Council terminates TCS agreement, denies funds for annexation legal fees

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Last Updated on April 6, 2015 by cassnetwork

Tonight, the Logansport City Council unanimously approved terminating agreements with TCS Logansport Energy Group LLC. Mayor Ted Franklin said he expects to issue a joint press release tomorrow with another group of investors regarding the future of Logansport’s electricity.

Much of the council’s discussion during a nearly two-hour meeting focused on funding to hire a grant administrator who would receive a $43,000 annual salary for 860 hours of work per year on a two-year contract. The position would satisfy state requirements for a certified grant administrator for the owner-occupied rehabilitation and blight elimination grants which total approximately $1.3 million, according to Mayor Ted Franklin. Funds would be taken from the non-reverting grant administration fund.

Ordinance 2014-14 called for an additional appropriation of $250,000 for legal representation for annexation to be taken from the CEDIT fund. Upon request, the mayor provided figures for invoices he’s received — $21,580 from Reedy Financial, $12,900 from Randall Miller and Associates and nearly $200,000 for services from Barnes and Thornburg since January. Franklin said there will be more bills to come. The council voted 4-3 against the appropriation. Councilman Bob Bishop suggested it should be taken from this year’s $300,000 line item for contractual services.

The council approved a $13,700 CEDIT appropriation for repairs to the west end of the Penman Building by contractor Steve Yoder. The city recently took over the building, which was gifted to the Logansport Parks Department, and  currently plans to provide rent-free incubator office space. Franklin said two different prospects need some space, including Waste2Fuel, who he said will have representatives from China and the UK here later this month, and whose patent owner, from Australia, will visit in May.

Approval was also given to a $30,000 CEDIT appropriation for repairs along Fourth Street, which community development director Chris Armstrong said will serve as match money for a DNR grant for a portion of the trail between High Street and Melbourne Avenue on Fourth Street.

Also approved on first reading was the first of three scheduled increases in water and sewer rates for LMU customers

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