PIERCETON – The most expensive waste hauling bid, submitted by Veolia Environmental Services of Claypool, was approved by town council members Mandy Espinoza, Ron Hall and Jim Bumbaugh at the Monday, December 10 meeting. Representatives from Veolia, Whitley Environmental of Columbia City and Stafford's Waste Hauling of Warsaw attended the meeting. Veolia was awarded the three-year contract with a unit rate of $8.80. Prior to acceptance, general manager Greg Walk pointed out that the current contract between the town and the company had an automatic one year extension. Town attorney Jim Walmer said the extension might be part of the agreement, however, state laws require towns to advertise for bids every three years. Hall recommended the town stay with Violia even though their rate was slightly higher, saying they’re the most responsive and strong financially. The other board members approved. The town specifications indicated a Wednesday pick up day because this is the way its been done for years. Stafford's submitted a bid for Tuesday pick up at a household weekly rate of $8.12. Company owner Jim Stafford said people would get used to a Tuesday pick up after a couple weeks and anyone who had been missed could call for service. Whitley Environmental was rejected because they've primarily been involved with collection of recycling, are a relatively new company and the council didn’t consider their fleet size sufficient. Steve Smith, owner of Whitley Environmental, said although the business is three years old he worked in towing for 10 years before that. Whitley collects 14,000 recycling bins in Whitley County and in the town of Butler. He said the company collects trash in roll off units, too, and had three more trucks waiting in the lot. Whitley Environmental's unit rate was $8.74. Andy Wyckoff, his wife and two daughters attended the meeting to "file a complaint against the superintendent" and town clerk. Wyckoff listed improvements he has made to the Windows of Heaven Church at 107 S. First St. and how the congregation participates in community events. President Espinoza asked Wyckoff to get to the point. Wyckoff said superintendent Chip Hill threatened him with bodily harm and also said he was a “no-good pastor, no-good Christian and no-good preacher.” This scenario took place in front of town hall. Hill said he had been to Wyckoff's property when a water leak was reported. Hill checked to see where the leak was, although it was pretty apparent it was coming from the line on the property as Wyckoff had dug a hole near the house and it filled up with water. He turned the valve at the main line off then back on again and the valve at the main line started to leak. He replaced the valve at the main line. Wyckoff said Hill didn't replace the valve cover when he left and Hill responded that Wyckoff was digging the line and the cover could be replaced when the repair was complete. A few days later, when Wyckoff came to the town clerk's office to address his $145 water bill, he said Clerk Janet Castle was disrespectful to him. Castle gasped and laughed in shock Monday. She said the bill originally read $2,800 because the meter at the house was incorrect. The office originally charged $145 because of the leak and reduced that down to $68 by taking the sewage charges off the bill. One of Wyckoff's daughters told Castle to be professional. Wyckoff said Hill "got in his face." He called Hill and Castle liars. Walmer took exception to Wyckoff's use of that word. “You're the one using the word ‘lie,’” Walmer said. “My experience is folk have to see things in a certain way. We have our view, you have yours and Chip had a different view. Use some temperance in the way you're interpreting things. You accuse one person of attacking another human being.” Hill has never received a public complaint in 22 years of working for the town. Bumbaugh suggested that Wyckoff could have hired someone to fix the problem in four to five hours instead of taking two weeks to dig the trench himself. He suggested that the time it took to do the repair may have added to his feelings. Espinoza asked for Wyckoff's telephone number and said he would call him to discuss the matter further. In the police report, town marshal Tim Sammons gave the council two quotes for M-16 semi-automatic rifles. One quote was from Eagle Creek in Warsaw for $8,940 with various adaptations including a shorter barrel, and another was from Kiesler Police Supply in Jeffersonville for $2,942. The council took this request under advisement. Sammons said the Kosciusko County Coalition on Drug Education is offering a prescription drug pick up box to the town. The containers have to be under 24-hour surveillance and are designed to be indoors. Kosciusko County personnel would remove items from it on a regular basis. Sammons said it is a real community service and the boxes cost $800 if purchased separately. Fire chief Matt Brubaker advised the council that the steel entry door on the side of the fire station needs to be replaced. The price tag is $695. Painting the door, too, would cost $275. He also has a quote of $3,600 to paint the overhead doors. Brubaker reported on the fire departments calls in the last year, from December 1, 2011, to November 30, 2012, saying the department responded to four gas leaks; two power lines down; 23 assists to other departments; seven smoke investigations; 36 auto accidents; 35 fire calls; seven automatic alarms; and 185 first responder calls. Al Disbro of Winona Lake attended the meeting saying he recently put together a Winona Lake photo history book. He said the publisher of the 126-page, 200-picture book wondered if Pierceton would be interested in a similar publication. The council said it sounded interesting. Santa Claus will visit the town hall community room at 7 p.m. Friday, December 21. The town council meets the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
