WASHINGTON — Greg Jones, executive director of the Southern Indiana Development Commission, and Tim Martin, senior project manager for Myszak & Palmer, updated the Washington City Council on current projects during the council’s regular meeting Monday night.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Project on the city’s west side is designed to clean up blighted properties and build energy-efficient, affordable housing in its place, Martin told them. He described the 20 homes, and he and Jones explained the funding and marketing processes for the project. Money from the sale of the new homes will go back into the fund to build more, they said, adding that similar projects in other places have had tremendous success.

“We have more on line and more sold than any other community,” said Andrew Myszak, on-site coordinator for the project.

Mayor Joe Wellman asked if the city is responsible for the streets in the development, which will include rental units and a community center when completed. Martin replied that currently the streets are still property of the developer, but the issue will be up for discussion when the development is finished.

Wellman also questioned Martin about the use of the former Tokheim property for the NSP, but Martin said there are issues with that property that would take too long to resolve. The NSP grant has a time limit during which it must be completed. However, it might be possible in the future to secure another grant to do something with the former Tokheim building.

Jones also explained an owner-occupied housing grant the city has to rehabilitate 27 homes for elderly and low- to moderate-income families. He said work on 14 houses belonging to elderly homeowners will be bid out in March and work should begin in mid-July.

The other 13 homes are in a target neighborhood bordered by Flora, N.E. Second, Fourth/Fifth streets and Business 50, he said, and belong to households with an average income level between $10,000 and $20,000. Jones said the homes will be inspected and priorities set for installation of energy-saving efficiencies such as new windows, heating units and roofing.

Wellman said he’d like to get more local contractors involved in the city’s grant projects. Jones said companies are often put off by the paperwork but, he pointed out, if a local company has the winning bid they’re working right in town without some of the expenses of traveling to another location for work. In addition, they’d be able to bid on other grant projects administered by SIDC in surrounding areas.

A total of $406,640.27 in encumbrances were approved as follows: $244,162.59 in the General Fund; $104,195.17 in the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund; $4,545 in the Cumulative Park Fund; $16,485.22 in the Park Fund; $12,002.29 in the Transit Fund; and $25,250.00 in the CCI Fund. The encumbrances are monies for work contracted in 2011, to be paid in 2012.

The Board of Public Works & Safety discussed a letter from former mayor Larry Haag, requesting to purchase 18 framed photos that hung in his office for $25. Invoices show the cost of the photos to the city to have been around $715. The photos were reportedly of ribbon cuttings, events and views of the city, but there’s no inventory, and Haag took the photos with him when he left.

“I think that sets a bad precedence,” said board member Eric Bassler. “I’d entertain a motion for something north of $25.”

Ultimately, the board voted to request that Haag pay the $715 the photos cost or return them to the city.

Conflict of interest

The mayor reported he’ll file a conflict of interest form because he retired from German American Bank, and the city does business with the bank. He urged city council members with potential conflicts to do the same.

City departments

Wellman thanked several city department heads for the work their departments have been doing, especially the water department, as they were out in bitter cold weather Friday repairing a water main break.

Board of Public Works and Safety

The Board of Public Works and Safety approved a contract with the Indiana Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes to School sidewalk to Griffith Elementary School; a change in dispatcher Sarah Williams’ position from part time to full time; a change in Rex Davis’ position from waste water employee to animal control employee; and a contract with Michael Williams, CPA, to do the utility department’s audit report after the State Board of Accounts completes their audit.