MENTONE - The town of Mentone keeps chugging along with its new wastewater treatment plant project.
During the town council meeting Monday night, councilmen Tim Croy and Jack Simpson approved a bond ordinance for the sewage works project as suggested by legal counsel from Ice Miller. Councilwoman Jill Gross was absent from the meeting.
The ordinance is about 41 pages.
"I did read it all, and I didn't understand most of it," said town attorney Larry Beeson.
However, he said, Ice Miller is known for its work with bonds and Beeson said he's seen ordinances like this one before.
"Ice Miller has done this for a long time, and they know what they're doing so I would say they're good to go," said Beeson.
The total estimated cost for the project is $1,535,000. Mentone has received a grant of $600,000 toward the project, but must come up with the additional $935,000.
According to a letter from Ice Miller, "the town wants to finance the cost of the construction of additions and improvements to the town's sewage works through the issuance of sewage works revenue bonds."
With the adoption of the ordinance Monday, the town must publish the bond ordinance in the Times-Union one time and post at the town hall. Publication of this notice begins the running of the 20-day objecting period.
According to the letter, after the adoption of the bond ordinance and the expiration of the 20-day objecting period, assuming there are no legal objections, the town then will be ready to sell the bonds.
"The town must sell the bonds at a competitive sale unless the bonds are sold to the Indiana Bond Bank, the SRF Program or the federal government," the letter states.
Simpson and Croy reluctantly agreed last night to pay Bonar Group $26,272 for work Bonar said it's done the past few months on the new wastewater treatment plant project.
Simpson questioned how much work the company has done on the project since November to warrant another portion of their fees. He said the town hasn't seen any progress. Croy said they had to pay Bonar Group regardless, but Simpson said they didn't have to pay it now.
The last time the town didn't pay Bonar Group when it asked for a payment, Utilities Superintendent Eric Carlin said, they stopped working. If Bonar Group quits working on it now, the town would lose its $600,000 grant because it wouldn't meet its deadlines.
"Put on the check 'To the Son of a B****'," Simpson said. "What's he done since November?"
Mentone also is seeking a grant of up to $1 million to address the storm water flooding issues in the town.
James W. Emans, Emans Engineering, Bremen, told the council Monday that if the town receives the grant, it would not be enough to do the north and south projects. The town should target the north end first, and then discuss how to go about doing the south end at a later date.
A public hearing for the grant is scheduled for April 19 at 6:30 p.m.
The town is more likely to receive the grant if the public shows its support for the project. Carlin said the more people who show up at the public hearing April 19, the better.
