Carlisle council adopts Resolution 19-25 to convert regional wastewater partner into public intergovernmental entity

Carlisle City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 9 to adopt Resolution 19-25, authorizing the city manager to sign a Second Amended and Restated Intergovernmental and Joint Venture Agreement with Franklin, Germantown and Warren County to make the regional wastewater arrangement a public intergovernmental entity.

The measure, which council read and adopted on a single reading after a procedural vote to suspend the charter's three-reading requirement, passed with a 6–0 roll call vote. Council member Jason Faulkner moved to suspend the three-reading rule; Mr. Tim Humphries seconded that procedural motion. Mr. Faulkner described the shift as a change from a previously outsourced management structure to an insourced, public arrangement; City Manager Chris Lohr confirmed the nonprofit that managed the system will transition to the public intergovernmental body for operations and financing purposes.

Council members debated the reading schedule before proceeding. Council member Chris Stivers voted against suspending the three-reading rule but the motion carried. After adoption, Mayor Randy Winkler called for the formal vote to adopt the resolution; the roll call recorded unanimous approval.

According to the text presented to council, the resolution authorizes the City Manager to execute the second amended agreement among the participating jurisdictions. Council discussion focused on the administrative change and the expected financial benefits identified by staff and counsel, including the potential for improved loan terms available to recognized public entities. Cheryl Shields, identified as Administrator, and Shannon Martin of the law firm Bricker & Graydon addressed council in support of the resolution during the public forum and briefing.

The resolution does not specify immediate operational changes to day-to-day wastewater service; staff indicated the nonprofit entity will be maintained for a transition period while the new public entity assumes governance. Council did not provide a timetable for implementation in the meeting record. The adoption closes the council's action on the intergovernmental agreement for now; staff indicated the next steps include final execution of the agreement and transitional administrative work.