Town Council Meeting Notes 01/25

Town Council Meeting January 25, 2022.

John Walstad called the meeting to order with the opening prayer and pledge of allegiance.  Jerry Bragg and Clyde Compton attended the meeting via telephone.  

The first item on the agenda was the approval of the minutes from the November 16, 2021 meeting.  Ohmer Miller motioned to approve them.  Jerry Bragg seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0.

Next up was the approval of the claims.  Ed Johnson made a motion to approve them.  Clyde seconded the motion.  It passed 5 - 0.

Council then moved on to old business and the 2021-02 CCMG (Community Crossing Matching Grant) award.  Tony Akles stated quotes were received last Friday and reviewed.  No quote was received from CASE.  Globe Asphalt was the low bidder at $122,858.70.  The engineer estimate was $141,889.00.  Akles recommended the town award the project to Globe Asphalt.  Clyde made the motion to accept Globe’s bid.  Ed seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0.  Akles suggested they get the award letter to Globe soon, so they could procure the requited bonds and insurance.  Mr. Akles suggested the town grant Jerry the power to sign papers related to the project.  Ohmer Miller made the motion.  Ed seconded it.  It passed 5 – 0.  Akles also stated the town would have to send paperwork to INDOT by March third.  Diane Burton stated she would submit it.

Council then moved on to the second reading to amend employee handbook ordinance 2021-07.  Scott Andrews stated a motion was needed to change the PTO to hours instead of days.  Ohmer Miller made the motion.  Ed Johnson seconded the motion with the caveat Nellie Meek’s name needed to be removed.  Diane Burton stated that copy was old, and Nellie’s name would not be on the final copy.  The motion passed 5 – 0.

2022 Boards and Committees was skipped until Jerry Bragg returned in person.  

The Eastern Bartholomew rate increase was then presented by David Clouse.  Currently the town is paying a rate increase of $700.00 per month.  In the past that increase has been passed on to the consumer as a surcharge.  The amount of the surcharge is charged per gallon.  Clyde asked if the increase would be a dollar or less a month.  David Clouse responded the town has eaten increases since 2016.  He said this increase needed to be passed on as it was higher.  Clyde asked if the increase would be sixteen cents per thousand gallon or if it was a flat surcharge based on usage per gallon.  David stated with a four-thousand-gallon usage a month the cost would go up by sixty-four cents at a rate of sixteen cents per four thousand gallons.  Clyde commented the increase needed to go into effect quickly.  David Clouse responded the town was already being charged.  Diane Burton asked if the change would need to be made by resolution or ordinance.  Ohmer Miller stated the town could not eat the surcharge; it must be passed on to the consumer.  He felt it should not have been eaten for five years.  Clyde made a motion to pass the surcharge on to the consumer at sixteen cents per four thousand gallons.  Ohmer seconded the motion.  It passed 5 – 0.

Council then moved on to the open town manager position.  Jerry Bragg asked council members to go online to Indeed and review the current applications.  He asked council to come back in a week with their top five applications so council could make a decision.  Clyde asked for a meeting date.  It was set for February 7^th at 5:30.

David Clouse then moved on to backhoe tire replacement.  He had a quote from Best One for $1,948.00 for all four tires on the backhoe.  Ohmer made the motion to approve the purchase.  Ed seconded the motion.  Ed asked if the tread was industrial.  David Clouse replied yes, they would be the same as what came from the factory.  The motion passed 4 – 0 as Jerry had disconnected.

David Clouse then moved on to tree removal.  There are currently 27 dead trees at the wastewater treatment plant.  They need removed before they fall and damage the fence.  He presented a quote for $4,500.00 from Ron’s Tree Service and a quote from Autobahn Tree Experts for $2,650.00.  He need approval for one half the total as the other half will be coming from the neighboring property owner.  He asked the town for a total of $1,325.00 to pay Autobahn for tree removal.  John Walstad asked what kind of trees they were and if they were good for lumber.  David Clouse stated they were ash trees that died from the ash bore and they were not suitable for lumber.  Ed made the motion to grant the funds.  Ohmer seconded the motion.

Matt Tallent then presented a quote for a camera system at Norman Park.  Ohmer asked if there were currently problems there.  Matt Tallent said no, except for complaints of juveniles going there in the middle of the night to smoke drugs.  Ohmer says if they are not leaving trash or bothering the neighbors, he didn’t really see the problem.  Tallent felt the biggest problem was the new playground equipment and the need to keep it safe.  David replied it was supposed to be closed after dusk.  There was discussion on how the square was supposed to be closed after dark as well, but people have had to be run out of both places.    Ed asked if another camera was needed for the utilities lot area to watch the drop off box and one for the utility yard.  Clyde felt the camera was needed at Norman park to help kids if they fell or something.  A camera would speed up emergency assistance.   

Council then moved on to other questions and comments.  Jessica Brown asked where the Christmas garland should be stored when it was taken down and if it was to be stored in the cardboard boxes it came in.  Matt Tallent stated he would look into getting some totes from Major’s.  

Mark Cornett asked why the town does not accept water bill payments by debit or credit card.  He also asked why payments could not be accepted online.  Then he asked why the town utilities department does not publish the current water rate online on their website.  Diane Burton stated that information could be found on the town website under the ordinances.  Mr. Cornett asked why the average person just couldn’t go to the utilities department website and find the rate without having to comb through pages of ordinances.    He commented average people working nine to five jobs can’t just leave money in a drawer for their water bill when it has a label that says the town is not responsible for what happens to the money.  Council agreed to look into paying bills online.  Ohmer asked Diane to investigate paying by debit or credit card.  

The meeting was adjourned.