Greenfield considers finding next city manager

The city of Greenfield is considering the formation of a committee to search for the next city manager.

Council member William Redenbaugh said that during the April 6 council meeting a brief discussion was held on finding a permanent city manger. 

Betty Bishop has been the interim city manager since December. 

"We will probably be discussing it much more during the next council meeting Redenbaugh said. "We will probably be forming a committee, much as we did last time, with people from the community and people from council working together to get our advertisements out and resumé in."

Bishop was hired to replace former city manager Charley Bowman.

"She was hired as interim city manager, and she originally expressed that she did not want it as a permanent position," Redenbaugh said. "She said she was here to help Greenfield and to work on a temporary, short-term basis."

The next meeting of the Greenfield City Council will be held April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

In other business, council:

• Voted to waive the three-reading rules and regulations and passed as an emergency an ordinance amending the 2010 permanent appropriations. The ordinance contained distributions in the follow: increase of $300 in law enforcement DUI; increase of $400 in drug law; increase of $2,500 in law enforcement trust; increase of $210,00 in railroad capital outlay; increase of $13,100 in fire pension. Transfers were made from the miscellaneous unemployment fund to fire pension in the amount of $10,000; from the miscellaneous unemployment fund to DRETAC in the amount of $10,000.

• Heard during the interim city manager's report that the recent Light Up Greenfield Initiative was a success. 

"The Light Up Greenfield project was a huge success. It was a beautiful day and many people turned out to volunteer," Bishop said during her report. "If someone did not get the light bulbs they can pick them up at the water office. We tried to get every house but we have identified a few that were missed. Again, we urge you to keep those lights burning each and every night."

Bishop also said during her report, "I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to work with the citizens of Greenfield. I have told many people that many nights I go home late and go home tired, but each night I go home happy."

• Request have been made to Bishop's office for additional street lights to be installed. "It is very dark in some of the areas of the city," she said. "I have not looked into all areas, nor what the cost would be. Our present street lighting contract is $4,361 per month. If you so desire I will identify areas and research the costs of providing lighting to these areas and bring it back to a future council meeting.

• Greenfield Cleanup Day will be held May 1 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the industrial park in the Daniels Drive area. All items are allowed, however there will be a charge for tires as follows: car, $2; light truck, $3; truck, $7; tractor, $10. Appliances will also be taken.

• The city's Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) has begun taking application for assistance, according to Bishop's report. "Three types of assistance are available: private rehabilitation; home repair and homelessness prevention. 

"To date, the CHIP staff has had the pleasure of assisting 63 low- moderate-income households in the prevention of either eviction or foreclosure. These families also received assistance in the payment delinquent utilities, preventing disconnects."