MENTONE – Despite one councilwoman’s desire to grandfather in the Conley Barbershop sidewalk sign, the Mentone Town Council Monday night voted against doing so or changing the sidewalk sign ordinance in any way. In January, the council approved the ordinance stating a sidewalk sign is only allowed in front of a business and displayed only when the business is open to the public. A sign may not be on the sidewalk when the business is closed, and it may not be of a size that impedes normal flow of pedestrians on the sidewalk. Mentone Police Department officers may issue a citation to the business for violating the ordinance. At the March council meeting, councilwoman Shelly Krueger asked Council President Tim Croy and councilwoman Jill Gross if they could revisit the ordinance. The council decided to review the ordinance. Monday, Croy said he would “rather not” grandfather the barbershop’s sign in, which would exclude from the rule any sign already in place. “I want to make it the same for everyone regardless,” he said. Krueger said she wanted to amend the ordinance and there seemed to be an antagonistic relationship with the barbershop owner. She said she spoke to the owner and he told her that sign has been out on the sidewalk for years. “I vote we leave (the ordinance) as it is,” Gross said. Croy and Gross voted to not change the ordinance, while Krueger wanted to see it changed. In another matter, Croy said after the council discussed the World War I-era cannon at the cemetery last month, the council has received some “really good input from the community” that they want to help with funding to repair it. Anyone who wants to donate to fix the cannon can drop off their donation to Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross. They should tell her that the donation is for the cannon. Croy said he’s still working on getting someone to restore it. Later in the meeting, Croy said Midwest Poultry has expanded its operations on CR 500S, just east of CR 1000. The building is now bigger. North Central Co-Op also will expand, Croy said, and will offer 25 in-house transfers to Mentone. That could bring more people into town, he said. “It will increase employment of 40 people to that co-op just outside of town,” he said. That building is on CR 900W, just east of town, according to Croy. In other business: • Town Marshal Jim Eads reported he will be advertising for a third reserve officer position. Applications can be picked up from him or deputy Terry Engstrand. • Croy said he talked to Jim Emans of Emans Engineering about creating a monthly fee for stormwater tiles repairs. Emans will come up with an idea and present it to the council at a later date. • Krueger announced the Farmer’s Market will open May 10. It will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. There is no set-up fee to have a booth. Anyone interested can come to the market or contact Krueger via email at sk5196@yahoo.com • The spring large trash day is scheduled for May 28. • Croy said the Mentone Chamber of Commerce Egg Festival is June 5-7. It’s looking for candidates for the Miss Mentone pageant. In the past, winners received savings bonds. This year, they’re giving out cash winnings. Two candidates have signed up so far, Croy said. They’re also adding a pet parade to the festival. • The Mentone Fire Department is having a pancake and sausage all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. April 19 to benefit Relay For Life. • Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd said residents should put their yard waste in containers. It will help speed up the process. Cemetery clean-up day is April 14. Decorations, such as flowers and urns, should be removed prior to that date, he stated. A garden tractor swap meet is April 26 at the park. Shepherd said he will try to get the gardens cleaned up soon. Any resident who wants a garden plot should contact Ron Scott at 574-353-7460. He thanked the county and LDP Excavating for their work on the creek up to Ind. 25. By cleaning it up, he said the creek dropped 12 inches. “They made a huge improvement,” Shepherd said.
