Trees, Splash Parks, and the budget all part of the Huntingburg Common Council meeting

Huntingburg–The Huntingburg Common Council met last night for their regularly scheduled meeting. With budget talks and city employee pay raises behind them it was a fairly uneventful meeting.

First on the agenda was the city budget public hearing. The budget was gone over extensively this year in budget hearings that occurred on August 24 and 25. Clerk Treasurer Thomas Dipple explained the proposed tax rate of $1.0808 per $100 would more than likely be reduced to under a dollar in the final budget.

During the budget hearing Mayor Marvin Belcher asked the council to appropriate $140,000 for the Huntingburg Splash Park. Christine Prior spoke to the council expressing she didn’t feel the city should spend the money on a splash park in the current economic climate. Prior explained that the money could go to better use than a park that may only be used three months out of the year.

The mayor and Janet Kemp explained that this was part of comprehensive county park plan and according to a survey through Region 15 over 78% of the county residents were in favor of splash parks. The Mayor further stated that the splash park would more than likely be used for a longer duration of the year than the pool because of the low maintenance and lack of manpower necessary for the splash park.

The next step is for Park Superintendent Jim Rueger to submit plans and determine the best site for the splash park.

The money was unanimously appropriated by the committee.

The one issue that may have turned contentious went fairly smoothly as the City searches for a way to deal with issues caused by the iconic blooming trees that line Fourth Street.

Last week, Carla Pershing, owner of the Antique Emporium on Fourth Street, contacted the City in regards to a tripping hazard in front of her store. The roots of the tree planted there have raised the bedding around the tree and bricks on the sidewalk have been raised as well making the sidewalk uneven. Pershing states she has seen several individuals trip on the sidewalk from these conditions.

The City reacted quickly in response to Pershing’s problem; the next day a pair of city workers repaired the sidewalk around the tree planter and grating

Additionally Pershing is concerned with the berries that fall from the tree each autumn. According to Pershing the berries fall from the tree over a period of several weeks. They stain customer’s vehicles and over time, as folks visiting Fourth Street step on and smash the berries that lay on the sidewalk, they become a slick mess.

Bob Ahlemeier of Old School Café explained that the berries are a huge inconvenience for his customers and cause problems inside his store. “The berries are slick and they stick to customer’s shoes. When they come into my restaurant they grind them into my carpet.”

Ahlemeier further explained the only way to clean them off of the sidewalk is with a scraper.

A large Cleveland Pear tree stands in front of The Overtime on Fourth Street and it has damaged the windows to the building with its branches. Mayor Marvin Belcher announced at the meeting the tree in front of the Overtime would be removed to prevent further damage. He also stated a committee would be formed with the Fourth Street merchants and building owners to address the options for fixing the problems associated with the trees.

The mayor presented a few of the attendees with research he had been conducting on ideas for trees along Fourth Street.

Judy Rohleder owns three properties on Fourth Street and she addressed the council about the importance of having trees in a city’s downtown district. Reading from a statement Rohleder stated, “Trees are an essential part of creating a lively and enjoyable pedestrian atmosphere.” She continued by stating that trees encourage visitors to walk along the sidewalks and increase traffic to businesses along tree-lined sidewalks.

Rohleder has been in contact with Tim Day, a Paoli rborist who has volunteered to give a free clinic to Huntingburg City employees on proper trimming and pruning of trees.

The mayor will be approaching businesses on Fourth Street to find volunteers for the committee to address the tree issue. “I’m not trying to be Paul Bunyan and chop all the trees down.”