Town Council Minutes - 10-14-02
Robert Majdak called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
A motion was made by Robert Majdak to approve the minutes for September 23rd, 2002. The motion was seconded by Max Miller and carried by a voice vote.
I. Park
• Update on new trees and basketball court. Park President Lee Nisley
was present and informed the Council that the new trees were planted and the
basketball court was finished except for the goals and nets. Council President
Robert Majdak asked President Nisley if the Park Board could reward the Eagle
Scout who built the small pavilion at Eagle Park. President Nisley agreed to
check on an award from the Park Board and informed the Council that he would
like to cement the floor in the pavilion next spring.
• Look at Park accounts and the effect of the Excess Levy deduction. Park
Board President Nisley was concerned that the $1,870.00 taken out of the 201
fund account might cause a shortage in that fund. Deputy Clerk Branden Beachy
informed President Nisley that the negative was to be ignored as it should have
been a transfer and not a negative. The Clerk/Treasurer will fix the negative
so it doesn’t reflect on the 201 fund.
II. Water Superintendent
• Monthly reports-See attached
• Superintendent Eldridge informed the Council that Triad
Engineering will be in on Wednesday October 16th, 2002 to discuss a plan
for an iron removal filter system for the water plant.
• Update on Quality Cablevision
plan to remove their dish from our old tower. Superintendent Eldridge informed
the Council that Mr. Grady from Quality
Cablevision got permission from NIPSCO
to build a tower if necessary. A meeting was scheduled with U.S.
Signal another fiber optic provider that runs through Millersburg from Fort
Wayne to South Bend Superintendent Eldridge will report back as soon as he hears
how that meeting went. Mr. Grady informed Superintendent Eldridge that he has
not heard from 360 Network on whither Quality
Cablevision could use their cables to provide service to Millersburg.
• Superintendent Eldridge informed the Council that he wanted to discuss
Ordinance 2002-2 Section 2.06 describing
backflow devices as mandatory within three (5) years for each resident. Superintendent
Eldridge feels the backflow devices may cause more problems than they will help
and would be expensive for the residents to install and have inspected. After
much discussion the Council suggested that the Clerk/Treasurer strike residential
connections and the five (5) year time period from section 2.06 of that ordinance
and bring an amended ordinance back to the next meeting to be adopted.
III. Wastewater Superintendent
• Monthly report-See attached
• Update report on operations. Superintendent Ben Eldridge informed the
Council that the County is going to televise the storm water tiles that run
in the back of the wastewater plant and if they are damaged they will cap the
old tiles and re-route into Stoney Creek.
• Superintendent Ben Eldridge informed the Council that he would try to
finished the reed-beds this year. Beer & Slabaugh has about $4,000.00 dollars
of work yet to do on the reed-beds. Three items that Superintendent Eldridge
addressed were:
1.) It is okay to land apply the sludge on Rink’s field if we have it weighted at Helena and then spread it on the field.
2.) The sludge needs to be tested before it can be land applied, which includes testing and paperwork at a cost of $1,500.00 plus lab work of $1,045.00, which could be done by Steve Kiefer and is part of the monies mentioned above.
3.) The TIF money has gone toward the Forest River electric hookup project and Superintendent Eldridge would like for someone to talk to Forest River about reimbursing the Town for a portion of the money.
• Superintendent Ben Eldridge informed the Council that the new Forest
River Plant is hooked up to water and sewer and ready to start billing as
of this month.
• Superintendent Ben Eldridge informed the Council that the Chlorine scales
one (1) at the water plant and the two (2) at the wastewater plant will need
replaced as they are rusty and do not measure the chlorine properly. Superintendent
Eldridge’s reports that he sends to IDEM
on the chlorine dosage will not be correct due to the malfunctioning of the
scales. Superintendent Eldridge will be done as of this month (October) with
chlorine dosage for the wastewater plant until spring, but asked that the Council
keep in mind that he would like to replace the scales at that time and will
get quotes for the scales in the meantime. Council member Max Miller asked if
there was something we could spray on the scales to prevent future rusting?
Superintendent Eldridge said he would check on what could be done to prevent
rusting of the scales.
• Superintendent Eldridge asked if he could take Tuesday October 15th,
2002 off as comp-time as his van broke down in Chicago and he needs to go and
pick it up and bring it back to Goshen to be fixed. The Council approved the
time off.
• A letter was received this week informing the Town that we did get the
“Community Focus Fund Planning Grant” for $29,700.00. The award
will be granted on September 30th, 2002. Then two copies of the grant agreement
will be sent to be signed and returned to IDOC where state officials will sign
the agreement and a copy will be sent back to the Town.
IV. Maintenance Director
• Monthly report-See attached
V. Marshal
• Stats: See attached
• Discuss Animal Control. Marshal Hathaway reported that he was waiting
on the County to see what position they are going to take on the matter. The
County is working on alternative options to animal control and the Town might
be able to get on board with the County. Marshal Hathaway will report back at
the next meeting.
VI. Clerk/Treasurer
• New information about TIF district. The Clerk/Treasurer called the town
attorney Doug Hayes
to get a better understanding of the affects of the tax reassessment on TIF
Districts. Mr. Hayes
said that the Town has an Interlocal agreement with the County’s Redevelopment
Commission and they will review the agreement and let us know what we need to
do by the end of this year.
• Review and discuss Ordinance 2002-15
redistricting of wards. Deputy Clerk Branden Beachy presented maps to the Council
which reflected where all the houses were that had been counted by the Clerk/Treasurer.
The maps showed a large growth in the population in Ward one (1). The lines
for Ward one (1) and Ward two (2) had to be moved to equal out the population
count. See attached map. After some discussion the Council instructed the Clerk/Treasurer
to update Ordinance 2002-15 to reflect
the description of the line changes and bring the ordinance back to the next
meeting for adoption.
• Resolution 2002-14 to reduce
the C.C.D. Fund was incorrectly stated at the
August 12th 2002 meeting. The meeting minutes stated that the resolution reduced
the year 2003 budget should have said the year 2002 budget; resolution was corrected
by the Clerk/Treasurer.
• Discuss and review the Vickie Archer account. The Council reviewed the
account and determined that Ms. Archer’s account was not in good standing
and procedures were followed and suggested that the Clerk/Treasurer write Ms.
Archer a letter and advise her to pay the delinquent amount of $31.37 within
five (5) days after the receipt of the letter or her water service would be
discontinued until her account was brought into good standing.
• Discuss air quality at the Town Hall. Marshal Hathaway and Clerk/Treasurer
Wanda Chupp informed the Council of the problems she and Angie King the Marshal’s
secretary have been experiencing with the air in the Town Hall. Both ladies
has had headaches, blurred vision and sinus problems, which seems to occur after
entering the building and staying for a period of time. The Council suggested
the Marshal call someone in to check the air quality of the air in the Town
Hall. The Council approved an amount of $500.00 without further permission anything
over has to be reviewed by the Council and approved.
VII. New Business
• The Clerk/Treasurer informed the Council that there will be a Northeastern
Indiana Roundtable in Middlebury on October 24th, 2002 and would like to know
how many will be attending from the Town of Millersburg. A list will be distributed
so Town employees could sign up to go.
Max Miller made the motion to pay bills. The motion was seconded by Robert
Majdak and was carried by a voice vote.