MENTONE – The owner of a vacant downtown property that the town council has been trying to address since 2001 may just give it to the town, members heard Monday. But there are a few reservations they should address first, town attorney Larry Beeson cautioned. Beeson said he received a letter last week from Richard Surface, owner of the building at 123 E. Main St., expressing an interest in giving it to the town. But Beeson noted there are a few things to be concerned about before accepting, such as potential legal and environmental problems. He said there might be a lien against the property, which would fall on the town if the council accepts the offer. And given the age of the building, there may be lead and asbestos inside, he said. Beeson will contact Surface to clear these issues up before the council makes a decision on accepting the property and whether or not they will tear it down. Beeson noted he may also attend a seminar at the end of the month to learn more about the procedure for a town taking possession of a property. Also during the meeting, several Morgan Street residents reported heavy flooding in their basements during the weekend storm. Terry Hively and two neighbors said they had to keep multiple pumps running all night to keep up with the rush of water, and asked whether the drainage tiles underground could be compromised. Town officials admitted they don’t know how they might diagnose such an issue, especially since the older drainage lines are unmapped. Hearing that Yellow Creek was nearly overflowing its banks during the storm, which may have contributed to the backups, council President Tim Croy suggested the council and residents try to get the attention of Kosciusko County officials and have the creek dredged for the first time in years. “We’ve got three people on the town board complaining, but 400 homes in town who don’t say anything... rally your troops together and maybe that will help,” he told the Morgan Street residents. “Every time we call them, they say (their budget) has already been spent.” “Not in our area,” council member Shelly Krueger remarked. And Croy noted the council may want to consider budgeting for a town manager when the council looks at the town budget after the July meeting. He said many towns have found that the position saves money in the long run by shopping around for the best price on town needs and keeping expenses low. Croy also thanked the Mentone Lions Club for purchasing 13 American flags and two backups to display around town. Council also heard that the farmers market will run Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at the corner of Main and Tucker streets, with free setup; and that town employees will soon begin trimming in alleyways.
