SILVER LAKE - The town of Silver Lake no longer has a deputy clerk.
After an ordinance approved unanimously Tuesday night, the town now has an official position of "town receptionist" and the position of deputy clerk no longer exists.
Tonya Conley held the title of deputy clerk and will assume the newly-defined role.
According to Ordinance 06-03-09, the town receptionist "will be responsible for providing secretarial, clerical and administrative support in order to ensure that municipal services are provided in an effective and efficient manner."The town receptionist also is responsible for providing office and clerical services as well as picking up and delivering mail, maintaining a general filing system, responding to public inquiries, keeping office hours open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Also, the town receptionist will be responsible for receiving and filing utility billing payments for town residents. Only utility payments can be received by the receptionist; all other payments such as ordinance violations and copies will be handled through the clerk-treasurer.
The town council will be responsible for answering to the State Board of Accounts on all audits regarding utility billing, maintaining a consistent daily balance in the billing drawer, maintaining business hours in the absence of the town receptionist and making sure the town receptionist is bonded because she handles utility payments.
Ordinance 06-02-09 was approved earlier in the meeting, transferring the responsibility of the utility office. The ordinance states, "... Silver Lake currently owns its utilities ... and wishes to enact an ordinance establishing that the Silver Lake Town Council shall be directly responsible for the billing and collection of utilities' rates and charges."
The ordinance allows the town council to appoint an employee or employees "responsible for billing and collection and who shall serve at the Town Council's pleasure."
Before the council acted on the ordinances, Clerk-Treasurer Angie Glass asked to make a statement.
"I don't agree with this decision," Glass said. "I think this decision was made more for personal reasons, not for what's best for the town. ... I don't think this decision was made with the best interests of the citizens in mind."
The council approved both ordinances with 3-0 votes.
The council also approved Ordinance 06-01-09, which allows borrowing between funds to pay for new utility vehicles.
The town received a USDA Rural Development Grant to purchase a new utility truck, but the grant will not cover the entire cost of the vehicle. The ordinance allows the general fund and the water fund to borrow from the sewer fund to finance the truck.
The general fund and water fund will repay the loan in full on or before Dec. 31, 2015.
Also during the meeting, Glass addressed the council about a water rate study. A few months ago, Umbaugh and Associates presented a proposal to do a study to evaluate the town's water rates.
Glass said the water operating fund is barely getting by, and a rate study must be done before the town can discuss raising water rates.
In April, the water operating fund ran with a negative balance ($-3,101.50), and if the the fund continues to have a negative balance, eventually it will be taken over by the state.
The rate study would cost about $5,000.
Glass said she felt that doing the study would be fiscally responsible and would be beneficial for the town.
"At least do the study to see if the rates should be changed," Glass said. "If it continues to run in the negative, we can no longer pay anything out of the water fund.
Glass added that she and Town Superintendent Jasun Blocher have gone over the numbers in the water operating fund back to 2006.
"We have cut every corner we can cut in water," Glass said. "The water fund is not healthy right now."
The council decided to table any action on a water study until a later meeting.
In other business, the council:
n Heard that Ind. 14 will be closed only June 19 and 20 for Silver Lake Days. The permit received from the state to close the road includes June 18, but the road does not need to be closed that day.
n Heard that the town's new signs should be installed before Silver Lake Days.
n Heard that the first portion of the sidewalks are finished and curbs have been painted. Also, the inside of fire station 2 has been painted in preparation for displays of town memorabilia for Silver Lake Days. Blocher and Craig Hollopeter plan to paint the floors of the station this week.
n Heard that mosquito spraying has started. Blocher said that if there are any residents who do not want the town to spray in front of their homes for health reasons, they should contact the town office and the sprayers will be shut off as they pass those residences.
n Heard that it is fine for residents to cook and grill outside their homes. Grilling is not against ordinances in Silver Lake. Anyone with questions regarding the burning ordinance should contact the town office.
n Heard that there will be a sesquicentennial festival meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in the town hall.
n Heard that there will be a charter school meeting at 6 p.m. June 29 in the town hall.
