MENTONE – Mosquitoes are bad in Mentone, but the weather hasn’t cooperated and Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd wants to make sure it’s done right. During the town council meeting Monday night, Council President Tim Croy asked Shepherd if he has sprayed for mosquitoes yet. Shepherd reported he came in at 10 p.m. Sunday night to do that, but the wind was blowing so he decided to hold off. “It’s on the agenda,” he said. Spraying for mosquitoes is expensive, he said, so he wanted to make sure he did it when the wind wasn’t blowing. If it’s not windy, he said the spray will hang in the air and be more effective. The weather has unfortunately not cooperated up to now. “So it’s better to wait,” councilwoman Jill Gross said. “Especially with the price,” Croy said. Croy did mention that if someone wanted to donate funds for mosquito spraying more often, the town would happily accept a donation. Shepherd also reported Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross checked on adding insurance for the town fire hydrants. It would be an additional $800 per year. “It’s more than I thought it would be. It’s hardly worth it,” Shepherd said. At the May meeting, Shepherd informed the council that the hydrant on Main Street was hit by a car not covered by insurance. The owner of the car said it had been stolen, therefore his insurance would not pay. Hydrants are not covered on the town’s insurance policy so the town’s insurance would not pay the $5,200 cost for repair of the hydrant either. In another matter, Shepherd said he’s still working with James Emans to establish a fee for stormwater drains. He said it may be presented at the July 7 meeting. “I did find another sink hole,” he said. Gross asked if it was the alley by her property, and Shepherd said it was. “I about drove in it,” he said. Under the alley are sewer, telephone and gas lines, which the council said could be dangerous. “I’m not sure what kind of sink hole it is,” Shepherd said, or who was responsible for it. In other business, the council: • Approved a software maintenance agreement with Keystone for $4,965 for one year for four different software licenses. • Set a budget meeting for 6:30 p.m. July 16. • Heard from Town Marshal Jim Eads that he and Deputy Terry Engstrand will be at a training session July 8 in Fort Wayne. “The state is changing our instrument we do breath tests on,” Eads said. • Heard fire hydrants will be flushed June 8-9. • Heard from Shepherd that he is trying to purchase new trash barrels for the park. Raccoons get in the plastic ones and scatter trash every night. Nice new barrels will cost about $300 each, he reported.
