CLAYPOOL — A second public hearing was held regarding a grant application process through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs during a Claypool Town Council meeting on Tuesday.
Melissa Norby, a certified grant administrator with Kleinpeter Consulting Group LLC, attended the hearing.
The town is planning to apply for a wastewater grant in the amount of $750,000, with the application being due on Friday. For the grant, the town will be using matching funds, including $200,000 from a K21 Health Foundation grant and $2,159,000 from the State Revolving Fund Loan Program.
Grant awards will be announced in February.
"We're doing a wastewater project down at the plant," said Ben Adams, project manager at Commonwealth Engineers Inc. "That's really the primary driver of the project ... there are also two other facets to the project. There's some targeted storm sewer improvements in town to alleviate flooding, and there's also some sanitary collection system sewer improvements to reduce inflow and infiltration in the system. It's an important project for the town, and this grant would go a long way to helping us get the funding we need to make this thing go."
Adams said he's hoping to close on the project at the end of March and putting it out for bids around the end of January or beginning of February.
At the hearing, Town Superintendent Danny Warner noted that during rain events, the town's lift station experiences severe issues.
"One time, I spent 32 hours back there straight," said Warner. "We need to have something done because when we have rain events, it's really bad."
Norby said letters of support for the project are also being accepted. Residents can submit letters to Clerk-Treasurer Pat Warner before Friday. Norby also said Kleinpeter received enough results from residents on an income survey related to the grant funding process.
In other business, Council President Benny Stage Jr. provided an update on discussions council had with Kosciusko Connect representatives on fiber optic services for residents. The total cost for Kosciusko Connect to come into town and install equipment would be $80,000. So far, the town has about $60,000 it can contribute toward the project and is looking at further options.
Allie Daugherty, a business development manager with HWC Engineering, attended the meeting to provide information on creating a five-year strategic plan for the town. Daugherty said she was in contact with Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe about the project.
"We started a plan, but it did not go through," said Stage. "The county did not like the way the other person was setting up the plan, so we didn't get the grant funding for that. So we're going to reapply for the grant funding."
The council also thanked town attorney Andrew Grossnickle for his service to the town. Grossnickle resigned after accepting a position at the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office. Council announced that Rama Sobhani with Rockhill Pinnick LLP would be the town's new attorney.
Representatives for Nancy Jo's B&K in Silver Lake attended the council meeting to introduce themselves to the community. The business opened on Dec. 16, and will be open through the winter. Nancy Jo's B&K is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Council also approved:
• A salary ordinance for town employees.
• An ordinance designating holidays for 2025.
• An additional appropriations ordinance.
• The purchase of a new computer monitor for Claypool Police Department.
• An interlocal agreement with the county for terminal services.
• An ordinance for trash and recycling rates, with the residential fee increasing to $14.98 per home per month for 2025.
Claypool Council's next meeting is at 7 p.m. Jan. 21.