Are the articles and news reports true that another sports/outdoors outfitter is going into the old marsh on east side and will be selling firearms? Are there not limitations on this commerce type in the city? If there isn’t, why aren’t legislators working on this. Yes we are in Indiana, but there are also ways to legislate at a local municipality level. Citizens would like to see progress on these major issues.
Some comments ahead of budget approval: Are staff members being considered throughout this budget cycle? This question comes up frequently from the employee perspective, but it does not seem to be at the forefront of council, the administration, or even HR’s agenda. Staff are continually told how valuable their benefits are while being grossly overworked and underpaid, often carrying the duties of multiple positions because this organization cannot keep a full staff employed. Employees and citizen onlookers watch this dance every year as the mayoral and department head staff continue to get inflated wages while the vast majority of workers are severely underpaid with high expectations of their output. Yet promises are made during the approval of each budget for things that will benefit staff, however staff never reap the benefits. The staff health clinic has yet to have even a proposed plan discussed to internal staff but was promised last year, a compensation study was to commence yet the results have not been provided internally to staff and the amount allocated is laughable seeing as there are still LARGE wage gaps between the work performed at the same pay grade level accross roles within the organization let alone just in individual departments (pay data is public after all), the bonuses were delayed in getting released to staff via paychecks let alone the other health benefit reimbursements that are constantly delayed in processing, and alleged “progressive” benefits such as paid parental leave (in which the city is just behind in offering such a benefit) are still currently a “trial” so no one employee can actually calculate the value of the “benefits” because they don’t exist or do not apply to them (i.e. the bike cash out program that the majority of staff members cannot even use due to location of where they live, yet this is the topic of concern?). It seems that the organization is constantly asking how can we get people to stay in their roles, when the answers are right in front of them every year - skills based hiring, retention pay incentives, and adequate market/competitive pay. Our municipal counterpart in the County and federal roles work less hours (often closing at 4pm), have more paid holidays, have remote and hybrid work options without repercussions, retention incentives, higher pay rates, larger bonus incentives, and continue to float higher cost of living adjustments than the City. When did it become the case that City civil servants should bare the brunt of public backlash and demand, yet make so little that they cannot afford to live in the city they work for? It is very concerning to watch on every year as the average worker in this organization falls off of the organization’s top priority list. After all, how are citizens’ needs and demands going to be met if there are no people running the city each day? It’s really sad to see that the only individual throughout this process so far to discuss the employees’ treatment is the Clerk. This organization should be doing better than this, and set the same priorities for employees with the newly incoming administration. Someone truly needs to address the large pay gaps, the systemic staffing issues, etc. because it has yet to be accomplished.
I let you know indiana 45 sign need fix sign almost fell on ground
Disheartened to see council members intentionally amend resolution to raise the base pay of the clerk. This goes against the whole idea of modernizing this archaic system and keeping up with the economy.
Tickets in uReport assigned to new mayors office contact (Nicholas) need reassigned and addressed in a timely manner. Reports are being left not responded to.
Indiana 45 signs need fix it on was at Curry Pike and Bloomfield Road
A mattress and some other stuff are blocking half the sidewalk
turning east onto THornton from Maxwell is not safe for cyclists. Lots of potholes and loose sand and gravel in the right lane on Thornton. All of South Maxwell has a lot of very rough pavement also.
On N. Oolitic near 11th St there is a deep cut in the road where I assume utility work was done but the cut is dangerous as it will destroy a car. There is no sign to alert a car that it is there, and it needs to be filled in or a metal sheet needs to be placed over it until the complete repair can be done. I thought my tires were going to blow out yesterday when I drove over it and I drove very slowly over it because I was aware already that it was there. Please stop ignoring the road conditions around here (Lindbergh and Oolitic between 11th and 17th) and please fix them asap.
5th Street between Jefferson and Union streets is beyond the repair of simply fixing pot holes. Some of the damage on the street is due to property owners fixing their sewer lines and then not repaving the street. The location is on 5th street south of the house.