November 12, 2001
The Ellettsville, Indiana, Town Council met in regular session at 7:30 PM, Monday, November 12, 2001. Jerry Pittsford called the meeting to order and led the prayer. Geraldine McIntyre led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jerry asked for roll call of Council Members. Members present were Jerry Pittsford, President; David Sorokoty, Vice President; Michael Cornman, David Drake, and Geraldine McIntyre. Also present were Sandra Hash, Clerk-Treasurer and Mike Spencer, Town Attorney.
Mike Cornman made a motion to add Jeana
Kapczynski with the Main Street Program to tonight’s agenda under new
business. Geraldine McIntyre
seconded. Motion carried.
Approval of the Minutes
of the regular meeting of October 22, 2001 and a special meeting of November 5,
2001
A motion was made by Geraldine McIntyre and seconded by David Drake to
approve the minutes of October 22, 2001 and November 5, 2001. Motion carried.
Resolutions
Resolution 17-01 Transfer of
Funds
David Sorokoty read the resolution.
Geraldine McIntyre moved to accept Resolution 17-01 and David Drake
seconded. Motion carried.
New Business
Jeana Kapczynski, President
of Ellettsville Main Street, Inc.
Jeana Kapczynski passed out handouts to the Council explaining her
request. Jeana requested the Council to
look over the handouts and give her feedback on the possibility of the Town
applying for two grants on behalf of the Main Street Program. One grant is for the Heritage Trail and the
other grant is for Ellettsville Gateways.
The deadline to apply is December 14, 2001. Jeana thanked the Town for their support and assistance of the
Main Street program. Jerry will have
Mike Spencer to look over the handout and the Council will make their decision
at the next Council Meeting on November 26, 2001.
Service Agreement with Jamax
for Trash Removal
Sandy said the agreement with Jamax had expired The Agreement would set
the cost through to June 1, 2003 to allow for budgeting purposes. Mike Cornman made a motion to approve the
service agreement with Jamax and David Sorokoty seconded. Motion carried.
Drive Up Mail box
Sandy explained that she and the Post Master, Clint Sherrill, had being
discussed the possibility of a drive up mailbox. Sandy spoke to Rick Coppock about a location for a drive up
mailbox. They agreed the Town parking lot on the corner of Sale Street and Main
Street by the stage would be the best location. The last time Sandy spoke to Clint he said he would place the box
wherever the Council designated. David
Sorokoty suggested adding a security light if all agree to approve a drive up
mailbox. Jerry suggested checking with
Clint again and with INDOT about the plans for the removal of the stage and the
future of that area prior to approval of that location. If all seems satisfactory on the location
then the Council can proceed with approval and installation of a drive up
mailbox.
Well Site Property
Well site park presentation by students of The Epple Institute for
Parks and Public Lands. Token
Barnthouse and Erin Policinski reported on the progress on this
project and how to best utilize the land. They interviewed several individuals on various questions
pertaining to the recreational needs of the Town and they passed out handouts
with the interview results including a map of the property. Token explained that there are some
advantages and disadvantages of the site.
Erin explained the habitat describing the types of trees, foliage and
wildlife in the area. David Sorokoty
previously had a district forester survey and inventory the land. They used his information as well as doing
their own research. They will have an
official slide presentation of the project site at the next Council Meeting,
which will be held at the Monroe County Library Ellettsville Branch meeting
room.
David Sorokoty explained the origin on this project and how the R-BBCSC
had wanted to develop this land into a park with a grant but keep it as natural
as possible. The grant did not get
approved for the school so David had approached Mr. Walter at Indiana
University’s Epple Institute with a proposal to plan a park development with
his graduate students giving the Town a “blue print” to start with for
developing this land. He said the
school would still like to be involved with this project. He also stated Town Planner Bill Land had
suggested the possibility of eventually connecting this property to the
Flatwoods Park property.
Action to pay Accounts
Payable Vouchers
Geraldine McIntyre moved to approve the accounts payable vouchers. David Drake seconded. Motion carried.
Supervisor’s comments
Jim Ragle, Street
Department, explained he has an
opening in the Department. He has
already posted and advertised the position.
27 applications have been received.
Jim requests approval to go through the applications with David Sorokoty
and Jerry to choose the best applicants for the position.
He also explained that the Department’s leaf vacuum had broken down and
that they would be purchasing a new one while the old one was being
repaired. This was among the transfers
needed in Resolution 17-01 for $27,000.00. Jim had received quotes from three
places for the street vacuum.
Mike Farmer, Utilities
Department, explained that he had
an opening in his Department due to Jason Brown leaving. He posted the position and received
applications also. Kevin Fluke of the
Street Department applied for this position and has previously worked for Mike
and is already trained. Therefore, Mike
would like to hire internally choosing Kevin.
Mike Cornman moved to approve hiring Kevin for the Utilities Department
and Geraldine McIntyre seconded. Motion
carried.
The Utilities Department has stopped issuing “special meters” because
they are problematic and will not function correctly with our new electronic
touch read system so the Council requested Mike to research installing “water
only meters”. Mike wrote a memo
proposal with approximate costs on water only meters to the Council. Jerry asked Mike to explain the memo so the Council
would understand it more thoroughly.
Mike explained for a water only meter to be installed or retrofitted for
an existing domestic water meter customer without a “special meter” the
cost would be $252.00 and for an existing domestic water meter customer with
a “special meter” the cost would be $70.00 cheaper making the cost
$180.00. He said that if they were to
set a new meter with a “dual set” meaning one meter for the home and one as a
“special meter” the cost would be $180.00.
Finally he explained that if they had to set a new service that was a
“water only” meter install the cost would be $400.00 plus excavation. Mike said if someone installs a new double
service for their home the cost would be it is $400.00 per service, not $400.00
for one and $180.00 for the second. He
explained the $180.00 is when a customer has
an existing service and the Utilities does not have to upgrade lines
for the additional service. He added if
“special meter” customers want to install water only meters they could add
$15.00 a month interest free to their monthly bill for twelve months
to pay for the meter set of $180.00.
Mike said he would forward this proposal to Mike Spencer so that he
could put it in Ordinance form then bring it before the Council and if approved
it would have to go before the IURC for approval before putting it in our rates
and charges billing system.
Jeff Farmer, Utilities
Department, showed photos and
spoke on rain events receiving 3” to 4” of rain that had caused overflow in
certain areas. There were serious
overflows in the Eastern-Richland sewer system; a couple of minor overflows in
the Ellettsville system and Northern-Richland had a sewer overflow. He approximated a two million gallon
overflow in the Eastern-Richland system. In Ellettsville a minor overflow at the Ellettsville Fire
Station, Station 7 and Ellettsville Elementary School yard. Northern’s overflow was due to a blockage
and the Utilities crew cleaned it out the next day. Jeff said that Ellettsville’s new sewer plant was stressed
because the plant had gone through 8 million gallons of flow that day;
collection systems were stressed from the large flow. He stated the plant had exceeded its limit; the plant is designed
for a 10 million peak not a 10 million gallon a day flow. Our plant overflowed into wet wells and
burned out a couple of motors. He said
that Ellettsville has been improving our sewer system and in fact they have
replaced a lot of our lines but he is not if sure other companies are doing the
same. He would like action taken
because there is a lack of communication between the three sewer
corporations. He is concerned for the
environment and that it is not healthy for an overflow to be near a
playground. Jeff is concerned for the
customers as well as the environment.
He said if Ellettsville continues to grow and build new housing
additions then naturally the sewer rates would raise and we would have to
increase the line sizes or build bigger plants. He said that inflow and infiltration needs to be corrected and
suggested part of the inflow problem might be busted pipes and storm
drains. He also said that gutters, sump
pumps, parameter drains are not supposed to be hooked into the sewer, so if
they are they need to be disconnected.
Sandy Hash said she had received a call from the
Indiana State Forest Protection Campaign Department and they will be canvassing
in the Town from November 13th to November 16th, 2001
from 4:30 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. and they will be providing a list of names of the
canvassers to the Police Department.
Komputrol, our software company, is offering a year-end training in
Cicero, Indiana on December 5th, 2001 and she would like to attend
and take Amber also.
Christmas is on Tuesday this year and a few employees have approached
her with the possibility of switching the day after Christmas Holiday to
Christmas Eve as the day off for this year, which would make a four-day
weekend.
At the end of the year our office is open on some of the days the
Monroe County Courthouse is closed and it makes it difficult to complete some
of the year-end transactions our office performs because of the different
Holidays at each office. Monroe County
Offices are closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
A few of our employees have requested additional life insurance and our
employee plan does not allow for additional, however, we do have Colonial
Insurance that allows for additional coverage.
In the past Insurance representatives would at times approach employees
on the job instead of checking with the Clerk’s office first for a time to
discuss their programs. Therefore, by
setting a couple of days a year aside then Insurance Companies would have a
opportunity to offer their services. I
have spoken with Cheryl Terry of the May Agency and she has requested December
6th and 7th, 2001 for days to review and discuss
additional insurance with employees who are interested if the Council approves
of these days. Nick Ivey of Pre-Paid
Legal has also approached the Clerk’s office offering his service to
employees. Jerry said it was okay for
existing company’s to have the review day, but not to add any new payroll
deductions such as Pre-Paid Legal.
Mike Cornman moved to allow Sandy and Amber to travel to Cicero for the
training. Geraldine McIntyre
seconded. Motion carried.
Jerry instructed Sandy to do an employee survey for the Christmas
Holiday.
Geraldine McIntyre told that she and Iris Kirsling attended
the Crane dedication last Thursday.
David Sorokoty told that Bybee Stone Company did get the
contract for the helping to repair the Pentagon.
Veteran’s Day was just celebrated and is an extra special day to show
our patriotism. He also believes that
schools should encourage the saying of “The Pledge of Allegiance”.
Jerry Pittsford mentioned the Edgewood Jr. High School had
a special recognition for Veteran’s Friday and can be accessed through the Jr.
High School website. Jim Davis and Mike
Spencer were recognized as Veteran’s.
He also mentioned that Fire Chief Jim Davis and Division Chief Bill
Headley attended the two Building Inspector training seminars in Indianapolis
in October and November.
Jerry said that our annexation plans have not changed and that
annexation was not looked into solely to increase our tax base; it is in the
best interest of our sewer company.
Privilege of the Floor None
Adjournment
A motion was made by Geraldine McIntyre seconded by David Sorokoty to
adjourn. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p. m.
_____________________________ __________________________
Jerry Pittsford, President David Sorokoty, Vice President
_____________________________ __________________________
Mike Cornman David Drake
_____________________________ __________________________
Geraldine McIntyre Sandra C. Hash
Clerk-Treasurer