Council weighs whether to scrutinize police or fire

Richmond Common Council members must decide whether the city’s police or fire department will be put under a microscope first.

Those two public safety departments and the parks department — three large annual budgets — were identified for efficiency studies performed by Baker Tilly, the city’s municipal consultant. Ordinances for the parks study and the fire study were brought before council July 20 for second reading. 

Council members considered the necessity for third-party examinations of departmental functions and whether fire or police should be the initial public safety department scrutinized. Council approved 6-3 appropriating $45,000 from food and beverage tax revenues for the parks study to commence; however, it held the ordinance to appropriate $62,000 from the local income tax fund to decide between the police and fire departments.

Efficiency studies fall within the scope of Baker Tilly’s services, but they are not included in the city’s annual contract with the Indianapolis consultants. Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, said a third party provides an unbiased perspective analyzing departmental strengths and weaknesses, and it would return important information when the city during 2028 must consider enacting new local income taxes.

“The timing for these studies is actually very good, because it allows us to get the data that we need so that as we begin to have those deliberations and talk about the revenue that is required in order to operate the city and to operate efficiently, we have that data that we can use to make those decisions,” Fields said. 

Council member Jerry Purcell said that when serving as fire chief he analyzed his department’s needs without paying a third party.

“To me department heads should be able to do this,” he said.

Council President Justin Burkhardt said the city needs to be “better outfitted for the future” but the $107,000 “is a lot of money at a time when money is very tight.”

Council member Gary Turner said third-party studies are routine in business and, in the city’s case, much-needed. Council member Bill Engle said the studies are the “intelligent way of approaching this thing” to take appropriate actions for the city’s future.

Council member Larry Parker added: “I hate to spend this kind of money on an outside study just as much as anybody else would, although I know it’s very difficult to critique yourself and to find out what you’re doing bad when it’s easy to find out what you’re doing good.” 

Bob Coddington was the only resident to speak during the ordinances’ public hearings. He opposed spending the money in general and was against spending food and beverage tax revenue rather than the parks budget.

“We’re not a Fortune 500 company,” he said. “To have outside people come in and tell you what you need to do is shirking your responsibilities.”

Doug Goss, Parker, Turner, Engle, Anne Taylor and Jane Bumbalough voted in favor of appropriating the parks study money, while Lucinda Wright, Purcell and Burkhardt opposed.

With the second ordinance, council has discretion to switch the contracted study from fire to police. Wright, with agreement from Taylor, prioritized the police department.

“I think that’s important for our community,” Wright said. “Why wouldn’t we do that, because the safety of the community and of the residents. We talk about quality of life. We want to make sure that they are equipped to do their jobs to protect and serve.” 

City Attorney A.J. Sickmann suggested council hold that ordinance and refer it back to finance committee, which had recommended approval of both studies. He thought further discussion could deliver a consensus about which department to initially study. Council voted 9-0 to follow his suggestions.

Following that vote, Wright said she agreed with Coddington’s earlier comment.

“We all need to do our jobs, what we were elected to do,” she said. “I’m sorry, I sit up here (on) this city council, and I don’t feel that we are giving the people who elected us to this office our best. I don’t. I do not.”

Wright said she’s watched and listened to discord among council members and is embarrassed for people to know she’s on council. She said council must work together to better the community.

“Elected officials, stay your behinds off of Facebook, stay your behinds off of Facebook,” Wright said. “Act like adults and stop acting like children. Children don’t act this bad. I’m sick and tired of it. I’ve had it up to here with the unprofessionalism that I see from this city council.”

Website upgrades

Richmond’s website will receive upgrades to meet federal accessibility requirements.

Planeteria Media of Santa Rosa, California, was selected from 14 proposals and three finalists to redesign the website so it’s accessible to as many people as possible, in compliance with federal law. Features will include the ability to alter contrast, colors, type sizes and fonts. The $57,400 cost will come from the local income tax fund.

Council approved the appropriation ordinance 8-1. Jerry Purcell voted against the ordinance, saying the appropriation should have been included in the 2026 budget.

Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, said chose not to put an arbitrary cost into the budget, but to request the additional appropriation instead.

Annexation

Council heard a resolution containing a fiscal plan and an annexation ordinance for 7.34 acres at 2243 U.S. 35 that will contain a Speedway gas station and 7-Eleven convenience store.

The developer voluntarily applied for annexation, which provides the city with revenue. Bruce Wissel, chair of the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission, suggested the annexation when the commission considered a zoning change for the gas station/convenience store. Baker Tilly constructed the financial analysis and concluded that providing services to the lot would not cost the city. The developer also has agreed to install a traffic light at its entrance, which is across from the entrance to Love’s Travel Stop.

The resolution was referred to council’s finance committee, and the ordinance was referred to the plan commission for a public hearing at its 5:30 p.m. Aug. 26 meeting.

Fire honor

Purcell introduced Robert A. Burke, whom he called a role model and mentor when he was the city’s fire chief. In addition to his fire service, Burke is an instructor and author.

Megan Thiele, executive director of the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association, presented Burke, who was in town visiting Purcell, with a letter of recognition, citing his 50 years of distinguished service shaping the knowledge and practice of local firefighters.

Other actions

• Council unanimously approved the city applying for a $100,000 Indiana Department of Transportation grant for runway repairs at Richmond Municipal Airport. The city’s $33,000 match will come from the Redevelopment Commission.
• Council approved a resolution appropriating $11,271 for Richmond Fire Department to contract with TargetSolutions Learning of Tampa, Florida, to provide online testing for RFD members.