MILFORD – Milford town councilmen voted 2-1 Monday to deny a take-home squad car to police officers who live outside town limits.
Council President Doug Ruch made the motion, which he and councilman Dan Cochran voted for. Councilman Bob Cockburn voted against the ruling.
Town Marshal Rich Miotto had, at previous meetings, brought up the possibility of a take-home car, noting that two officers who left Milford for other agencies said it was because of the car issue as well as pensions.
He also said response time isn’t the critical issue when he gets called in while off-duty, but was concerned with insurance coverage if, while driving into town, his own vehicle has an accident. He said he learned only recently that the town’s insurance would not cover it.
“I will respect any decision you guys make, but we’re in the 21st century,” Miotto told the council before the vote. “If not me, I guarantee, the next marshal will bring it up.”
Ruch responded that the next marshal may live in town. Miotto estimated at the last meeting that he lives about 10 minutes outside of Milford.
The council had, at the last meeting, sought input from residents. They reported Monday receiving fewer than 100 responses, mostly negative, though Cockburn remarked they weren’t overwhelming either way.
Cockburn spoke in favor of take-home cars in order to keep Milford competitive in attracting officers.
Cochran was concerned with the cost – the town earlier Monday had heard a $8,000 proposal for a new computer-aided dispatch system for all squad cars – and noted that “even if it had the support of the community, I would still take a hard look at it.”
Also during the meeting, the council heard an estimate of $164,950 for a new street sweeper from Brown Equipment of Fort Wayne. The town’s current 10-year-old sweeper has issues with hydraulic leaks, according to Utilities Superintendent Randy Veach.
Councilmen expressed shock at the price, but Veach said the sweeper is used at least once a week and two or three times in fall, as well as to clean the whole town four to six times a year. Ruch noted the main purpose of the sweeper is to avoid even more costly cleanup by keeping storm sewers clear.
The purchase would not be made until next year.
The council did approve $71,000 for milling along Emeline Street from Ind. 15 to the west edge of town, and paving around the storage building north of town. They approved another $2,000 for 12 shelves for the storage building, which was recently renovated.
Ruch noted after the meeting that Milford is still waiting for a response from Multi-Township EMS regarding the town’s 2013 subsidy. In a June 22 letter, M-TEMS requested the town move toward the $73,000 subsidy the agency estimates they should be paying, up from $18,000 the town currently pays.
Town officials countered with an offer of $40,000, which they say is all the budget will allow.
In addition, Ruch noted that Milford recently renovated the building that houses the M-TEMS ambulance that serves the area, at a cost of about $10,000, and pays $1,000 a month in utilities for the building.
