PIERCETON - Pierceton residents will see an increase in their water bill after Monday night's town board meeting.
The board held a public meeting and passed an ordinance that would raise the water rates for people in town.
For residents who use an average of 5,000 gallons each month, their rate will increase $6.43.
The actual rate increase is about 24.1 percent for customers. How much each resident pays however depends on how much water they use.
For residents who use less than 2,400 gallons a month, their bill will increase about $3.50.
Phyllis Gates, a grant writer from RP Murphy, appeared before the board to give information about grants the town is seeking to improve the town's water system.
The town has applied for a Disaster Recovery II grant that will be announced Sept. 14.
Gates said there are 116 applications for that grant and only 25 will be awarded.
In the event Pierceton isn't one of the 25 grants awarded, Gates said that Pierceton will also apply for a Community Focus Funds Grant.
The town hired GRW Engineers to conduct a water system evaluation study at a cost of $25,000.
The project would involve upgrading wells in town as well as improvements to water treatment.
Twenty-six hydrants would also be replaced under the plan and isolation valves would be installed.
In other business, town board member Jerry Kreger thanked Pierceton Days organizer Kim Rose for her work on the festival last weekend.
"I would like to commend Kim on Pierceton Days," said Kreger.
Board President Jerry Hartman and board member Mandy Espinoza echoed Kreger's sentiments.
Rose thanked the street and police department for their assistance during Pierceton Days.
She said there were 75 entries in the parade, 100 cars in the car show and a blood drive saw 31 people donate.
Rose said she's looking to have it again during the first week of August in 2011.
During his monthly report, Town Marshal Tim Sammons said he recently completed DARE training in Ohio and will continue through grants.
Sammons also said he is preparing for Operation Pullover 2001 and he recently completed paperwork for it.
Town Superintendent Chip Hill asked if the town could look into getting semis to not use their jake brake through Pierceton.
"A lot of towns have ordinances against jake brakes," said Kreger. "That's something we can have (town attorney) Jim Walmer work on."
The board also approved use of Brower Park for a tomato festival Aug. 21. The board said the festival will not require any streets to be closed.
