Town Council - Regular Meeting

Okay. Uh, good evening. Before we get started, I remind everyone that this meeting is being recorded and your participation is your consent to be recorded and broadcast on the town of Akran's YouTube channel. Roll call. Jim Ser here. Rich Solano here. Tony Ramirez here. That means we do the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Okay, we'll call this meeting to order. And first order of business is our council meeting minutes from January 12th of 2026 and also February 6th of 2026. Motion to approve the minutes for January 12th and February 6 as presented. Second. All in favor? I I Thank you. All right. Next item for business is Gan and Derek Dean at We do all these at the same time.

That's not a desk that's totally separate. That's utility adjustment. She's here to speak to the council. Okay. All right. Oh, is my um I have a sign underneath the alley right there on at 609 East Rochester Street

and we want to repair the line, but we've been told that we have there's multiple people on the exit line and we want to know if we're fully we can't be fully responsible for that if there's more than one person on that line. And then we want to repair it, which means that the alley needs to be tore up to repair the the line. And we were hoping we could have some help with repairing the alley. I think it's customary. Yeah. Yeah. As far as the as far as the pavement goes, we will repair that. Okay. Like whenever we have our next paving job or whatever, they always have some left over and we'll Okay.

That part's not an issue. Okay. So then is there multiple people on the edge of life? That's what we've been told. That I mean I don't know if that's true or not. Um we'd have to probably dig it up to find out. Is not the town's line. Okay. Is there any place that would have record of who is on the line as far as our maps and the sewer records I've gone through. No,

that's not to say it's not out there floating around somewhere. Um, but as far as what I've seen, no, I I don't what I think and I is I explained this to Derek. I think what happened is there's several houses on Rochester Street where they are tied in together with their neighbor. Yeah. and two houses come together and then that one line goes to our mate and no idea why assuming to cut costs or tap fees or whatever. Yeah.

Or just less work. I don't know. Um but that those were decisions that were made way before any of our times. Yeah. Um, and I don't know if it's as much a town issue as it is trying to convince your neighbors that, hey, we have an issue. And yeah, we need to work together to fix the issue. And we you guys shouldn't just be responsible. Yeah. Um, now it could get fishy. If they're not having problems, then it's hard to to try holding them accountable, too. Well, we don't know which neighbor either. I that that's my we can't go to our neighbors and be like, well, we don't know.

I would I would assume this to report me directly to the west. Okay. I mean, because where your line comes out and where it goes out, I would assume. Yeah. Again, but I can't I can't get a hold of her. Um but Derek told me that um whoever you guys had camera the line was I multiple Summers and Shanksters are the two. Yeah. Um, and whatever was on that camera would be your best evidence as to whose line it is. I have no idea. We put our camera down in there. Yeah. I couldn't see. They can't even get all the way down to the end, right? Yeah.

That's like to see what's down there. So, I don't I don't know. Courtney become problems as well down the line, right? Um, so I don't really know if we helped you at all. I I don't I don't know. I I I wish there was a manhole there. Yeah. And we could just dump in or hop in. Yeah. And shut the line for you. But unfortunately, it's not really how it works. I get and there's a lot that goes into putting a manholder in, especially when according to every map I've looked at, it is not considered a pound line.

Yeah. And we we understand that. It's just we don't you know, it's hard getting the neighbor, right? Yeah. And so it's like we don't and they not made a complaint. The neighbor has not made a complaint uh saying that our line's backing up. We haven't heard I mean we haven't at all. She's not said anything to me about it, but I've really struggled to get a hold of her. And yeah, and that's I don't I don't know how much she's there. So, but there are numer numerous lines through town like that like that wide right here. Yeah. Okay. Right across the road from you there there's a couple there too and they they end up having having issues and it's kind of the same deal.

Is that is that close to you? Somewhat close to me. Yeah. I I'm just another two houses down. Okay. Mine I don't think I share with anybody, but generally and it seems like whenever there's an alley Yeah. and there's two houses that splits that alley, it just seems like they they run out. I mean, it was it was surely there one or the other the other side. And Mandy Walker, too. Andy Walker, too. Yeah. Um Yeah. Okay. And you spoke with Shanksters, correct? after they did this for you. Yeah, they jetted the line and that that's when they told us it needs replaced down at the very end of our line. Okay.

Is that they said it's blown out from all the jetting and trying to clean it out that it's just there's a void up there. There's a big tree on the end. It's probably what's what's causing it over the tree needs to come down. Yeah. Right. So, we were just hoping that maybe we could get clarification on the neighbor, which possibly we did. I don't that Yeah. And that's I mean, you hate to say that. Yeah. It probably hurt. That's just an assumption.

Like I said, the the the people that did I don't know where quite honestly, I don't know where the information is coming from that there is another line tied into it. My thing is if it's going out, if your line's going out and dumping into a line, then it's probable there's another line dumping into it. There's nothing saying that that's the case. Okay. Um I thought that Derek had seen another line whenever Summers or Shanksters was their camera. Yeah. So the line goes down the alley towards 14. It also goes back and around on the Orchard. Yeah. And they

which is weird because there's a manhole there at that alley and orchard and when you pub that manhole look down in it, there's no line going to that man. So it doesn't even tie to tie into our manhole either. Okay. So yeah, but that's that's where we're like we're sketched out on who else could be on the line because it does go further back. We don't know. Yeah. So I don't I don't know. there any place I could look?

You might start with the auditor's office to see if there's anything of note. Um, you I don't know how how long you've owned the property, but you could find your closing documents. There might be there maybe you will get lucky and one property or the other had something akin to an easement recognized upon the other and that might be reflected. If if if you want to leave that to someone else, you could contact either P County Title or Frretz and just say, "Is there anything in in my deed record or my neighbor's deed record that would help me resolve this ambiguity?" Yeah, that might be a good place to start. Yeah, that does. All right.

And anything that you find out, we would also want to know it would help us kind of decipher some of our our stuff as well. Are are you able to use the land at all? Is it always backing up on you? It is always backing up. We have had it cleared, I think, three three or four weeks in a row. Like every Saturday we're like, "Come clear it. Come clear it. Come clear." And so that's why it's frustrating us because laundry is once a week. I mean, you know, we I my husband works outside, so we need warm, thick clothes, fresh. And so it's a little frustrating, but we're cleaning it out weekly.

Well, thank you for bringing it to our attention. I um I think what our lawyer has suggested would be thing to do right now. Um unless you would want to have someone come in there and dig the alley and find out for sure. Well, they're going to dig it either way eventually. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Well, let's move on to uh utility adjustments. The request adjust adjustments. We have four of them. And uh so Carl Ortega, are you here tonight? Okay. And um so if you know Santiago um I got a message from April that um she had an incident today and is unfortunately able to not be present. I told her I would share that with the council but that didn't guarantee that the request would be approved with not being present. At least um Megan. Yes.

All right. And Wendy. All right. All right. Thank you, Dave. Um, I assume the leak has been repaired. If you have found what the issue was, had it repaired. I don't have an issue. She Megan's issue was um I don't want to say an issue, but with the extreme cold temperatures, she left her tap. I understand that. Sure. So, all right.

I've had mine the front part or the two. I know Jake has come by and see it was flowing. I did have Louis came and fixed that and up under the trailer there was a little leak and then the hot water heater, but he's going to be coming back to check to make sure with all the cold temperatures that everything is still good. and see why we can't help them out first time around there.

So, we're going to we're going to grant your requests to um alter your we're going to make the adjustment for you uh this time around. Um do I need to go through every one of them? All right, I'll just make a motion. that we grant the adjustments for each person that was listed here. Second. All in favor? I thank you. Thank you for coming tonight.

Um all three of you or well three that are present. If it's not, um I do have the adjustment. I will process that adjustment to your bill tomorrow and I will call you to let you know what your current balance is that's due. So, and yours is backdated for last month. So, I'll let you guys. So, you're welcome. Thank you guys for showing up. Yeah. Thank you.

Uh, next is the uh reappoint of um Kathy Miller to the BCA board. Or is it actually it's the Fton County Area Planning Commission? BA and Yeah. All right. Uh, can I ask you a question about that, Heather? Um, I know you guys don't meet a lot, but as far as are they showing up for the meetings? Um, the plan commission. Yeah, she does. We I don't think we met in active last year. That's fine. But I'm But I'm talking, you know, the planning commission. Yes. Okay. Crystal's our other one.

Yes. She's on vacation. snow. So, yeah, she does come when she freezing her head, freezing her little

Okay. Um, gentlemen. Okay. All right. I'll motion that we uh reappoint Kathy Miller to the Fulton County Area Planning Commission. Second. All in favor? I got it. NBC. Yeah. All right.

Heather, it's your turn. Well, I was just here to present the end of the year reports. Um, Rebecca, I hope I emailed it to her. Anyway, so this is something we just produce every year. Uh last year we issued in 2025 we issued 820 permits total. We break it down in the town of Akran uh we issued 15. Um we brought in $16,860 inside cents total for the five.

Yeah, the city of Rochester is definitely kept us busy last year and this year.

So, uh Heather, while you're here, um we we approved uh data centers in the A area and um it it appears that's created a lot of stress throughout the community. And uh we conducted a survey um and got an unbelievable response. You know, for example, our response for a survey here in town for a sewer project, we get 29 responses. I think it was over 500.

Yeah, Rebecca sent me a topic of it today. Yeah. So, I don't know if you had a chance to look at it or not.

Just some of it. Um, but I will say I mean for your guys's point, um, when I bring amendments to you, your only amendment, you're only approving the amendments for the town of Akran. So regardless that you guys did approve them, um, it's the commissioners that does the county. So I go to the town of Akran, I go to Colton, I go to Kiwana, I go to the commissioners in the city of Rochester. So each legislative body when you approve amendments, it's only for your particular area. Now, the town of Akran does have a small bit of industrial and industrial is one of the districts, but that is it. You don't have any egg in the town of Akran zoning wise. Um, and then I will say we did not reszone anything. Um, everything is still zoned the same that it was. Um, it's just the permitted use was added into it. So

I know you're getting a lot of flack for the a district for per se, but you guys technically your amendments don't affect the egg district because you'll have the egg district in the town of background, right? Uh so I guess my question is um if we support change even if it's just uh vocally does that happen at the BCA level? No. The BCA doesn't have anything to do with zoning amendments or zoning ordinance amendments or changes.

All the changes goes to the plan commission. Then the plan commission makes the recommendation and ultimately I ended up at the legislative bodies. So that's how that works. It's just then the BCA what are they approving or what the BCA meets whenever there's business. Whenever there's a petition filed a petition to do what? um closer to the lot line or um metal sighting instead of anything outside of the ordinance. Almost anything that comes from Heather's office, someone can appeal.

So if Heather's says, "Well, I can't grant you this, but you can request a variance from the BZA." 99% of the time it's variances and special exceptions. Okay? But in theory, someone could say, "I don't want to pay the fee to Heather's office. I'd like to appeal that to the BCA." And the BCA can actually hear that. So any action of her office, the BCA could do. So when you're in front of the BCA, you always have an individual. You always have an individual petitioner uh who is requesting something other than what it would normally be the answer from the zoning uh ordinance, right? the plan commission uh um is more about the zoning ordinance and they're kind of like the investigatory body to make recommendations uh uh back to you about hey we think you should change your ordinance for this or we think you should reszone. So I've told people, you know, if you want to think of it this way, the plan commission is kind of like an advisory committee to the legislators and the BCA is kind of like a small claims court. And that's kind of how they operate. So when it comes to uh an individual petitioner saying we want to do this in spite of what the ordinance says, the BCA can do that. But the BCA doesn't have any way to say we're going to change the ordinance. Just like a judge doesn't have a way to say, you know, we're we're going to send we're going to change the uh uh the punishment for a misdemeanor. You know, that for the legislator.

And also, Andy, um and I, you know, people are saying a town of needs to do this, this, and this. That's out in the country. We don't have any jurisdiction out there anymore. We we had a mile buffer zone at one time, but the town of Akran can't we can't tell them what to do out there,

right? You could you could go to the plan commission and say I I suppose you could go to the plan commission and say we want Akan's version of the zoning ordinance to do this or not do this in the um in the A district. Okay. Um, you literally could do it, but it's kind of a dead letter. Like you you don't have an ad act district. You could have an ordinance that mentions it, but I don't know what the point would be. But you could literally, and that's called a a proposal, and you could you could bring that proposal to the plane commission and to evaluate. And the plane commission is where public hearings for that kind of stuff happens. And they could say they could say we recommend that, we don't recommend that or we make no comment. and it comes back to you and there's a back and forth to that but but you're you're right.

It wouldn't cover beyond Yeah. wouldn't cover it can't cover beyond your your jurisdiction geographically. So you you can do it in a literal sense uh but it would wouldn't have any practical effect if you're if you're not zoned out.

But but keep that in mind if you ever want to change make zoning changes to other parts. Um, I know Heather uh uh uh Heather's office probably works easier the less deviation we have between uh all the towns on these zoning ordinances, but ultimately you're the legislative body and and the PC is not a legislative body and so um their job is to kind of research to have the public hearings to get input to see how it's working in the other parts of the county and make a recommendation. So for for residents outside of Akran who are interested in changing what was decided back in September, I think or October, whenever that was. What is their uh recourse?

Well, that would be the proposal to the plane commission. Um again, it would be the ordinance is in effect already. So, it's not a simple reversal of what they think was done wrong. It would be um go to the planning commission, propose the changes of the ordinance, and again, it would be another set of amendments. So, it would be we'd have to have a public hearing. Um if it's just in the county that's going to be changed, then I would go to the commissioners again. Um so, that's really So, proposal needs to come from residents within the jurisdiction. Well, the proposal has to come from a legislative body or the plan commission,

right? They would propose it to the planning commission. They would voice their concerns to the plane commission and the plane commission ultimately makes the recommendation to Republicans speak at any public hearing or or any public meeting that the plane commission has allowed public comment, but they can't make a proposal. Proposal has to come from the plan commission or the

the legislative body. I would also like to put this on the record that nobody on this board sitting up here. Nobody in our our office has been offered any money to help these people out. You know, I've heard that too many times. I'm just telling the people right now that nobody's offered us any money and we wouldn't take it anyway. So, I just want to put that to rest.

There's a lot going on out there. Yeah. So public comment that you get tomorrow at your special meeting. Um you take it under advisement at that point as far as whether or not the area plan will even make a recommendation.

I mean the board makes the decisions. I'm just the information giver. So um I mean I've received lots of emails from um the community. They get everything that I get. Um, I know a lot of people have the same concerns and I'll put on record that we did not choose the jail to limit people. The jail is a little larger than the commissioner's room and with the rush of the special meeting and the live stream requirements. You know, we used to be able to have ours at the fairgrounds when we had large crowds, but we can't. We don't have the equipment to do that to live stream it. And I was I like had four days to plan this meeting and get it published. So there's no way to change the venue but it wasn't an in malice to stop people from being able to come um because that is also and unfortunately we are going to have a large crowd and we won't be able to accommodate everyone but it wasn't that wasn't the intent.

Okay. Well, I appreciate you coming in and um uh it's it's I think the level of public interest is good because typically there's very little public interest in anything that goes on in county government until it affects you personally. And um so hopefully this is a uh wakeup call to everybody to to get involved and attend a meeting every once in a while to see what's going on.

And all of our meeting agendas and our minutes are posted on the website. I mean, they can pop on anytime and see what's going on or give me a call. You know, I think that probably will happen more often now. Yeah. Um, so it's unfortunate that it happened this way, but maybe it will be an eye opener for a lot of people. Keep an eye on. I I think it is an eye opener for a lot of people going on. So yeah, it is just it is concerning that a decision could be made on our border uh that can have an adverse effect on us and we have no voice. Yeah, that's

uh whether it's the border to the west or the border to the north which is in a completely different county, right? Yeah. Um so that is that is somewhat of a concern and I don't know if there's well your indirect voice is you make an appointment to the blank commission. Your voice is heard there. Yeah. In all that. So, but I but yeah, I Well, again, thanks for coming in and uh probably see you tomorrow if I get in the door

because I did I don't know. I did send it to Rebecca after I talked to Travis. Um he's not going to open the doors to the public until 5:00 just simply because we know we are having a sheriff's department. They still have things going on 247. Don't need a bunch of people in there for two hours before the meeting starts because I did have a couple people say they were gonna come at like three and I was like

so hopefully we can make it to where everyone can maybe do a rotation so people can come in and talk you know I don't know I don't know there's going to be a lot I mean there's going to be I did appreciate the police officers at the community center the other night they were there was three of them well three plus our officer and it I appreciated that. Nothing got out of hand, but still could have nice representation. Yeah, I appreciate that. All right, Heather. Well, thank you very much. Nope. A few faces. Bye. Bye. Good night.

Thank you. talking to me. I was actually talking.

Um, next is the Verizon update and we have our letters here. Um, you know, I would suggest that, uh, seeing that we just received this this morning, uh, we table it for this meeting and, uh, I will reach back out to Michael and and keep the discussion going. Okay. Thanks. Next is Bigger Tilly. That's our annual update. everything but

motion that we uh continue our relationship with Baker Tilly. Second. All in favor? Right.

Next is the CCMG award.

Uh Buff Perman and Cyprus Nisha was here at the last meeting and did open all the steel bid. They took them back um review under adisement. Um everything was found to be sufficient with a little bit of DC construction services. Um that is their recommendations and you know following some things that we experienced last year in that project. Um when we have the pre-construction meeting it will be very clear on the expectations um for this project. um and they have one of their lead engineer inspectors um he's overseeing this project. He's had almost 20 years of experience in the field. So I think we've got somebody good to over see this. Um obviously we did kind of have some concern with the significant cost estimate that's much lower than the original estimate. So um so I have documentation the notice of award that is needs to be signed um as well as the contract with uh DC as well as the letter um for INDOT the notification of contractor award and request for the funds. um that'll be signed tonight your guys's approval of that and then I have to get it to end up tomorrow because if I don't have it in by March 1st we would lose our So

I'll I'll go and make the recommendation that um we go with DC construction or our CCMG grant for the streets and sidewalks in town of Akran for the total of $866,57625 that Second. Second. All in favor? I

Justin report for the month of January. Uh the truck has been marked, lettered, decal, whatever you like to call it. So that's that's done. Thanks to uh Jake and Anthony for taking over there and dropping off and picking it up. Um the batteries are here for the radar signs. We got four batteries um just so we have some on hand. We've also I also took the uh old batteries out of the sign that got it way back when and we had issues with I've already switched out the wires. All they've got to do is plug them in. hoping with the weather and in the uh next week or so we get down there and uh stole um other than that that's all we're done. Everything's going pretty well. So like Derek's got some things out of the way. So he'll hopefully get back on somewhat of a regular rotation with us spring. So

yeah. for you. Thanks, Justin. Jake, you should have my report in front of you. Um the water man, the new water man passed all the bacterial tests and pressure test and I don't think anybody's hooked up to it yet technically. Um obviously the weather. Yeah.

So that along with the tower and the water plant project, I'm assuming once the weather breaks, things will get back rolling with those again. kind of what Mark indicated in our meeting the other day. Um, here Midwest will be here on February 13th to do our annual high service pump and well testing. We switched from a salt sand mix to a pure salt mix. Don't know it's made much of a difference, but on the roads.

Yep. We're trying something. Um believebody's pleased with it. It's a lot less dirty. I know that. So, um the I have on here a discussion about the alleyway um between the gas station and Dillies. Um I don't know if we want to go ahead and look at that now and possibly approve. Let's go ahead and you got it covered here. I did proposal 196 is the updated proposal from prior meeting.

So if you remember they talked about the alley there between the gas station and Dillies. Yes. And you had a chance to talk. Did did you have a chance to talk to him? And you know, I went out with Jake to look at the project and what it was. Uh what it entailed and we had some questions. Uh my concern is, you know, if we pull away the u the BM that's there you want to call it. Uh, it will damage the building, you know.

Probably part of their foundation, is it? I don't know. Well, I mean, a foundation would be underground. This is above ground. Um, so I guess my concern is damaging their building and what more they would want us to do to make it right. Yeah. um you know so whether taking the curb out is the right thing to do if I

the I don't know the only thing that I can say is like they nobody knows what we're going to run into until we get to it and what it is now that curve there that runs along That building is also in terrible shape. So, if we fix the concrete there leading to the ramp, it's just going to find an avenue to go down where it ties in with that curve. Um, in my opinion, I don't know. I'm not much of a concrete guy. Um, the only thing I can go off of is Lawson seems pretty confident and it's kind of their specialty. Um, the I mean, yeah, I don't know. The only thing we can do is pretty much take their word for it or deny the job be done or tell them to keep the curb there. Um, I don't know. I do know what we have now is not working. Um, they're Anthony and I went down in the basement whenever they called. Yeah, they've got a pretty good infiltration coming in through their wall from I mean, you could watch it.

You could watch it just dump down into cracks on the on the concrete there. So, I don't know. Um, that's my take on it. I'm not a concrete guy. I'm not a foundation specialist at all. I kind of have to take the word of the specialists. Um, but that's that's my I think throughout the process they take every step necessary to make sure to assess as they whatever they're removing, if they need to shore up, if they need to take a different approach. Um I would I would be surprised if they just go in and start ripping stuff out. It's very unlike whitels to do something and do it halfway.

Yeah. Especially when they drive through the Akan at least a couple times a day. And I thought, didn't Allan mention he had some history with that building? Yes. Or as he had worked on it before. He worked on the lower part where the ramp is on that on that wall that I think the interior of it. Okay. I think. But but yeah, that's that's the only I can only go off of the confidence he has. I I have nothing else to go off of. We could get second opinions if if you want us to. I'd say Allan's a pretty good uh I think so too. Yeah. Pretty good guy to go to and he's been doing it a long time and I've seen his work.

Mike Stevens owned it. So like he's familiar. I I feel comfortable and confident that he knows what he's doing that we could go ahead. Well, I mean it's our responsibility off our bow. Yeah. It wasn't tells us that all the time. It wasn't just a wet wall this time. It was actually flowing like flowing inside. So yeah, I will off here. I don't know.

I will make the motion to approve the law and sun quote for the alley repair. Uh proposal number 196 not to exceed $11,460 for the alley repair and $7,900 for excavating along the existing basement. Sorry. All in favor? I.

And then the other quote you should have there is from Groud Equipment Company. It is a laundry list of items that need done to our back um to hopefully ensure longevity of that machine. Um I thought Anthony and I'd be able to scrape quite a bit off of that. We only scraped off about few thousand. So we better than that's better than brand new ones.

A little but um but that a big portion of this is the great big boom on the top of it. the bearings are starting to go out of it. And whenever we use our controller to move that thing, it moves it all over the place. And the more you do it, the more it wears it out. And I think we explained in the last council meeting, all the parts for that, but not all the parts, a lot of the parts for that have to be custom made. That's a crazy crazy expenditure or a crazy cost. So, but

it's a machine want to sell next year. I say dumb question. Maybe any idea what the value trade in value is on that to a new one? Like I'm just saying if we're paying $20,000 for repairs and they're going to give it and that's our thing to get a brand new one. Is that we're asking the question? I don't know. This is an afterthought at this moment. We talked Well, we talked the other day about um we don't think it's something that has to be done right now. Yeah, sure. So, if we want to table it, the only thing is I would rather get it done before we're in the middle of summer

if we're going to get it done or wait until winter next year to do it. That way, we've got it to use for the summer. But before we pull the trigger on all this, I can get it. Sure. Could be between now and March. And then if not we can get I think that kind of money from the time when this was purchased until now the rate of this type of machinery has skyrocketed as far as far as go but that's a great it's a great point. It's a question to ask because then you got warranty and everything like how to do or if it's 25,000 it's $5,000 more than you got. I mean, when I came in here, that was the first check between that and the back though

for that one. That was a big It was a big check. Was six figures for this. Yeah. For that back. Yeah. So, that's why I'm saying like you're paying and I get back regular. Yeah. We used to have two things that this became a combo. What's the plan? Oh. So, we used to have two pieces of equipment that we do that. Yeah. So, um, but as far as that goes with Brown, they they come get they whenever it's approved, if we go that route in March or whatever, they don't touch it or do anything to it until they have all the parts in house for it and then they come to pick it up, do the work, bring it back. Okay?

So, it's it's not like, yeah, bring it to us and we'll get to it when we get to it. Like that part of it is and if there's a case where something's needed immediately, we have availability to use or to get um help from them with equipment.

Well, it's while it's in the shop would be a two to three week I would say minimum. I would um and I don't know if we want to wait another month to put this off or I'm okay moving forward if we find that the you know still has a lot of value left in that machine. I think that's the question. Yeah to more see what a replacement value would be. I I'm also going to make a suggestion which we've talked about this in the office. um we should know in the next month if we're awarded the SRF and the okay

grant and I've had to pay a lot of those things out right out of the sewer till we get the grant potentially reimbursement so my recommendation is just to hold off on that it's a large do we have the funds yes but right now we're kind of in that limbo stage that like my theory is if this isn't an emergency in case we do have an emergency until we get those. That said, let's table it for a month. Sorry, I'm not trying. I'm not trying. No, we've had these conversations. Okay. So, no, that's good. I

What is their lead time? Is this something that they can take back? If we approve it in March, can they take it right away and start working on it or Yeah, I I mean, I would I would say three weeks probably for them. again they'll have they order their part or have them made or whatever and have everything in shot and then they would come get it. So we would still have access to completely usable that work time. I mean two weeks I would I would guess and that would be at a minimum. I would I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't three weeks or so that they actually would have it in shop. Right. Okay. Well, they can turn it around relatively quick.

I think so. within a month. Yeah, they would have it like all spring. Okay. Yeah, probably. Okay.

Um and then the only other things I've got um update on the part-time opening. Um we still don't really know for sure when it's going to be like open open when we're down a guy for sure yet. Um but our tenative um timeline for how we want this to go, advertise it for the next three weeks, hopefully get some more apps, um do interviews first week of March, make a decision in the weeks following, and then have a recommendation or decision at the council meeting in March, March 6th.

Yeah. Um and I don't necessarily think you need to come to the council. That would be a hire that you would be authorized to do as a supervisor. Yeah. Yeah. The only thing I did have usually in the council um thing was you approved it. You approved the starting wage. So um that is one thing that needs to be in your minutes. So it's okay. Is the um okay it we would we approve the wage range. It's a wage range that's on the salary ordinance you dictate for part time or part-time

and I don't know that and I mean that can be through interviews. I guess I don't care on there needs to be a council member that sits in with them on the interviews and I mean that can be negotiated and talked about. Right now it my opinion they do not make over $17 an hour because our guys that have already been on staff that's what they're making. So, um, think there's a little Sure. Okay. But it's not I just need to know from my HR standpoint what they're good. And then flag um update on the tornado siren. Um,

tornado siren on the south end of town hasn't been working. Um, was finally nice enough today. Anthony and I busted into it. the locks. We make terrible keys, by the way. Oh, yeah. That's took us way too long to wait to look at. But anyways, um we couldn't find the keys for it. Busted in there, tested the batteries. The batteries seem fine. Um looked at the fuses. The fuses look pretty good. They didn't look burnt. Um so I got back a hold of J&K and told them a couple things. Didn't notice anything. They'll be here the 19th, February 19th. Um,

to go through it, look at it. And while we were down there, the radio that communicates the tornado siren, and I don't really know how that all works, but the radio was working. Um, so I don't really know. Um, and you may have noticed another thing. The three downtown lights are not working. Um, we're working with RTC to figure out what's going on. I think it's a photo eye, but it's hard to tell. It all comes the power comes from their building off of their break.

We RTC building there is run off of those lights are run off. And which lights? The three ones are four. Oh, gotcha. Four fancy ones. Yeah, go around the uh approach and no longer being fancy in the clothes are a little but yeah so you notice that I'mware. All right. Thank you.

Thank you guys. Andy, uh, couple things. Um, I wanted to check with Rebecca and make sure Abbott didn't send a check directly to you in the past week. Okay.

All right. Then, um, I'll staff, she is overdue for that. I'll staff give her a call. Um the second thing is um do you use uh do you use postmarks at all as a uh uh metric for when utility bills are late? Postmarks enter into it or do your statements are like no we have to receive it by such a day. If I don't receive it by the 25th it's late. Okay. So it's not tied to postmark. It is not tied to postmark. We have to receive it in office by the 25th.

Good. Um because I was going to point out the um postal service has changed uh the way they postmark things and I suspected you probably know I found out last week we sat down and and Karen says oh yeah that's different. Um so if you have a situation where you're dealing with someone who has promised payment maybe you have a contract maybe whatever the situation is. Um uh if if I go let's say I go to the post office in Rochester and it says they emptied the box at 4:30. Used to be I toss that I toss that bill in at 427 and it gets postmarked that day.

No more. Okay. That will not get postmarked till it goes to the regional distribution center which could be Indianapolis. That could be four days later. So if I want it postmarked the day I put it in this gonna become real important come April 15th. Um, if I want it postmarked, uh, the day I put it in the mail, I got to walk in to the desk

and then they will mark it for that day, but the box won't and the pickup won't and the all the other methods will not. So, um, just wanted to make sure that that wasn't going to cause unknown hiccups because you get in a situation where where I don't want Rebecca on the phone to say I'm looking at the postmark and said it's late because it was marked till such and such a day and they swear they dropped it in the mail the day was due. But if you don't have that kind of relationship with billing, nope. So you So that's just in general for anybody everybody. Yep. That's good to know. If you stamp for that day, you have to go into and tell them to stamp it. Yep. Okay. Wow. Yeah.

Oh, man. Clearly on your hands,

that's good to know. Yeah, just something I I thought I'd mention to I I imagine that when the next election comes up that's it'll be an issue mail and ballots and people want it maybe stay all time making changes with the $7,000 they pocket is from our club meters from our club meters they lost. Those are the only two things I have for you.

Thank you. Um, I did want to we we touched on our deposits for our water sewer system here. You know, over the years, our rates have gone up. We've had to increase our rates just to keep up with inflation, maintenance, etc. So, our deposits aren't even covering our minimum payments anymore. And, um, I want to bring to the board and recommend increasing uh in deposits $150 for owners, $200 for renters

um to help cover those minimum payments that we have now. So, this was brought on because last month, remember the first of the year when we have to do write offs and we're getting stuck. the only people we're getting stuck with are your renters who when legislation changed, we can no longer go back on the landlord to collect those outstanding debts. So, this is a way to hopefully mitigate some of that loss that we are experiencing in our utilities. We're going to see you want to see a draft of that next month from me. Get you $100. The other thing I'm all morning the other thing I need to need to double check okay and make sure there's not a problem in the differentiation of positive requirement okay

between and if there is go higher I don't know that there is but but yeah I I'll look into that if there is a higher I'm confident you can raise it it's just a matter of any difference there okay fair enough and hopefully that incentivizes the renter landlord for the owner to pay their bill before they leave.

Thank you. Right.

I do have one thing that I needed to bring up that I add. um with our wastewater utility project um that we submitted the OKR grant for um part of the new process um with our grant administrator no longer being independent. She was she's now with Baker Tilly. Um we had to put out a RFP for um administrative services. So I published that. Um, I also had to send it to five people that are CBDG approved grant writers. Um, so I sent that certified mail. They are all to have if they're interested in being that grant administrator. Our proposals, their proposals are due back in my office by Friday. Um, if we have more than one that is received, it'll go through an interview process. Um, and then we'll make a selection from there. Um, but I won't know that till as of right now, I do not have I've only got two of my five cards back that they've been received, but it's the USPS mail. So, um, I do know that they've at least been received based on the tracking and then

although Friday it's the same one we've matter if we've got multiple people to interview. So, you're good. uh move on to dockets and payroll allowance dockets.

Something I just want to share when you see numbers if you look back historically to this. So with this new program um on the dockets payroll um is not included at that level in our old dockets. Payroll was included in the docket form and then the payroll allowance docket. The way this is, it's two separate entities. That's why you have the payroll allowance docket. So you add those two together, it's the same amount. We would the dockets of 64,83561 and payroll allowance docket of 367788.

Motion to approve as presented. Second. All in favor? Hi.

Um, one last thing. Um, I'll be attending the NCT Institute Academy, um, March 8th through the 12th. So, and then meet the following Monday on the 6th. Any other business? Motion to adjourn. Right. A second. Favor. I