MILFORD - At the first meeting of the Milford Town Council and the first for new council member James “Jim” Smiley, a public hearing was held to satisfy the requirements for the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) grant.
Donny Ritsema, senior community development planner with Michiana Area Council of Government (MACOG), was present and explained the HELP grant is through Indiana Office of Community Rural Affairs (OCRA) and is an investment plan as a response to the COVID pandemic.
The HELP grant incentivizes communities to pledge a portion of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies to fund projects that focus on one of four community development areas — advancing e-connectivity, enhancing quality of place, promoting community wellness and strengthening economics. Three communities in Kosciusko County chose to participate — Milford, Mentone and Pierceton.
Ritsema explained the grant requires two public hearings be held, with the first one held in November. Milford’s top priority was replacing water meters. The grant application is due Jan. 21.
Ritsema said the grant for replacing water meters would support the town’s better reporting of usage, enhance long term financial stability and would install new water meter in every home. He said the estimated cost is $427,328 and there are two aspects — federal and local. On the federal level, Kosciusko County received up to $1 million and the county agreed to split the funds equally between the three communities.
He said Milford has two HELP projects — the construction project, which is the water meters and a planning project for downtown revitalization, which they will come back to the council with at a later date. Ritsema said on the federal side, Milford is requesting $249,296, and on the local side the 30% match from ARPA funds is $178,032, which Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall said was about $10,000 more than their 30%.
Ritsema said because the income survey conducted in 2021 showed 61.7% of Milford’s residents are determined to be in the low to moderate income range, $153,816 of that money will be used to benefit the low to moderate income range residents.
Resident Jay Urbin wanted to know how they were benefiting the low-income residents. Gall responded because they were getting new meters and they wouldn’t be charged for them.
There were no other questions and the public hearing was closed.
Later in the meeting, the council signed a four-factor analysis and language access document, which ensures that local governments are not discriminating against those with limited English language ability. Milford didn’t meet the threshold needed to take any further action, but Ritsema said there are some translation services available if needed.
The council also passed a resolution authorizing the application submission for the grant and committing the local town match amount.
Also during the public comments section of the meeting, a heated exchange broke out between Urbin and Councilman Ken Long, who defended the police department against what he felt was an unfair accusation by Urbin.
Urbin had asked, “Why are our cops continually sitting on (County Road) 900 and running traffic and not in town? Nobody seems to know what they’re doing out there. My tax dollars pay them to patrol town, not to catch speeders on 900. If they want to work for the county they have openings.”
Town Marshal Derek Kreider responded that sometimes the officers get into high speed chases before they catch up with the speeder outside the town limits and he said they don’t run traffic out there. Urbin disputed Kreider’s response.
Long said he wanted to voice objection to Urbin’s claim. “Their job is public safety. If a pursuit takes them out of town, they’re going to go out of town. Their job is determined by the chief and the town. You’ve made a broad statement that they’re ‘always’ out there and I object to that.”
There was some back and forth before Council President Doug Ruch took control of the situation and suggested Urbin call Kreider next time he sees an officer out there so they can determine the reason, “Because right now all you’re doing is stirring the pot.” He also reminded Urbin that they are sometimes called to assist the county and that one of the officers lives in that area.
Smiley chimed in saying he’s also seen officers out on County Road 900 clocking traffic, but said it was needed out there.
The council approved Kreider pursuing three grant opportunities — one from the National Police Association for $1,000 to be used for reserve uniforms or equipment; another from Kosciusko County REMC Round Up for $20,000 and $5,000 to replace in-car computers, scanners, etc. He said they’d request $14,868 and the third grant through Firehouse Subs, which will fund 100% the purchase of an UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) that the police could use on First Fridays and on the upcoming trail plus be used by the fire and street departments.
For the wastewater department, the council approved the purchase of a Dissolved Oxygen meter from USA Blue Book for $1,085.12 and also approved the purchase of a replacement sewer jet hose at a cost of $1,647.97 from USA Jetting, LLC.
For the street department, the council approved ordering flowers for uptown at a cost not to exceed $1,500. They also approved the inspection, maintenance and replacement of a check valve for well #3 by Peerless Midwest at a cost not-to-exceed $39,980.
There was discussion about the need to replace the indoor plumbing for the concession stand building. Smiley brought up the money box at the lake is often overflowing and Long said he could make a bigger box to weld to the existing pipe.
Gall brought an emergency repair bill for the council’s approval for replacing the furnace at the wastewater treatment plant at a cost of $2,737.70 from Foyle’s Plumbing.
The council also:
• Approved closing the clerk’s office until 1 p.m. Jan. 16 as the clerk and deputy clerk would be at a training and conference.
• Approved the ordinance for the 2023 funds transfer with wastewater shortages in the amount of $13,133.65.
• Approved the ordinance for 2023 encumbrances in the amount of $60,327.88, which is from the Community Crossing Matching Grant Fund.
• Approved the resolution listing the items paid out of Economic Development Income Tax funds in the amount of $286,747.81.
• After some discussion, approved being included in the grant MACOG is pursuing for EV vehicles and charging stations after town officials take test drives and get more information.