Public Hearing Held For Milford Annexation With No Remonstrators
Public Hearing Held For Milford Annexation With No Remonstrators
Posted
Denise Fedorow-
Public Hearing Held For Milford Annexation With No RemonstratorsMILFORD - A public hearing was held on the proposed annexation of contiguous land into the town of Milford at Monday’s Milford Town Council meeting.
The proposed area is the east side of the North Park subdivision and Zimmerman’s 20 acres behind it.
Although several members of the public were present, no one spoke for or against the proposed annexation.
Another Meet Milford Food Truck Friday is taking place this Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall requested permission to close the street from the community building lot north on Main Street for this Food Truck Friday and moving forward for the others through October.
She said they were adding a Touch A Truck event this month so would need additional space and already have a school bus, EMS vehicle and fire truck scheduled to be there. She requested the street be closed from 2 to 9 p.m. The Council approved the closing.
She also asked for and received permission to order a port-a-john mobile restroom for Food Truck Fridays. She didn’t have a cost but said she thought it’d be around $200.
The Council approved hiring Tyler Schmucker as new deputy marshal. Town Marshal Derek Kreider said Schmucker worked for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department as a jailer for four years.
“I think Tyler, bringing his training and experience, is an asset to our agency in full-time capacity serving the people of Milford,” he said.
Gall swore Schmucker in while several of his family members watched.
In a related matter, the Council later passed an ordinance amending the salary ordinance to pay the new deputy marshal with an annual salary of $43,008.
Wastewater Superintendent Mark Brubaker reported on a sewer main collapse at Catherine and West streets. A wastewater treatment plant employee found the collapse on Wednesday where it created a small sinkhole.
It was a 10-inch concrete sewer main. They called in Beer & Slabaugh and they dug to find the line collapse. Councilman Kenneth Long said it was probably originally an inch and a half thick but was much less now, which likely caused the collapse and to find decent pipe they had to go up 60 feet.
Brubaker said they’ll have to come up with a plan as there are likely more problems to come. Utility Superintendent Steven Marquart said the sewer was not shown on a 1955 drawing.
In other wastewater news, the Council approved replacing an LED photocell light at the plant at a cost of $1,007 by Middlebury Electric.
Marquart got approval to pay the bill for Brown Equipment, Fort Wayne, for service to the street sweeper at a cost of $1,072.31.
Marquart said he thought the $1,000 discretionary spend amount was no longer sufficient.
“It’ so tight we can’t get anything done — I gotta get permission to keep vehicles safe on the road?” he asked.
Long pushed back, stating when they do go over the Council has never said no and asked if it’s constrained them yet.
Marquart admitted it hasn’t but felt with rising prices it’s happening more often. Council President Doug Ruch said just because prices have gone up doesn’t make it an emergency and said, in most cases, they could ask for approval in advance.
Long said he didn’t think raising the discretionary spend limit was necessary at this time. He also asked Marquart to contact Brown Equipment about the possibility of a service contract because he felt $800 in travel costs to and from Fort Wayne was “exorbitant.”
In other business, the Council:
• Approved having Phend & Brown repair just the asphalt at the site of the sewer main collapse at a cost of $4,800.
• Heard all the water lines in the fire department were replaced and Mr. Rooter did a wonderful job.
• Approved having well #3 serviced by cleaning the iron and iron bacteria and replacing a bad valve at a cost of $6,865 by Peerless Midwest.
• Heard due to vandalism the bathrooms at the park are closed until further notice — all the pipes are clogged.
• Heard the clerk’s office may be closed periodically this week.
• Heard USI Consulting was approved as the contractor for the trail project and confirmed the Council wanted the $200,000 K-21 grant funds to be used for the trail.
• Ruch volunteered to be the Council point person for the HELP (Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program) through Office of Community Rural Affairs.
• Declared a 2010 Crown Victoria as excess equipment and gave the clerk the OK to accept sealed bids. The vehicle will be sold as is to the highest bidder with the minimum bid accepted $300.
• Approved a water bill credit of $193.38 for a resident and the customer will receive estimated bills until they receive a new meter.
• Residents are reminded that hydrant flushing will take place this week on Wednesday and Thursday so they may notice some discoloration.
