Terre Haute delays action on Excel Center money, responsible bidder ordinance
May 9—A pair of dissimilar issues forced the Terre Haute City Council on Thursday evening to move two of its agenda items to June.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun had requested $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money for the Goodwill Excel Center, a tuition-free adult learning center that will help participants earn a high-school diploma.
However, on Thursday he asked that a vote be tabled, given the possibility that state money might be available for the project, and he wanted to finalize the numbers before officially seeking funds.
Goodwill's Excel Center is scheduled to open in Terre Haute in August. A location has not been established, but one at the Meadows Shopping Center is being considered.
Sakbun had previously told the council he would ask for ARPA funding for the Excel Center in March.
Sakbun had also requested that the council amend its definition of responsible bidders for those seeking contract work for the city, which he said would lead to higher construction standards. Representatives from two unions spoken in favor of the measure, and council members expressed approval of the amendment.
Councilwoman Amanda Thompson, however, had questions on the wording of the ordinance, which Sakbun said he had derived from other cities that had enjoyed success with their responsible bidder ordinances. Thompson, an attorney, suggested "grammatical tweaking" should be done on the ordinance before the council approved it. The mayor agreed.
Councilman Anthony Dinkel suggested that Thompson's legal background enabled her to discern issues with the ordinance that eluded other members. The ordinance will be revisited at the June 6 meeting.
In other business, the council approved an ordinance amending the cost of waste and refuse collection for the city's citizens. The fee has been $11 a month since 2017, and will rise to $15 per month in July.
In July of 2025, it will be boosted to $15.50 and in July of 2026, the fee will rise another 50 cents to $16 a month.
Terre Haute's waste and refuse fee is currently among the lowest in the state — currently, the average charge is $16.08, with the highest being $26.75 a month, and Terre Haute charges less than nearby cities. The fee would be alleviated by 33% for residents who are blind, seniors or disable veterans, who currently receive a 25% discount.
Council members expressed approval of the fee hike, noting that it would still be lower than elsewhere in the state, as well as elsewhere in Vigo County. Councilman Curtis DeBaun IV said he had voted for that $11 fee because the city was then in dire need of revenues, but he added, "I don't know if it's necessary yet."
Nonetheless, he voted for the ordinance, and it passed with a unanimous vote of those in attendance. Councilwoman Cheryl Loudermilk was absent.
The council also approved a resolution proclaiming April 28 of this year Workers Memorial Day. Councilman Todd Nation said he was sorry it had not been brought before the council sooner, but the measure was written just before the date was first observed at the Eugene V. Debs Museum this year.
Nation and fellow councilman Dinkel read the proclamation at the Debs Museum. Workers Memorial Day was first enacted by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) on April 28 in 1971.
David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.
