Claypool Receives Utility Purchase Offer From IAWC
Posted
Maddie Jo Shultz-
CLAYPOOL – At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Claypool Town Council approved setup charges for a new town website and received an offer from Indiana American Water Company (IAWC) to purchase the town’s water utility.
IAWC has offered $700,000 but the Council has not yet made a decision on whether or not to sell the water utility.
The Council approved a $500 contract with Doug Jones for the development of a website for the town.
The Council also heard updates from Alan Tio of the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), Tyler Coffel from Baker Tilly Consulting of Chicago and Chris Harrison, business development manager at Commonwealth Engineers Inc. of Warsaw.
Tio said KEDCO is currently focusing on entrepreneurship, talent recruitment and retention and housing development efforts.
Coffel, who has worked with Clerk-Treasurer Pat Warner on the town’s finances, presented end-of-year reports for Claypool’s water, stormwater and wastewater utilities. Coffel recommended an $8 to $10 increase on monthly utility bills.
Claypool’s current sewer rate is near $53 per month, which is higher than the statewide average of $45, but as Coffel pointed out the town utility hasn’t increased its metered flow rates since 1999.
Harrison presented funding opportunities on behalf of Commonwealth, an environmental engineering firm that works with the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), including information on state revolving funds. These funds can be used to match portions of grants like those from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to which Claypool has recently applied.
In other business:
- The town is getting a 30-yard dumpster to be placed at the town barn for residents to throw away unwanted items during community cleanup. Cleanup days and times will be on residents’ utility bills.
- Town Marshal Ben Sanders reported 152 calls for service and 164 reserve hours this month.
Sanders has identified the individual responsible for over $7,000 worth of BB gun damage to local vehicles and homes.
- Those individuals residing on the outskirts of Claypool who are interested in having their property annexed into the town limits can fill out a request form at the town barn.
