Leesburg Council Invites INDOT Rep. To Discuss Issues With Traffic On Ind. 15
Leesburg Council Invites INDOT Rep. To Discuss Issues With Traffic On Ind. 15
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Leesburg Council Invites INDOT Rep. To Discuss Issues With Traffic On Ind. 15LEESBURG – Council President Tom Moore is sending a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation to invite them to the Leesburg Town Council’s November meeting.
At Monday’s meeting, Moore said he invited INDOT’s Traffic Control Commission to send a representative to “talk about the traffic issues on State Road 15 and how it affects the citizens and businesses here in Leesburg.”
Moore said the conversation will “probably be lengthy” and will be after the town’s other business items have been addressed.
“I’m sure the two of you also hear complaints from people in town, whether it’s folks at Maple Leaf or folks at the school,” Moore said to councilman Doug Jones and Christina Archer. He said the biggest problem is when people are trying to turn left onto Ind. 15 from the town.
Archer said, “I think the fact that when they did their traffic count the last time, they only set up a counter thing across the street at Prairie Street and it did not count cars that were going on Van Buren or any of the other possible ways to get out on 15, and as we all know, people will try different routes.”
Moore said anyone who lives in town “will not use Prairie Street” to get out on 15 as it’s the worst intersection.
Jones said the terrain there also has changed. “Given the change in the banking, change in our convenience store, our Family Dollar. We have a convenience store that has a different arrangemment now. So the whole thing is changed, considerably more congested than the last time they did the study. So I would think that they might come up with a different answer this time.”
Moore said he hoped INDOT would accept the invitation for the November meeting.
Earlier in the meeting, the council decided that four people who haven’t moved their discarded or wrecked vehicles in town for an extended period of time will be fined $10 a day per vehicle starting Oct. 20.
After 45 days, if the vehicles are still there, the town will tow them and charge the owners a fine and towing fee.
Street Commissioner Craig Charlton said four residents were sent ordinance infraction notification letters explaining the violation. The letters were issued Wednesday. He told the council he was looking for some direction on what to do next about the vehicles.
“The ordinance says if nothing is done within 15 consecutive days, if they’re not moved, the penalties can start. How do you want to deal with this?” Charlton asked.
Moore said, “If it’s 15 days, then it’s 15 days.”
Jones said the issue with the four individuals has been ongoing. Charlton said he has photos and is documenting the circumstances.
“Everyone in this room knows we’ve been more than accommodating,” Moore said.
Charlton asked if the town should give the owners another 15 days before it starts assessing the fine.
“These people have already received multiple notifications. This has been ongoing. There’s no new names on this list, right? These are the same ones we’ve been dealing with month after month after month for the last year?” Jones asked.
Charlton said yes and that they have been given numerous warnings on the issue.
Charlton said the town could start fining them no less than $10 a day per vehicle and no more than $300 per vehicle per day.
Moore said the town has to go through the fining process, and Jones said they should start fining the owners Oct. 20. “And then they have 45 days from the beginning of the fines before we can move the vehicles,” Jones said.
After more discussion, the council voted unanimously to fine the owners $10 per day per vehicle beginning on Oct. 20.
In other business, the council:
• Approved trick-or-treat for Halloween will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
• Approved the 2019 budget.
• Approved Jesus Velazquez’s request to reduce the sewer bill at the Mexican restaurant on the north side of town while it’s closed. It’s already been closed for a couple of months and Velazquez said another man is looking to purchase it and remodel it.
The bill reduction was approved and will continue to be billed at the lower rate of $73 until it’s reopened. Once it’s reopened, the town will raise the sewer rate back up based on how many people the restaurant seats.
• Approved for the Candelaria to be from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at the old firehouse building.
