Mentone Mulls Juvenile Curfew
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MENTONE - Establishing a daytime ordinance for juveniles, new health insurance for town employees and an update on the grant application for Bell Memorial Library were among the topics at Monday's Mentone Town Council meeting.
The town's attorney, Larry Beeson, was asked to look into possibilities for keeping kids - such as those expelled from school - off the streets during school hours.
"It ought not be a free day for them to just run loose in town," said Mentone Town Marshal Jim Eads.
Beeson will check to see if any other towns have similar ordinances and determine the legalities of such an ordinance.
A savings of more than $700 per month is expected now that the town changed insurance carriers for health and life insurance on town employees.
The new carrier is Central Reserve Life. The council voted unanimously to make the switch.
"If we can get insurance for a better price and better coverage ... in this day and age, that's rather amazing," said council president Ed Rock.
During a public hearing on the proposed library/senior center in the old Frank Mfg. building, Bob Murphy of R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, told the council that deadlines for making grant application in April probably won't be met and that the application will likely go in the September grant round.
"We've got a lot to put together yet," Murphy said. "We know where we're going with the library. We pretty much know where we're going with the senior center. But we're not sure where we're going with the day care."
The proposal for the new library site includes a senior center and a day care center in the building owned by the Saemann Foundation. The plan includes areas for more than a library because the structure is too large to house the library alone.
The library plans to apply for a $500,000 Indiana Department of Commerce grant to help pay for the expected $1.4 million project. A grant also will be sought from the Dekko Foundation.
Murphy said Dekko is willing to pay to employ a full-time day care director for one year. "They would rather fund us up front before we realize we can't do it," Murphy said. The proposed day care could take in up to 40 children.
Library director Lorna Kline said she has received a lot of positive feedback on the proposed plans.
"Besides benefitting the library, I think it's gonna be a lot of benefit for the town," said Murphy. "I think everyone's gonna win here."
Murphy's company was the only firm to submit a bid for grant administration and proposed to do the job for $48,000.
In other business, the council heard an ongoing complaint from residents in the 400 block of North Franklin Street concerning a house that is believed unfit for habitation and a dog running loose scaring neighbors.
Peggy Good and Jessie Bentley, who have come before the council before, said the health department has been to the residence and the police have impounded the dog, but the problems are continuing with few changes to the substandard home and the dog retrieved from the shelter.
Bentley also is concerned with a parking problem in the 400 block of North Broadway Street. Eads will look into that matter.
Bids will be accepted at the April meeting for mowing the cemetery.
The Mentone Town Council comprises Rock, Ed Lamar and Ed Diemer. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. April 3 in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]
MENTONE - Establishing a daytime ordinance for juveniles, new health insurance for town employees and an update on the grant application for Bell Memorial Library were among the topics at Monday's Mentone Town Council meeting.
The town's attorney, Larry Beeson, was asked to look into possibilities for keeping kids - such as those expelled from school - off the streets during school hours.
"It ought not be a free day for them to just run loose in town," said Mentone Town Marshal Jim Eads.
Beeson will check to see if any other towns have similar ordinances and determine the legalities of such an ordinance.
A savings of more than $700 per month is expected now that the town changed insurance carriers for health and life insurance on town employees.
The new carrier is Central Reserve Life. The council voted unanimously to make the switch.
"If we can get insurance for a better price and better coverage ... in this day and age, that's rather amazing," said council president Ed Rock.
During a public hearing on the proposed library/senior center in the old Frank Mfg. building, Bob Murphy of R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, told the council that deadlines for making grant application in April probably won't be met and that the application will likely go in the September grant round.
"We've got a lot to put together yet," Murphy said. "We know where we're going with the library. We pretty much know where we're going with the senior center. But we're not sure where we're going with the day care."
The proposal for the new library site includes a senior center and a day care center in the building owned by the Saemann Foundation. The plan includes areas for more than a library because the structure is too large to house the library alone.
The library plans to apply for a $500,000 Indiana Department of Commerce grant to help pay for the expected $1.4 million project. A grant also will be sought from the Dekko Foundation.
Murphy said Dekko is willing to pay to employ a full-time day care director for one year. "They would rather fund us up front before we realize we can't do it," Murphy said. The proposed day care could take in up to 40 children.
Library director Lorna Kline said she has received a lot of positive feedback on the proposed plans.
"Besides benefitting the library, I think it's gonna be a lot of benefit for the town," said Murphy. "I think everyone's gonna win here."
Murphy's company was the only firm to submit a bid for grant administration and proposed to do the job for $48,000.
In other business, the council heard an ongoing complaint from residents in the 400 block of North Franklin Street concerning a house that is believed unfit for habitation and a dog running loose scaring neighbors.
Peggy Good and Jessie Bentley, who have come before the council before, said the health department has been to the residence and the police have impounded the dog, but the problems are continuing with few changes to the substandard home and the dog retrieved from the shelter.
Bentley also is concerned with a parking problem in the 400 block of North Broadway Street. Eads will look into that matter.
Bids will be accepted at the April meeting for mowing the cemetery.
The Mentone Town Council comprises Rock, Ed Lamar and Ed Diemer. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. April 3 in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]