Mentone Decides On Treatment Plant
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Michael Strang, Bonar Group, Plymouth, attended the meeting to discuss the wastewater treatment plant options. He said it's a project they've been working on with the town for the last 1-1/2 years. A financial report from Umbaugh & Associates also was presented.[[In-content Ad]]There were four options presented to the town board. Options 1 and 2 were options from Canada, Strang said, and have worked well. The difference between the first two options is how much money would go into the lift stations. The first option was most economical, but option 1 would require more repairs to the lift station in the next 20 years than option 2.
Options 3 and 4 are two different options and more expensive than options 1 and 2. Utilities Superintendent Eric Carlin said Mentone's only basic choices were options 1 and 2. Carlin said option 2 would probably be worth the extra cost, and he said he didn't think options 3 and 4 are feasible.
Total cost for option 1 was estimated at $1,218,400, with the town's share being $618,400 of that cost. A $600,000 grant would cover the remaining portion.
Total cost for option 2 was estimated at $1,260,400, with the town's share being $660,400.
Donna Anderson, president, Kenna Consulting & Management Group Inc., Indianapolis, said a proposal for the grant is due July 10, the application goes in Sept. 11 and the town will know if they were awarded the grant by Nov. 20. A public hearing will have to be held at 6:30 p.m. June 1 to receive questions and comments from the public. Before the application goes in in September, she said another public hearing will have to be held.
By unanimous vote, the town council chose option 2.
Tim Carter, owner of Bulldog Saloon, will probably have a beer tent up during the Mentone Egg Festival June 4-6, but it will not be endorsed by the town.
At the April meeting, Carter presented the beer tent idea to the town council. He said he would have security and a fence around the tent and would carry insurance. Everything would be cleaned up by 2 a.m., and music and/or karaoke would be inside the tent. Because councilman Jack Simpson was not at the April meeting, councilmen Tim Croy and Jill Gross did not take any action.
Monday night, Simpson said since the April meeting, 22 people had approached him and were against the beer tent, none were for it. Gross said 16 people were against it, and two were for it. Croy said two people he talked to didn't care one way or the other. Gross said she didn't approach anyone about the beer tent - they had approached her.
Town Marshal Jim Eads said he personally wasn't for or against it. However, other communities have beer tents at their events and it goes on without a hitch. If done correctly, Eads said he didn't see why Mentone wouldn't be the same.
Simpson said he probably would be more for it if there weren't children present. Croy said he received a report from the Mentone Chamber of Commerce that they would have to carry more insurance if there was a beer tent at the Egg Festival.
Carter said Mentone keeps doing the same thing every year for the Egg Festival. He said the town needs to find new ways to do things, try new things to draw people in.
Carter reported he already had the licenses he needed to have a beer tent. Croy said if Carter had the license, legally, the town can't stop him from having the beer tent. But, as far as the town goes, Croy said they don't want to endorse it.
"We don't want to upset anyone," Carter said, "but we're going to have a beer tent."
"This year will be a test - for you, the town. Until you do it, you won't know," said Gross.
If Eddie Tridle doesn't meet the deadlines to repair his properties on Monroe and and Main streets, the town council will condemn and demolish them.
After a long discussion between the town council, Tridle, Tridle's attorney Ted Wagoner and town attorney Larry Beeson, four deadlines were approved for Tridle.
By July 15, the doors, roof and windows on Tridle's Monroe Street house must be completed. By Aug. 15, the Main Street house must be completed. All siding on the Monroe Street house must be finished by Oct. 1. All work on both houses, including interior work, must be finished by March 1.
Simpson said at the Aug. 3 town council meeting, the board will decide if Tridle is meeting the deadlines and if the work can proceed or if the properties will be condemned.
Beeson told Tridle no further continuation on the matter will be granted.
In other business, the town council:
n Heard that the community garden at the wastewater treatment plant is started. One person has began planting a garden out there, and there are more plots available. Ron Scott, Master Gardener and garden organizer, said he was looking forward to more people participating.
n Approved to pay the Bonar Group another payment of $10,651.60.
n Approved for utilities department employee Josh Shepherd to be on the fire department roster.
n Reminded residents that spring clean-up is May 20. Croy said residents should not pile their stuff up in the street. Put it along the curb.
Michael Strang, Bonar Group, Plymouth, attended the meeting to discuss the wastewater treatment plant options. He said it's a project they've been working on with the town for the last 1-1/2 years. A financial report from Umbaugh & Associates also was presented.[[In-content Ad]]There were four options presented to the town board. Options 1 and 2 were options from Canada, Strang said, and have worked well. The difference between the first two options is how much money would go into the lift stations. The first option was most economical, but option 1 would require more repairs to the lift station in the next 20 years than option 2.
Options 3 and 4 are two different options and more expensive than options 1 and 2. Utilities Superintendent Eric Carlin said Mentone's only basic choices were options 1 and 2. Carlin said option 2 would probably be worth the extra cost, and he said he didn't think options 3 and 4 are feasible.
Total cost for option 1 was estimated at $1,218,400, with the town's share being $618,400 of that cost. A $600,000 grant would cover the remaining portion.
Total cost for option 2 was estimated at $1,260,400, with the town's share being $660,400.
Donna Anderson, president, Kenna Consulting & Management Group Inc., Indianapolis, said a proposal for the grant is due July 10, the application goes in Sept. 11 and the town will know if they were awarded the grant by Nov. 20. A public hearing will have to be held at 6:30 p.m. June 1 to receive questions and comments from the public. Before the application goes in in September, she said another public hearing will have to be held.
By unanimous vote, the town council chose option 2.
Tim Carter, owner of Bulldog Saloon, will probably have a beer tent up during the Mentone Egg Festival June 4-6, but it will not be endorsed by the town.
At the April meeting, Carter presented the beer tent idea to the town council. He said he would have security and a fence around the tent and would carry insurance. Everything would be cleaned up by 2 a.m., and music and/or karaoke would be inside the tent. Because councilman Jack Simpson was not at the April meeting, councilmen Tim Croy and Jill Gross did not take any action.
Monday night, Simpson said since the April meeting, 22 people had approached him and were against the beer tent, none were for it. Gross said 16 people were against it, and two were for it. Croy said two people he talked to didn't care one way or the other. Gross said she didn't approach anyone about the beer tent - they had approached her.
Town Marshal Jim Eads said he personally wasn't for or against it. However, other communities have beer tents at their events and it goes on without a hitch. If done correctly, Eads said he didn't see why Mentone wouldn't be the same.
Simpson said he probably would be more for it if there weren't children present. Croy said he received a report from the Mentone Chamber of Commerce that they would have to carry more insurance if there was a beer tent at the Egg Festival.
Carter said Mentone keeps doing the same thing every year for the Egg Festival. He said the town needs to find new ways to do things, try new things to draw people in.
Carter reported he already had the licenses he needed to have a beer tent. Croy said if Carter had the license, legally, the town can't stop him from having the beer tent. But, as far as the town goes, Croy said they don't want to endorse it.
"We don't want to upset anyone," Carter said, "but we're going to have a beer tent."
"This year will be a test - for you, the town. Until you do it, you won't know," said Gross.
If Eddie Tridle doesn't meet the deadlines to repair his properties on Monroe and and Main streets, the town council will condemn and demolish them.
After a long discussion between the town council, Tridle, Tridle's attorney Ted Wagoner and town attorney Larry Beeson, four deadlines were approved for Tridle.
By July 15, the doors, roof and windows on Tridle's Monroe Street house must be completed. By Aug. 15, the Main Street house must be completed. All siding on the Monroe Street house must be finished by Oct. 1. All work on both houses, including interior work, must be finished by March 1.
Simpson said at the Aug. 3 town council meeting, the board will decide if Tridle is meeting the deadlines and if the work can proceed or if the properties will be condemned.
Beeson told Tridle no further continuation on the matter will be granted.
In other business, the town council:
n Heard that the community garden at the wastewater treatment plant is started. One person has began planting a garden out there, and there are more plots available. Ron Scott, Master Gardener and garden organizer, said he was looking forward to more people participating.
n Approved to pay the Bonar Group another payment of $10,651.60.
n Approved for utilities department employee Josh Shepherd to be on the fire department roster.
n Reminded residents that spring clean-up is May 20. Croy said residents should not pile their stuff up in the street. Put it along the curb.
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