City council gives thumbs down to medical center on Prince William
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Although everyone at the Monday night Delphi City Council meeting agreed, in concept, that a comprehensive medical center would be good for the community, they likewise agreed it would be wrong to allow it to be located at the intersection of Prince William Rd. and Summit St. To show residents their wishes were heard, the city council voted to take a position of opposition to the North Central Health Services' development plan.

Mayor Lee Hoard said he encouraged NCHS to build on a site east of the Water Tower Place housing development on the Crooked Road to Flora/Delphi rather than on the Prince William Rd. site.

He said the matter was slated for presententation to either Carroll County Area Plan or Board of Zoning Appeals to request a special exception at their Oct. 24 meeting. He said BZA decisions do not come back to the council for approval, but an APC decision would.

North St. resident Bill Schooler said a group from the neighborhood polled residents on both sides of Washington St. in the vicinity of the planned development. He said 80 percent of those polled live on the east side of the street. Schooler said 100 percent of all polled said they did not want a medical facility in their residential neighborhood.

Schooler distributed a list of eight reasons residents verbalized for opposition to the plan.

Sam Deiwert requested council take a position based on the sentiment of those in the audience about the matter before it was presented to the BZA.

"I think it's pretty clear those in the audience think it's a bad idea," Hoard said.

Randy Strasser said he was surprised to recently learn the project was already two years in the making. He said he did not understand how it could have developed to this stage without the council being made aware of it.

Hoard said when he advised NCHS to locate elsewhere, CEO John Walling told him the complex was good for Delphi. Hoard said Walling indicated that if construction at the preferred site was going to face opposition, NCHS would probably leave the area.

"I'm with these folks here (in the audience)," Hoard said. "If they see it as not a good thing, the council will see it as not a good thing."

John Hampton moved to take a position of opposition to the NCHS planned development. William Miller provided the second and the motion was unanimously passed.

Hoard said he would compose a letter to Walling about the council decision.

Trick or Treat night

The official trick or treat night will be Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Other business

The 2008 elected salary ordinance was passed on second reading. Third reading will be during the Nov. 5 city council meeting.

Police Department

Delphi police issued 38 warnings, served four warrants and made eight felony arrests in September which was more than the same month last year or last month.

Eleven misdemeanor arrests and one skateboard violation were cited in chief Ed Chapman's report. Eight information reports and six felony reports were received. Fourteen accidents were investigated.

Delphi Airport

Airport manager Brian Stirm announced that fuel sales were down by 30 percent in September as compared to last year.

He said hangar occupancy was increasing because two aircraft were purchased Monday from Purdue and would be housed at Delphi.

Stirm said an all-airport meeting will be held Oct. 21 to discuss runway closures and new construction. Stirm said the runway would be refurbished in the second half of 2008. It will be closed Oct. 17 and 19 this year for soil tests to be done.

The next city council meeting will be Nov.5 at 7 p.m. The next board of works meeting will be Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.