Mayor Gahan Presents Need for New Police HQ to City Council

Mayor Gahan Presents Need for New Police HQ to City Council

At tonight’s New Albany City Council meeting, Mayor Gahan’s administration will present details to members and discuss the need for a new Police Headquarters.

“New Albany is a safe place to live and raise a family, and we are committed to making New Albany even safer than it has been before,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “When completed, this will be the first stand-alone Police Station constructed in the history of New Albany, and we are excited to bring these expanded police services to residents of our city.”

New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey is set to give an overview of the current needs of the Police Department. Since the 1960s, the New Albany Police Department has been renting space from Floyd County in the Criminal Justice Building located on Hauss Square.

“I’ve spoken with multiple nearby Police Departments who have undergone recent police station construction projects, including Jeffersonville and Clarksville, and I think our team has done a great job of putting together a new headquarters that will meet the needs of both the department and the people of New Albany for decades to come,” stated New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey.

Chief Bailey has previously stated that the new location will allow for more and better training for NAPD officers, provide new services for the community, and increase New Albany’s mental health and crisis response teams, among other benefits.

Floyd County officials announced in October of last year their intentions to renovate the Criminal Justice Center, and they have new plans for the space that the New Albany police Department currently operates out of. 

Members of the council will also hear details regarding site selection, financial projections, and the next steps that can be taken to bring this project to fruition.

ORIGIN PARK OFFICIALS REFUSE TO MEET WITH CITY, DESPITE UNANIMOUS VOTE FROM COUNCIL REQUESTING MEETING

The New Albany City Council, composed of Democrats, Republicans, an Independent, and a Libertarian, unanimously passed a resolution at a special meeting on Tuesday November 15th asking River Heritage Conservancy/Origin Park officials to meet with City officials to discuss alternatives to removing the historic Glenwood Park Dam in Silver Creek.

Origin Park officials refused to meet and decided to move forward with the demolition of the historic Glenwood Park Dam.

Origin Park, a Clark County initiative, has been pursuing destroying the over 100-year-old, historic dam in New Albany for months despite protests from the City of New Albany. The state-appointed Floyd County Historian, as well as the state-led Indiana Landmarks Historic Preservation Office have both gone on record asking that the dam should be preserved. The dam is NOT on Indiana Department of Natural Resources low-head dam roster. Additionally, it should be noted that even though Origin Park aims to destroy the dam in New Albany, there are no current permit to remove the larger, more dangerous low-head dam along Silver Creek that is located by Blackiston Mill in Clark County, which IS on DNR’s roster.

Before the final City Council resolution was even signed by Mayor Gahan, Origin Park officials, including Kent Lanum, Vern Eswine, and Susan Rademacher issued a press release stating that “River Heritage Conservancy declines” to meet and discuss any alternatives.

“There are many outstanding issues that the City of New Albany believes should be resolved before any attempts to remove the historic dam are made,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan.

At last night’s New Albany City Council meeting, Mayor Gahan provided the council with a letter detailing the City’s ongoing efforts to meet with Origin Park officials, as well as a timeline regarding recent efforts surrounding the historic Glenwood Park dam.

Key details from the letter include:

1. The ownership of the historic Glenwood Park Dam is still under question.

2. The dam has historical significance, as noted by comments from the state-appointed Floyd County Historian as well as the State of Indiana’s “Indiana Landmarks” historic preservation organization.

3. There may be potential contaminants that could be released and pollute the local waterways if the dam is destroyed.

4. The City of New Albany has invested both time and resources into the development of the area for nearly a decade, including the nearly-finished Silver Creek Landing and Providence Way improvements, of which removal of the dam could compromise.

5. While the City of New Albany recognizes and agrees that some low-head dams can be dangerous, the historic Glenwood Park Dam is not listed on the Indiana Department of Natural Resource’s low-head dam roster. In addition, the City of New Albany has proposed safe alternatives to the removal of the dam, including a conversion to a “rock-arch rapids” which scientists and engineers agree improve safety near dams.

6. The removal of the dam could reduce water levels and result in fewer days to paddle, kayak, canoe, or conduct other forms of water recreation along Silver Creek.

7. Origin Park has now received over $8 million in public funding through the State of Indiana’s READI grant. By accepting $8 million in residents tax dollars, Origin Park officials should conduct some form of public-input sessions before tax dollars are spent on a project with no elected oversight.

8. The Indiana Environmental Resiliency Council warns of climate change impacts and environmental risks related to water supply, and removal of the dam could potentially cause the City to lose the water supply that is currently in place along Silver Creek.

The full letter and additional documentation can be found by clicking here: FULL LETTER FROM MAYOR GAHAN

Leaf Season Underway!

Leaf season has begun, and the New Albany Stormwater Department will be running extra crews on the leaf removal and recycling program this week. Leaves are falling throughout the city, and crews are working to remove the fallen leaves before they enter our water ways, causing potential contamination or localized flooding.

The Stormwater Department will collect leaves piled in the right of way next to the street. Please do not pile leaves in curbs, gutters, or the street, as this can enter the stormwater system and cause blockages. Additionally, residents can place up to 10 trash bags of leaves out that will be collected during normal trash days.

Best of all, by bunching leaves in the right of way for the City to collect, you can help turn those leaves into something useful. Leaves picked up by the City’s leaf program are recycled and processed into mulch and fertilizers to be used in the future.

Thank you for your assistance as we work to make our city even more clean and beautiful. For additional information, and to learn exactly when crews will be in your area, please call the Stormwater Department at 812-945-1989.

City Welcomes New Economic Development Director

The City of New Albany is pleased to welcome Claire Johnson as the new Economic Development Director.

Ms. Johnson has a history of civic engagement and community building, most recently serving as Capital Project Manager for the Town of Clarksville’s Redevelopment Department. She served for multiple years as the Neighborhood Initiatives Coordinator for the Redevelopment Office with the City of New Albany.

Ms. Johnson has co-authored published reports for Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Resilience and Community Services, the Metropolitan Housing Coalition, the Center for Environmental Policy and Management, the University of Louisville, and other institutions.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from The Ohio State University, a Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies from the University of Louisville, and will complete her Master of Urban Planning from the University of Louisville in 2023.

“We are excited to welcome Claire Johnson back to New Albany as our lead Economic Development officer,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Her years of study and professional experience will serve the people well as we plan for the future of our River City.”

Harvest Homecoming: Discount Ride Coupons Available Now!

DISCOUNT RIDE COUPONS AVAILABLE NOW!

Harvest Homecoming is just around the corner! The City of New Albany will once again be offering DISCOUNT COUPONS on all-day ride passes for Harvest’s Carnival Rides near the YMCA.

All-day ride passes are available on Tuesday, October 4th and Wednesday, October 5th. Rides are open from 5pm-10pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the cost for all-day passes are $25.

$5 discount coupons are available for pickup starting TODAY at Silver Street Park (2043 Silver Street) or Griffin Recreation Center (1140 Griffin Street). These coupons will act as a $5 discount on the cost of all-day Ride Passes when presented to the ride operators.  Coupons are limited to the first 1000 distributed by the City Parks Department.

Pick up your coupon during normal business hours at either the Griffin Street Center (10am - 4pm) or Silver Street Park (8am – 4pm).

The full ride schedule, and other information about upcoming Harvest Homecoming events can be found at: https://www.harvesthomecoming.com/