West Central Reporter

City of Rushville City Council met Aug. 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

1. ROLL CALL & CALL TO ORDER

The Rushville City Council met in the meeting room of the City Hall Building. Upon convening, Mayor Jeff Ervin directed City Clerk, Stacey Briney to call the roll. Upon ROLL CALL, the following answered present: Council Members: Susan Acker, Mike Carey, Terry Dodds, Mike Farniok, Bob Fishel, Bryan Matteson, & Paul Trimble. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. Council Member, Mike Ryan was absent.

Others present included: City Clerk, Stacey Briney; Superintendent of Operations, Drew Ralston; Chief of Police, Rick Wright; and Moe Billingsley of The Rushville Times.

2. OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer was led by Mayor Jeff Ervin.

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Ervin.

4. PUBLIC COMMENTS

There were no Public Comments at this time.

5. CONSENT AGENDA

All items on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council Member so requests, in which event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as the first item after approval of the Consent Agenda.

a) Approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held August 4, 2025

b) Approve the Minutes of the Finance Committee held August 4, 2025

c) Approve “Claims for Council Approval Dated 08/18/25” & Accept Monthly Reports

d) Approve Change Order with Leander Construction for Demolition of Building/Garage at Logan Street

e) Approve $125 Refund to Janet Kays for Virginia Deposit (Consensus of Scripps Park Board)

f) Consider Suspending the Rules of Ordinance No. 1400, Ordinance Amending Ordinance 625 (An Ordinance Providing for the Installation of Motor Vehicular and Pedestrian Control Signs and Providing Penalties for Violation of the Same) – One Way from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on School Days & Do Not Enter from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on School Days

g) Pass & Adopt Ordinance No. 1400, Ordinance Amending Ordinance 625 (An Ordinance Providing for the Installation of Motor Vehicular and Pedestrian Control Signs and Providing Penalties for Violation of the Same) – One Way from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on School Days & Do Not Enter from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on School Days

Dodds MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. Acker SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Acker, Carey, Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, & Trimble; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Ryan.

6. ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA – IF APPLICABLE All items were approved on the Consent Agenda.

7. DISCUSS & CONSIDER 2ND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 1399, ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING A MUNICIPAL GROCERY RETAILER’S OCCUPATION TAX AND A MUNICIPAL GROCERY SERVICE OCCUPATION TAX

Fishel MOVED TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 1399, ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING A MUNICIPAL GROCERY RETAILER’S OCCUPATION TAX AND A MUNICIPAL GROCERY SERVICE OCCUPATION TAX TO THE THIRD (3RD) READING. Farniok SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Carey, Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Trimble, & Acker; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Ryan.

8. DISCUSS & CONSIDER WATER LINE AT SCRIPPS PARK

Parks & Recreation Committee Co-Chairman, Mike Farniok reported there is a water leak somewhere at Scripps Park but no one is sure if it is on the main line or one of the feeders. Farniok said the Scripps Park Board thought about looking into seeing if they can find someone that would be able to find the problem and fix it for under Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000). Mayor Ervin stated he wondered about putting a valve in a couple places to try to find where the leak could be. A discussion followed.

Mayor Ervin noted if the board can get someone to find the leak for under Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000) then go ahead. Council Member, Susan Acker asked if the park had the money for this, and Farniok said they do not but they also cannot afford to continue to pay the high water bills. Superintendent of Operations, Drew Ralston said that the city crew could put in one valve but they just do not have the time to more than that. Mayor Ervin suggested putting a valve between the Virginia and cottages, turn it off, and then see if it is still leaking so that would mean the problem is on the other side of the creek, or visa versa. Farniok stated it might save the park money by the city doing one valve. Ralston recommended putting the valve between the creek and the golf course’s maintenance shed because the line at the Virginia cannot be located. Ralston noted the city would take the vac trailer and try to locate if need be. Ralston said there might be a valve between the Virginia and the cottages but it is old and might not turn. Mayor Ervin directed Ralston to have the city crew put in a valve and try to isolate the leak.

Farniok MOVED TO APPROVE HAVING THE CITY CREW PUT IN A VALVE ON THE LINE TO TRY TO ISOLATE THE LEAK TO ONE AREA, AND THEN MORE ON HIRING SOMEONE IF NEEDED. Matteson SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Trimble, Acker, & Carey; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Ryan.

9. COUNCIL MEMBER & OFFICAL’S REPORTS

Industrial Park Committee Chair, Susan Acker reported Savana Caputo purchased the one-third (1/3) of Lot 10 in the Industrial Park but could not get her bids in low enough to fit her budget so City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler is drawing up the paperwork for the city to buy back that portion of the lot.

Water Committee Chairman, Bryan Matteson reported the area where the city crew stopped with replacing the storm sewer on West LaFayette Street is crumbling area from there so they really need to go ahead and replace the storm sewer all the way to town branch because they cannot hook the new part into anything. Matteson stated the three hundred foot (300’) of pipe will cost Twenty-One Thousand Nine

Hundred Dollars ($21,900), there are three (3) trees that need to be taken down and that will cost Two Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($2,800), and Five Hundred Dollars ($500) to remove the stumps. Mayor Ervin noted this needs to be done and if it is not done this year, it will be next year. Consensus of the council was to go ahead and replace the storm sewer down to town branch.

Cemetery Committee Chairman, Matteson reported Jude Eveland has been working really hard on the signs for the cemetery as his Eagle scout project. Matteson noted he is trying to come up with a plan for fundraising for Eveland.

Council Member, Terry Dodds reported the Night Market was very well attended.

Parks & Recreation Committee Co-Chairman, Mike Farniok reported the Scripps Park Board met last week and discussed, in length, the water problem Farniok stated there will also be a committee meeting Wednesday night to talk about planning a party during Smiles Day weekend, but he does not see where this is feasible right now.

Farniok said there are some concerns with the board on the work that the Little League is wanting to do because no one reported any of it to the park board, so there is some confusion on who is “in charge”. Mayor Ervin informed Farniok that someone from the Little League will be at the next board meeting.

Street Committee Chairman, Bob Fishel reported the city had to spend some money on the dump trucks because the salt is eating away but it might not cost as much as we originally thought.

Fishel stated there was a big crowd at the Night Market Saturday night and when he drove past Central Park early Sunday morning, you could not even tell anything had gone on because the park was so cleaned up. Fishel said the only complaint he heard was that no one is trimming the hedges by the gazebo and there are weeds starting to grow out of them.

10. ADJOURN

Farniok MOVED TO ADJOURN. Dodds SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Trimble, Acker, Carey, & Dodds; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Ryan. THE MEETING STOOD ADJOURNED ACCORDINGLY AT 7:19 P.M.

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