Last year was a busy year for the Delphi Tri-Township Fire Territory and the Delphi Police Department according to year-end reports from both departments. Assistant fire chief Daryl Sterrett commented that he was glad 2009 had ended.

“It’s been a very busy year,” he told the Delphi City Council at the Monday night meeting. “We’ve put all the equipment to the test over the past few months.”

Sterrett’s written report indicated that out of the 322 incidents logged in 2009, 40 of those were in December. The department answered 111 emergency responses for the year, 16 of which were in December.

A total of 6,130.5 man-hours were spent in all activities throughout the year, while 422 of those hours happened last month.

Delphi Police Chief Justin Darling reported that a total of 305 traffic summons and 512 warnings were issued in 2009. Officers made 42 felony and 109 misdemeanor arrests, served 27 warrants and investigated 141 crashes. Twenty-nine handgun permit applications were filed, 3 animal control violations were cited, 15 citations for weeds were issued and officers assisted other agencies 39 times.

The department took 277 misdemeanor reports, 120 felony reports, 11 juvenile reports, and 50 information only reports. Sixtythree parking tickets were issued throughout the year.

Trash ordinance dispute

After meeting with Krista and Jeff Watson, attorney Kurtis Fouts reported that most properties owned by the couple will be considered single residences. He said they will technically be mandated to have single trash receptacles for each unit per the city’s trash ordinance. His recommendation was for the city council to modify the ordinance to give the Delphi Board of Works the power to make exceptions for properties which are “unique” in make-up.

“It doesn’t make sense to collect trash from each unit,” he told the council.

Fouts said the city had an interest in controlling the trash issue yet should have the latitude to make exceptions to the black-and-white rule. He recommended the city council “build some flexibility into the situation.”

City financial report

City clerk-treasurer Leanne Aldrich reported the city’s 2009 books will not be closed out until state and county revenue is received. She said she did not distribute a monthly financial report to council members because of bookkeeping errors discovered recently which will significantly change the validity of the reports.

Aldrich also reported conflict of interest forms, which were distributed to all council members, should be signed by any council person who might fall under the state code (IC 35-44-1-3) requiring they do so.

The council voted to provide insurance to a police officer’s spouse for 14 months. Aldrich reported that appropriate forms to add a new spouse to the husband’s city insurance were not filed in a timely manner prior to her appointment to the office. The cost for the city for the spouse will be $141.04 each month.

Other business

Utilities superintendent Dick VanSickle reported roof and fascia boards on the lab building at the treatment plant suffered damage due to strong winds Dec. 29. He said insurance is expected to pay for the repair.

Airport manager Brian Stirm said 223 gallons of fuel were sold in December and 6,500 gallons were sold last year. He said that number fell short of the goal to sell 10,000 gallons in 2009.

Main Street and the Delphi Preservation Society (DPS) applied to put much of the downtown square on the National Register of Historic Places. The area includes 43 buildings, including the courthouse and many of the buildings in the city blocks surrounding it, as well as the city building, and the Delphi Public Library.

DPS spokesperson Anita Werling said property owners could be eligible for certain kinds of tax credits and funding for selected rehabilitation projects if the area is accepted for the register. A letter was sent to property owners of buildings included in the proposed districts inviting them to provide input, favorable or unfavorable, by Jan. 27, which is the date of consideration of the application by the board of directors of the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.

Board of Works

Claims totaling $103,341.57 for 2009 and 2010 claims for $5,774.91 were approved.

The next board of works meeting will be Jan. 18 at 4:30 p.m.

The next city council meeting will be Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.