Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SOUTH WHITLEY - Town council members Tony Starkey, Glee Eberly and Tom Rudd were advised Tuesday night a direct line to police officers via cellular phone was not acceptable at the county level due to safety concerns.
Officer Brad Nestel said citizens should dial 911 for emergencies and use the 723-4814 line for other problems. The numbers are forwarded to Whitley County Communications in Columbia City. Dispatchers will send the duty officer by radio.
"Dispatch wants calls to go back to the old way," Nestel said. "It's a safety factor so they know where officers are at all times and can send a backup if necessary."
The 723-6871 number is a direct line to the South Whitley Police Department. If the duty officer is unable to answer the phone by the fourth ring, an answering machine records the call.
Starkey read a letter from John Dunn, who owns the Hair Center For Men on South State Street. In the communication Dunn asked the police department to check all doors at night and leave a business card visible to verify the check.
Nestel was asked if officers did a door-to door-check regularly and he said no.
"I want you to," Starkey said. "This is something we could easily do and there is no reason not to."
Ordinance No. 98-9-1, regarding sewage rate increases, was approved. A public hearing was held prior to the regular meeting with no members of the public attending, according to town clerk Mitch Winger.
Increases are based upon the amount of water used.
The monthly rate per thousand gallons of water for the first 2,000 gallons is $4.55; $3.82 per thousand for the next 8,000 gallons; $3.08 per thousand for the next 25,000 gallons; $2.55 per thousand for the next 65,000 gallons; and over 100,000 gallons is $2.12 per thousand.
The minimum charge for sewage service where the user is a metered water consumer shall be based upon meter size as follows: for a 5/8- to 3/4 -inch meter the monthly charge is $9.10; 1-inch meter - $14.60; 1-1/4-inch meter - $21,95; 1-1/2-inch meter - $29.05; 2-inch meter - $54.50; 3-inch meter - $108.95; 4-inch meter - $181.55; and 6-inch meter - $363.10.
A flat rate for residential sewage service, where the user is not a metered water user, is $18.63 per month based on an assumed consumption of 4,500 gallons.
Rates are effective with the Dec. 1 billing.
In other business, the council:
• Heard from utilities manager Butch Lancaster a truck owned by Preston Bollinger demolished the drinking fountain in the South Whitley Park installed by Delta Theta Psi in memory of Mary Cramer. Evidently the brakes on Bollinger's vehicle failed to hold it on the hill above the park and it rolled into the memorial.
Lancaster said he had an estimate to rebuild the fountain and thought representatives from the park board, the town council and the Delts should decide what to do. Councilman Eberly, a member of the sorority, said she would represent both the town and the Delts.
Lancaster also gave the board estimates on a new ($20,000) and a used ($9,000) 17-cubic-foot capacity leaf pick-up machine, saying parts for the town's current equipment were becoming hard to get.
He told the board the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is offering a 50-50 state grant for leaf pick-up machines.
Lancaster was told to follow up on the grant possibilities.
Skunk sightings also were reported to the board and Lancaster was advised to contact a business who could trap the animals.
• The board tabled a decision on selecting a trash hauler for next year.
• Nestel said two residences, one on South Main and another on East Mulberry, were in violation of the town's nuisance ordinances. The Main Street property has an accumulation of trash and the Mulberry Street residence has a vehicle which has been salvaged for parts and remains parked at the property.
Nestel said the loitering problem by youths has been taken care of.
South Whitley Town Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. at city hall.
