Milford May Offer $10K Toward School Officer

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jordan Fouts-

MILFORD – Town Council President Doug Ruch began introducing an agreement with Milford School Monday to fund a school resource officer.
The inter-local agreement would provide the school with $10,000 for placing an officer in the school on a trial basis, from Aug. 13 to Dec. 20. But town attorney Jay Rigdon interjected while Ruch was reading the motion to suggest attorneys for both parties review it first.
Rigdon said he spoke with the attorney for the Wawasee Community School Corp., David Cates,   who he said would likely modify any agreement before the school signs it. The town will look at the agreement again after both attorneys provide input.
They also noted state and federal grants for school security are opening up, which Marshal Rich Miotto said his department will apply for.
“We’re still looking at what we can do to make the school safer,” remarked council member Bob Cockburn.
Also during the meeting, council approved the purchase of 630 water meter readers from Underground Pipe and Valve Inc. for $106,440. The wireless meters will also require $3,500 in upgrades to the town’s billing software, in order to calculate new sewer rates based on more exact water use figures.
The upgrade may also allow the town to bill monthly instead of every two months, which Utilities Superintendent Randy Veach said he hopes can be started by July.
“I think people will be happy with half a bill every month,” Cockburn said.
The town looked at other wireless meters as well but Veach said he couldn’t justify the expense.
The town will next read meters May 20.
Council also discussed ongoing issues with BioWaste Processing, a utilities customer that Veach said is costing the town more than it pays in. He said he will sit down with representatives of the state Department of Environmental Management to set new guidelines for BioWaste, but council expressed doubt that they will be able to recoup current losses.
And council heard that a drug collection bin has been set up in town hall.  Miotto said the bin – for collecting pills and patches only, no needles or liquids – was furnished by the Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Enforcement, on the stipulation the town install security cameras.
Council earlier voted to allow the Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club to install three to six signs at the edge of town marking the countywide route through Milford.
And they approved road closures for Milford Fest. Main Street from Catherine to Emeline streets as well as Emeline from Main to the railroad crossing will be closed May 23 at 6 p.m. to May 26 at 10 a.m.; Main will be closed from Catherine to First Street and Emeline from the alley at B&B Tax Accounting through Main from May 24 at 5 p.m. to May 25 at 11 p.m.; and Main will be closed from Fourth Street to Catherine and Fourth will be closed from the railroad crossing to Henry Street on May 25 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]

MILFORD – Town Council President Doug Ruch began introducing an agreement with Milford School Monday to fund a school resource officer.
The inter-local agreement would provide the school with $10,000 for placing an officer in the school on a trial basis, from Aug. 13 to Dec. 20. But town attorney Jay Rigdon interjected while Ruch was reading the motion to suggest attorneys for both parties review it first.
Rigdon said he spoke with the attorney for the Wawasee Community School Corp., David Cates,   who he said would likely modify any agreement before the school signs it. The town will look at the agreement again after both attorneys provide input.
They also noted state and federal grants for school security are opening up, which Marshal Rich Miotto said his department will apply for.
“We’re still looking at what we can do to make the school safer,” remarked council member Bob Cockburn.
Also during the meeting, council approved the purchase of 630 water meter readers from Underground Pipe and Valve Inc. for $106,440. The wireless meters will also require $3,500 in upgrades to the town’s billing software, in order to calculate new sewer rates based on more exact water use figures.
The upgrade may also allow the town to bill monthly instead of every two months, which Utilities Superintendent Randy Veach said he hopes can be started by July.
“I think people will be happy with half a bill every month,” Cockburn said.
The town looked at other wireless meters as well but Veach said he couldn’t justify the expense.
The town will next read meters May 20.
Council also discussed ongoing issues with BioWaste Processing, a utilities customer that Veach said is costing the town more than it pays in. He said he will sit down with representatives of the state Department of Environmental Management to set new guidelines for BioWaste, but council expressed doubt that they will be able to recoup current losses.
And council heard that a drug collection bin has been set up in town hall.  Miotto said the bin – for collecting pills and patches only, no needles or liquids – was furnished by the Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Enforcement, on the stipulation the town install security cameras.
Council earlier voted to allow the Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club to install three to six signs at the edge of town marking the countywide route through Milford.
And they approved road closures for Milford Fest. Main Street from Catherine to Emeline streets as well as Emeline from Main to the railroad crossing will be closed May 23 at 6 p.m. to May 26 at 10 a.m.; Main will be closed from Catherine to First Street and Emeline from the alley at B&B Tax Accounting through Main from May 24 at 5 p.m. to May 25 at 11 p.m.; and Main will be closed from Fourth Street to Catherine and Fourth will be closed from the railroad crossing to Henry Street on May 25 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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