Town Council - Regular Meeting

And that boy I babyed a lot. So she gets whatever she want.

Okay. Don't worry about it. Yeah. Don't worry about it. Don't panic. That's why I'm here is to tell you not to panic. Go down. Oh boy. We're looking at absolute work. Perfect. Welcome. How are you, Rich?

Good. Good to hear. Your side now. I just Okay. Call the meeting to order. Stand for the

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. So, we'll start the meeting and uh we're going to have a public hearing for the ochre wastewater improvement project.

Okay. Well, I think I'll take start and then you guys going to go through the budget if that's okay and kind of recap these items and where we stand. So, as you all are aware, we are planning on applying to the Office of Community and Rural Affairs for a $750,000 grant to help offset some of the costs affiliated with this wastewater improvement project. The um grant is a two-phase process. We first have to submit our proposal which is due this Friday kind of a rough draft and uh we're throwing everything in there because we still and Mark will get into that at this point and then we can we can go high we can come look go lower. So, right now we've got some things as far as the scope and the cost that we are a little unclear because we're still grabbing some information and then but we're going to go in with the worst case scenario. They're going to iron things out between now and when the full application is due on December 19th. Um, as you guys recall, it's an all ornone type of a situation. We either get the grant or we don't. uh we've got, you know, some pressure from SRF to get things going. So, I'm gonna be relying on you two for some support documentation. But the nice thing is is that our water project is pretty recent that we did within the last year and a half, two years. So, we're just going to be basically taking a lot of the financial documentation and editing and doing that. But the big thing that I'm

going to need for you to start thinking about is that um anything and everything that you guys have done in the last 3 to five years from when the time the initial preliminary engineering report was completed. You know how we were like let's try this, let's try that. So, if you can start kind of writing down those things that you tried and if there were cost affiliated or manh hours affiliated, I'll send you the form. But that's what we're really going to need to show that look, this is kind of we we've done everything that we can and we we you know, we can't afford to do the full meal deal. So we're trying to find a way that we can get item somewhat satisfied and get things working a lot better for our situation.

Um once the proposal goes in um they will in turn will be contacting us and I think it's Jerry's white is the last I know he's still

yeah I think he's still he'll be contacting us and we'll have to do a site visit. So, that's when they'll that'll should be sometime mid November. And Jim, you'll have to be there. Um, you two can be there if you'd like. We'll let you know what the date is, but I absolutely have to have Jim there. And might not hurt one of you. I'll let you know when that is, but that's where we really do our sales job from a verbal standpoint of here's what we've done, here's why we need this, and uh we go from there. and then we'll get the application in in December. So, yeah.

Does Jake have a timeline on when he needs to have his documentation together of what we've done? Yeah, I I mean I would um I'm going to need that probably by the 15th of November and but I will email you direct the form and you just tomorrow. The only thing that I have to have between now and Thursday at the latest are some pictures. Just snap some pictures and then we'll we'll work on really finetuning the letters of support and all that.

Yeah, we're going to need letters of support. We're going to have to probably do a uh some sort of take on survey again, public survey. So, I thought maybe we could throw something on Facebook. we could have something in here in the office. Uh we're going to need letters of support. I would assume that, you know, you the residents really aren't experiencing any major operational problems.

It's all dollars and cents. Um so that's where we're going to have to talk about that this is more of a regulatory issue that's driving this. Um, but if we don't do something, it could become a real public health and safety concern. So, I kind of get through this phase is just the rough draft and as I'm writing, I'm coming up with ideas and then remember what we did on the water is that I said, "Okay, here's the narrative rough draft out and here's what I need and here's when I need it by." So, I'll be emailing you all and so month of November we'll we'll roll up and we'll divide and conquer. Okay.

All right. Well, with that, I'm glad that um Mark and Andy showed up because we've got a proposed budget and uh we need to kind of go through and each of those line items. And if you could for my behalf kind of explain a little bit more detail what that line item includes and where we're at in the process of still examining alternatives and what have you and where that be. So I'm going to turn it over to you guys to talk about the scope and the cost and maybe Okay.

All right. Well, Andy and I worked on this budget and and like I was telling Jim before the meeting, don't don't panic yet over the budget because there's some redundant over overlapping things in there. Back to our last meeting that we had, we have reached out to Jerry Gawker, who's the local sales rep for Reliant, um, as well as the president or owner of Reliant. They've sent us information that was in your previous report to get us up to speed for the basis of design of what they have done previously. Then we have also told them in preparation for um presenting this to IDM they're going to have to round up uh similar projects and data showing us what they've done uh so that we've got that information to ultimately present to uh to uh IDM. So, the reason there's a couple of reasons that we kind of left this budget a little more conservative. First of all, whenever we placed there, when Shannon placed the ad in the paper, it was placed as a $6 million project. So, I was trying to come make sure that we could at least justify that price. Okay?

But as we go through it, you'll see where some things are redundant. So if we go back and think about some of the things that are in the agreed order, we were getting Dane for high VOD and as we talked in our last meeting, uh probably the most obvious um answer to dealing with BOD would be lagoon surface area. And if we go right by the book of how they're designed nowadays, it requires more lagoon. So line item one um well it the first item is the storage lagoon which strictly goes along with the hydrograph. How many days out of the year can we not discharge at 10 to one? So we've shown an extra storage lagoon in here uh to hold the volume of water that the state is telling us we have to hold because of the flow in the stream. So that's what that is. The next thing uh the HDP liner would be in case the lagoons can't hold water if the soil sandy or and we'll have to look. I don't think your existing lagoons are lined, are they?

I don't believe so. No. So that arguably is something that may not be needed, but we've had it as a placeholder or as a budget in case soil reports, if we get to the point of needing to build another lagoon, soil reports would dictate if we need a liner in it or not. So again, it's probably 50/50 at this point, but we've at least got a placeholder. the lagoon improvements. Back to talking about the BOD, uh the lagoon improvements uh would be the Reliant uh equipment as I recall, wasn't it? And was it lagoon expansion?

No, that was just the cost of the reliant equipment ination. Can you guys explain to me what the reliant equipment is? Is it like so they're air raators per se that both airate the lagoons

and um may provide some reduction in the sludge volumes because of the irration and the additional bacteria that would perform that it would um create in the lagoons. Now, where we feel like we have some overlap um and the overlap would come down under number six where it says cold water nitrification system and that's 1.1 million.

One of the other violations would be potentially ammonia treatment during cold weather. Well, depending on the effectiveness, if the reliant if they can provide us data that shows they can get ammonia treatment,

then that item may fall away. And what you're going to see, and the reason we're sitting here tonight was to say, don't panic on these numbers. We know there's some overlap in things that depending on what Reliant can show us, uh, we may not need the cold water nitrification system. Um but then again if if if um we do or if we have to fall back to one of the other technologies if if Reliant doesn't prove out like we think it's going to we've got $2 million to kind of cover that. So it's keeping our options open. back up to the um so the lagoon improvements is the reliant equipment

the airator the air raators and that equipment associated with that. Okay.

The then come down to the wetlands improvements and we've kind of all brainstormed on that also in our last meeting. Um I think there's some value in those wetlands um for two things. I think we can get treatment out of the wetlands. And one of the big violations that they were dinging us on on the wetlands was eoli, which to deal with the e coli out of the wetlands is a disinfection issue. So we budgeted number that 550 is to make improvements to the wetlands and the possibility that we could reuse those. And the other thing that they would do is they would serve as a buffer during a rain event when we overflow down to them now like we do. They can contain and hold additional volume till the flows go back down and then we pump it out to the lagoon at that time. we gain uh if we can be successful in the wetlands of reusing some of that volume that keeps us from having to build the larger force man to the lagoons which was a substantial cost.

Yeah. And it keeps us from not have to oversize the lagoons out there. Because if we if we have to abandon this and take all that water out there, that criteria where we got to have 90 days of detention plus the criteria of the storage volume of how much water we get coming in versus what we can discharge, it starts making all of that huge. So, our hope is that we can re reuse the wetlands, meet the treatment requirements, and make them do what they were originally supposed to do. Polish up that water and get it sufficient to where it can feed down to the town lake, and then it's a good thing. It doesn't hurt to have good or better clean water going down to the town lake and just feeding the lake with some additional water. So that's why that item is budgeted in there. Pump station one and two improvements then would just be pumps. And you haven't, Jake, you haven't uh put any of the generators out there at those one and two yet, have you?

Yes. Y. So that's probably a little bit of a fat number because if we're just redoing pumps and just making those more up to snuff, pumps and controls, do that for 400,000 pumps and controls, right?

So yeah, I would think the pumps and controls could probably be done probably 100,000 at each station. So we're probably a little bit of fat there. And again, that's why I don't want you to panic on the 6 million. It's It's got some fat in this right now to be consistent with what we've advertised. The key thing that Shannon mentioned, we got to have this paired down to what is our project by December 9th. So, that's the time frame and that's the pressure that's on Andy and I. Now, we can talk generally when we go into December 19th and when we're up here again, we're going to have to start nailing down saying here's what we're doing. But before we get to that point, we'll be back sitting down with with everybody so that we're all on the same page as to what the selected plan is. Um the cold water system then would just be additional treatment that may be necessary for the ammonia like we said. And then the chlorine system if we're increasing volumes and capacities we've got to chlorinate and decllorinate before we go out to concrete. So, and again, I think that's a fat number also. So, arguably there is plenty of safety factor in this. As I look at it, as we zero in on a selected plan, um I think we can get that cost down.

So, cold water nitrification system. This is the first time we've heard of that. What? No, you haven't really sers and anything that would be so the intent of ammonia treatment is ammonia treatment needs air. It needs warmer water temp so bacteria works and it needs detention time and whether you do it with a seager a limna um or whether the reliant can do it.

Uh that's what's providing that additional ammonia treatment. We just kind of called it by a different name the cold water and nitrification is the treatment of ammonia. Got it. So, it really is the same thing, but our hope is um that we can get some double up with the Reliant that they can show us data that they can treat the ammonia and some of that's going to go away. Um I think Jerry say something about a case study in Canada, which would be kind of an ideal scenario to prove that it

Yeah. And yeah, everybody likes to to point to Canada because obviously it's pulled up and they still and they use a lot of lagoons of Canada. So there's a lot of data on Canada lagoon. The good news is we've at least um based on our last meeting, we've reached out to Jerry Gawkner. We're on board with him. He's been interacting with us with data and uh and their head guy is Jim. forget his last name, but I said Jim Dartails. Okay.

Yeah. Uh he's aware too that we need to sit down. So he's made it abundantly clear too that he'll jump on a plane and come back and support especially when it comes time to sitting down by them. Then the non construction costs, legal, bond counsel, rate consultant, grant administrator, engineering, all the stuff down there. Uh most of that you haven't contracted yet. That's again just a budget for the all the professionals that may be involved in the project associated with a project that of the size above. And some of that will be fine-tuned as we start locking in on that on that.

So, um, and roughly that's 20%. So, we typically go a tad higher, I think. Didn't we use Did we use 20? We started at 25 and then we kind of paired it down to 25 to match the six. So yeah, probably 20%'s a good. So is it safe to assume that if construction costs above are less all the legals and non construction costs would be less as well and and some of it's fixed. I mean

Baker Tilly we budgeted 40,000 typically I would reach out to Baker Tilly as we get closer and just say hey guys give me a number but say say that 40 is accurate. Okay, their number is going to be 40. Whether it's a five million project or a 4 million project, their level of efforts about the same. Uh engineering typically goes up or down based on as a percentage of the construction cost. Um so all that will refine as we go into this December 19th budget. A construction inspection is a function of time. I think we had budgeted 18 months for construction. So if there's less construction, there's less time that that just off.

Fair enough. I think the two things that really stand out to me is is um the wetlands improvements and um oh the the um lagoon improvements, which is the Reliant. Those two things I think are very important and I'm hoping hoping that uh that this reliant um will come through for us and in the wetlands you know we've had that since what 2001 haven't really used it to its potential. So, so I'm hoping for that

if if Jim if trul and the wetland should be able to attack and typically what it's going to see overflowing to it is primarily rainwater because it's only going to happen during cso events. And it appeared reading the the previous documentation that E. coli was the primary factor. Mhm.

Well, that 550 was assuming that we would put in a UV system or something like that to knock down the E. coli, but we're looking hard at trying to reuse that wetlands. And uh I think that would be a good thing. And then if like you said, if we can get Reliant to really u show us what they can do. Um my main concern with them so the offset with Reliant is if they can treat um BOD and sludge might be an argument to not oversize the lagoon for BOD treatment. So that would be the offset

and then if they can also provide ammonia treatment then that kicks out the cold water nitrification. So that was the thinking. I still don't I still don't know that we can get away from this storage lagoon though because that's purely a function of volume

and they look at the flow in your stream your receiving stream and we can discharge one part of effluent to 10 parts of stream water. So they model they being the state model the stream over five years or so and look at what the probability is of the flows and then we take you know that the days that we can't discharge more than what we have coming in it's going to start backing up and it was what 108 days

they're saying we need 108 days of storage. So then you take your what your flow is coming into the lagoons on average times 108 days is what sets that and that's that's actually I mean obviously they're they're looking at probability over five years but it's hard to argue that with them on the size. So, um, do we have the land out there that for this? Not necessarily yet. So, there's acquisition potentially, too. How much land say we I think there's only about two and a half acres maybe.

You say we used it all. We're going to look at to see if we can deepen it. The storage lagoons can go deep. Okay. And uh so you can put nine acres on a two and a half. I don't know. You got a lot to do. We might have to design it where it flexes around everything on our truck. Well, is does that nine acres include what we have?

And we can use the freeboard. We can use some of the freeboard in the existing legs. We're going to have to maintain what they call their treatment volume in those existing legs. Uh we can use so 2 to 5 ft would be the treatment volume. We can use the depth above that as additional storage. So we're just going to have to look and and look at that. So, hey,

I remember a brief conversation at some point in this whole process over the years about increasing the current lagoon cell height, you know, is that a viable solution for some of those? And it is. And when you go above 6 ft, which is kind of what you're set up for now, what you have to do is add additional aeration, i.e. reliant.

So we we can go deeper. Now what those are called and we did one I forget the town. It was clear down in the Ohio River. I'll not think of it, but years ago I did a deep cell what they call it deep cell lagoon. These are waist stabilization lagoons. So they go up to six foot deep. And the way they get their air in the lagoons is through contact with the air. But there's no mechanical means of forcing. If you go deeper than six foot, which would be what we're talking about, you have to have a mechanical means of inducing the irration into it.

So that's the other thing we'll talk with Relant about is, you know, inducing that air in. though how deep we can go with the lagoons and gain some of this volume also.

Okay. Okay. Well, you start talking about elevating death of the lagoons. That's that's going to be extreme. Oh, we're going to Yeah, because it's about to build up. It is. It is and it isn't. So, when we figure I mean, we just figure the cost of earth moving. So whether you're digging a new one, so if we're digging a new one that's 6 foot deep, we don't figure all six foot. We figure

take off the foot or two of top soil on top. And then we split the difference. We dig out um 3 to four feet and then that 3 to four feet comes up on the lagoon walls on the side so that when you're done, you have to height of it.

But earth moving is usually a fixed number. um we figure out how much you're digging out, how many cubic yards and how many cubic yards we're moving. So, same thing if we're going to go higher with those walls, we're going to have to be able to dig out dirt maybe around the perimeter um on the property that we do own and then they'll truck that up and put build it up and compact it and you know put it up on top. So, we have done that. Um, I've never retrofitted to a deep cell lagoon of what we're proposing. I built those brand new from scratch, but it's essentially the same thing. It's dirt and dyke walls and getting the height and then we're going to have to talk with Reliant on the amount of air that they can put in and on the depth. Once we figure out what we're doing, then we have to get back with SRF with an amended PER or what I mean because for the application December 19th, I have to have some sort of letter from SRF indicating that they are in favor of funding.

Yeah. So, what we've done, Shannon, uh last week I had con conversation with Camille Miner. Okay. And she's been a supporter and she kind of knows what we're doing so far. Our concern then was because we also got the people at IDM Compliance breathing down her neck, right? Ununice. So Camille went down the hall and calmed Unice down a little bit. Calmed Ununice down and said, "We are on board. We want to fund Akan that it was on SRF that bumped us out to give us time to do this stuff." So okay,

u at least Camille is explaining from SRF standpoint that they're supporting. Now the burden's still on engineering, right, to bring this final plan in. We got to get those numbers and then we got to turn it to Baker Tilly to do the numbers on the rates and all of that. They've been they've been running the rates though with assumption based on just dollar amount but not knowing the scope. Yeah, Adam has been Adam. Yeah, Adam, right? I should know that. He's like in a cube over there and he's like I keep forgetting.

I know. I know. I I kind of keep be keep forgetting about it myself, but it is what it is. Is Adam in Indianapolis? He in Mishawaka. Okay. And so I go up there every other week or so. And so I know that he and I have talked about it. And I said, "Well, let's base it. We based it on the four, but I said right now we've got some I said we're basing it on the six, but we're going to come hopefully come down once we get this data in to be able to eliminate some things. So, but I just want to make sure that we stay on reliant to get

the information ASAP because once you guys figure out then there's other people that have got to do some number crunching for our application and for SRF as well. So, well, I was I'm looking at my calendar and I mean, it's important that we keep the town in the loop and absolutely

there's a lot of moving parts and I was kind of looking at so this week and next week if we can keep pushing on Reliant um about the the week of of the 3rd of November and at the latest the the 10th, we're going to have to be up here explaining When's the next public hearing meeting? We'll probably have that like the 1st of December. When's the December meeting? Do you know? Do you have a calendar right there? 15th.

The 15th. We'll probably have it on the 15th because the app's due on the 19th. So by but I got to know by basically December one where my numbers are because I have to I have to advertise and whatever I advertise and and again as long if I advertise and we still make an adjustment before the 19th I can indicate that at the public hearing and just put it in the minutes. But we can't go over this 6 million. I mean, that's out to exceed,

right? And so, but I would like to have an advertisement ready by December 1st that says here's our fraud cost. Well, I would hope that the 6 million is a worst case because, as you saw when we were talking, there's a lot of it has storage lagoons in there. It has improvement and it has cold water or cold weather. Right. So it's one will negate the other if the data is showing. So and then the liner that's all contingent upon a soils report. And

so yeah, so that's my whole thing. If you guys can try to have something figured by the middle of November, that would be great. That's the game plan and that's what I was looking. So, so that I have a little bit follow up with the board somewhere either the week of November 3rd or November 10th, we need to have a a more final set down. I appreciate you guys, you know, contacting Reliant and um getting that going for us is very important. So, appreciate that. Yeah. Yeah. I um as I I hope they come through with what they say they can do.

So I'm Yeah, me too. Um the other thing we have done and just and I filled the board in on this. I have reached out to Kevin Cernicowski who's head of IDM plan review or design. Okay. because I want to make sure when we gather this data from Reliant, we're gonna go sit down with him and make sure he's on board. Yeah. Because we don't want to do all this, do it and then turn in in January or February and he goes, "Well, we're not going to permit this." Yeah. So, there's a lot of moving pieces right now and we're trying to pull them all together.

You guys will figure it out. And I hate to be the one letting the gas settle down, but I have to have more accurate stuff by or we postpone application until the spring. But I want to get us in there if we can. Are are the two of you really the the main people? Yes. Doing this? There's no other No, nobody else is working on it with you. Yeah. No. Okay. You're you're looking at the Okay. the two and that's why I got Andy sitting here because he's actively working on it also. I mean, arguably I could have said here tonight and but

I wanted him to hear all the ins and outs and so but it's the two of us and the two of us together have been down this path before on on another lagoon project and that's why I wanted Andy on this job as he worked heavily on that other lagoon project. So, um but no, it's just the two of us. But you see what you get. Okay, that's it. You guys got any more questions right now? I don't. Um and I know there there's a lot of questions out there, right? A lot of questions on us even too. We're right there with you. We'll keep pushing ahead on it.

Yeah, we know the deadlines and the reason I got him here so he can hear firsthand the deadlines. No pressure. Well, you do when you guys when you me let me know because if I can fit that in my schedule, I want to be here too because I have to write the narrative and understand this in a layman's standpoint. I'm not an engineer by any mean, but I have to explain what we're doing and why. And it helps me when I can set in on these meetings and hear that. You know, maybe we can have a team as meeting the week of the 3 and then if we need another additional meeting on the 10th, we have that little bit of time to squeeze them in.

Okay. Well, just keep me in the loop on it and I'll be talking to you. I'm gonna be in town this week, right? Not Wednesday and Thursday. Okay. So, tomorrow works best for me. Tomorrow afternoon, what's your like like right after lunch? Will you be around? How about I've got a 9:30 a.m. meeting that I should be there till about noon.

I could be down here about 1 and then we could go grab some pictures and then you could talk me a little bit about some of the things that you have done because I'd like to throw that in the narrative. So, I'll meet you at one here. Okay, that'd be great. You might want to double check how much ground is out there would be available if we had to go extra access to the Okay. GIS the county at least see how much own but one thing you guys might do on your side is if we had to buy land in one direction or another.

Shannon I already know who it is. who's the most friendly or maybe there's only one option. So, I've already been in contact with him. So, is he would he be agreeable to sell one off a little or um he has 17 acres there and he preferably would want to sell.

So, And I said, "I don't need all of it." So, I told him I'd get back with him at some point. Hope hopefully we don't need it. I know. We'll keep pushing on our end and hopefully sooner than later we can come up with it. Okay. Nine people. I am.

Yeah. I I'm hopeful on Reliant, but I'm I'm straddling the fence right now on them only because there's none in the state of Indiana. Um they're going to have to demonstrate to all of us. I mean, you're not going to want to spend a million dollars for something that we hope it's going to work and two or three years from now, we still got IDM breathing down our neck and we spent a million bucks or two million bucks and you're going to come looking for me and I'm going to go looking for them. Say, "Hey, so they're going to have to document and prove to us that they've done this elsewhere." So

hey, other questions? I don't have any questions. You guys have any questions? I'll make a motion that we close the public hearing. I'll second. All in favor? I Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it. about to do. All right. All right. We'll be in touch. All right. You guys careful going home. We will get dark early.

Yeah, it is. Mark, is this your pen? It's Okay, we'll go ahead with a regular meeting. Um, first item is the minutes from the regular meeting September 15, 2025, September 30th, 2025, and a meeting on October the 8th, 2025. I have a motion to accept the meetings as the meetings the minutes as presented. Uh, so moved. Second. All in favor? Hi.

Uh, we're going to uh bypass the adjustment request and then we'll hold it up. You got other minutes to all three of them. You can do all three. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Very good. Yeah. All right. We're going to uh forgo the adjustment request until next meeting. Okay. Uh, Baker Chile, just I'm providing it for you. Um, this is a requirement that's done every five years on the water bond. They're just providing an updated agreement that I need to sign. Um, and so anyway,

it's just part of that. They just completed the Any changes? Did you notice the rates are very good? All right. Excuse me. Um, reports, Justin,

got the incident report in front of you. Update on the police truck. It's about two weeks out. I was up there last week. He's got the front lights mounted in the grill. He had to make some brackets. Been some design changes. Um, speakers mounted, siren mounted. He was working on material when I was up there. Um there's some design changes on the inside as well with the airbag canopy um can't mount to the headliner as far as the lights on the rear. So he's looking at different options on how he's going to mount the arrow stick in the back but I figured out um so anyway about two weeks out on that and then I was stopped probably two weeks ago. Um, a resident stopped me about some questions he had in town on some ordinance stuff. They wanted me to ask

about meat rabbits. Apparently meat rabbits you you get meat rabbits and have a litter. He had to he had to process these rabbits and with the cost of me it would save him uh money so on and so forth. So he asked me to look into this and I thought it would be a hard no means that rabbits were being livestock. Okay. So ordinance 95.46 46 is keeping livestock in town limits should be unlawful to keep harbor or house any livestock within limits. So the town said that this section does not prohibit the transportation of livestock through town and trucks, railroad cars, conveyors, blah blah blah. Well, you look at the definition of livestock. The term spec specifically includes but is not necessarily limited to cattle, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, swine, sheep, goats, foul, and most varieties of domesticated rabbits. Meat rabbits are a domestic animal, so I don't know. I mean, I really like how they put in there most varieties. That's really

that really helps us out there. Are you getting the definition of livestock from the code or did we from the town coder or from the town code? Where's the definition of livestock? Right here. I see 9546. I need to go back. Where's Oh, it's in the definition section 95. I'll make sure I was singing from the same handle. I mean, you you you start opening the door.

Yeah. I don't buy that. I want I want to know what I tell this gentleman. The gentleman can come to a meeting. If if he's serious about it, he can come in and and we can discuss it. He doesn't have to go through a third party. You You gave him the ordinance. I have not. He had a death in the family. Rich. Okay. So, he asked me this two weeks ago. He was gone all last week and here we are Monday of this week. I told him I would look into it. I would stop down there. And uh

you can give him the ordinance, what the definition is. Rabbits fall under that. I do know years ago the neighbor across the street from my mother-in-law was raising rabbits for show, but I mean back then I I didn't know anything about an ordinance. So they were doing it back then. I know they weren't eating them, but this is the first for me and first first we might have to change type of rabbit, whether it be pet or verbage. Well, this

if the owner gets written up,

it's the owner's responsibility to uh um in practical sense, in literal sense, it's always our responsibility. We have the burden, but uh owner's responsibility, I would think, to come to us and say among rabbits according to the international a society of rabbit growers. Uh here are rabbits that are ordinarily used for livestock and mine is of the subspecies that is not because if we say most varieties then I think we could write him a ticket and say we think that's one of the varieties that's commonly is what it's referring to is the the the phrase is usually inordinarily kept in So if we say we have no reason to think that this is a rare subspecies of rabbit that isn't ordinarily used for this purpose. That's the way I think you'd have to sort out the the the somewhat uh fuzzy phrase of most varieties of domestic. So it's saying those are within the definition of livestock. Um, and I think we can write it up if if you want to think it as a numbers game. We look at that and say, okay, 85% of rabbits probably fall into that category. We've written most. And so if we write him a ticket and he wants to defend it by saying it doesn't,

it's not livestock. Then uh I I think what we do is we probably go to court. We probably find some you know they used to call that in law school the the learned treaties someone who is an expert. Uh um in this case uh I I I'm not going to I'm not going to invest in a live testimony but print out something that says okay we found a website that says these are the kind of rabbits ordinarily used for livestock but there are some rare ones that aren't. My guess is the variety of rabbits that don't uh qualify are wild rabbits uh uh that you wouldn't use for any kind of lives. In other words, the I think the way this is written, the exception to the rule are wild animals, not pets unused as livestock. I think I think that when you read it, it's saying most varieties of domest domesticated is already there. So domesticated rabbits are livestock. So, uh, that's the way we've defined it. And so, I think I think looking at that, I bet what the reason they don't say all varieties of rabbits is some of them are are wild and there's no way uh there are wild horses and ponies, but they don't, my understanding is they don't usually have an obvious differentiation by subspecies. You know, it's just like some of them are and some of them aren't. But,

so, I mean, off the top of my head, yeah, I think we tell them no and write them up for that. But I also uh think that your answer saying he he can come here and discuss it and I can tell him that I I think that I don't I don't like the idea of the the the marshall giving um uh uh advisory opinions uh uh and saying let me know in advance uh can provide him with it and say you know here's what I think but I I don't want I don't want anyone's defense ever to be well the marshall told me that's not the way it reads. Well, you know, that's that's kind of downstream of of of that. He writes you up for it or he doesn't. That's how you know how he reads it.

So, yeah, I wrote him this week to let him know. Okay. Discuss it if he wants to come in and discuss it with you guys. I mean, you know, the intent again is, you know, you live on a farm, you raise animals, you live in town, you have a dog and a cat, and and it's intensely populated to be raising animals for food. So, you know, to me that's the intent of why that ordinance is. Andy, when you're done with the meeting, you go up front with me. I need to talk to you about something else. Sure.

Um, this individual brought up that I need to show you before I can discuss it. Yeah, that's all I have, gentlemen. Thanks, Justin. date. After that, my report will be let down.

Um, so first thing that's not on the report, but I forgot to put it in there. Um, it sounds like either this week or next, the roof on the water plant is getting redone. um meant to bring it up in the the meeting we had with Midwestern, the council meeting we had with Midwestern a couple weeks ago, but everybody kind of boogie down there before I had a chance. Um so I put the bug in Rich's ear and sounds like it was budgeted for 20,000 I think this year and the quote was $6,000 or $6,500. So, ahead and hope to move forward with it. That would be good. Get it done before the end of this year.

Um, and then Anthony and I will be at a conference Wednesday and Thursday for um, Alliance of Indiana, Ro Water, whatever they're called. Um, I would also let them know about Anony's cuz that's between now and next meeting. When's your classes start? Couple weeks. November on my phone on me. It's the first. And what's this? What? He starts basically an abbreviated version of the classes that I took before my WT3. Okay.

Before I finally passed it. It's basically an abbreviated version of those classes for his distribution license. Great. test on and then your test will again it's all in person. He'll be gone for the whole week and Sunday. Okay. Tests on Friday in person written exam and the guy that's leading it is the one that it's the man the exam crad and when is this? Next week. November. November. November. Okay.

Okay. Well, good luck. Um, good call. Um, the burn ban was lifted today, I think. Right. So hopefully in the next few weeks we can burn off the wetlands um in lagoons. Um once we get them burned off, there's some trees we got to get in there and cut down, trim, find a way to cut down because they're in odd spots. to figure it out. Are they are they growing back? Yeah, there's a few saplings, but the ones that Ida brought up during the sanitary survey, the

I don't know what they call it for there in the inspection. Um those are big ones that whenever we cut all the trees out six years ago, these ones we couldn't really get to and we still really can't. Um so I don't know. We'll figure it out one way or another. They want them out of there. So, okay. We'll find a way to get them out of there. I have some stump treatment. I think it is. We we used to when we did it six years ago. Okay. And everything that we cut down at that time, I don't think has come back. I think these are all new little saplings that have started. Okay.

But yeah, so we'll be working on that hopefully. um put on here leaf pickup started a couple days early on the 20th. It didn't start today because there was hardly anything out.

I really thought there'd be more out after the weekend, but it rained all weekend. So hopefully we're gone Wednesday and Thursday, so maybe Friday we'll start, but there's just not a lot out right now. Um engine break engine brake signs have been ordered. Um, the Sorry, I'm kind of jumping all over the place. Uh, the North Water Tower is supposed to be done tomorrow and um disinfected hopefully tomorrow and then we're gone most of this week. So hopefully Monday of next week we're going to start refilling it. After we get it refilled, it has to we have to draw samples from it, send them into the lab. Once we get a go ahead, we can open it back up and hopefully operate a water tower the correct way because the last month has been hell trying to run the south tower. Um so then once that's back in order, we'll drain the south tower and they'll start to work on that one. Um they started working on the main uh south of town. They ran into a few hiccups. They nicked the Buckeye pipeline and the world was ending and atmosphere.

They nicked it like it was just a little tink in the side of it and they like replaced the pipe and everything. It's wild. Um so they've been slowed down here when they were doing that work. Yes. And actually they had to locate two Buckeye lines because there's two Buckeye lines that run through there. So the Buckeye guy was down there. He located them. He's like, "All right, you're good to go." Okay. They take two more scoops and find a third Buckeye line. Oh, that the Buckeye guy did not know was there. So is it abandoned or is active? No idea. The way they active. Yeah, it's hard to tell. One of those are abandoned.

So they would be responsible for any damage. I think so. I just shouldn't fall on they called in locates and located them and right like fall on the contractor either. No, no, no. Shouldn't. Okay.

Um so because of that, they haven't gotten near as far as they were planning on getting. Um they're just now getting to Soka, getting ready to pour the little section there at Soko's Drive. Um all in all, aside from that, everything's going smooth, I guess. I mean, the main the main excavator operator had a bit of a spill and he's been gone the last week and a half. So, hopefully I get him back and get everything going. Um, what else? What else? What else? Uh, we met for the CCMG. We had a meeting about the CCMG project. Uh basically just drove around town, got clarification for the ladies with the CCMG or with the BFNS um and located a few more trees that are going to need cut down. We've only put new sidewalks in and that's why I put on here tree cutting is mostly completed aside from the ones we have to take down for the project. So I think I hit pretty much everything. I jumped all over the place, but it's it's all in your guys brain now. So,

on the CCMG, um, from the financial side of things, I did I know we're getting ready to move into budget. Um, based on our original estimates, I have budgeted the match for that. Um, in 2026, the engineers are supposed to have those budgetary figures due by Friday. the application is completed up until the point of me putting in the financial data. I do have the financial commitment letter composed. Other than I have to know what that match is. Once I do, I'll insert that. Jim, I'll need your signature and be able to get that uploaded. The application is due the 31st. I want to get everything I can in on Friday. Um, and then have generally Marcy from INDOT will review our application just to verify that there's nothing that needs to be edited before submission. So,

are you are you going to include um that stretch down there going towards um dollar store? We talked about that. That little stretch of sidewalk you were talking about. That can't you can't add you can't add new sidewalk into this. has to be existing sidewalk and that's along a state highway. So that's not our jurisdiction anyway. and that's so no

else I think that's everything you guys have any questions thanks Jacob Uh, next is ordinance and resolutions. Um, ordinance 10-20-2025. Oh gosh, I am sorry, Andy.

Man, um, the uh I I had scheduled Abbott, the uh small claims matter. I'd scheduled that for a proceeding supplemental and she didn't show for it. And so I file the rule to show cause which means I'm asking the court to hold her in contempt if she doesn't show up this time. And that's scheduled for November 3rd and Kasiasco County serve her at the end of September. So I'll let you know November 3rd. Wonderful.

I didn't have anything else, I don't think. Okay. Thanks, Andy. All right. Now ordinances ordinance 10-20-2025-2026 budget [Music] has to abstain due to the fact being a volunteer fireman. So this is um this gone through DLDF already. Do what? This goes through the

So this is um the last step um before I submit my 2026 budget um upon adoption tonight. I have five days to submit the signed ordinance and all the forms that are supporting documentation to this information. I'll actually get approved tonight. I will be completing that

um this evening. But yes, that is um budgeted by f um with each fund name, the amount budgeted for that. Um and then obviously within my budget, I have it more broken down by line item and such. But that was the overall amount. 1,92,969. All right. I I'll make a motion that we accept approve the budget um for next year 2026 of 1,92,969

and then you have to that's for the actual funds that are controlled by DLGF and then we do have our home roll funds which are $65,50 in addition. Okay. Okay. And I also make a motion that we approve the home rule funds of $65,50. Second on paper. All right.

Resolution 10-20-2025 transferred appropriations

general housekeeping in the year. Correct. And I try to do my best on obviously when we budget but some things are unforeseeable and I still try to keep them in the correct appropriation so it's traceable. It's not like I'm paying out of something else. So you make a motion. Yeah, I will make a motion to uh uh approve resolution 10-20-2025 transfer of appropriations as presented. Second. Y. All in favor? I next is the dockets of 132,85294 and the payroll dockets of 25,99275.

So this is uh printed out the new system. Yes. So this is the new system. Okay. um breaks it down like it's a little bit easier to read than it was on the prior Yeah. program. There's any questions? I didn't I didn't see anything. The only thing um that's outstanding is um the one welcome sign on South State Road 19 to the current construction project, but the other four have been invoiced and paid. Okay. He'll come back next spring to do that.

Do what? He'll come back next spring to do that. Yeah, we're just we're just to let him know when the project's completed and he'll schedule to get in and do it. I'm assuming it'll probably started it. Well, yeah, but that wasn't from our communication. That was their They marked the wrong one. They were leaving one by Do not do the one by So, and it's one of the first places they didn't get very far. Rest of Okay. Um

All right. I don't have any. I didn't see anything. And the current um payroll allowance docket. I'm just going to put it on the record.

Um this is different than what the old program provided. Um this is just at least something that shows the breakdown of each employee and their gross pay for this pay the last two pay cycles. um they're working on creating a report that's very similar to the allowance docket that we had for payroll, but this was kind of the closest we could get have something to sign off because in the new docket it does not show the payroll in there. So, we want to make sure you guys are approving it all. This just had like our taxes paid out, our interest and retirement and things like that. it did not actually have the payroll um like it was in the old system. So all right should look different.

No questions. I'll make a motion that we approve the dockets of 132,85294 and the payroll dockets of 25,99275 payment. We'll second. All in favor. Hi.

Hey, couple quick updates and we'll get out of here. Um, the new software system is up and running in the office. Um, things seem to be running smoothly, just learning the new processes. As far as that goes, um I haven't heard any negative feedback from employees on the time sheets. They've done a great job on inputting their hours accurately matching the time cards um that they give us for approval. Um utility billing. Um we sent out the new bills. Um there was some discrepancy on um because people said they saw red and they were not paying that amount. They were paying the white amount because they thought when you pull out the old postcards the Mountain Dew was always in red. So that's just in my opinion lack of reading on their behalf. So I'm not changing things in my office for their benefit. So if they paid the wide amount, they overpaid and they have a credit on their account. We've explained that to all of them. Um we have got all kinds of data that we couldn't put in the old system um in door put it all in. I verified it today. Um so we have dual controls to make sure everything was accurately entered. Um we had some requests because the paper that was um we just used regular paper last month and there is a bottom piece that could be torn off. So um we purchased perforated paper. So now all of our customers can just simply tear it off and put it back with their bill. Um and then there was a slight hiccup with the USPS which was more of an internal issue even though we had had the conversation verified everything was good. So we've rectified that as well that that should not be an issue. Next one. So some of it's a learning

experience and if you don't fail you don't learn. So, um I'm willing to Well, you say um people like the new format. So far, we've had um a good good

response to it. Um people have signed up online for paperless billing. They were glad that they could do that. I've talked to several people on helping them set up their account. Um, even though my letter specifically was explicit and said if you are currently signed up with autopay through my office, you do not need to enroll through the site. It's more just for you to view your information. Couple people did and they saw me and they're like, "Hey, we did." I'm like, "No, no." Like, cuz then you're going to get your account twice. So, they went in and took it out. It's there. I I mean, I can't I can't help you didn't read. Um, but yeah, I feel,

you know, and there's been a couple people that paid online and there's like there was a fee and I'm like, but you can still pay cash and check in my office and it doesn't car, you know, so it is what it is. I don't know what to tell people from that standpoint. Um, the reports um, payroll today went better door and I did that. I mean, it was pretty clean process. So, um, just working through and learning it, but I'm I'm thankful for your guys' support and seeing that need for our community and, um, looking forward to as we learn it more in depth on what it can do for us. Um, second thing, just for the record, I will be at the AIM summit in French slick. I leave tomorrow morning early through Thursday and then I'm taking a personal day out of the office um be with my family on Friday and then I should return if all is well for to the office on Monday. I will be working remotely during that time. Anything else? All right, I'll make a motion that we adjourn the meeting.

All second. All in favor? I Thank you for coming, guys. Is that it?