NORTH MANCHESTER – At Wednesday night's meeting, the Manchester Town Council voted to pledge $400,000 over the course of two years toward a Lilly Grant with Manchester University.
The planning grant is for college and community collaboration and focuses on retaining and attracting students and faculty while revitalizing the community that houses the university. If MU receives the grant, the town of North Manchester will commit $200,000 in 2024 and $200,000 in 2025.
A public hearing was held for two ordinances that update the water and sewer rates for 2024. The rates are set to increase 4.7% for water and 61% for sewer to keep up with rising maintenance and operations costs. The ordinances were approved on first reading; final approval is at a third reading.
The council voted to pursue sewer flow modeling, which will provide more accurate data for the preliminary engineering report needed to apply for state-revolving funding ahead of the planned wastewater improvement projects. The flow modeling will cost $150,000 but $75,000 will be covered by bonds through solid waste.
The town awarded a 2024 Community Crossings project bid for street repair to Gaunt and Son Asphalt for $700,738.15. Repairs are planned for Sycamore Street, Meadow Lane, North River Road, the first block of Market Street and others.
In other business:
• The town wrote off five stale checks from 2021 totaling $165.
• Council signed a re-plat of Northridge Estates, which has been redeveloped.
• Council signed a $40,000 design contract with MKM Architecture and Design for the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) revitalization grant.
• The town is ordering a new leaf machine for $94,000, which will be received sometime in 2025.
• Police Chief Jim Kirk is hiring three new officers pending the results of a polygraph test: Braxton Wilson, Kyle Calhoun and Griffin Miller.
• There was a town docket of $597,463.85 and a utilities docket of $323,962.
The council will next meet at 7 p.m. March 6.