Pierceton Hears More Water Woes
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Residents also got a dose of reality and what it would take to get money for projects.
The council was asked about a tile project that one resident said has dragged on for more than seven months.
Andy Long, who lives on East Elm Street, said he was concerned with a project that was supposed to fill in holes along the back end of his property.
Long said the project should not take more than a week.
“It’s amazing to me the lack of liability concerns,” said Long.
Town councilman Ronald Hall suggested giving the current contractor 30 days to finish the project before going to someone else.
Council President Mandy Espinoza told Street Superintendent Chip Hill to get a hold of the contractor and say something needs to be done in the next couple of days.
Long also issued concerns of low-hanging wires in the neighborhood.
Hill said he would look into it.
Grant writer Bob Murphy, who has worked with Pierceton for 20 years, gave a presentation to the council and residents in the audience about what the town could do to get grant funding for projects.
Murphy talked about why the town was rejected for money in its two previous bids.
Murphy said he was never given an explanation for a 2010 bid, but guessed that things like town participation and a lack of a storm drainage fee contributed to Pierceton losing the grant money.
Murphy said Bourbon put in a storm drainage fee for every building in town, including churches.
Murphy said having the ability to create matching funds for a project was an important consideration for the decision makers in Indianapolis.
Murphy also explained that the state has now gone to just one grant-writing cycle per year.
Proposals need to be entered in January while the deadline is in April.
Murphy suggested the town formulate a concrete plan of what grant funding they’d want to go after and prepare for a grant proposal in April 2013.
Murphy said the town would need to pay $2,500 for a new income survey.
An income survey helps determine whether a town can get a grant. Murphy said that towns with low to moderate income benefit when it comes to grants being passed out.
Pierceton Town Marshal Tim Sammons told the board he had seven reserve candidates take written and physical tests.
They then had interviews with candidates and narrowed that number down to four.
The next phase will be doing background checks.
Sammons said a courtesy phone line has been put in at the police station. The phone goes directly to the county dispatch and can’t be used to dial anywhere else.
The board was given quotes by Sammons for how much it would cost to put a system in the town that could support eight cameras and digitally record them.
The system would support eight cameras. Sammons suggested that one be at the police station while others could be placed downtown and at Brower Park.
The issue was tabled for a month as the council expressed concern over how much the system would cost in comparison to the police department’s total budget.
Sammons was asked to get another proposal.
Pierceton Fire Chief Mike Brubaker told the council he is seeking grant money in the area of $25,000 to help fill up the department’s breathing tanks.
He said every time they are used at a fire they need to be filled back up.
He is currently checking with the K21 Health Foundation.
Brubaker also reminded residents that registration for youth league baseball will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the community building.
The league is also looking for corporate sponsorships this year.
The Pierceton Chamber of Commerce will host a vintage motorcycle show at Brower Park May 26.
The council also approved Calvin Carlin to the Pierceton Library Board.[[In-content Ad]]
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Residents also got a dose of reality and what it would take to get money for projects.
The council was asked about a tile project that one resident said has dragged on for more than seven months.
Andy Long, who lives on East Elm Street, said he was concerned with a project that was supposed to fill in holes along the back end of his property.
Long said the project should not take more than a week.
“It’s amazing to me the lack of liability concerns,” said Long.
Town councilman Ronald Hall suggested giving the current contractor 30 days to finish the project before going to someone else.
Council President Mandy Espinoza told Street Superintendent Chip Hill to get a hold of the contractor and say something needs to be done in the next couple of days.
Long also issued concerns of low-hanging wires in the neighborhood.
Hill said he would look into it.
Grant writer Bob Murphy, who has worked with Pierceton for 20 years, gave a presentation to the council and residents in the audience about what the town could do to get grant funding for projects.
Murphy talked about why the town was rejected for money in its two previous bids.
Murphy said he was never given an explanation for a 2010 bid, but guessed that things like town participation and a lack of a storm drainage fee contributed to Pierceton losing the grant money.
Murphy said Bourbon put in a storm drainage fee for every building in town, including churches.
Murphy said having the ability to create matching funds for a project was an important consideration for the decision makers in Indianapolis.
Murphy also explained that the state has now gone to just one grant-writing cycle per year.
Proposals need to be entered in January while the deadline is in April.
Murphy suggested the town formulate a concrete plan of what grant funding they’d want to go after and prepare for a grant proposal in April 2013.
Murphy said the town would need to pay $2,500 for a new income survey.
An income survey helps determine whether a town can get a grant. Murphy said that towns with low to moderate income benefit when it comes to grants being passed out.
Pierceton Town Marshal Tim Sammons told the board he had seven reserve candidates take written and physical tests.
They then had interviews with candidates and narrowed that number down to four.
The next phase will be doing background checks.
Sammons said a courtesy phone line has been put in at the police station. The phone goes directly to the county dispatch and can’t be used to dial anywhere else.
The board was given quotes by Sammons for how much it would cost to put a system in the town that could support eight cameras and digitally record them.
The system would support eight cameras. Sammons suggested that one be at the police station while others could be placed downtown and at Brower Park.
The issue was tabled for a month as the council expressed concern over how much the system would cost in comparison to the police department’s total budget.
Sammons was asked to get another proposal.
Pierceton Fire Chief Mike Brubaker told the council he is seeking grant money in the area of $25,000 to help fill up the department’s breathing tanks.
He said every time they are used at a fire they need to be filled back up.
He is currently checking with the K21 Health Foundation.
Brubaker also reminded residents that registration for youth league baseball will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the community building.
The league is also looking for corporate sponsorships this year.
The Pierceton Chamber of Commerce will host a vintage motorcycle show at Brower Park May 26.
The council also approved Calvin Carlin to the Pierceton Library Board.[[In-content Ad]]
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