[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6320785,"mediaKeyId","2354842-bb34def16ef54d433a685ad972118224","parentId",2354842,"title","Council hears extended criticism of fire department management; EMS reporting and waivers restored","audioSeconds",659,"startMs",1557000,"endMs",2216000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2354842-bb34def16ef54d433a685ad972118224&start=1557&end=2216","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2354842-bb34def16ef54d433a685ad972118224/thumbnail_1557000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6320785/Indiana/Council-hears-extended-criticism-of-fire-department-management-EMS-reporting-and-waivers-restored","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320785-7cf5bed74792a6d8734acd1a8da7ef00/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151456&Signature=dqXRLKG~3vHpqb-QZubQbbg~82ziGP49cXt7ekN5gngFLyC8F4AKVuh8yBPKSkqMf9WrLYyTbYXDXuFVR7UUJyzqizVe3RHYKGm95X~ZimHmQrfwl8fI0UkC9bfl82DplxHp0yLzoPYHrAa6H2fgnC-k5hMPXW9UWjq8ZHnrSKtGBGWvY1J8u071kEhrpJ2baCxypUDV0NwJhmQ8Fpmhn3hy4SwflnO1NIvPRp6OQKirxJg3VhhVEZfSoGboH7QqND1o9qBe9sPCsPKQpC56JqpAqBzLbB98X7hC4YQjfO-8hd0VIZID3YjR0ejRdyvoad3mWmGUkZMO7HsTCVZSOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Mooresville IN","date","2025-02-20T08:32:08.93Z","article","The Mooresville Town Council devoted substantial discussion on Feb. 18 to complaints about management and morale in the Mooresville Fire Department, including a disciplinary case that was resolved by settlement and broader concerns raised by council members about leadership and outside reviews.

During department-head reports, a fire-department official told the council that a disciplinary investigation had been assigned to a senior officer and that the resulting disciplinary action was appealed. The council was advised by legal counsel to remain an impartial safety board during appeal proceedings; legal counsel told the council that any officer appealing discipline is entitled by law to an impartial hearing, and that the council should not conduct its own investigation or solicit testimony while the appeal process was under way.

Council discussion became sharply critical of the department’s management, with at least one council member characterizing the chief’s actions as “gross negligence” and saying the department’s morale was “as low as it can possibly get.” Council members cited previous problems they said included bid processes, information-technology work and the cost of hiring outside attorneys and consultants to assist the department.

Council members referenced a $5,000 engagement of an outside firm to provide department-wide leadership work and problem solving. At the meeting a speaker described that training as “Lead from the Bottom Up” (the firm and program name were discussed in the meeting record); council members said the outside reviewer interviewed personnel across the department.

The council also heard a staff report on the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) division. Staff said the town discovered, after a software change in July of the prior year, that automatic submission of EMS reports to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had not been enabled. Staff told the council the issue has since been fixed and DHS confirmed the town’s reports are being received. Staff also said the town’s EMS waiver had expired in January but that the waiver status has since been resolved. The department reported two conditional hires who have progressed through initial steps and are expected to start in March, dependent on final testing results.

Public comment at the meeting included calls for the town to disclose reports obtained from outside consultants and for more transparency on the disciplinary investigation. A council member asked for the outside firm’s report and for follow-up information; staff agreed to look into providing relevant materials consistent with legal guidance and personnel confidentiality rules.

Nut graf: The Feb. 18 council meeting mixed procedural municipal business with an extended debate over fire-department conduct, discipline and morale. Town staff told the council that EMS reporting and waiver issues have been corrected, while council members pressed for more information and criticized management decisions.

Ending: Legal counsel told the safety board the disciplinary appeal process is concluded; the council said it will receive prepared materials and legal advice before taking any further public action on personnel matters. The council scheduled a public hearing on the fire territory and set its next regular meeting for March 4.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council 2.18.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and public commenters raised sustained concerns about discipline, morale and outside reviews in the Mooresville Fire Department; staff reported the department’s EMS reporting and waiver issues to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security have been resolved and that training and an outside review had been conducted.","taxTitle","Mooresville Town, Morgan County, Indiana","taxId",70776,"location","Indiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6320789,"Mooresville council approves Sunco, Wallace bids, moves forward on tax-abatement steps and routine payments",197,145000,342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2354842-bb34def16ef54d433a685ad972118224&start=145&end=342","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2354842-bb34def16ef54d433a685ad972118224/thumbnail_145000.jpg","/articles/6320789/Indiana/Mooresville-council-approves-Sunco-Wallace-bids-moves-forward-on-tax-abatement-steps-and-routine-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320789-46e51092eca723ca5b60862d6d1fd873/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151455&Signature=WQl04Dz2egr3RejtYNsZPjhaB1N-MeBSsqv4WCCB5xkIPr~APPjn7DiExIsGYg46OJrRweogCX4GxYjCEPBOjVQKGIWCwesegU5vS9HEn~ipscMXmTbC4EBYgkVsNWTrDj8NHWBDo3fS1aeQRvBezY7y1B~SQUpHnODy1nU6jT1DOOyZM3JOs50--1~jzqRruA-vqPa8T395Ey3j04euko0m9xhLq9~m4QcIg4wuTQqVb5c2VW9XqwlUU2ofr7qDHXj3aJ-nEzSrTsigXUvqDa~jLeFhECjlbXtiRDha~d11Xqo0wFkTf~n2xaYYuFi7GKgjLyaLZHW-4NbyLTKHSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mooresville Town Council on Feb. 18 accepted low construction bids for two town projects, moved ahead with declaratory steps on a tax abatement for Lot 8 in Innovation Park 67 and approved routine claims and payroll.

The council voted to accept Sunco's bid as the low bidder for work at 9 West Main Street. Council members said the project will use shared grant money; the grant portion is $110,000 and council materials list the additional $160,935 as the responsibility of the project representative, identified in the meeting as Steve Harris. The council also authorized the town manager (referred to at the meeting as Tom) to sign the contract once terms are finalized.

Separately, the council awarded the Community Crossings matching grant contract to Wallace Construction. Meeting documents show bids ranged from $766,707 at the high end down to Wallace Construction's $543,844.57 low bid. Council members said the town's 25% match will be drawn from the Motor Vehicle Highway (MVH) restricted fund, which staff described as an acceptable use for the match.

Council members also voted to proceed with a declaratory resolution for Lot 8 in Innovation Park 67, the first step in the town’s local tax-abatement process should the council later confirm the abatement in a subsequent action. Council materials say any final confirmatory resolution will be prepared by legal counsel and placed on a future agenda.

The council reviewed two statements of benefits from Sun Polymer — one for real property and one for personal property — and instructed staff to prepare declaratory resolutions. Staff noted a typographical error in documents distributed in the meeting packet: the manufacturing equipment investment on one form was corrected to $1,770,000. The council approved motions to move the declaratory paperwork forward to legal counsel.

On compliance matters, the council found Creative Foam Corporation in substantial compliance on both the real-property and personal-property statements tied to earlier resolutions (identified in the packet as Resolution 1-20-21 and Resolution 2-20-21) despite differences between estimated and actual employment and investment. Staff said Creative Foam's actual employment (22) is below the packet's estimated employment (70), but state guidance allows finding a company in substantial compliance when industry conditions outside the company's control affected performance. The council voted to find the company in substantial compliance on both items.

The council reappointed three executive redevelopment commission members (Ryan Taylor, Brian Culp and Greg Sweeney) and reappointed the executive nonvoting member from the schools (Dr. Jake Allen). The council also appointed Jared Overton and reappointed Aaron Pipkin to the redevelopment commission's remaining voting seats.

On infrastructure, council authorized staff to solicit separate quotes for sewer inlining in the Marleywood and Crestwood subdivisions and for separate manhole rehab work; the council asked staff to present quotes so the town can track work done to satisfy an Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) inflow-and-infiltration commitment.

Finally, the council approved payment of claims in the amount of $657,631.93 and approved payroll clearing of $223,397.37.

Votes at a glance

- Accept Sunco low bid for 9 West Main Street and authorize contract signature by town manager once finalized — outcome: approved; tally recorded in meeting as 5–0.
- Award Community Crossings matching-grant contract to Wallace Construction ($543,844.57 low bid) — outcome: approved; tally recorded as 5–0. Town 25% match funded from MVH restricted fund.
- Table cemetery mowing bids for further review — outcome: motion to table approved; tally recorded as 5–0.
- Proceed with declaratory resolution for Lot 8, Innovation Park 67 (first step toward tax abatement) — outcome: approved; tally recorded as 5–0.
- Instruct legal counsel to prepare declaratory resolutions for Sun Polymer (real and personal property statements) after staff corrections — outcome: approved; tally recorded as 5–0.
- Find Creative Foam Corporation in substantial compliance for Resolution 1-20-21 (real property) and Resolution 2-20-21 (personal property) — outcomes: both approved; tallies recorded as 5–0.
- Appoint Jared Overton and reappoint Aaron Pipkin to the Redevelopment Commission — outcomes: both approved; tallies recorded as 5–0.
- Authorize staff (Brian) to seek quotes for sewer inlining and manhole rehabilitation (Marleywood, Crestwood, other manholes) — outcome: approved; tally recorded as 5–0.
- Approve payment of claims $657,631.93 and payroll clearing $223,397.37 — outcomes: both approved; tallies recorded as 5–0.

Nut graf: The council’s Feb. 18 business meeting focused on awarding construction contracts that will move two capital projects into contracting, advancing tax-abatement paperwork that could affect future investment in Innovation Park 67 and approving a mix of compliance findings, appointments and routine payments; most motions passed unanimously.

Ending: The council set a public hearing for the fire territory (noted in the meeting as occurring soon) and scheduled its next regular meeting for March 4. The town manager and legal counsel will prepare the formal declaratory resolutions and contracts the council approved in principle.
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Council hears extended criticism of fire department management; EMS reporting and waivers restored

Mooresville council approves Sunco, Wallace bids, moves forward on tax-abatement steps and routine payments