MENTONE – Mentone Town Council approved not to change an existing ordinance prohibiting farm animals in town Wednesday.
Hannah Beliles brought the topic of people having chickens in town to the council several times, with the first time being in June 2020.
Councilwoman Shelly Krueger said Wednesday that she did some research and Goshen does allow chickens. The city has 50 permits available, which have to be renewed every two years. In the ordinance, a permit holder is allowed a maximum of six hens.
She said, according to an article she found in The Goshen News, dated Oct. 31, 2018, at that time Goshen Police Chief Jose Miller said there were 45 permits issued. There were some complaints: six in 2018, 10 in 2017, 13 in 2016, two in 2015 and two in 2014. All of the complaints were resolved. All of the complaints were minor.
Krueger also contacted the Purdue Extension and they didn’t have any negative things to say about having chickens.
Krueger said Mentone could consider an ordinance where the town has a certain number of permits and see how that goes, and if it doesn’t work out, the issue could be withdrawn.
Councilman Tim Croy questioned the cost savings of having chickens for eggs, which Beliles had brought up in previous meetings.
Croy said people aren’t going to feed the chickens scraps, “you’re going to have to feed them medicated feed, which is probably going to cost you more than going to buy the eggs.” He brought up the medicated feed because if someone buys chickens from a farm store, the chickens probably haven’t been vaccinated.
Croy also said there are some large egg producers in the area. He said there isn’t going to be an egg shortage, and Creighton Brothers and MPS Egg Farms combined have over 15 million chickens, producing over 12 million eggs a day.
He said if you get someone who doesn’t take care of their chickens and one of them gets a disease, it will spread. He said that was one of the main reasons why the council passed an ordinance in 1995 that prohibited farm animals in town. He said he was opposed to having his name on something that says the town allows chickens “and jeopardizes the businesses that made Mentone what it is today,” he said.
Croy said Beliles brought up she had put up petitions and had about 12 signatures. He said the majority of the people he has talked to do not want chickens in town.
Krueger said some of the things said about chickens in town were extreme.
Croy made a motion to keep with the 1995 ordinance to prohibit farm animals in town. Council President Jill Gross seconded the motion, but said she did learn a lot from Beliles.
In other business, the council:
• Opened bids for the Washington Street storm tile project. The bids were for $190,407 from G & G Hauling & Excavating and $138,203.72 from LI Excavating.
Town engineer James Emans said he would review the bids and make a recommendation at the council’s May 3 meeting.
• Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak said she would like to get a decision in May about the town’s water rate, or at least a discussion.
In February, Ross Hagan, a certified public accountant from Baker Tilly, went over the water rate study Baker Tilly did for the town. For 4,000 gallons a month, a resident’s bill would be about $27.44 a month. Hagan said after a pro-rate increase, the rate was suggested to be increased to $35, which is a 28% increase.
• Heard from Clyde and Billie Sexton, who live on Buffalo Street. Clyde said since the street has been blacktopped, they have been having issues with water pooling in front of their house. Issues with neighbors pumping water out of their basements also added to the issue. Gross said they will look into the issue.
• Approved a proclamation making April Child Abuse Prevention month.
• Heard the property at 112 W. Maple St. was supposed to have a roof replaced by Mission to Mentone on March 23-25. Due to rain, the work was postponed to April 20-22. Croy said the organization is still looking for help with the project.
APEX is also donating a 20-foot dumpster for the project.
• Heard the property issue Leisa Norman complained about during the council’s February meeting has been resolved.
Norman said in February her parents’ house is up for sale and she had several people take a look at it. However, the consensus from those that looked at the house was that no one wants to put a bid on it due to a neighboring property being “trashy,” with trash and clutter on the property.
• Heard the Mentone Chamber of Commerce Easter Egg Hunt will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mentzer Memorial Park.
