Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - By spending $7,400, North Webster can save $3,800.
That's what Denny Reafsnyder, North Webster utilities superintendent, told the town council Tuesday night.
Reafsnyder asked the council for permission to purchase a "Colilert" test kit for the wastewater treatment plant.
He said the state, with a deadline of April 1, is requiring the treatment plant to self-test for E. coli bacteria levels. The plant will be tested three times per week.
He said the Colilert test kits have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
The other option for testing, which has been around longer and is more common, is called membrane filtration.
That testing equipment would cost around $11,200, Reafsnyder said.
The council approved purchase of the Colilert test kit. The council also approved use of an outside lab at a cost of $30 per test in case the Colilert kit doesn't arrive before April 1.
Reafsnyder also informed the council of upcoming priorities for the utilities department, including:
• Rehabilitation of drains on Eckert Street, Second Street, Mulberry Street, Washington Street and an alley between Madison and East streets.
• Video and smoke testing of sewer lines in the Epworth Forest area to determine the source of a large amount of storm sewer influx during heavy rains.
• Upgrades to the treatment plant flow meter and lift station No. 10.
He also reported there is a leak in the airvac system for the treatment plant. The leak, near EMS lanes 29 and 30, may be in a line 16 feet underground. If that's the case, the town will have to hire a contractor to repair it.
Reafsnyder said the town doesn't have equipment to dig that deep. The excavation also would require a trench box, which the town does not have.
Town marshal Greg Church reported that he spoke with EMS and fire department personnel regarding rolling through stop signs on emergency runs, asking them to use caution.
Those conversations were the result of complaints at last month's meeting about emergency vehicles running the stop sign on Blaine Street.
Complaints also were raised about speeding on Blaine Street and Crystal Flash Road. Church looked back at his records and determined that there were 144 warnings and citations written on those two roads during 2003.
Town attorney Jack Birch said it would cost approximately $6,000 for a sewer rate study.
The council asked Birch to look into the costs after Jay Clutter, owner of Joyland Mobile Home Park, asked that his sewer rates be reviewed.
Clutter claims the campground rate is excessive since it assumes each lot is equivalent to a residence even though the campground is seasonal.
The council believed it would be inappropriate to adjust Clutter's rate without looking at all rate classifications.
The town council took no action regarding the rate study, but said it might not be a bad idea since there are several other classifications that need study, including the community center.
Reafsnyder told the council Clutter has agreed to install a flow meter on the water line going into Joyland to help determine water use.
The council approved the recommendation of the county plan commission regarding rezoning of Clint Olson's property on Ind. 13, north of the fire station.
Olson requested the rezoning from residential to commercial. There were no remonstrators.
Several members of the North Webster Lions Club were present to ask the town to ban street sales of food during the Mermaid Festival.
The Lions members said the vendors would be welcome at the festival grounds, but believed it was unfair competition with the festival for vendors to set up outside.
Council members expressed concern about churches, scouts or other local groups that might be affected.
Lions members said they only were concerned about the for-profit vendors.
The council asked Birch to come up with an appropriate ordinance for next month's meeting.
The council also:
• Denied a request from clerk-treasurer Betsy Luce for $500 to hire part-time help with filing. The council suggested the police department secretary could help out.
• Approved Luce's request to attend a State Board of Accounts meeting in Bluffton at a cost of $30 plus mileage.
• Approved Luce's request to attend three days of an Indiana League of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers' Institute seminar in Muncie at a cost of $100 per day plus mileage and expenses.
• Agreed to draft an ordinance allowing Luce to write checks between board meetings only on bills that would incur a penalty for late payment.
North Webster Town Council members are Kay Andrews, Jon Sroufe and Jane Shepherd.
The council's next meeting is March 10 at 6 p.m.
