Avon council elects officers, approves Civic Center bond parameters, staff appointments and police vehicle purchase

The Avon Town Council on Wednesday elected Don Loudon as council president and Jason Puckett as vice president and approved a slate of appointments, several resolutions and a vehicle purchase.

Elections and appointments

The council selected Don Loudon as president and Jason Puckett as vice president. The council also approved appointments across boards and commissions, including two Redevelopment Commission appointments (Steve Eisenbarth and John Hanks), Plan Commission seats for Dave Kaufman and Bill Reed (one‑year appointments tied to redevelopment appointments), and a reappointment of Marci Teschler to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The council approved several other town liaison and advisory appointments and voted to recommend Tom Downard as the county’s representative to the town’s Economic Development Commission for the county to appoint.

Civic Center financing and related resolutions

The council approved Resolution 2025‑02 to authorize the Redevelopment Authority to proceed with lease revenue bonds to finance the proposed Civic Center project, establishing preliminary parameters: a maximum principal amount not to exceed $15,000,000, a maturity date not later than February 2040 and a maximum annual interest rate cap of 7 percent. The resolution also set an initial maximum annual repayment parameter the transcript records as $1,300,000, with semiannual payments beginning in 2025. The resolution is a preliminary council approval and part of a multi‑step financing process that requires Redevelopment Authority action and further approvals.

Other votes

The council approved the Town Attorney engagement letter for 2025 with an hourly/rate adjustment listed in the engagement letter from 2.35 to 2.45 (presented as a 4.23% inflationary change). The council approved a request from the Police Department to purchase a vehicle from Andy Moore Ford for $50,717.97 to be paid from the CDCCD fund and authorized the Clerk‑Treasurer to issue payment. The council adopted Ordinance 2025‑01 amending the 2025 salary ordinance to correct an error in payroll calculations; the ordinance was given final reading after the council suspended the rules so the corrected pay could be applied retroactively to Jan. 1, 2025.

Prestwick Golf Course

The council also approved Resolution 2025‑01 expressing the town’s current intent that the Prestwick Golf Course remain as golf course or open space as consistent with the Prestwick planned unit development. Town staff and the attorney noted the resolution states council intent but does not create an unchangeable prohibition; future rezoning petitions could be considered under state law.

How council voted and next steps

Most motions were adopted by roll call with affirmative results recorded in the meeting minutes. Several items are procedural approvals or recommendations (for example, the Civic Center financing parameters and the recommendation to the county regarding the Economic Development Commission). Final zoning, financing and appointments that require county or authority action remain subject to subsequent steps and approvals.

Votes at a glance (key items mentioned in the meeting record): Don Loudon, council president — approved; Jason Puckett, vice president — approved; Resolution 2025‑01 (Prestwick protection) — approved by roll call; Resolution 2025‑02 (Civic Center bond/lease parameters) — approved; Purchase of police vehicle $50,717.97 (Andy Moore Ford) — approved; Ordinance 2025‑01 (amending 2025 salary ordinance) — adopted on final reading after suspension of rules; Appointment slate for boards/commissions — approved (multiple individual roll calls).