Mentone Gets New Water Meters
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
"We'll begin installation as soon as we can," he said. "Don't know how long it will take to install them all."
The meters were purchased from Everett J. Prescott Inc., Wabash.
To pay for the new meters, the town had to take a three-year loan from Farmers State Bank for $85,000. The town's hydrant rental will be used for payment, and $30,000 will be budgeted from the general fund to the water department each year. The interest rate is 4.64 percent.[[In-content Ad]]The town had to borrow the money because it has not received any tax revenue for this year yet. In April, Mentone Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross told the council the town would not receive any tax distribution money in June. The state would not allow county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell to do provisional billing for the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. area because it lies within Kosciusko and Fulton counties and Fulton County's assessed valuation has not been certified by the state yet.
Miller also said sofware company Keystone will be in town Aug. 17 to go over training and programming for the meters.
The first meters to be replaced with the new meters will be the problem meters, then the pit meters, and then basement meters. "That's the order of priority," Miller said.
Though Eddie Tridle moved some hay wagons from an unkept property, other farm equipment has been left on the property.
At the July meeting, Town Marshall Jim Eads reported a registered letter for three Tridle properties, Monroe Street, did not get picked up. The properties are in town and are uninhabitable. Trailers of hay also are being parked and left on the residential property.
The registered letter gave the children of the late Tridles, including Eddie Tridle and Lorna Kline, 60 days from receipt of the letter to take care of the property. The trailers are being left on the property more frequently, making the property look like a stockyard, Eads said.
Since that meeting, Eads has contacted Tridle, and the hay wagons were removed, but other unwanted items remain. Councilman Roger Long said a 72-hour orange tag should be put on them. If they aren't moved, they should be impounded at Tridle's expense.
"Do it," town attorney Larry Beeson said. "Do it."
Ross said Tridle stopped by in her office to ask about how to get water turned on at one of their properties, which has been deemed unsafe. She told Tridle he'd have to pay any unpaid water bills, but can't rent the house out. He never returned, but if he does, she said she will tell him he must come to a town council meeting.
Tim Croy, council president, said three years ago, Tridle said he'd do whatever he has to do to make his properties look cosmetically pleasing. They only look worse now, Croy said, and Tridle hasn't done a thing. Croy said the water shouldn't be turned on.
Long asked Miller about getting a grant to put a fence around the town's water tower for security reasons. Miller said he'd check into it. If they put a fence around the water tower, Croy said they might as well also check into securing the well houses.
The air conditioning unit at the wastewater treatment plant needs replaced, said Miller. It was installed in 1990, and is becoming costly to maintain, Miller said. The council told Miller to get three bids on replacing it.
Miller also told the council they may want to consider getting portable toilets for the park because of the vandalism at the bathroom. He said he cleaned the bathrooms Friday and is waiting to see how long it takes before the vandalism happens again.
"I don't mind sweeping and ordinary type cleaning, but this was out-of-the-ordinary cleaning," said Miller.
Croy suggested Miller get some quotes. Miller already has done that, but no portable toilets would be available until the first of the year.
In other business, the council:
n Heard from Ross the budget hearing will be Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
n Approved for Eads and a deputy to attend a two-day conference on concealed firearms and drug interdiction in Fort Wayne Aug. 21-22, put on by the U.S. Department of Justice. The town will be reimbursed for the officers' time. Reserve officers will fill in those days.
n Suggested a Neighborhood Crime Watch be started.
Mentone Town Council members are Croy, Long and Jack Simpson. Their next meeting is Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mentone Community Emergency Services Building.
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"We'll begin installation as soon as we can," he said. "Don't know how long it will take to install them all."
The meters were purchased from Everett J. Prescott Inc., Wabash.
To pay for the new meters, the town had to take a three-year loan from Farmers State Bank for $85,000. The town's hydrant rental will be used for payment, and $30,000 will be budgeted from the general fund to the water department each year. The interest rate is 4.64 percent.[[In-content Ad]]The town had to borrow the money because it has not received any tax revenue for this year yet. In April, Mentone Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross told the council the town would not receive any tax distribution money in June. The state would not allow county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell to do provisional billing for the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. area because it lies within Kosciusko and Fulton counties and Fulton County's assessed valuation has not been certified by the state yet.
Miller also said sofware company Keystone will be in town Aug. 17 to go over training and programming for the meters.
The first meters to be replaced with the new meters will be the problem meters, then the pit meters, and then basement meters. "That's the order of priority," Miller said.
Though Eddie Tridle moved some hay wagons from an unkept property, other farm equipment has been left on the property.
At the July meeting, Town Marshall Jim Eads reported a registered letter for three Tridle properties, Monroe Street, did not get picked up. The properties are in town and are uninhabitable. Trailers of hay also are being parked and left on the residential property.
The registered letter gave the children of the late Tridles, including Eddie Tridle and Lorna Kline, 60 days from receipt of the letter to take care of the property. The trailers are being left on the property more frequently, making the property look like a stockyard, Eads said.
Since that meeting, Eads has contacted Tridle, and the hay wagons were removed, but other unwanted items remain. Councilman Roger Long said a 72-hour orange tag should be put on them. If they aren't moved, they should be impounded at Tridle's expense.
"Do it," town attorney Larry Beeson said. "Do it."
Ross said Tridle stopped by in her office to ask about how to get water turned on at one of their properties, which has been deemed unsafe. She told Tridle he'd have to pay any unpaid water bills, but can't rent the house out. He never returned, but if he does, she said she will tell him he must come to a town council meeting.
Tim Croy, council president, said three years ago, Tridle said he'd do whatever he has to do to make his properties look cosmetically pleasing. They only look worse now, Croy said, and Tridle hasn't done a thing. Croy said the water shouldn't be turned on.
Long asked Miller about getting a grant to put a fence around the town's water tower for security reasons. Miller said he'd check into it. If they put a fence around the water tower, Croy said they might as well also check into securing the well houses.
The air conditioning unit at the wastewater treatment plant needs replaced, said Miller. It was installed in 1990, and is becoming costly to maintain, Miller said. The council told Miller to get three bids on replacing it.
Miller also told the council they may want to consider getting portable toilets for the park because of the vandalism at the bathroom. He said he cleaned the bathrooms Friday and is waiting to see how long it takes before the vandalism happens again.
"I don't mind sweeping and ordinary type cleaning, but this was out-of-the-ordinary cleaning," said Miller.
Croy suggested Miller get some quotes. Miller already has done that, but no portable toilets would be available until the first of the year.
In other business, the council:
n Heard from Ross the budget hearing will be Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
n Approved for Eads and a deputy to attend a two-day conference on concealed firearms and drug interdiction in Fort Wayne Aug. 21-22, put on by the U.S. Department of Justice. The town will be reimbursed for the officers' time. Reserve officers will fill in those days.
n Suggested a Neighborhood Crime Watch be started.
Mentone Town Council members are Croy, Long and Jack Simpson. Their next meeting is Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mentone Community Emergency Services Building.
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