Town Council - Regular Meeting

okay good evening and welcome to the september 21st 2026 akron town council meeting before we get started i'd like to remind everyone that this meeting is being recorded and your participation is your consent to be recorded and broadcast on the town of akron's youtube channel roll call jim saner here rich solano here tony ramirez

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. ALL IN MEETING ORDER. FIRST ORDER IS PUBLIC HEARING OF 2027 BUDGET.

You guys all have the Notice to Taxpayer Form 3 in front of you. Our budget estimates are what we discussed at our budget meeting. The anticipated budget for 2027 is $1,268,205. Estimated funds, 501,116. You will see, obviously, there's a significant amount that we're budgeting, but we do have some capital projects planned and potential matches if those grants are received. If not, that money will still remain in our budget for future years. So any questions regarding the proposed budget?

Questions? Any questions from the audience?

NO QUESTIONS.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2027 BUDGET. A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM ACTION COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 21ST OF 2026. August 24th of 2026 and August 28th of 2026. I have a motion to accept the minutes as presented.

Motion to accept the minutes of the August 21st, 24th and 28th, 2026 council meeting minutes as presented.

I'll second it.

All in favor?

Aye.

Thank you.

Next business is the Akron Citizens Cemetery Headstone. And the gentleman's name is Brian Wade.

Yes. So I received this email and the supporting documentation. I have asked a few questions to individuals that are more familiar with this situation. that headstone is the property of the family for them to maintain um if mr wade would like to pay to have this headstone reset and fixed and all of that he is at liberty to do so within that space that is designated that his family has purchased um i think he just wanted with the town being the person that oversees to verify that This is allowable. I said I'd bring it to the council and bring it to the attorney in case there was something that I wasn't aware of. But as far as. In a great space, when you buy it and you buy the headstone, it's your responsibility to. Maintain said.

So. So any concerns? I've never been asked the question. Not not an issue I've ever been.

i've ever had with me but well certainly i don't have an issue yeah no it's all the cml and back it's just you know it's different out there at the iwf um 1075 there's a board that takes care of all that stuff any questions but you're still responsible for your headstone keeping it

yeah there's a cemetery board out there yes yeah but there's nothing but as far as like when you buy your grave space in the headstone that is you as the owner of that not the board they don't have any jurisdiction over your space that you have paid to rent so yeah there's a process in indiana to disinter the remains themselves that's a whole thing but yes i don't i don't i don't see that that's anything if you just want to Without motion, the board includes that he can proceed as he outlines consistent property that might be useful to him if he has to show that he wanted to . All right.

Next is the Title VI information form.

So annually, this is required to be updated and submitted to NDOT. as far as a compliance for us to be able to continue to apply for CCMG grants or any federal grants through NDOT. Basically, I update anticipated goals for 27. There was a couple after reading through as far as it had a couple places in here, town manager that I'm assuming should have been corrected to clerk treasurer, so I fixed those. But other than that, it's Pretty cookie cutter from the previous year. We're all up to date. Once this is approved by the board and then I submit to end out, we'll be good for another year. And then like from the ADA side of things, when we had that assessment done back in 23, obviously they gave us a lot of intricate things that we need to be doing as the town to get that up. Right now we're kind of focused on the bigger side of things on the pedestrian traffic and making that stuff ADA accessible. But our goal is once that stuff is wrapped up, then we'll start to look at door handles themselves i mean things like that that we can kind of knock some of that stuff off but as far as the plan on doing a lot of those little things no because we've been kind of focusing on the bigger capital projects at this time but that is still a ongoing fluid document that's ever changing so oh yeah that's you would um a motion that we need to adopt uh

the Title VI implementation plan for the Town of Akron.

No seconder.

All in favor?

Aye. Thank you.

Next is the Akron VZA and Area Planning resignation letter from Crystal White. And she's retiring as of October 1st of 2026. Mark's going to take her place.

Pending approval by the board. Yes, he said, and it would need to reflect. She plans to attend next Monday's meeting, September 28th. and she would officially be done with her duties October 1st. And if you appoint the suggested individual of Mark Randall, then he would take over that position and he would serve on the Akron BZA and also be the area plan representative. He did come into the office and kind of speak and kind of get caught up on everything that's going on over there and is willing to be a voice and representative for our community. So.

WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION, CORRECT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPOINT MARK RANDALL TO REPLACE CRYSTAL WIDA FOR THE ACRON VZA AND AREA PLANNING COMMISSION AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.

I'M GOING TO ADD INTO THAT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST INTO MY MINUTES, IF THAT'S SUFFICIENT.

All in favor? Aye. Next is our Yoder pay claim number three of $80,025. And our Yoder pay claim is number four of $64,878.45.

This is work completed so far, Jake.

Do what?

This is work completed so far, the contractor, Yoder.

They've got the Westwell house to do.

And then they've got a builder. They've got to put the rest of the builder fee in.

Mark has seen this stuff. Mark Sullivan has signed off.

Mark's the one that sends it to us when it's ready to go. So yes, he has approved these pay claims to be presented to the board for payout.

Well, I'll make a motion to approve. Pay claim three and four to our Yoder for work done on our water treatment system as presented.

I'll second it.

All in favor?

Aye. Let's get our department reports.

Justin's not here.

So let's move on.

The only thing that I need to have that's usually under his is the trick or treat date and time. It's always historically been October 31st from six to eight. It is a Saturday this year. We're going to keep the same time and date.

Yeah, let me see. Go to 11.

They can if they want.

Saturday night.

And Jake, Jake is going to be out in the town throughout until 11 o'clock flashing them lights. He can have something in the park. Yeah. Okay. All right.

Okay. Jake.

All righty. I just kind of touched on it when you asked that, Rich, but they're supposed to be doing the new, um, filter media the end of next week, if I remember correctly. I talked to him last week about it. So hopefully the end of next week. They're starting on the west well house tomorrow. We just put the east well house back in service today. So the east well house is pretty much done. They just got to come back and paint the piping. But for the most part, it's done. It's flow meter and everything is reading back to the water plant like it's supposed to. So that's taken care of on the week on the east well house and uh hypothetically the west well house shouldn't take nearly as long because on the east well house they order wrong parts so assuming they have corrected their mistakes the west well house should should be very smooth um We are doing an input meeting with CHA tomorrow. They're wanting to come to town, look in the lift stations, look in the wet wells and get an idea of how they're going to bypass whenever they have stuff shut down to do work on it. Because it doesn't appear that our stuff has bypass options. Because why would they? But that's kind of what I'm sure they've ran across this before. They'll get eyes on it and come up with something, I'm sure. DC Construction, I have not reached out to them to get an update. but I would assume they would be back fairly soon.

I forwarded it to you, I think, on Friday, but you were out of the office. D.C. did send, or Corey did send us an update and said that they would be back Thursday and Friday this week to finish the asphalt work. So, yeah, he did. And I did share that Sarah Solano at the alleyway called, questioned when that would be put back, and I shared that with her as well on Friday. So... Supposed to. We'll see what they pull off.

Yeah, that's still a question.

And I had a call today, just for the record, on Walnut Street, because I didn't see you guys this afternoon, down there by the old Lyons building. They, I guess, did not fill back in along the sidewalk there because the people that there's a young boy that is bush mowing that, just volunteering, and it's all rock and dirt. So if we can add that to the list for Corey to make sure they do on the punch list. So.

shooting for the around October 12th to start leaf pickup. It'll depend on whether, I mean, if the leaves are still in the trees, obviously we're not going to start. And then on the 30th would be the last day, the Monday after Thanksgiving. And then or i said something to you guys maybe the last council meeting about going to claypool and looking at their singer system i'm shooting to go thursday afternoon yes if any of you would like to tag along um he said next week they start like they start like actually doing it so he doesn't really want anybody there because they're They're going to have people there showing them how to do all this new stuff. And he doesn't really want to be interrupted with stuff. But, yeah. So this is a brand new system? Yeah, it's built. Same system. Pretty much what we're going to do. I'll find him going. Find him going third day afternoon? Yes. He's supposed to get back with me for sure. And then I'll get a time and I'll let you know. I won't be available at that time. Glad you guys are going.

Yeah.

Great. Yeah.

Yeah. I think that's everything. Okay.

I've been kind of communicating with CHA about, they've been communicating with us about all the valves and stuff out there, the lagoons and Dan sent them some pictures and diagrams and the valves and stuff. And there's still valves that they don't know what they go to and Dan doesn't know what they go to. So it sounds like they may be bringing in, I can't remember what it was called. The one I've heard of is Bloodhound. And they use like a radar system on the ground to find where lines run or something. So they might be having that done. But we just said something about it today, so I don't I don't know where it's going to go or what we're going to. I'd be interested. It would be really nice to know what those lines do around there.

Anything else? I think that's it. Thanks, Jake. What time is your meeting tomorrow? Which one? I'm working around at 10 o'clock.

Well, I just now thought about that when you said that.

Meet with them in the morning, meet with that fellow at 10, and then meet with them.

I just didn't want to interrupt that. That's more important. So I just didn't know. That's fine.

Okay. Next is Resolution 09-21-2026. Oops, I'm sorry. Andy Perkins.

My fault, Andy? My only update is that you're CASE AGAINST ABBOTT, WE HAD AN ORDER FROM THE COURT TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO SHARE EMPLOYMENT RECORDS WITH US. THAT WAS SIGNED AUGUST 28TH. I DON'T HAVE THOSE BACK YET. NEW SPEAKER THANKS, KENNY.

NEW SPEAKER ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS ORDINANCES RESOLUTION 09-21-2026. AS FOR APPROPRIATIONS

The one thing I am, I'll just at least share because we have had a little bit more of like out of the MDH this year for engineering costs, I'm shifting the street departments fuel all to general. So that's where usually I would split the two of them. So we've expended the normal appropriation that we had for 26 and instead of taking out MDH, I'm taking out general. So.

it's on track for like what they normally spend i just changing where it's being paid from i will motion to approve uh resolution 09-21-2026 transfer appropriations as presented

Next is dockets $587,622.36 and a payroll allowance docket of $23,415.25.

Nothing for me other than it's BS&A software just kind of runs all over the place.

Yeah, because it's because I break out for each module, it's broken down by the three different like general water and sewer. So that's why there's several of that. But the modules were a keystone. It used to just be like, here it is and divided it. It is more specific for the module and the fund.

You're happy with the performance?

Absolutely. I had a great, what do you want to say, test when I went over to help a neighboring community that uses Keystone. And to go back to that, absolutely. I'm very pleased with the system that we did spend a nice amount of money on. But I will say that it is where we're headed, and I think we're in the right direction. So, great.

I will make a motion that we pay the dockets of $587,622.36 and payroll balance of $23,415.25. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. I have a few things real quick before you adjourn.

as you can see around the room there's a lot of boxes we began a state board of accounts audit last wednesday um just a routine audit it's got we did get moved up with the srf funding there's a requirement for us to close out on that um by January. So they're on site. There's three, possibly four different auditors working to get it done because they also do have to be moving on to schools. This is their timeframe that they're usually auditing schools. So they're getting us in. So I appreciate that. The AIM Summit is next week, scheduled to be out of the office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. The office will be closed. because I will be solo for the next six to eight weeks. And so I will do my best after this to minimize the office closures but there are meetings and things that i affiliated with through the town that i will be required to attend must meetings and such so i'll just try to put a sign up that says where i'm at when i plan to return but just know that is going to be happening and then um the tornado siren installation and site optimization has occurred um on the 14th so i will be interested at the october 5th monthly tornado siren testing to hear it because they kind of did it through dispatch on some cancellation and frequencies all the stuff but like it never we've never heard of blair i guess is my thing so i just need to visually hear that so we know we're good they say it's all working appropriately i'll just feel better but i think it's important to put on out there for the community that we should be back in working order finally after

Ten months, nine months. So the nine month process.

The other thing is I attended an OCRA summit last week and just something that I know we've talked about with Jerry White before, but they really hit on it down there. And I think it's something maybe 27 or so to really kind of look at. But it's called an owner occupied rehabilitation grant program. and um the max award is 350 000 the town is required to put at least 10 which is 35 000 towards the grant but um depending on income levels and things in the community it can help with ada compliance in a person's home their roof hvac um so some of those like it's there's parameters they have to meet and then their specifics but each person could be up to 25 000 for that home so i mean it could be their roof but at the same time they have an hvac system so they could have both so um i really think that could help some people in our community

Do what?

So it's like, no, I mean, it's a grant and like we would get a maximum of 350,000. The town has to put 35,000 towards it. But then like you would submit an application to the individual and they would say what their need is and like, I mean, you would do an assessment of these are what needs to be done there and that making sure that the income meets that criteria as well but i really think it's you know we're doing a lot of good stuff and i think there's you know roof replacement heating and cooling and water heater replacement a lighting and electrical upgrades and ada accessibility modifications up to the threshold of the home and then there were some things interiorly that could be done as well so um and this is through okra through okra yeah and like this isn't where this is the other neat thing so say we do well like the first year and we expend all of this you can do it again the next year like where whenever we do the water and the wastewater it's a five-year cycle before you can reapply for those grants that's not how this is and they're really wanting to get communities involved in this program. Um, I spoke to some ladies from Mishawaka and they literally like their job is home rehabilitation. And they told me they do, we do owner occupied through okra one year, and then we do federal and then we go like, they're literally just going back and forth. They're like, it does not take long to expend this money in your community.

So, um, If a resident, let's just say $10,000 for a roof.

Yep.

and they qualify yep the homeowner doesn't have to put any money in the town puts in the town puts the 35 000 in like we do with our master for like our well the max that we would have to put in is 35 000 towards the 150 000. so 10 of whatever you're granted so if it's 20 250 000 we get we only have to put 25 000. so whatever we request from okra we have to put 10 of those funds but no like the homeowner would not pay anything to this it's just no different than your ccmg where the state's paying 80 and we're paying 20. the homeowner's not paying anything we're using tax dollars and such to read it like there could be like 10 10 hours right oh it could be multiple 20. And it doesn't matter, like they have a max from that up to 25,000. That's the max. But if they only need 10,000, there's more money that can go somewhere else.

So I don't know.

It's just something that Jerry had talked about the last time. Like, hey, you guys, I really want to see Akron get a part of this. And then after sitting at the summit, I found.

So I guess my question is, where does it start? Does it start with us?

applying for the grant executing like to apply for the grant and then we would submit and then we would put it out to our community and then say and as they use it we're spending it out once it's all gone then we can reapply for another distribution so i mean you know look around the community there could be people that it could absolutely substantially help um i think every dollar all it does is improve our community i guess is how

i don't know that you would qualify i'm not yeah it's your it is your i don't even know that it's you that would come back to the homeowner that might hurt you that might hurt you um but anyway sorry i just

i think that's something we've got a lot of irons in the fire right now i'm not saying let's add this on top of it but i really think this is maybe you know when we're looking long term what are we looking to do i mean honestly this is something that say art my office would maintain it's not asking anybody else hypothetically to do any additional work so i i just hey Yeah, well, I kind of like it. You know, but I'm just saying, though, but like, you know, let's let's help people out. Like, I mean, that's a lot of money. And I mean, I can think of people. I mean, when you think of like different church organizations and there's people out here that have access to knowing certain needs of people that like we would, I would hope, work with those and collaborate together and meet those needs of people. in the community that they know firsthand so and there might need to even be people you don't know but i mean pushing it out there that like we're we're offering this program i mean we don't set the qualifications they're set for us but as long as they meet them what's the application date when they never have an application we just uh yeah we're interested Yeah, I think this is one that's like an open, if my understanding, this was one of them that wasn't like, oh, they're open once a year. Like, I think you can submit. And I maybe, I'm not going to 100% say that because that might have been the one that was four times a year. But there was a lot of conversation with placemaking grants and water and blight.

So yeah, I'll look more into it.

But surface level, something I think we need to, consider for our community absolutely so and then the other thing um i submitted a grant back in july into july for um park memorial park improvement project for splash pad um i did submit a memo um back to them and so i talked to stephen ray actually at the okra and he thought we should hear something in the coming weeks for sure um i will say once that happens i'll be wanting to push some stuff out informing the community of this we kind of talked about the last park board meeting i don't want to completely jump the gun and be like you know and then it doesn't happen but at the same time i think it's important that our community stays um informed of what kind of work's going on behind the scenes a little bit yeah um yeah and i don't know that i have anything else the only other question i had was i received an email regarding the permit for sunoco oh yeah oh yeah i don't know if they even got the chance today that that that came in today uh for pre-treatment we have not even had a chance to speak on it i just importing it to the board and the dan and them so for us to elaborate on that i don't know because i'm still working on the sewer use ordinance so now this is like okay

2003 though it seems like that they're going to be held to a reporting yeah yeah that we have wish there was a good guideline to go by for them yeah there was nothing before so yeah there's nothing though they have testing to do and then i think by reading it it seems like we have some testing or validation that has to be done yeah so i don't know what that looks like or if they have to do a treatment thing or uh they may end up shipping their water off which Yeah, that'd be great. That'd be awesome.

Well, that's the only other question I had. Probably something we need to follow up next month with Dan and check what the parameters are. If there's something that they're allowing in the permit that our system can't handle, maybe.

Yeah.

I don't know.

there's 23 pages i didn't get through all of it yeah today i was juggling multiple things today it was one of those where i was on 14 i'm going done yeah circle back um yeah all right after nothing else i will yeah make a motion to adjourn the meeting second all right Okay.