By Ken de la Bastide
The Kokomo Common Council passed a resolution authorizing the administration of Mayor Greg Goodnight to purchase land for construction of a new fire station.
The resolution to purchase the land at the northeast corner of Center and Cartwright roads was approved unanimously Monday.
Councilman Mike Karickhoff, R-at large, said the two appraisals for the property came in at $170,000 and $175,000.
“We are acquiring the property for substantially less than the appraisals,” he said.
City controller Jim Brannon said the land is being purchased for $110,000 with funds from the Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund. He said $210,000 has been appropriated for the design of the new station.
Brannon said the city has $750,000 in the fund.
During a discussion on the second reading of an ordinance to appropriate $2,635,536 in Economic Development Income Tax revenues, spokesmen for Kokomo Firefighters Local 396 and the Fraternal Order of Police voiced support for the city’s efforts to annex 6,800 acres to the east and west of the current city limits.
It was the first time either organization had thrown its support behind the proposal.
“Our union supports annexation,” Rich Daily, president of Firefighters Local 396, told council members. “It’s a way for the city to grow.”
The police officers union representative said annexation could be good for the city and bring services to areas outside the Kokomo city limits.
Councilman Bob Cameron said he supported everything in the EDIT funding request – but not the $100,000 for legal fees for the annexation battle.
Councilman Ralph Baer, R-6th District, said the legal fees made up a small portion of the administration’s funding request.
“You can spin a no vote anyway you want,” Baer said, “but it is still a no vote.”
Councilman Kevin Summers, R-at large, said he is opposed to the annexation and that there are no current legal bills due. He said he supported the remainder of the voting requests.
Brannon said the city anticipates more legal bills and it has no choice but to defend the annexation lawsuits.
Summers said the three council members opposed to annexation attempted to have the legal fees voted on as a separate measure.
“That’s a trick bag,” he said. “Piggyback the fees onto the ordinance like in Washington and Indianapolis. We’re not opposed to the rest of it.”
Brannon said the $2.6 million is for economic development projects in 2010 and there is still $1.1 million not appropriated in EDIT funds.
As on the first reading of the ordinance, Cameron, Summers and Councilwoman Cindy Saunders, R-5th District, voted against passage. The ordinance will be considered for final passage Feb. 22.
The funding request includes the final bond payment on Kokomo Beach, $687,537 for the new fire station, $300,000 for the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance and $400,000 for other economic development incentive programs.
• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at 765-454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@ kokomotribune.com
