Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SILVER LAKE - More than 383 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the former Marathon Oil station downtown in mid-August, said Steve Sittler of APT Environmental Tuesday during the town council meeting.
Funding for this project is being done through a voluntary remedial program in which the penalties imposed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management on one company are applied toward cleanup of a toxic site as specified by the offender.
In this case fines imposed on Dalton Foundry for clean air violations, more than $60,000 worth of fines, were designated by Dalton representatives to go toward cleanup of the abandoned property in Silver Lake.
In addition to Harry Dewayne Davis, Peggy Ann Davis, Jack L. Bays, Paul E. Bradford and Robert Grindle and/or his estate are named as owners. In May they were expected to file quit claim deeds on the property within 180 days. To date these documents have not been filed.
Three 3,000-gallon gas tanks, one 3,000-gallon waste oil tank and a heating - fuel oil tank were removed from the ground in addition to the soil.
Sittler said there are funds left for remedial work and that soil boring tests for petroleum hydrocarbons are under way.
IDEM hopes to use the payment method used in town, the first of its kind, to fund other projects in the state.
Back before the council were Dave and Joanie Abbott for their monthly discussion with the council concerning fluctuating water usage readings.
Their billing this month shows usage of 1,000 gallons. Last month the same meter read 21,000 gallons and the month before that the reading was 700 gallons. In April their bill showed usage of 3,700 gallons and the month before that 500 gallons.
Three meters have been installed at their location to measure water used for a sink and toilet.
The last meter tested as "running slow."
Adding a strange twist to the situation is the observation that the meter currently installed is now running backward.
"What was the reading when you installed the meter?" Abbott asked town superintendent Phil Shalley.
Shalley said it was "9-9-9-9-7-0."
"Well, now it reads 9-9-9-9-3-0," Abbott said. He wondered if air pressure would make the meter tick off a number, saying a lot of air seems to be in the pipes.
Since they paid $192 for the 21,000-gallon bill, the couple wondered if they would be reimbursed in some way.
Board president Donna McCune said the air flow situation would be looked into as well as a reimbursement for the Abbotts.
Council members McCune, Gail Owens and Brenda Wadkins chastised town employee Paul Mullins for driving a town-owned utility truck to a Warsaw bar Aug. 4. A town resident reported the incident to the board on Aug. 8.
The council met in executive session last month to discuss Mullins' punishment and announced their decision Tuesday. Mullins is to have two days off without pay, Sept 20 and 21; receive a written reprimand; and apologize to the board.
"I do apologize to every one of you," Mullins said. "It was a bad mistake. I apologize to Craig (Hollopeter, town marshal), Phil (Shalley), to you and to the citizens."
"We all make mistakes," Wadkins said.
According to the Indiana Open Door law, discussion of public employees may be held in executive session, without members of the public present.
Any change in an employee's status, such as salary rate, vacations or disciplinary action, are to be announced at a public meeting.
• Heard a letter of apology forwarded from the Kosciusko County Probation Department written by Chay Zelder for vandalism to town vehicles earlier this summer. Zelder said he knows he is expected to pay one-third of the cost of damages, too. The council has not received letters of apology from the other children involved in the incident.
• Accepted the Day's Tree Service, Roann, quote to remove several trees in town at a cost of $2,950. The individual trees are at 106 W. Main St., 208 N. Jefferson St.; 104 S. Sycamore St.; 107 E. Walnut St.; and 202 Poplar St., plus three trees at 601 N. Jefferson St.
The board also will seek removal of the tree at 405 N. Jefferson.
• Heard from Hollopeter that Bruce Auer will graduate from the police academy Friday and begin full-time employment as a patrol officer.
• Approved the construction permit for a fence at David Kistler's property and tabled permits for fences at the homes of Clarence and Pam McAfoose and Lilly Herendeen because they are neighbors. Both seek to erect fences of a different design on the property line.
• Approved the purchase of rechargeable fire extinguishers for town buildings and vehicles. The town owns four extinguishers now and needs more than 17.
• Approved Shalley's vacation Oct. 9 through 13.
• Approved leasing a cellular telephone for Hollopeter at a cost of $30 or less per month.
