March 12, 2001

The Ellettsville, Indiana, Town Council met in regular session at 7:30 PM, Monday, March 12, 2001. Members present were David Sorokoty, Vice President; Geraldine McIntyre, David Drake, and Mike Cornman. David Sorokoty called the meeting to order. Dave Drake led the Pledge of Allegiance. David Sorokoty gave the prayer.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Reserve Police Officer Bob Sowder asked the council to place on the town agenda tonight due to the time crunch, the Ellettsville Police Reserves filed a grant as a not-for profit organization through Vi Simpson for the Build Indiana Fund. We are requesting money to build a training facility. The Reserves, the local police department, the fire department, or EMS can use it. The grant must be funneled through a government agency. I am here to ask the Town Board to sponsor this grant. Mike Cornman thinks it is a good idea for the community, however before going forward with this an agreement between the town and the police reserves would be necessary to insure that every one would be on the same page before dispersing any money received from the grant. David Sorokoty was in agreement with the idea also expressing the need for a partnership. David felt an executive session might be in order however he requested that Vi Simpson’s office be contacted to determine a deadline date.

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution 02-01: Transfer of Funds

Mike Cornman read the resolution as follows:

WHEREAS, it has been determined that more money is needed than is
currently available in certain funds and appropriations:
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the following transfers or temporary loans
are hereby authorized:
From: Police-107 Marshall and Deputies $4,000.00		Marshall and Deputies	$ 4,000.00
To: Police-109 Police Part-time $4,000.00	$4,000.00$4,000.00		$ 4,000.00

Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to approve resolution 02-01. David Drake seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Unaccounted Water: Mike Farmer

We did a study of unaccounted water. Unaccounted water is water produced by utility or purchased by utility. We are a utility that purchases our water from the City of Bloomington. Unaccounted water is water that we did not receive any revenue from. There are a lot of different reasons why this happens, main breaks, undetected small leaks that go year round, billing errors, unmetered water services, and new construction makes water go up. There are numerous reasons why there is loss of water constant survey can inhibit this from happening, however it still happens. We went back four years 1997 through 2000 and we found that in 1997 our unaccounted water was 20.15% that means for every 5000 gallons purchased we would loose 1000 gallons. We use about 298 million gallons a year that is the average for the last four years. In 1998 we found that the unaccounted water was 25.82% for every 4000 gallons of water purchased we were loosing 1000 gallons, after implementing several procedures and changing the way we did business in 1999 we had 2.46% unaccounted water, then in 2000 it went back to 10.1%. For the publics knowledge if a utility has unaccounted water less than 10% or less they are doing really good, it is about the norm for the industry. Based on the water loss we had in 1997 and 1998 had it been applied to 1999 we used 282 million gallons of water, with our water loss going down to 2.46% we saved about $62,000.00. Appling the same logic in 2000 we saved about $38,000.00 based on our 10.1% water loss. Unaccounted water is a real good way to judge if you are doing good work, it was a team effort; it had to do with the billing office, and the people in the field. I want to congratulate all the people that work in utilities. I have been questioned as to how we can spend money on new employees, equipment, and new water systems and not go broke. The projected savings in 1999 and 2000 is almost $100,000.00 even. When we did Phase II from Main Street to Red Hill Road we spent about $100,000.00 on a new water system, fire hydrants, 12” main, all that is part of the infrastructure plan to improve and update the system to take care of future needs. This was money right out of our O & M budget. You can raise rates or go about saving money and spend it the right way. Mike Cornman stated this was one of the goals that the Council had set for Bynum Fanyo Utilities to address this problem due to substantial unaccounted water from 1994 to 1996.

Reimbursement agreement: Mike Farmer

Rick Coppock requested that I present for approval and signature from the Council the need to approve a reimbursement agreement for the McNeely Street bridge project. Your voting to receive $3,225.00 for actions we will need to take to build the bridge. Mike Cornman made a motion to approve the reimbursement agreement

between the town and Monroe County. Geraldine McIntyre seconded the motion . Motion passed.

Hiring of new Billing Clerk for Utility Office: Mike Farmer

We have a vacancy in the billing office, we had five applicants and interviewed two people, and they were both really good interviews. Without further discussion I propose to hire Amber Ragle, she gave an application; we had four people sit in on the interview. I would like permission to go ahead and offer her the job, due to giving the two-week notice. Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to accept a new billing clerk Amber Ragle. David Drake seconded. Motion passed.

Equipment purchases: Mike Farmer

Utilities will be purchasing a trencher from McDonald Machinery from Indianapolis. We own a trencher that was purchased in 1995 or 1996; unfortunately it is a commercial trencher not an industrial trencher so it is not sufficient to do the job that needs to be done. The purchase price is $28,100.00 with trade in of the old trencher. We will finance the equipment for four years at 6% interest and will make quarterly payments. We will finance $25,000.00 through Peoples State Bank. I need approval to purchase this piece of equipment. David Sorokoty requested the trade in value of the old trencher. One company would not give a trade in they suggested we sell it out right. Case offered $16,000.00 trade in with a purchase price of $44,180.00. We used each trencher in an application to determine that it would be sufficient for our use. The purchase money will come out of our O & M budget. Mike Corman made a motion to authorize utilities to purchase the trencher from McDonald Equipment as presented by Mike Farmer. David Drake seconded the motion. Motion passed.

I sent a request to purchase an excavator that was a lease with an option to purchase from Holt Equipment of Bloomington. The purchase price is $134,900.00 with an interest rate of 5.49% with a lease option of $2,182.00 per month for two years with a balloon payment of $90,000.00. You could not rent a piece of equipment for less than $5,800.00 a month. We will not enter into a lease agreement until the project starts, however I would like to go ahead and get approval so that when it is needed I can proceed without delay. I am not requesting to purchase this piece of equipment only to lease it for the two years; at the term of the lease the option to purchase will be brought before the council then. Mike Cornman made a motion to authorize the utilities to lease the excavator described to us from Holt Equipment. Geraldine McIntyre seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Resolution 3-01: Purchase of new police car

David Drake made a motion to add resolution 3-01 to the agenda. Geraldine McIntyre seconded. Motion passed.

RESOLUTION 3-01 CONCERNING A LOAN TO PURCHASE A 2001 CROWN VICTORIA SQUAD CAR FOR THE ELLETTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

WHEREAS, the Town Council has already in public meeting on December 27, 2000, been notified of the purchase of a 2001 Crown Victoria Squad car, and whereas the money has been appropriated for the purchase of such car.

BE IT RESOLVED that the Clerk-Treasurer of the Town of Ellettsville is hereby authorized to secure a 120-day loan from The Peoples State Bank to pay for the above-mentioned car until such time as the June tax settlement is received from the Monroe County Auditor. At which time the Clerk-Treasurer will issue a check to The Peoples State Bank for Twenty Thousand Six Hundred Fifty Nine Dollars and Twenty Five Cents ($20,659.25), said sum being the remaining balance of the purchase price for said squad car.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk-Treasurer of the Town of Ellettsville is hereby also authorized to pay in full any and all other costs required for the purchase of said squad car from Bloomington Ford.

Mike Cornman read resolution 3-01 concerning a loan to purchase a 2001 Crown Victoria Squad Car for the Ellettsville Police Department, in full. Geraldine McIntyre noted the appropriate papers have been signed for the bank loan. Mike Cornman requested why the loan had not been secured from Bank One an agreement has already been set up to do our leases from there. Ron McGlocklin stated that Clerk Treasurer Sandra Hash had done some checking in regards to interest rates, the lowest rate she found was from the Indiana Bank Bond. She contacted Peoples State Bank and they matched the interest rate. David Drake made a motion to approve resolution 3-01 to get a loan to purchase a police car. Geraldine McIntyre seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-1, Mike Cornman voted no.

Minutes and Claims

Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to approve the minutes and claims. Mike Cornman seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Supervisors

Ron McGlocklin

Ron McGlocklin told the council that Sergeant John Stone went to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy to become certified in Breathalyzer training to be certified as a breath technician. That completes all of the officers being certified until we fill the open position.

Jim Ragle

I have a 1976 Dodge pickup that I would like to declare surplus property so I can get rid of it. Noted that he would take bids on it so that he could put the money into some of the other trucks. David Sorokoty stated they needed a motion to declare the 76 Dodge pickup surplus properties. Geraldine McIntyre so moved. David Drake seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Public Comments

Mike Cornman

The Census Bureau released census information regarding the tallies. Ellettsville now has a population of 5078 in the town limits. That is a 55% increase since 1990. The map that was given to the census bureau in 1987 to do the 1990 census was a fema flood plain map from 1966, so if you wonder why the 1980 census was higher than the 1990 census it look like we lost people. Through the 1980’s new subdivisions were emerging yet we lost a few hundred people. I reviewed this as one of the first things joining the council to make sure the census received the correct map. So the 55% increase is more like 20% over the period.

Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to adjourn. Mike Cornman seconded the motion. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 8:35P.M.

_____________________________ __________________________

Jerry Pittsford, President David Sorokoty, Vice President

_____________________________ __________________________

Mike Cornman David Drake

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Geraldine McIntyre Lynnella Weiss

Clerk-Assistant