MENTONE - Before more development occurs in Mentone, the town council wants to address flooding concerns in the northern part of the town.

Monday, James W. Emans of Emans Engineering, Bremen, presented the board with a proposal to find solutions to mitigate the flooding for $4,800. The board approved the contract for Emans to take the next step and research the problem.

Emans said there are a couple of county tiles in the area of the flooding. Kosciusko County Dick Kemper told Emans the tile is open and there is no reason to believe it is obstructed. A small amount of rain in a small amount of time can cause flooding, Emans said.

In his proposal, he included three ways to address the flooding, each having its own complications. The proposal also includes taking a look at the feasibility of the alternatives and then coming back to the board for discussion.

No physical survey of the flooded area will be taken during the first part of the proposal. Emans said he will use information already available. If the board chooses to advance one of the alternatives to mitigate the flooding, Emans said then there will be a physical survey.

"I'm guessing it will take more than one item to address the flooding," Emans said.

Roger Long, board member, said it made sense to him to get the ball rolling. He made the motion to approve the proposal and it was approved unanimously.

The flooding concern will keep Joe Callaghan, of Fahl Homes, from going through with his proposal for now. He owns homes on Tucker Street, and wants to give 33 feet of his property to the town for the future extension of Tucker Street. He has three lots he wants to put homes on, and wants Mentone to take care of snow removal, trash pick-up and mail delivery.

Jack Simpson, board member, said resolution of the flooding problem will have to precede Callaghan's issue. Development in the town is fast adding to the town's water problem, he said, and the town needs to stop and figure out what to do with the water issue.

Long asked how soon was Callaghan looking to put homes on the property. "Right away," Callaghan replied. He said he was prepared to put a home up in the next 30 to 60 days. "I'll give you my 33 feet. It's up to you to get the other 33 feet."

Long said besides the flooding, he was more concerned with the town's cost of paving the extension. He said Callaghan should absorb some of those costs. "I don't want to see three houses go in there and then a stone drive like last year," he said.

Long agreed with Simpson that the town needs to address flooding issues before dealing with Callaghan's request.

Callaghan said it didn't look like the town had any definitive idea as to when or how they will address the flooding. He suggested he will come back to the board around September.

Council President Tim Croy said the town should know more by then.

Last year, Town Marshall Jim Eads said Mentone had four or five properties with overgrown lawns. This year, they've had 14. About six of the property owners have been contacted and the lawns were mowed. Two more were mowed by town employees for Mentone Egg Festival. The remaining six, however, are properties that have been foreclosed on and Eads received no response from his efforts to get the properties mowed. Some are in desperate need of being mowed.

"I have no one living in these 14 (houses)," said Eads.

Barbara Ross, town clerk, said the town can do the work, bill the owners, send the invoice to the auditor's office and attach it to the property as a lien.

Long said the town probably will have to mow the lawns and keep a record.

Currently, if the town has to mow a property that has residences, the town charges $50 per man and $50 per piece of equipment per hour. Eads asked if the town mows a property, how long must the town wait before the town mows it again?

In years past, the town could squeak by, but now the town has 14 properties with overgrown lawns. Does the town need to hire out for this work?

"It's extra work for us," said Reed, "it's extra work for her (Ross)."

Eads said if this problem is becoming a pattern, he would hate to see what next summer brings.

Ross said it could be 10 years for the town to get its money back through a lien, depending how long it takes to sell the property. Croy said the town needs to redo its ordinance, and he directed town attorney Larry Beeson to prepare it for the July 10 meeting. Simpson said the town should charge $100 for administration fees and $75 per man and equipment per hour.

In other business, the town board:

• Was given a report from Dixon Engineering on the town's water tower. They will review the report and discuss it further at a later date.

• Approved the Keystone software maintenance license as requested by Ross for $3,700.

• Decided to crack down more on overdue water bills.

• Set the budget meeting for June 26 at 6:30 p.m.

• Moved the July 3 meeting to July 10 at 6:30 p.m. due to the July 4 holiday. [[In-content Ad]]