TERRE HAUTE —
The Terre Haute City Council Thursday night discussed possible new rules for designating “memorial ways” in the community.
In November, the council passed a measure designating 30 “memorial ways” in the city in honor of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. However, as that decision was being hammered out, some members of the council called for clearer criteria for designating memorial ways.
Councilman Neil Garrison, D-5th, led the council in a special “committee of the whole” meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, just prior to the council’s 6 p.m. “sunshine” meeting. Garrison presented some ideas for new rules, including a ban on all future designations of streets as memorial ways and encouraging the use of existing alternatives, such as the downtown “Walk of Fame” to honor individuals.
Other members of the council cautioned against a total ban but stated that clearer criteria would be welcome.
In the past six years, the Terre Haute City Council has designated nearly 40 roadways as “memorial ways,” Garrison said. In addition to the 30 emergency responders, those memorial ways have also recognized politicians, veterans and athletes.
No final decisions were made at the special meeting.
• In the council’s “sunshine” meeting, which began at 6 p.m. in City Hall, the council heard a request from Hulman & Co. to “vacate” the alley between Eighth and Ninth streets north of Wabash Avenue but south of Cherry Street.
Hulman & Co., which owns all of the property around the alley, believed it had already been “vacated” – effectively making it Hulman and Co. property – in the past, said Rick Shagley, a Terre Haute attorney representing the business. Only recently when looking at paperwork associated with the property did the company realize the alley remained city property, Shagley said.
Councilman Todd Nation, D-4th, cautioned against vacating the alley, stating that promoting traffic flow is especially important downtown. Failing to vacate the alley could harm the prospects for future development on that block, Shagley said.
• The council also heard a proposal to establish a fee of $30 for anyone recovering a vehicle that had been towed as part of a Terre Haute Police Department investigation or arrest. The fee would not apply to vehicles towed and impounded after accidents, said John Plasse, chief of the THPD. Ninty percent of the money raised from the fees would be used for the police continuing education fund and 10 percent would be used to help fund the Emergency Responder Training Academy, he said.
The council could vote on any of these matters Thursday at its February regular meeting.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
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Council discusses ideas for memorial ways
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