Logansport council amends holiday schedule, appoints members and approves several ordinances

The Logansport Common Council took a package of personnel and policy votes on Dec. 15.

The council amended Resolution 2025-160, which sets the city holiday schedule, to add Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. The amendment was moved and seconded and passed on a recorded vote; one council member recorded a 'No.' The amended resolution was adopted by the council.

Councilwoman Hailey Zinsmaster presented Resolution 2025-161 to select a council president and standing committees for 2026–27 and to make other council appointments. The council amended the resolution to appoint Dwayne Olam to the Redevelopment Commission and Tom Howell to the Logansport Board of Zoning Appeals; the amendment and the resolution as a whole passed on recorded votes.

On ordinances, the council approved on second reading: • Ordinance 2025-42 (sewer use provisions), • Ordinance 2025-43 (consolidated trash/garbage/yard waste/recycling procedures), and • Ordinance 2025-44 (inspection/abatement procedures for unsafe buildings and premises), • Ordinance 2025-45 (vacant-property amendments establishing registration fees and penalties).

Councilwoman Susie Wamsley introduced Ordinance 2025-46, updating employee and retiree health insurance contributions for 2026 and replacing Ordinance 2024-31. The council voted to suspend the rules so the ordinance could take effect for the Jan. 1 payroll and then approved the ordinance on that suspension.

Several council members debated the scale of registration fees in the vacant-property ordinance; one member said the proposed fees (tiers referenced by proponents as $3,000, $6,000 and $9,000 escalating in later years) are intended as incentives to rehabilitate properties, while others warned the fees could burden small downtown property owners. City staff said notices had been mailed to affected property owners ahead of the vote.

The council closed the meeting after public comment and other member remarks.