MENTONE - Continuing to follow up on suggestions for cleaning up the town, council members heard a presentation on housing rehabilitation.

Angie Shirk, executive director of Warsaw Housing Authority and Housing Opportunities of Warsaw, and Jake Murray, HOW programs manager, told Mentone Town Council members Forrest Kantner and Lynn Phillips that grants are available for owner-occupied rehabilitation for low-income homeowners. Councilman Ed Rock was absent from Monday's meeting.

Shirk told the council that the grants include a 10 percent local match, which can be monetary or in-kind contributions.

Two owner-occupied rehabilitation grants have allowed for 34 homes in Warsaw to be brought up to code and a similar grant is in the works at Pierceton. Shirk said HOW is planning to change its name, dropping the "Warsaw" reference since the program incorporates all of Kosciusko County.

If the council opts to pursue a housing rehabilitation grant, Shirk said, she would recommend starting with a request of $200,000. With up to $35,000 allowed per home, this would allow for several homeowners to benefit from the program. The grant is made possible through the Indiana Housing Finance Authority and monies distributed to homeowners via fully or partially forgivable loans. Homeowner eligibility is determined through income and those whose loans are only partially forgivable would carry an interest rate of 3 percent.

The next step for the town is to determine how it would come up with the matching funds. Shirk will attend another council meeting upon request to proceed with the grant application. The next round of grants is scheduled for February, with late spring and fall 2000 grant rounds also possible for the town.

Shirk was invited to Monday's meeting after the council received complaints during the past two months regarding the condition of some of the properties in town.

In other business, the council tabled decisions for purchasing a new police vehicle and for moving forward on the possible purchase of the building housing the police department.

Kantner questioned why the town even needed two police vehicles and noted that the department had only one car up until 1993, at which time a second car was approved. Officer safety is a main priority, according to Marshal Jim Eads, who said a second car allows for quick assistance in case of an emergency.

The council asked last month for Eads to obtain quotes on a sport utility vehicle he was interested in, but Kantner said Monday that he would rather not make the decision this year. He said a new council will take office next year and whether a new police vehicle is purchased should be up to them.

The owners of the police department building indicated last month that they will be putting the structure on the market, but will give the town the first option to buy it. The owners are currently out of town and the council voted to hire an appraiser prior to making an offer on the building. State law requires that the buyer and seller hire appraisers and that the town cannot pay more than the average of those appraisals, Kantner said.

A reminder was issued that large-item trash pickup is set for Friday. Trick-or-treat hours were set for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, with the Chamber of Commerce Halloween party to follow at 8 p.m.

The next council meeting is at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]