MENTONE - Not all the paving Mentone had on its list will get done this year because of a lack of funding.
But at Monday's Mentone Town Council meeting, the council agreed to have all of Washington Street and an alley behind the old library paved.
Utilities Superintendent Darrel Miller said the cost estimate from Phend & Brown was broken down into different sections. The total cost for completely paving the old cemetery included a $1,785 mobilization charge just for the company to move in and do the work.
Washington Street paving was broken down into two parts. The first part is the stone area for $7,352; and to continue on east toward Ind. 19 is an additional $8,040. To pave Walnut Street from Monroe to Main streets would be $9,380. Paving the basketball court would be $5,315.
Miller said the town had less money available than the total cost estimate for all the paving. He said he would prefer to have Washington Street paved from Ind. 19 to the park entrance, and the alley. The town will not be able to have Walnut Street, the basketball court and the cemetery paved at this time.
Eric Carlin, utilities department, said Jerry Singleton wants to purchase the town's backhoe. Carlin said he didn't know if the town wants to sell it, but there are days when it sits unused. Carlin suggested taking a month to see how much it's used.
"I think it's something we need to look into, selling it," Carlin said.
Singleton said he has a small farm and it would come in handy around his property. "I could use it," he said. He said he can't afford buying a new one.
Town councilman Roger Long advised Carlin and Singleton to wait until the October meeting and the town could see how much it uses the backhoe by then. Long said his only fear would be that after selling it, the town would need it.
Carlin also requested permission to purchase a piece of equipment to test for ammonia in the wastewater system. Currently, Mentone gets its testing done in Warsaw. The new equipment would allow Mentone to have instant results without taking samples to Warsaw for testing. The cost is $590, which the council approved.
In other business, the council:
n Adopted the 2008 budget, including $387,007 for the general fund, $37,650 for the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund, $16,000 for Local Roads and Streets, $2,800 for cemetery, $6,000 for Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund.
n Town Marshall Jim Eads reported getting some cooperation from Eddie Tridle regarding the Tridles' unkempt property. Grass was mowed and trailers were moved. However, a month later, Eads said the grass needs mowed again and there are trailers back on the property. Eads said that after the meeting, he was going to put 72-hour stickers on the trailers that require plates that don't have them. If they aren't moved, they will be towed.
Eads said his department looked into the possibility of a Neighborhood Watch for the town. He believes it should be something a community group starts . The police department would act as advisers. A Neighborhood Watch is not an extension of the police department, it's a community groupl, he said.
n Heard Cub Scout Pack 3782, Burket, wanted to paint the curbs and hydrants in Mentone as part of a community service project. The Scouts can earn merit badges for their work. Long and councilman Jack Simpson supported the project, and told the street department to work with the Scout Pack on the project. Eads will provide orange vests for the Scouts while they are working near high-traffic areas.
Mentone Town Council members are Long and Simpson. President Tim Croy was absent.
