Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Martinsville public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
49 issues with high priority
SR 44 Sun Energy Farms PUD subdivision (Forestar)
The City Council rejected the rezoning the Forestar solar-farm subdivision needed, and the plat docket died with it. The developer can't refile for a year, so this stretch of SR 44 stays as-is for now.
Zoning hearing covering HEA 1001
City officials reviewed House Enrolled Act 1001, a new state law designed to speed up housing construction and remove local roadblocks like certain building requirements. The law requires municipalities to review their development ordinances and report housing data to the state.
Maple Hills subdivision rezone (159 lots on SR 252/44)
A question was raised about a potential new housing development by Four Star on property between State Roads 252 and 44.
Street paving project bids
The four blocks around the courthouse square are getting milled and repaved, with the city splitting the $228,780 cost with Morgan County. The city's $114,390 share comes from the stormwater fund.
489 E. Walnut St. unsafe building
The owner won't respond to certified letters or let inspectors inside — the latest letter is literally stuck in Houston, Texas. The city will try again and invite him to next month's meeting.
M.E.T. theatre management transfer to Arts Council
The city-run theater needs roughly $40,000 in equipment — including an encrypted DCI-compliant projector so Disney films stop losing money — plus foyer speakers and sound upgrades. The commission approved moving $75,000 to cover it and is working on shifting the theater to a nonprofit by around June to escape State Board of Accounts and Board of Works restrictions.
Park department staffing and salary ordinance
The park board sets pay for everyone who works at Martinsville's parks — from lifeguards and concession workers up to the superintendent. The 2027 plan keeps seasonal pay modest ($13-$18.25/hour) and full-time staff get health insurance, retirement contributions, sick-day buyback, and longevity pay. It shapes who the park department can attract and retain.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The consultants behind the park's five-year master plan are wrapping up input, with a site visit and focus group at the park on May 7.
2027 Salary Ordinances
The salary ordinance sets pay for city employees and appointed officials for 2026, with this amendment focused on hourly rates for clerk positions across several departments. It passed on first reading after a public hearing with no public input.
2025 Annual Report on TIF spending and projects
The RDC's year in review: the arts theater is finished and paid off, downtown gained new parking, sidewalks went in, and a skate park could be next pending FEMA approvals. Cash reserves are low after big spending.
TIF district additions deferred to June
The commission plans to evaluate adding properties to the TIF district this summer, since changes can capture value back to the start of the year and should be finalized before year-end.
Traffic study at Ohio and Ruth Rusie Drive
The area around Ohio Street and Ruth Rusie Drive is getting busy fast — a new Turkey Hill, a coffee shop, restaurants, and a 160-home subdivision nearby. The commission approved a $3,900 study so the city knows what road improvements might be needed and can show developers the groundwork is done.
TIF revenue and No Pass Through decision
The commission finally got its TIF disbursement, so there's actual money to work with again after months of just covering bond interest. Members are eyeing the wish list — including possibly paying cash for the Southview Drive park down the road.
OCRA Stormwater Grant Application
The city is chasing a $750,000 state grant to fix undersized, flooding storm sewers on six streets, putting up about $2.7 million locally. Third try for this grant — the priority statement helps score points.
Flock Camera Agreement
The police department briefed the board on the city's six Flock cameras, which read plates for investigations, traffic enforcement, and missing-person alerts. The contract has lapsed and an $18,000 annual renewal came into question at the council — expect more discussion before any renewal decision.
Flock license-plate camera program
The police department briefed the board on the city's six Flock cameras, which read plates for investigations, traffic enforcement, and missing-person alerts. The contract has lapsed and an $18,000 annual renewal came into question at the council — expect more discussion before any renewal decision.
Levee project lawsuit settlement
The city has turned in all the paperwork to FEMA to recertify the levee, which would help residents drop flood insurance. Federal shutdowns keep delaying the review; the city has asked Senator Banks' office for help.
SR 44 Water & Sewer Extension design expansion
A roughly 160-home subdivision off State Road 44 is coming, with the county chipping in $1.5 million of ARPA money to extend water and sewer. The work must finish by November 30 or the funds disappear, and Reading Sun is the winning bidder.
Aging pool and splash pad infrastructure
The 30-year-old pool's dive well had a leak from settling clay crushing a return pipe; it's repaired, but officials warn more leaks are likely and the pool's future should be discussed in the five-year master plan. A costly VFD fan repair on the main pool pump is also pending.
Park maintenance equipment and pond conditions
The pond's reconstruction wasn't done properly, causing a drainage issue that will be expensive to fix. The parks department can't cover it, so the board will have to ask City Council for extra money.
Comprehensive Plan update discussion
Commissioner Richard Durnal flagged that some rezoning petitions this year don't match the future land use map, which hasn't been updated in about four years. The commission agreed to raise it at the joint training session instead of a separate executive meeting.
Maple Hills subdivision fire-safety concerns
The proposed 159-lot Maple Hills PUD off State Road 44 is delayed again because of worries about houses built only 10 feet apart. Fire Chief Green wants staggered front setbacks and wants to recheck with the fire marshal before the council votes.
North Sycamore Street parking and pedestrian safety
Parking on both sides of Sycamore between Harrison and Cunningham has gotten dangerous, with kids crossing between cars. The police chief will be asked to review it and report back.
65 W. Morgan St. unsafe structure
Bricks falling out, windows open, holes in the walls — neighbors are dealing with a deteriorating building that anyone can enter. The board gave the owner 30 days to board it up or the city steps in and liens the property.
Unsafe and blighted properties across Martinsville
A resident handed the board a list of about a dozen structures he says are open to the elements and animals, and the board is tracking six known problem properties. How fast owners repair — or whether the city has to spend money demolishing — affects neighborhood safety and property values.
599 E. Morgan St. restaurant grease trap and roof
A grease trap behind the Morgan Street building is caving in and has clogged the city's alley sewer main for years, forcing repeated city repairs. Strader will get the water department involved.
Hill Mower for Park Grounds
The parks department needs a new mower; the affordable option is $18,555 but the mayor prefers a $40,000-plus model the budget may not support. Grant research continues for a month.
Hampton tort claim
The city received a tort claim from the Hampton family and, on the city attorney's advice, is passing it to its insurance carrier rather than handling it in-house.
Downtown parking and one-way street conversions
Thursday-night cruise-ins have been drawing so many cars that diagonal parking on Jefferson Street created traffic hazards and police calls. Closing one block of Jefferson is the fix.
Industrial rezone request on West Adam Brick Avenue
An owner wants five small lots rezoned back to heavy industrial, saying the city downzoned them years ago without notifying him. Commissioners found the lots fall far short of the five-acre minimum for I-3 and that heavy industrial use would sit next to single-family homes.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
The treatment plant's grit removal and ultraviolet disinfection equipment is about 20 years old and has been down for a while. This contract funds the engineering design and permitting now so a contractor can start construction when disinfection season ends October 31.
SR 44 Water and Sewer Extensions
The city is extending 2,625 feet of twelve-inch water main and 2,623 feet of sanitary force main to serve a 65-acre housing addition, plus extra capacity stubbed toward SR 44 for future growth. Eleven contractors bid on the work, and the project must wrap up by end of November to meet grant deadlines.
Home Avenue Stormwater Improvement Project
The city wants to fix stormwater problems across a roughly 40-block area around Home Avenue, and it took the first legal step by paying $5,000 for an environmental review required before applying for a state OCRA grant. The whole project could cost around $2 million, with the grant covering about a third.
Lead Service Line Compliance Software Renewal
Martinsville has 3,749 water customers whose service line material is unknown. If those aren't identified by November 1, 2027, federal rules could presume lead and force replacements at roughly $10,000 per line — a potential multi-million-dollar burden the city is working hard to avoid.
West Douglas Street industrial rezone
Indiana Gratings Inc. is seeking to move land on West Douglas Street from agricultural zoning to light industrial (I-1). How the commission and eventually the city council treat this could shape what gets built along that corridor.
Rave emergency alert sign-ups lag
The mayor pushed residents to sign up for the city's emergency text alerts, because a major water line shutdown is coming in April that will affect many residents. Details aren't final yet, but notifications will go out through this system.
Retention of leftover INDOT levee grant funds
Martinsville finished its North Levee repairs under budget and gets to keep $646,745 of the state's $5 million grant. The money goes into a trust fund for future levee upkeep — pumps, generators and major repairs — so the levee stays certified and flood protection stays strong.
910 S. Grant St. unsafe building
A family that inherited responsibility for a rundown house says it can't afford repairs, with a major water leak and tornado damage adding to the problems. The city offered an investor list and set a 60-day deadline before possible demolition.
Fire department staffing and overtime
Fire is down two firefighters after retirements and won't replace them under a hiring freeze, running minimum five-person shifts with overtime backfill. More retirements are expected soon.
Rezoning of Ohio and South Streets corner for commercial use
Crane Credit Union wants to rezone two parcels at a key gateway intersection and build a new branch, bringing an estimated 8-10 jobs. The rezone passed 9-1 as a recommendation; the replat was tied to it.
Youth gun violence concerns
The opening prayer specifically lifted up Martinsville youth after recent gun violence, a somber note reflecting community concern beyond the agenda.
TIF Increment Retention for 2027
The commission must decide yearly whether to keep capturing TIF property tax money or release it back to schools, the county, and city. Releasing it would net taxing units only about $84,000 combined, while the commission owes $14.9 million in bond debt and has $6.5 million in planned projects.
Grant funds available for roof repair at 539 E. Morgan St.
Mayor Costin said roughly $100,000-plus remains in a grant that could help the owner of a stately old house on Morgan Street get a roof patched — but the grant window is closing, so staff will follow up quickly.
Fire inspection and hazmat response fees (Ordinance 2026-1912)
The fire department can now formally bill per-vehicle charges for hazmat scenes like cut gas lines, plus set re-inspection fees and false-alarm fines. The money stays with the fire department for training and prevention work.
Non-emergency response fees at residential care facilities (Ordinance 2026-1913)
Firefighters keep getting called to residential care facilities for lift assists and other non-emergencies, costing taxpayers through overtime and stretched resources. The new ordinance puts a $500 fee on the facilities (not residents), rising to $1,000 for repeat calls.
National Opioids Six Remnant Defendants Settlement participation
Martinsville is joining the last major piece of the national opioid litigation — a settlement with six regional drug distributors and dispensers. The city won't know what money it gets until later, but attorneys said the alternative of suing alone wasn't financially realistic.
Transfer of $1 Million to Rainy Day Fund
The city moved $1 million of leftover budget money into its rainy day fund, nearly doubling reserves to about $2.1 million. It's a financial cushion ahead of state property tax changes, and spending any of it later would require council approval.
City Planner Position
With retiring administrator Gary Oakes leaving a hole, the city is choosing between hiring a City Planner or a compliance officer — not both. The planner job description was approved first.
Artesian Place housing and daycare development
After nearly a year of revisions, the commission signed off on final plans for 34 workforce townhomes, six Habitat for Humanity homes, and a 50-child daycare on Artesian Avenue. The holdup was sequencing — some commissioners fear a half-built project if financing stalls in a gateway area of town.