TIPP CITY — A resolution extending a contact with Swimsafe Pool Management was unanimously approved at Monday’s Tipp City Council meeting.
The resolution, which authorizes City Manager Tim Eggleston to enter into the contract extension with Swimsafe Pool Management, is for the operation, maintenance and management of the Tippecanoe Family Aquatic Center and has been extended through 2024.
Eggleston clarified that although the contract has been extended through 2024, the city can opt out of the contract every April if they choose to, as well as in the event of unforeseen circumstances that would result in the aquatic center closing for extended periods of time, such as a hypothetical spread of the COVID-19 delta variant. If Swimsafe had started work, such as maintenance, they would be paid for the work already done.
“If they start work, we have to pay them for the work that they’ve started. The timing comes from the governor, but if all of a sudden, we get things rolling for May and then in May he goes, ‘we’re shutting stuff down’, yes, we still owe them money, but we’re not going to pay the full contract,” Eggleston said.
The last time the contract was bid out was in 2018; prior to that, Dayton Pool Management handled the maintenance and operation of the aquatic center. According to Financial Director John Green, the city was paying an excess of $300,000 when utilizing Dayton Pool Management; with Swimsafe, the city pays roughly $50,000 less.
Also approved was a resolution authorizing Eggleston to enter into a Community Reinvestment Area Agreement (CRA) with Monroe Federal Savings and Loan Association to grant real property tax exemption for their retail office building at 985 W. Main St.
According to Community Development Director Matt Spring, the abatement is for property taxes on the new facility for Monroe Federal. The $2.7 million project will add seven new jobs in the city over the first five years, and the agreement will provide a 50% tax abatement on property tax for 10 years. Spring said that generally, every investment area in Tipp City has a tax abatement of some sort in place.
The resolution is a direct result of legislation that was approved at a council meeting in early March; the legislation in question established three CRAs in the city and created a community reinvestment housing council and tax incentive review council.
“This is a result of the community reinvestment act that was established here very recently. Some folks have asked me about that, and it’s hard to explain what we’re doing and why we did it that way, but this is a perfect example of us trying to take initiative to encourage business (in Tipp City),” Mayor Joseph Gibson said. “This is something we can be proud of.”
The following items were also approved at Monday’s meeting:
• An ordinance beginning the process for the second 69kV transmission interconnection by authorizing the sale of certain municipal assets with a market value of $10,000 or more by contractual negotiation and requiring Eggleston to obtain an appraisal for the sale of said municipal assets;
• A resolution authorizing Eggleston to enter into a one-year agreement with the Tipp City Exempted Village School District to provide police services at various school locations, functions and events;
• A motion approving the city’s organizational chart;
• A motion setting Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 for beggar’s night in Tipp City; and
• A motion to request or not request a public hearing on the issuance of a new D3 liquor license to Prince Raminrez, LLC (dba Fridas) at 965 W. Main St.
The next Tipp City Council meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
