Silver Lake Discusses Road Improvement Grant From State
August 13, 2020 at 2:19 a.m.
Silver Lake Discusses Road Improvement Grant From State
By Amanda [email protected]
Mitch Hansel, engineer with Fleis and Vandenbrink, said the asset management document listing and grading of all the town streets were complete. The document is a required part of the Community Crossroads grants funded by the state. In the next round of grants, the state will pay 75% of the street renovation costs while the applicant pays 25%, a change from the 80-20 split of the last couple of years.
Hansel also said there may be an opportunity to apply for a grant in September, and if not this fall, the next grant round starts in January.
Conley said the town could make up to $300,000 in improvements and meet the 25% match.
The board discussed several streets for renovation: Sycamore, Elm and Dixie streets and Cemetery Drive, but didn’t make any firm decisions as they’d like until September to look at Fleis and Vandenbrink’s estimates and recommendations.
Conley noted funds from 2020 and 2021 could be combined if the board waited until the January round of applications.
Bob Gardner, of Knightstown, was the next guest speaker and he noted he wasn’t from Silver Lake nor did he attend the former school. He did urge the council to save the school’s gymnasium and cafeteria.
Gardner runs an after-school program in the Hoosier gym, where he’s known as Sgt. Gardner because of his hard-line rules. He said he hated to see another old building, another Hoosier gymnasium torn down. He suggested these areas in the old school could become viable venues for rentals and programs.
Patriot Engineering and Environmental was chosen for the environmental study of the old school building with a low bid of $1,200 for phase 1 of the project. Shannon McLeod, of Priority Project Resources, the town’s grant writer for remediation and demolition work at the school, recommended Patriot.
Two other quotes were received from HEI Environmental for $2,950 for phase 1 and Quality Environmental Services who quoted $70 per hour.
Town employees will receive a 2.5% raise in 2021, which is alignment with the state’s 2.5% growth factor.
Miner said that’s about $10,000 a year and manageable for the town.
Taylor said the raise is fair and prices and costs are only increasing.
Town Marshal Jason McGlennon said the Craft Street property has been properly cleaned.
He also recommended the town purchase the next police vehicle from Thomas Dodge of Highland as they will meet the state’s bid price. He said the other bidders added a few hundred dollars to their price estimates.
Conley read the fire department’s report as fire chief John Conley was attending a class.
In his report, the chief said there were five runs last month: three for vehicles and two for gas leaks.
He also noted Damon Prater has joined the department and asked that the town fund up to $3,000 in gear, which was approved.
The report also noted the tornado siren is not hooked up to the generator and there are plans to remedy that situation next week.
A citizen asked that the voting place return to town in the upcoming election and Conley said the poll will probably be at the Claypool Elementary School again in November.
Miner noted it was hard to get election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board approved $150,071.40 in claims.
Also approved was a sewer adjustment of $26.61 for Lakeview Liquors, which had a water leak.
The next council meeting is Sept. 9 and will return to town hall.
Mitch Hansel, engineer with Fleis and Vandenbrink, said the asset management document listing and grading of all the town streets were complete. The document is a required part of the Community Crossroads grants funded by the state. In the next round of grants, the state will pay 75% of the street renovation costs while the applicant pays 25%, a change from the 80-20 split of the last couple of years.
Hansel also said there may be an opportunity to apply for a grant in September, and if not this fall, the next grant round starts in January.
Conley said the town could make up to $300,000 in improvements and meet the 25% match.
The board discussed several streets for renovation: Sycamore, Elm and Dixie streets and Cemetery Drive, but didn’t make any firm decisions as they’d like until September to look at Fleis and Vandenbrink’s estimates and recommendations.
Conley noted funds from 2020 and 2021 could be combined if the board waited until the January round of applications.
Bob Gardner, of Knightstown, was the next guest speaker and he noted he wasn’t from Silver Lake nor did he attend the former school. He did urge the council to save the school’s gymnasium and cafeteria.
Gardner runs an after-school program in the Hoosier gym, where he’s known as Sgt. Gardner because of his hard-line rules. He said he hated to see another old building, another Hoosier gymnasium torn down. He suggested these areas in the old school could become viable venues for rentals and programs.
Patriot Engineering and Environmental was chosen for the environmental study of the old school building with a low bid of $1,200 for phase 1 of the project. Shannon McLeod, of Priority Project Resources, the town’s grant writer for remediation and demolition work at the school, recommended Patriot.
Two other quotes were received from HEI Environmental for $2,950 for phase 1 and Quality Environmental Services who quoted $70 per hour.
Town employees will receive a 2.5% raise in 2021, which is alignment with the state’s 2.5% growth factor.
Miner said that’s about $10,000 a year and manageable for the town.
Taylor said the raise is fair and prices and costs are only increasing.
Town Marshal Jason McGlennon said the Craft Street property has been properly cleaned.
He also recommended the town purchase the next police vehicle from Thomas Dodge of Highland as they will meet the state’s bid price. He said the other bidders added a few hundred dollars to their price estimates.
Conley read the fire department’s report as fire chief John Conley was attending a class.
In his report, the chief said there were five runs last month: three for vehicles and two for gas leaks.
He also noted Damon Prater has joined the department and asked that the town fund up to $3,000 in gear, which was approved.
The report also noted the tornado siren is not hooked up to the generator and there are plans to remedy that situation next week.
A citizen asked that the voting place return to town in the upcoming election and Conley said the poll will probably be at the Claypool Elementary School again in November.
Miner noted it was hard to get election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board approved $150,071.40 in claims.
Also approved was a sewer adjustment of $26.61 for Lakeview Liquors, which had a water leak.
The next council meeting is Sept. 9 and will return to town hall.
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