

—Passed an ordinance amending the manner in which parking ticket fines are charged and collected in Jasper. The current policy requires the police department to send out a second notice to the violator who can be difficult to complete due to problems locating the violator. The recommendation is to make the parking ordinance language to allow for 21 days to pay the $10.00 violation fee, and then after 21 days a $30.00 fine would be imposed, until the parking ticket is filed in court with a $50.00 court fee plus costs. There would be no changes in the fees, just in the procedures. The ordinance was passed and will take place on January 1, 2015.

—The council also passed an additional appropriation of $10,000 to the already appropriated $400,000 to assist the Jasper Lofts 2 project. The additional money would raise the score of the project and put it in a much better position of being approved for the federal tax credits to fund the project.