Volume 1, Issue 9 - Free Edition

City Council  Approves Fire Station Project, Mobile Home Park Rezone

Noelle Maxwell

A project that would raise the roof at Greensburg Fire Department Station Two from 11 feet to 14 feet was approved by the Greensburg City Council at their March 14 meeting. The project, covered by resolution 2026-05, raises the roof so Station Two would be able to house additional vehicles including an aerial apparatus. GFD Chief Nathan Stoermer explained that with the four-story Iron Men apartment complex being constructed, a four story building on Franklin Street and other buildings downtown adding living spaces, there’s a need for the expansion because parking on the square means fire apparatuses, of any size, can’t travel directly down Broadway Street to Main Street. Stoermer said having the space for an aerial apparatus at Station Two is “much better than having a three to five minute drive down Broadway,” and that having the apparatus at Station Two is “effectively putting a Swiss Army knife,” at the station. Since Station Two is attached to the Greensburg Police Department, the city will incorporate adding a new roof to GPD into the project. GPD’s roof is original to the building, which was constructed in 2002. Mayor Joshua Marsh explained to the council that raising the roof is more affordable than constructing a new building for Station Two.

The council also approved rezoning 310 East 4th Street from R2, one family residential, to R4, multifamily residential. The property currently houses a mobile home park owned by Greensburg Mobile Home Park, LLC. According to GIS property records, Greensburg Mobile Home Park LLC is located at an address on Bison Street in Upland, California. Greensburg Building Commissioner Sarah Hamer said the New York-based owner of Greensburg Mobile Home Park, LLC, spoke at the Greensburg Area Plan Commission meeting the week of April 6. The owner said his plan is to demolish the trailer park and build townhomes on that property. Hamer told the council that building townhomes on that property would be a “huge improvement.” City council member Kevin Fleetwood agreed that townhomes would be a “very nice improvement for that location.”

Council member Mark Carman asked Hamer if there were any residents at that mobile home park. Hamer said there are a few residents but the park isn’t heavily occupied and current residents, “will have plenty of notification,” about the plans, with the owners expressing to the APC that they would work with the current residents throughout the process. When asked via email how many residents the mobile home park has, Hamer stated, “there are 24 lots,” at the park, “but I don’t know how many of them are actually occupied.  There are several empty ones.”

The council heard a brief presentation from Lochmueller Group representative Cheryl Franks regarding the State Road 3 Safe Streets 4 All federal grant project, which started in late 2024. Greensburg is part of the Future 3 SS4A project, which covers Rush, Decatur and Henry counties. Franks reviewed the safety action plan vision which calls for 0 fatalities or serious injuries on Indiana roadways by 2050. State Road 3 averaged between 1,900 and 2,000 crashes, annually from 2019 to 2023 with one percent – or between 11 and 20 crashes – resulting in fatalities and 15% to 16% resulting in serious injuries. The Lochmueller Group’s study indicated that Greensburg’s problem areas along SR 3 are: E. Freeland Rd. from SR 3 to N. Montgomery Rd.; Washington St. from Sunset Dr. to Oddfellows Dr.; N. Lincoln St. from SR 3 to E. First St.; N. Broadway St. from SR 3 to Park Rd.; N. Lincoln St. from E. First St. to E. Main St. There are several possible solutions, such as improving pedestrian visibility by constructing curb extensions or raised crosswalks. Franks explained that while the city doesn’t have control over all the routes identified, knowing about potential projects gives them something to advocate for with INDOT. Mayor Joshua Marsh emphasized that this is only the first step in the project and that it may be a multi-decade plan with some aspects not coming to fruition.

Three resolutions presented by City Clerk-Treasurer Amy Borns were approved. Resolution 2026-03 transferred funds the city has encumbered for payment to Duke Energy related to a project on Washington Street – Borns explained “that bill never came and that money was still encumbered,” and her department could not move that amount. The amount had to be reduced by $40,000, from $130,000 to $90,000,  to move it and the resolution is an update ensuring the correct amount is on file as approved for transfer. Resolution 2026-07 closes two bank accounts that contained excess TIF money and were part of several bank accounts the city opened in the late 2000s when Honda was coming to Greensburg. Those funds are being moved to a different bank account. Resolution 2026-08 moves money from funds the clerk-treasurer’s office identified as dormant – meaning the fund hasn’t had any activity for at least two years – to the city’s general fund.

The council also approved resolution 2026-06 for the Greensburg Municipal Wastewater Clarifier BOT agreement, removing two clarifiers installed at the wastewater plant in the 1980s. Those clarifiers will be replaced. The Railroad Street sales agreement with the Iron Men apartment complex was reviewed and needs to go to the county commissioners next. The next Greensburg City Council meeting is May 12 at 6:30 PM.