MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
BRAZIL, INDIANA
FOR MARCH 11, 2026
A meeting of the Common Council was held on March 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in Brazil City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Brian Wyndham.
PRAYER: Was led by Karen Boes.
ROLL CALL: Council members present, Brad Deal, Shane Litz, Angie Modesitt, Steve Bell and Karen Boes.
OTHERS PRESENT:
- Clerk-Treasurer Karen McQueen, City Attorney Lou Britton, home owners near KIHM Metal Trey and Amy Adams, Nina and Jeff Schoonover, and Cheryl Whited. Also present were City of Brazil Resident Micheal Branham, City of Brazil Resident Brook Reinoehl, City of Brazil Resident Josh Alsip, Kasey with the Brazil Times, Planning and Zoning Administrator Janet McClellan, Owner of KIHM Metals Bryan Davis and Brazil City Fire Chief Jake Bennett.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Karen Boes made a motion to approve February 11, 2026,
seconded by Shane Litz. Motion Passed 5-0.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS:
- Trey Adams City of Brazil resident at 205 North Murphy Avenue and neighbor/home owner near KIHM Metals was present to discuss with council members concerns that him, as well as other neighboring homes have with KIHM Metal. Trey explained the many things that adding a new building would cause. Such as: the view of the building would be unattractive, there would be added noise, and storm water runoff issues. Trey also stated that additional manufacturing could cause heavier traffic on Murphy Avenue, and property values could potentially go down. Trey wanted council to know that him as well as his neighbors all pay property taxes and wanted council to reconsider giving KIHM Metal a tax abatement and to make them pay their share of property taxes, especially with upcoming tax cuts happening in Brazil. Trey Adams asked council to, at minimum consider noise issues and require barriers to the surrounding properties.
- Amy Adams, wife of Trey Adams and resident at 205 North Murphy Avenue and neighbor/home owner near KIHM Metals was also present to discuss with council members concerns that she had with a new building/extension of the current manufacturing facility KIHM Metals. Amy started off by thanking all elected officials for doing a great job within our city. Amy then wanted to inform council that the group behind the funding of the project for KIHM Metals was a private equity group based out of Chicago, Illinois. She questioned why a private equity group out of Chicago; Illinois would need a handout shifting the burden of property taxes onto our tax payers. Amy is also worried about KIHM Metal’s burn piles and the potential decrease in property values. Amy then stated the potential for heavier traffic as the business would grow. Amy ended with this statement, “We moved here and have chosen Brazil, Indiana as our home and we are now hoping that Brazil, Indiana choses us.”
- Owner of KIHM Metal Bryan Davis stated that he would like to be a good neighbor to all neighbors and is very available to meet with any of the neighbors to discuss things that he or the workers at KIHN Metal can do to help out. Bryan is willing to add fencing, drainage or whatever is needed to make the neighbors surrounding KIHM Metal more comfortable.
- Brook Reinoehl was present in high support of the tax abatement for KIHM Metal.
- City Attorney Lou Britton would like council to approve or not approve abatement for a first reading. He stated that council would need to approve a number of years for the abatement if they wanted the abatement. He then stated that there will be a second reading at the April meeting if abatement was approved via first reading.
OLD BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS:
- Bob DeCamp – Senior Center – Tabled
- Review regulations on splitting property –Council discussed regulations and then Angie Modesitt asked council members to look at provisions concerning splitting parcels. Angie Modesitt also asked if there was someone that could talk to the Auditor’s Office concerning this topic.
- KIHM Metal tax abatement – council discussed abatement and then Shane Litz made a motion for a 10-year tax abatement with a standard calculation, seconded by Steve Bell. Motion passed on the first reading 3-2. Angie Modesitt and Karen Boes Nay.
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
- Angie Modesitt – None
- Steve Bell – None
- Brad Deal – None
- Karen Boes – None
- Shane Litz –None
MAYOR COMMENTS:
- Mayor Brian Wyndham – None
CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS: None
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: None
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: the nextCouncil Meeting is on April 8, 2026 @5:00 pm
ADJOURNMENT: Brad Deal made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Angie Modesitt. Motionpassed 5-0. Meeting adjourned @ 6:27 p.m.
