Town Council - Regular Meeting

So, we're going to start the meeting. I would like to say there's a lot of people in here tonight in very small rooms. If we talk over each other or whisper next to each other, we're not going to be able to hear online nor on the recording. So, let's try to just talk one at a time and go from there, please. Ready? Yep. All right. Is it on? Started the report again. We'll wait just one for Patrick just to make sure. Yeah. is live. We're live. Yes. Okay.

So, I'd like to ask for a motion to approve the minutes from the town council meeting on April 6th, 2026. I'll make a motion. I second. All those in favor? Hi.

Hi. Anything? And now in front of me I have the APBs in the amount of $132,175.93. I'd like to ask for a motion to approve. I'll make a motion.

I want to ask one question. You need to see that the first page. I just I'm just curious as well. Okay. Okay. I can't see it now. Oh, I can't see it. Um, oh, never mind. It's about can't see it with my eyes. I can't uh It's about uh $2,000 some dollars for attorneys for a meeting team something. That was when we had our team meeting with um the bond guy. Okay. Nap. Okay. Team

trying to find it for Oh, yeah. Teams meeting set up and review. It had to do with all our water, our rules of the water. Yes. More than I do. Sorry. Yeah. Sorry. So, do I have a second? I second. All those in favor? I

I should put all these together. Andy's not here. This This is okay. It's the other one that they revisited for the ordinance to make sure. Yeah. Number five under agenda has been postponed. So, they can cross that off. Yes. the resolution one. Jody, you should I still do these ones? Yes. The the pay and then the the progress report. Okay.

Just making sure. So, this is the pay app number 23. So, that's for Phoenix. Hi. And we did receive emails about these last Thursday and Friday, I believe.

Yes. I think it was Friday. So here I have pay application number 23 in the amount of $10,300. 5% retainage for this application was deducted in the amount of 515. So the amount due is $9,785 to you said it was to Phoenix. Where is it showing? It should be on the back. It'll show you not showing that you

Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors LLC. I'd like to ask for a motion that motion. A second. All those in favor? I I

You don't need a signature on that, do you? I'll just sign it and send it back over to you. Okay. So, this is a progress report number 24. This is for DLZ's actual invoice. So, I have an invoice for DLZ all pertaining to the water tower in the amount of $23,620 and this is progress report number 24. Do I have a motion? Do I have a motion?

I second. All those in favor? Hi. Hi. Hi. That one's for you to sign also. I just did that.

Hello. Do we have enough chairs or do we need another chair? Another chair. What should I do? Oh, I need you to sign in right here and we'll find you a chair also. All right, here I I'll find you. Don't worry.

Thank you, sir. Now I have in front of me ordinance number 20262. Tonight is simply the reading of this ordinance. It will be approved at the next meeting or will be the one after depending on publishing. We have to publish and have a hold the public hearing before it can be approved. Correct. And I don't know what dates you guys are intending to do that as soon as possible. So

So as soon as possible this will be done. We do not have a date on when it will be adopted. Um and we need to public hearing before it is adopted but tonight is the reading. This is ordinance number 202602. an ordinance amending section one of chapter 1 entitled rates and charges of article 2 entitled water works of title 5 entitled public works transportation and facilities of the lakeville town code a few different things were changed for the most part the wording is the same I'm going to go back to paraphrase what the major change is on this and it has to do with our bulk rate which will include the fire department um the bulk rate sales charge of water for a minimum of 1,000 gallons and then each 1,00 gallons after that rounded up to the nearest 1,00 gallons. Bulk rate applied bulk water sales rates apply to water obtained from town fire hydrants only, which is unmetered. Rate for local government entities and businesses located within the town limits fire hydrants $10.65. rate for all other entities and businesses obtaining water from outside the town limit fire hydrants is $12.68. Note regarding bulk water sales, all water obtained from the town hydrants must be accounted for in town water audits. As such, all entities and businesses obtaining water from the town hydrants must submit a hydrant slip. The form is available at the town hall to the water department to the town water department within 24 hours. I would say not the town water department. It does not go to Joe. It would go to our clerk,

the town water department clerk. within 24 hours of using the hydrant showing the amount of water obtained. Failure to failure to turn in such a slip shall be deemed consent by the user or the water town water department to estimate the usage of water obtained by the user from the town's fire hydrants utilizing the town's filter plant meter with the expectation of emergency services. All other hydrant users must contact Lakeville Water Department before using the hydrant exception. What's that? With the exception of emergency services. With the exception

with the exception of emergency services. All other hydrate users must contact Lakeville Water Department before using the hydrant. So that sums up what this ordinance is. We will have a reading or a hearing a hearing on this before its final adoption if anybody has any further questions. So did you want to read this? It was just reading if you want to go through it. I think you let us know when that reading the next reading is. Yeah. It'll also have to be published in the newspaper, right?

It'll be published in the newspaper. Um and then it'll be reread at the public hearing. My goal was to try and get everything done by summer. So hopefully So what this means is you guys will have bales, but you have to turn in a slip within 24 hours in order to receive. That's how we can track sooner than later. Just turning in or not, it affects whether they get if it's not. Anybody that catches our hydrant has to turn the slip within 24 hours to Cindy. Even if Cindy's not here, it can go into her little dropbox and that has to be done within 24 hours. If not, we go off of what Joe um the plant

figures out in in the water plant. Well, the next area I want to be there. What's that? Sure. Next area. I want to be there because there's a lot of issues with that. So, why is there issues with that? Can you share? Exceeds Indiana State Code. What exceeds Indiana State code? You cannot charge fire department for emergency use water. We've already been through this. I contacted Marcel. I asked him for the statute or the regulation that you are referring to. He referred me to a statute that did not say anything anything like that. Yeah. That's all I can tell you. I I investigated it after you mentioned it at the meeting.

I think this would have been about a month ago. We so not not soon because we were just having this discussion last week. Well, at the last meeting that he attended, you you brought this up. But here's one issue that we've been having and I'll just leave it is once attorneys are involved, you need to have attorney to attend the conversation and having your clerk or other people come in and question that needs the attorney attorney. That's why we had the attorneys involved. The only contact I had with him was Marcel or your person. He's been trying to contact you. I haven't gotten anything from him. Well, I'll let him know. I'm like, he has my email.

So, the only question the only people we had in contact is um the actual people that help with the water rates for the state basically. um so that we make sure that we're doing right on our part about having to account for all of our water because that was a big question that we had because what we were told for water, right? So So what is the actual issue then that you still have with what we're what we're doing? You cannot charge for unwaver to a fire department emergency services. You keep going to charge that to the insurance company. We don't charge it to the insurance company. We don't charge for We cannot charge for water.

We have been through Indiana code and nowhere can we find anything that says that we cannot charge what we need to in order to cover our water charges. So I found statutes that say that if the town wants to not wants to allows the fire department to get water without it. Is the town not hard on this territory? Because I think that's probably the the issue on the table is is what contribution does the town bring to $500,000 you just tell

that was an okra grand that was a passers of this town pay taxes whatever percentage versus township town I don't care I as a person living in town I pay taxes that goes towards the fire department so I pay taxes just like you do at your home to pay for fire services. There's no difference. Now, if the town were to give you free water, then we have to eat that money. We have to run an entire we're building a new water tower. We have a plant that we have to operate that we would pay it. The issue has been I just got a bill again today on bulk rates and you're not even following your ordinances. I mean, and that's the thing. And I

Well, we're trying to fix the ordinance so that there is no question though, Kelly. That's what this is about. So there's the old ordinance or the old ordinances, you know, last month we got charged $17 and something. I will tell you why that's happening. You guys are actually on both rate, but if the regular rate is cheaper, she is charging you lesser. I will bring you a spreadsheet. I can honestly show you over the last three years how you have charged us more than previous years. You're not charging the 862 per ball freight when we were having the paperwork that we got. I have it all. That is what it is currently.

It's supposed to be, but you're charging us $18.99 per thousand gallons for a virus. Thousand gallons for buyers. Is that because flips haven't been turned in? Ordinance when it comes to meter that's on the meter estimated or something. If it's coming from the meter then it would not be considered to be unmetered for both rate. If it's coming from the meter then meter fire hydrants fire the fire hydrants are not metered. Okay. So if we're only talking about water from the fire hydrants that should be the amount. What we're trying to do now is move forward and we are too instead of the past and try to figure out how to fix whatever is going on.

We have to look at the past because we all know that we have to follow Steve accounts. I cannot pay I cannot pay for your water that you do not have an ordinance on for the right rate. So when I am attaching the slip of what we've actually used and you have an ordinance that I'm attaching to it and you're saying $862, but you're charging me $18.99. The state board of accounts is questioning why am I bring those into Cindy? Have you brought those into Cindy?

I asked Cindy and you know I get the I mean I showed her that. Well, I think they were a little offended and scared after the last meeting that actually kind of attacked the people that were just doing an everyday job around here and a threat to actually file charges against them. That kind of Okay. Well, you did not say that, but that was in a in a reported meeting that we all watched. It could be. So, it was very upsetting to if you if you are not following the ordinances. That was actually Marcel that probably made that comment, right? He did make that comment. I know Ryan wasn't happy with the comment when he said it because he was like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa." You know,

but just know I don't think there is any intentional out there trying. There's there's a reason for all of this. And I know some of it she did bring up that possibly when we did our water rate study and we went through and they told us all this other stuff that we needed to do when it came to the water department that it's possible that she made an error when it came to fixing everything for everyone on Bry when and we think we found that whole error system. So, we just want you to know that we're trying to fix what needs to be done on our part, but we have things we have to follow

and that does not it's not going to make you happy all the time. Just like I told everyone here, when the fire department makes decisions, it's not going to make everybody happy all of the time, but we got to work together. We tried really hard for years. We were very close with the township for years and then something happened. We don't know, but we're trying to do our best. This issue with water has been going on since about 197. Well, it has because we we've been through this over and over. So, right now, what we're trying to do is fix that ordinance so that there is no question. Okay. Dealing with what we have to move forward so that we don't have to keep revisiting it.

So, my understanding of the two specific issues are that you believe your bills were calculated using the meter rate and not the whole rate for the water from the hydrants. Is that the first issue? My understanding is is that Cindy is working on on back bills to fix that issue that have occurred with older bills in the past and is working on recalculating all of that. If it is still ongoing, we do need you to tell us that it's happening on current bills because I correct. It's something that's going wrong in the automated system. I think

we're trying to get everything fixed so we don't have to keep revisiting it until we have to like readjust anything. Hopefully it doesn't hurt. Second issue is about the hydrant slips and the estimation of water. The town has to have some way of accounting for how much water was used from the meters for its audits. And if hydrant slips are not turned in in a timely fashion, which they have not been, is my understanding that puts the town in a really bad position when it comes to his water audits. They have to have a firm number for how much water was used within a reasonable amount of time. water coming out of the hybrids and that's understandable. I mean,

yeah, and then there was I think there was some confusion there for a while too that would go to Joe and then come here. The only thing that goes through maintenance garage is maintenance. So, a water bill, water usage, all needs to come to the water clerk and that will be worded with the word clerk will be added with the word water clerk. But that that's my understanding. significant issues here regarding the water and the fire department and they are both being worked on.

Right. I mean, honestly, what brought the whole thing kind of to a head was when we were trying when when the town of Lakeville was trying to charge the fire department for a fire that wasn't even ours. And that's when it kind of blew up because it was like, you know, we're getting a notice that we're going to be charged for this. We also discussed those. So, that got resolved. Um, just because our fire trucks hooked up to it doesn't mean that it's RW. We still need to know if your fire truck hooked up to it, how much was taken out. Well, it would actually be center. So, we need to know how much was taken out, right? And they would they would be the responsible one.

Yes. But they would be subject to the same requirements on here and under the terms of what the source would be after the proposed change, then it would be in that situation, center township would be the entity that would be refunded. those I guess the name they would have a different bulk rate because they're not located within the town and the township township has the township fire department here because it has the fire department here in town would be the in town rate for the bull break but if it's say center township or one of the other townships that's the user of the water they would be subject to the out of town rate the micro the mindset I would like to put out there is there is in no way shape or form do we want there to be any type of animosity between these two.

Oh, I don't know. So, I just want everybody's mindset to reset. That's how I feel about it. Well, we had reset, but then I I mean, like I said, right, we were going along with it. And I mean, the fire department was very aware that, hey, you got to get your slips over there, right? And I mean I will tell you this last little last little argument over the center township you know and I mean and it involved Joe in the conversation it was like you cannot charge Lakeville just because we're mutually aid because I mean you had Madison Township you had Penn you had all of them and I will tell you it felt like it was just kind of

like an internal attack. Well, there's also probably times for us like not knowing certain ways. We need to maybe figure out a better way to be able to get the proper entities the proper information in which they need. That would be once our ordinance is passed. Be sure to get them to all the surrounding. We will make sure that we get it to the other fire. Yeah. Surrounding agencies. A bad idea if you're in that situation like that. If you were with the center to make sure that she tell the town like the next day or whatever, hey, that wasn't us. That was So, I got a question. How long, let's say that we have a fire tonight?

How long is it before Lakeville Fire contacts Joe? And let's say, okay, I used 4,000 gallons, whatever. How much time is there? 24 hours. We're asking 24 hours only for that's within the new ordinance. In the old ordinance, it does not give a time. The issue was is that it was coming in like months. No, it wasn't that long. One reason we we went with 24 hours is especially winter time. I need to know when that hydrant's been used so I can get out and check it

and make sure it's pumped out. These things hold water. We got a high water table. And if they if they freeze, everybody's done. So that that's why the 20 so the next day I can get out and check the hydrant and make sure you drive with them. Yes. Everybody agrees upon it. You both sign off on it. There it is. And then that bulk rate water rate is that monthly or for No, that'll be your forever rate. If you use more than just when you use a hydrant that's not the meters. The bulk water does not have the So if they only So maybe the question is asking if they use 1500 gallons are you rounding them up to the next thousand or you just

I'm saying if I use 40,000 gallons tonight next week I use another 40,000 gallon. Am I build getting build for each one or is it you might get build more? It's the same. It's the same rate. So there's no there there's no tier. It's It'll be the new $10 every day we got it. It's not that way in the new ordinance. It's $10.65 per thousand. No matter if you use 1,000 or 10,000. It's $10.65. try to clean it up so that there's no

So basically she is looking at the water rates or the bills because when you guys use less water she was using the tiered method because it was cheaper for you. Bulk rate would have been more expensive. So when we when we but when we let me finish when we went to the new rates she never gave it a clue to go back to bulk break. It was on the tiered system and she that's what she said. She would check into it and she is she it's not anything she's swept under the carpet. She's working on it.

So that's the reason why the bills were higher is because she never switched it back off of the tiered system because it you guys were only there was a couple years you didn't use any water. One year was like 20,000. Well, bulk rate freight would have cost you more than the tiered system at the old rate. Is train water the same as the regular fire water? It does not specify what the water usage is. It specifies how much comes out. If it comes out of a hydrant, that's what it's going to cost. Comes out of your meter, then it's meter. Travis, were you asking? Excuse me. Were you asking if you get build once a month or for every time you have That's what he was trying to ask.

No, it's every time you hook up to it. How much do you use when you hook up to it? It doesn't matter. It's the same. He meant the bill. He meant the bill. He gets once a month, right? They go bill once. Should be when the regular bills go out. That's when that bill, right? It doesn't matter though. If you hook up and then have this bill for x amount of gallons and then a week later you have another for x amount of gallons, it's going to be the same. We tried to make sure the wording was really clear in there got for every fire and it didn't tier system didn't work.

Right. Right. And we figured out that that was that was not how the system should have been billing it. It should have been billing it at the bulk rate system. So Cindy is going back and fixing those bills that you're talking about. And like I said, if you're getting current ones that are still doing that, please let the town know so that it can get fixed. So then if there's a discrepancy, then we would be refunded or credited. Uh there is doing it in the form of a credit. Okay. Okay. We tried to update this ordinance to make sure that this time everything was very clear. That was that was part of

it because it was it was an old ordinance. It was a hot mess, I thought. So when we went through, we made sure everything was very clear so that when somebody read it, there was no question about what was being paid for and how much what it was being paid for. I hope that helps. Is there any way I can get a copy of that before? um once it's published at the moment, but the the notice of public hearing will have the whole ordinance in it. Yeah. And I there's there's at least one word we need to change in it before we publish that.

Email me so I have your email. It's halfway april.271 at Gmail if you have or it could just be so to Kelly and then Kelly can share it with Oh, yeah. by your chief chief and whoever might need to go can see it and then I'll let you know when the next time is that they're going to bring it into play. So once once it's corrected and get ready once it's published then we can go ahead and send you a copy of it. Okay.

Any more questions in regards to water? Going once, going twice. Okay. Um, let's go ahead and skip over to new business really quick. That way, if anybody wants to stay, you can stay. If you don't want to stay, you don't have to stay. And also, I need copies of these. She said she emailed them.

She did. I want copies of these. So, we do have three different complaint forms. Um, we don't need to mention complaintants names for their own protection. Um, it all involves the same property or two, which is between 202 and 205 Grand Street, and we have three official complaints on that. Um, I'm going to hand this over to Patrick.

Yeah. So, both of those properties were um issued violation notices last week. Uh, so they'll have until next week to have it uh to have it taken care of. If it's not, then the town ends up mowing it and doing the clean up and they get built for it. I have a question about some of that too while we're talking about it. What about the junk that's around the outside of the house?

30 of them that he that he sent out last week. Yeah. So, u the one was specifically addressed to overgrown trees encroaching onto the street, grass, as well as trash on the front porch and on the side. The other one was dealt with with the lawn. Um they had mowed in the front but hadn't mowed in the back. Um so yeah, they the property owner was of course notified. They get a send a copy by mail. They get hand service on it. Um last week I issued 30 violation notices for 36 to be exact. Yeah. Yeah. 30 30 for grass and seven for traffic. Yeah. So

with the weather just now turning nice, it's Patrick himself has a golf cart and goes up and down the street on houses. So all of them Yeah. So what we do all of them get um hand hand service with them. Um even some of the residents that actually live outside of city limits, we have one that lives all the way up and Angela is the actual property owner. So that way we get actual hand service to some of the other properties as well. But Does it become the responsibility of the property property owner?

Property owner property owner. So yes, so it's the actual property owner. Uh both property own properties are not owned by their tenant. Um, so basically if the we really only have we've only typically had one property that we've had to continually the towns actually had to mow um within town. Um, but majority of time they they do eventually, you know, they do they do take care of it. Like I said, if they don't, then the town does it and then um they get charged the cleanup. um it's $100 an hour plus the first time the first time violation is a fine. So all the properties that are issued the violation notices um like on grass grass they have 5 days five business days. So the way that I typically do it um and and again I've tried a little bit more working with people this season just because of the way the weather has been and with everything. Um and in fact going back uh this is the notices and I think that's just because of what the weather is cool has been as much grass. Um I'm it was about almost about a week and a half sooner as far as issuing out notices violation notices this year than in years past. But so normally on Fridays I go around I make a list of all the properties as far as for mowing and then on Monday I go around again see which that way it gives people a whole weekend to take care of them. Um and then as far as I'll go and I'll check off which ones have completed the work, which ones haven't and then we then I'll issue the violation notices and then I follow up then the next week and then um at that point we'll give them a few more days and if they don't then the town takes care of it. So,

so how does that play out if if the tenant doesn't own the property, but it's the tenants private possessions that are

So, it always goes back to the property owner. Um, and like I said, I had a personal conversation with the property owner about it. Um, that property of hers was the only one that she wasn't. Normally, she'll just send her own guys over there and take care of it and do it. um on that one she was not going to. So then she serves them not she gives him notice as well. So then basically what happens so he's still given notice of the violation. Um so then what would happen if he does not mow um then ultimately the town mows it. It's $100 an hour plus the first fine I think is I think is 150 if I recall correctly or 175. Um Cindy handles all that because she does all the billing. So then basically what would then happen is then the property owner is sent a bill and then if they don't pay then a lean is placed on the on the property. So and then second second violation's 250 third violation is 500. So then that notice goes for the entire mowing season. So then after after this point moving on um if the grass gets over the height limit um then then the town can just mow. We don't have to get notic at that point.

Um I have a question too. Um a couple places around me has piles um sticks whatever and I've seen groundhogs and stuff. Yeah, there were several there were several that also received notification for their piles of limbs um or even there was one and actually then um they were upset about it but unfortunately if because it was leaves and the town does do the town does do the leak clean up in the fall or the yard waste. However, if it has sticks in it or anything Joe cannot pick it up bag Joe.

Yes. Can you please tell the world what your criteria is for grass clippings for yard waste? What days you're picking it up? Tuesdays. If it's not rain, if it's not raining raining, we still do it. Only as of today. And this is only grass clippings or are you also picking up sticks? No, we pick up sticks as long as they're What is your criteria? four four foot lengths pile up by the curb. Do you have any other criteria that needs to be made?

If people got I mean there's still people raed leaves last year after we were done and there's still piles out there and they bag them. We'll pick them up. But we had under 50 pounds. How many pounds and under? If it takes two of us, if it takes two of us to lift them in the truck, they stay there. And there is no specific type of yard bag that a person like the paper is what we prefer. It's preferred. You can also use your own bin.

It's all right. But then the people put fill them up and then weigh more than 50 pounds. Especially when they set out there. Bingo. They set out They set out there in the rain and then they get full of water. Yeah. Yeah. Bingo. They set out They sat out there in the rain and then they get full of water. Yeah. Yeah. Any other criteria? I just want to make this clear because I have people asking on our Facebook page. We should be able to We've got a yarn waste ordinance. We should be able to Okay. Oh, we also have I just I put it in the newsletter again.

And then even for like the large piles, especially after storm cleanup, if the people get with Joe, he can actually they can take the truck over there and um load it up. Obviously, you know, the utility department isn't going to be doing it, but they'll get rid of the job you do. I think you do a wonderful job doing it. All you have to do is just follow. It's not hard. I have a question I'd like to ask. My backyard, about a third of that property I'm on, I would like to try to make it wild flowers and stop mowing all the way. Is there

I I have So, I talked to both neighbors. They're all for it. So, so wild flowers, if they're um as long as there's not, you know, weeds or other grasses poking going through, wild flowers would be um I mean, they they have to be, you know, there could be for a time some weeds could be getting away from me for a while, you know, and then So, but as long as I'm trying to stay on it, yeah, if it's if it's landscaping where it's purposeful landscaping, Wild wild flowers. Yes.

And as far as like mowing and stuff goes, it has to be a certain length before it gets mowed anyway. So if you're if you're not letting the weeds get that fall, you're probably okay. Yeah. But see, I'm not I'm not being like a landscaping thing. I'm sorry to add lots of lot of flower seeds for for to see what happens.

I'm just going to say something about that and I get it. But at the same time, you have to think about downtown district. If you're like off on a side street and you're in other parts of town, I can understand. And I'm not trying because I understand because I don't even put things on my yard. I don't put anything poisonous on my yard. I don't put anything. I try to be as natural as I can on my area. But at the same time, it needs to be kept up in the downtown district for that area because we're going to get complaints. He's talking about the backyard. Yes, I know. But that's still well downtown district would be a little because

the only time it would present it well for clear sight view um things like that where then you're creating say you know safety issue right or anything but um but yeah when it when it's used as like your landscaping or your screening um typically then yeah but again you just it has to make sure that it's dense enough that the wild flowers are not allowing other noxious weeds and grasses or um nuisance trees and stuff like that growing yet cuz we have we had a property that got cited that then that's kind of at one point in time they were probably flower beds and then just took off with trees and

that's what happened then what happened to that property on the on Michigan Street that nobody knows there's a house there. Oh yeah. And what was the h what happened in that yard for the first when they started you know? Yeah. for years they let nothing it's just my favorite yard in the in the town there's not a house there is a house right there and you know I mean yeah and like for them the only I mean they've gotten noticed a couple times before but that was when the trees start encroaching um upon so cuz yeah their whole yard is creeping creeping myrtle that's just completely taken you know

which is actually perfect those kinds of things I think yeah and the backyard that does have grass. Um I think Mr. Shalio takes care of that cuz that that mode. Yeah. But yeah, cuz I know people question me about that one empty lot now, the one that's in downtown. Mhm. In between about why it's not mowed. Yeah. So, so they can get it's it's been mowed, but Yeah. Um cuz uh Yeah. Cuz I that was done last week cuz I I probably been two weeks. So the an undeveloped lots can get up to 13 in.

Okay, I'm going to try it. Our big push this year maybe put some sticks and some rope or something and just say flowers just until they do start going to keep people just to keep questioning out of it to keep people out of it. Well, I've got my neighbor's call, but I don't know who's going to drive me and let's try to get on. Well, you never know.

So, our our big push this year, and we're asking while we're on video, is that please, please clean up your properties, clean up your yards, take pride in our little town. So, on that, dumpsters will be here the day before town garage sales. So, they will arrive on the 15th. They will be across the street here at Joshua Witchree parking lot. I believe there's two of them coming. Two, huh? I would double check to make sure it's okay because they are moving stuff out of there. Yeah. Well, what's that? Yeah, Margo was actually

So, Patrick has that cleared. That's not a problem. That's where they're going to go. There will be two 20 foot two 40 foot dumpsters. They will be there until at least Tuesday. If we see the need to keep them there till Thursday or Friday, we can do so. But for right now, it's scheduled from Friday till Tuesday. So, if anybody does have anything in their yard that for some reason cannot go into, the trash doesn't fit in, they've got major yard clean up, they whatever, there's dumpsters coming. They are free to use and they're going to be unlocked 247. So, if it's 10:00 at night and you just got home and forgot that you needed to put it in there, you anytime. But it's not yard waste, right? No, it's not yard waste. I was say Patrick's probably It's not yard waste.

Any of your hazardous hazardous uh nothing hazardous. It's really hard to determine that. But no tires, no paints, no chemicals, no whatever falls underneath the hazardous list. Yeah. But if it if uh as far as going off of that, tires, hazardous waste, televisions, old paint special under normal circumstances, you still do. So any of any of that, those type items can be taken um out to for the recycling off of Prairie Avenue. The town, it's actually included what the town gets. Yep.

Yeah. So, and they accept it free of charge. Same with tires. So all that stuff as long as they will ask for a driver's license just to as long as it is a town um address then I've taken stuff before they there was property on the on the back by the water tower that had a similar issue going on in the porch area. They got they just wondered. Okay.

Okay. Yeah. Is there anything else? Any more questions in regards to yard waste um or properties that need to be maintained? Code enforcement related code enforcement related items. Thank you. Any status on the beam? Yeah, I can give you Yeah, once we get to that point. Um then we're going to move on to utilities, Joe.

Okay. They started milling up in Morningside today and I got that done. If you could update the Facebook, they will not because of rain last week. Their pavers have probably be here Thursday instead of tomorrow. So they're a couple days behind. So they started today. We'll say by Friday it'll be done. Should be by Friday and last for rain. But right now they moved it to Thursday. Weather permitting. Yes.

Okay.

Uh we had a at the old midweight demo. Everybody knows what that we had to replace. We had a valve that was leaking there on the hydrant. Uh when we took it up, it was just pretty much rotted out. So, we ended up just putting a new hydrant and everything in that section. Uh, so that's done. You know, we got a couple things to do to it yet. We got to raise it. Uh, but other than that, we will be putting a I think Thursday we are going to be putting a hydrant in, changing the one out in front of North Park Apartments. So, that will be changed. Uh the maintenance garage roof got done. So that's they did that last week. All the roofing and gutters and everything are complete. The the water tower is online now. Actually, they're both online. Yeah. So, uh,

the old one, we have to run the old one with the new one right now until HRP comes out and changes our pressure line for the our SCADA. Okay. So, that is f that is scheduled for May 18th for them to be out here to do that. And then the if long as everything's good by then uh we'll have drained the old one and right now the old one is coming down May 27th. Had a lot of people ask when that's going to happen. May 27th.

Yeah. So, we will post we will post online to let everybody know that the new one is online and that the old one is supposed to come down May 27th. It's it's scheduled. It will be there. They won't move from that date because they won't get that company back. Okay. So, also June June 1st be like 7 in the morning 7:00 in the morning. A little early. So, some of that stuff might affect you guys in case of emergency.

It shouldn't because the new one's online, but that June 1st water main replacement by filter plant, no hydrant or fire department 3in until complete until that it's going to be basically the same thing we tal. So, the filter plant's not even going to be connected to the to that to the tower. Oh, to the tower. Got it.

So, uh, until we get our back tea, till they do it, we get our back tea samples and everything passes, it'll be two to four days that we will just have to run on our power. Okay. So, fire department needs to That's on June 1, starting June 1st. And if if that date changes, I will let you know. But that's as of right now when the tower's coming down the next week they're coming in to you cannot use hydrants for a few days.

Could you send me an email? I when I get when I find out the exact date I right now it's June 1st but I'm still a month out. So when we get a little closer I will I will let you know. Okay. And then the only other thing I forgot to put on there is our consumer confidence report went out. Was mailed out on Friday. What was it? Consumer confidence for all the testing for last year. Yeah. And then uh I think it was two weeks ago they came in and did our water audit. So that is complete. It just needs to be validated and then sent off to the IFA. Okay.

And that's all we got. How'd you get any other questions by? I do not. Does anybody have any questions for Joe? I will make a flyer that we can throw out to the public about like kind of dates and if the dates change, just let me change it up. All right. Uh, police department.

Okay. We had a very busy month for April. Uh, we had 221 calls for service. Of that we had 12 assists to St. Joseph County police and alarm on Johnson Road. Welfare check on Kro overdose 931 in Osborne. Alarm Hooser Tire domestic on Telegraph Court. That's out Brutles Lake. Uh domestic on Roy Cra one alarm Jackson Road. Traffic hazard Quinn Road mental investigation Roy Cra shots fired Orchard Heights. Mental investigation Quinn Road and welfare check on Pierce Road. And then we had three assists to North Liberty Police Department. Had a fight in progress on Rupal Street. mental investigation Pine Street and one domestic on Potato Creek Drive. Had a total of 19 reports for the month. Two juvenile investigations, two driving while law suspended, one possession of a controlled substance, one probation violation, two property damage reports, one invasion of privacy, one criminal mischief, one noncriminal information report, three theft reports, uh, one battery report, one mental investigation, one sex crime investigation, and two found property. had five arrests, uh, two driving while suspended, one probation violation, one theft, and one possession of controlled substance. Uh, wrote a total of 36 tickets for the month and had two local ordinance violations. Um, 30 grass violation notices issued and seven trash violation notices issued. And Lori touched on this earlier. We have two 40 yard dumpsters scheduled to be delivered May 15th for the townwide cleanup during garage sale days. Um they're coming through beer and slay ball for napan. They were really good with us last year. No delivery or pickup charges with those. Um couple other things I didn't have on there. The batteries ordered for the AE as well as for case. So that way

as soon as we get that we can get that mounted down at the community center um down at the down at the barn in the hallway. So, we'll have that. Um, building department is supposed to be coming out this week as far as for looking at the overhang and everything there at Demons. Um, I did have a conversation with uh Victor this morning. Um, so he'll have 30 days he's supposed to as far as for the face front of replacing the glass and with the OSB board that's out there. Um there's a little bit of had a little bit of confusion with that and going through some research, but so with the property because again it comes back to notices and violations have to go to the property owner. Um when they sold the 123 South Michigan Street property to Adam Pendle,

um one of the main issues that held up that sale for quite a while from the bank closing is because it's a shared wall. So, they had to have their attorneys involved and had to have Victor sign off a um like an easement for that shared wall in order to it to close. Well, when I went and started drafting up the getting all the paperwork for the violations for him started um under county records now the building is owned by Marian Assets 2020 LLC with a transfer date from last year which would have been the when it when the paperwork when the 123 so prior 123 South Michigan Street was owned by the Marian Assets 2020 LLC which was a bank out of Illinois um an investment group that owned it from when it went into foreclosure. So they were the ones that drafted that paperwork for that easement. Well, somehow when Victor signed the paperwork and it got filed, they then transferred 121 South Michigan Street to Marian Assets. So there was a little bit of confusion there on giving as far as for proper notice. So, but I did have a uh I had a pretty long conversation with Victor this morning on some things um with that. So, um within the 30 days for the OSB and the class front, but yeah, building department this week. So,

about the front? Yeah, for the front. Yep. Yep. Did somebody tell you that we did get a check from the school? Yes. Well, I saw it there. Yeah. Yeah. prov0000. So, um what that is is part of Patrick's pay comes from the school because he is the resource officer for the school. So, instead of saying, "Why is he always down there?" Well, because they pay him, they pay part of his payroll. So, they paid that back to the TA. Pretty much every school in Indiana, they have requested that they have a a resource officer. So, it's necessary. It's the law now, isn't it?

Yeah. They either have the contract with a existing law enforcement agency and have them supply one or they have to form their own school police department.

And I think the coffee shop, I know they were supposed to be opening up in another week, but I it looked like they still have some more work to do. Had some stuff delivered last week. Um, and then, uh, Joshua Tree is in the process of, um, they're going to be having some sales inside for garage sale days. Mark Turner did buy everything as far as dinosaur related. They were there today picking up from the dinosaur museum.

And, and so Mark Turner will actually it's going to go out to the dinosaur museum and he's going to have the one specific area and it will actually be the uh, Terry Boswell. um collection. Yeah. So they still have they still have a lot a lot of rocks and minerals that they're trying to categorize and so so they they that they will be there pretty much every day but they are going to try to a lot of the smaller stuff sell during that weekend for garage sale days they have some have some there. So when I did let her know, especially since I actually had her there of the place, the different businesses that had expressed interest in wanting to purchase property. So

okay, good. Thank you. Anything else? That's everything. Anybody have any questions for Patrick? No. Okay. for DC. I just want to say I'm sorry to see that leave late though, but I'm so glad that it's finally happening and it's in the right person's hands, too. That's good. Right.

Um I don't have too much. We need to set up a meeting Dixie soon. Um because and I was supposed to have a number from our architect today and surprise surprise, I didn't get today like he usually tells me he's going to. Um, but, uh, there's a couple things we want to spend our money on, and that's either, uh, for by our trails a little bit with some new rocks. Um, or I don't know, it's not really rocks. What do you call that stuff? Yeah. Some Yeah. Something that'll smooth them out a little more.

Um, and Terry's interested in another storage unit of some kind when we start working on the barn. We have to have a place to put the uh, tents, stuff like that. So that's just stuff that he's talked about that the EDC likes to spend my money on. It's like, "Oh, Carol, you need this." Like, "Wait a minute." Anyway, that's that's the kind of stuff we're looking at. Um, but I just needed a number for the barn first before we go too far. And so I'm waiting on that. Okay. So, and I just a little correction. I have not contacted um business Southbend yet. I was waiting on a number, but that's the only correction I saw on there. So,

that's it. Any questions for ED or RDC? No. Okay. EDC, nice to see you, Lori. Thank you very much. It's great to be here and not in your Memorial Hospital. I understand that. No. Uh, I ain't got much. Our flowers are coming in next week, so we're going to be flying their flowers. So, need some room in the barn. Maybe their flowers. Halloween all down. I went in there the other day to get I don't even remember what and I was like, "Oh, got a lot of flowers, haven't I?" Oh, to get the wagon out. Yeah, but I uh that we still got We're going to work on some picking tables down here. We got to get that mold. Yeah.

Um yeah, I they uh there's still a lot I'm going to have to end up using the u brush hog with it because there's a bunch of crushed concrete the mower started hitting. So I uh um I'll have to at least brush hog it down again and we'll have to actually walk it. So our grass is coming up in the hill and some clover is coming up. We got a little work to do because someone washed up. That's why we put the sleeve down there to direct the water. We had so much rain there at the beginning it even with the mesh we had on it washed underneath it. So I see the church is doing some stuff over there too. So, are they just putting in more parking or is it going to be There will be some type of wall that goes up. I'm not sure.

They did get their cells on. Yeah, I talked to Mike. Yeah, it'll look nice.

And we're still working on Mr. Greyel to get made a new fence around his lift station supposedly. But then we got some work in the park to do. We got some benches and stuff that fell apart and broke. And then uh the play equipment needs to be power washed and cleaned up a little bit. But uh that's pretty much everything. I'm glad we're seeing working on the old car dealer building that that's the worst. That's most comment I get from anybody is nice. Yeah.

Any questions for EDC? I have a very stupid question. You mentioned benches. Years ago, long before I was on the town board, on the last day of that year, I got a phone call. Can you give us a contract to make some park benches by in like an hour because we have to we have to spend that money today. Did you get? So I said, I got that contract and within an hour I had to get, you know, and anyway, so I made some Anyway, my last bench from 20 years ago is over across the street. Can I take that thing home to my house now?

So please see me, you know, like walking across there going to be a light back there. I think the town would have to make an official finding, but it has reached the end of it useful life and has no has no monetary value. Yeah, we we do we do have some what do you call those things? They're park bicycle standard of the fire department. They took it up when they did remodel work and everything and they're still in the barn back there. So, we need to get those put I think there's a tire pump for bicycles for the kids. Yeah. and a couple racks and stuff like that go sidewalk. Yeah. Yeah.

So, that's that's on our list to do, too. So, that's been on the list for a long time. Yeah. It'll be nice to see those back out. I thought you wanted to turn the benches around. Don't listen. If we ever do a streetscape again, they will be backless benches. Yes. There will not be any any tried. didn't try it. The state says no, they go that way. Yeah, it is the point. Yeah, the point of the sidewalk that just is to look at the sidewalk, not have your back to the sidewalk. Crazy. I've heard of people turning turning. Matter of fact, I think Yeah, I think your sister turned hers around. I don't know.

I wasn't taking my sister, but somebody did. No, but yeah, somebody else did. Anyways, yeah, we weren't allowed to put them up on the buildings because the variance was too close. It was the the way our town was made. Usually there's a little more between the sidewalk and the buildings and we didn't have enough to turn them that way up against the buildings. So we had to turn them like sidewalk enter supposed to face one another so that people can talk amongst themselves across the sidewalk. But you know people didn't understand when it went in but next time that ever happens. No backs. There will be no backs. The new ones there's lots of them like that now with no backs because of the same argument. Yeah. probably. Yeah.

Okay. Anything else? Any questions for RDC? EDC, sorry. Um, fire department on May 16th, there's a free world donation pancake breakfast. Is it all day or what time? From 8:30 to 11. What day was that? same day as our garage sales.

Hopefully, you'll have a good turnout with people being around for the garage sales because we don't have any food vendors coming. So, really, we did not look for vendors, but nobody offered either. Um, tell you what, you have you have to reach out. We well we have done porta pit in the past to raise money for our parks departments and we end up having to freeze about 50% of what we have. Yeah. And so it just kind of wasn't and then the legion picked up like some little things. Remember they had like some little they used to do hot dogs but this year

they're probably pretty busy. Yeah. We've not asked. Um I mean we could ask but just from us personally and we even had the portit come and they cooked it there so you could smell it through the whole town. Usually that gives you a few more sales than having it pre-cooked. We spent an entire day over here at the what is it? The Masonic Lodge freezing chickens. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Anything else for you guys? Any questions for the fire department?

No. Okay. I do have one thing I was asked to bring up tonight and it is from the fire department. Um, it's from our fire territory meeting that we had a few nights ago, last week maybe. Um, I was to ask about the truck and I know the truck has been a topic of discussion. Yeah, there was a contract. I cannot find a signed copy. Do you have a signed cop? I don't have a signed one. Yeah, I have I don't either. No, nobody sends me signed things.

What year was that from? Was it 200? I wasn't here. Neither were we. No, but you helped me look it up one time. Would have been I think around 18 or 19. It was 18 or 19. It was cuz the the county redevelopment commission like Yeah. granted some money involved with it. That was an updated. So what it was was it was a lifetime lease because the truck was owned by the town. a lifetime lease for the fire department to be able to use it. Um that way if there's any ever any accidents or problems, it kind of puts the liability to the person using it, not the person owning it. And

was it leased with a fire territory or was that leased with no fire? It was with actually it was with firemen inc. We didn't do and I cannot find a signed copy. I don't think it was with firemen inc. I think it was with the fire. I think it said like the fire department. It might have said like the fire department, but that's not the same thing. That's true. I It said like the fire department. I tried to look it up again last week and I have the the draft. I just don't have signed one. I don't know. So, we have about this.

Hold on. What going forward? So, if there is a signed copy in order to do anything with that truck, we would have to both parties agree that we cannot find a contract or cancel a contract or this is a legal question for Brandy. Um, and then going from there and I asked again in the meeting and what we would do with that. What is the value of the truck and where would that money go and how would that all look and I was told that it's anywhere from 20 to 70,000. That's pretty big. Yeah.

But then I was told that the money would go back into it could be like the down payment for their new truck. They're wanting to sell one of their trucks also. They take two of the outdated trucks to buy a new one that is updated. Correct me if I'm wrong. Um, so that's where that money would go towards. And then I did ask how would the new one be titled because everything right now is titled except for the one truck owned by Lakeville. Everything is titled in the township. I'm pretty sure that the town and township did not go into this territory with the town only one truck. But as it has been sold, that's how they've been titled as the township. So if this what here we are today, we cannot fix what happened from 2005 till today. But going forward from today, how would that look? Um, and then at first I was told that the territory would own it. And about that time, Marcel came in and I'd asked him, he said the territory would own it. And I said, but you said the territory couldn't own anything. He said, "No, so it' have to be in the name of the township." Well, then why on earth would the town sell their truck to give the name the new title and the name of the township? Um, and then what after five 10 minutes of conversation, it would be co-titled township and town.

Well, that makes sense, which makes sense. Um, those were not the answers that we were getting before, but also us contributing because we're doing half of like whatever half of the new truck is, you know,

it's not quite half, but it would be our part of the new truck. We don't have to do let's get a lot of things clear the amount of money that you guys bring in comparable but it does when it comes to us pushing out money for us. Do you understand the reason it was put a percentage difference is we were not making incomes to be able to just hand out money anywhere we wanted. We are extremely tight. We don't have leftover money at the end of the year at all.

Well, we can argue about our monies all day long. We just want you to know that there's not reasons we don't have values. Exactly. You have to understand. Correct. It's assessed value. So, I mean, yeah, just because we don't have as much land in because the and the reason is is because you have a lot of the county people with their properties. We don't and a lot of ours tend to be rentals. We have what we have different what we have is a truck. Yeah. That we can or cannot it would depend on this board here. Yeah.

That we can or cannot use for a down payment for what you are speaking of selling two and going into one. Um, but again, I want to get legal on this and um the opinion of all three board members together. So, this is what I'm bringing to the table. Okay. Um, and I do know that you guys were talking about a brush truck, right? You were interested. No, they're winning. You guys are actually looking at a pumper tanker. A pump roughly a million dollar. Got it. Okay. Oh, brand new one, right? Brand new one.

But then Ryan also said in this in this discussion that another option is to purchase a second ammo down the road. But he did threw that in there and it's like I'm just going by the minutes. It's what he said. It's just what that was not really anything. Yeah. The simplest method supplies,

right? if going if if moving forward with this is this kind of an arrangement what you're talking about with the town agreeing to sell its truck and contributing and then both going on the title that with the existence of the lease that we know exists we just can't find a signed version of it the simplest thing would just be an agreement a termination agreement that would include the the terms say that that's what you're going to do it would terminate the lease and say also we are agreeing as part of this termination to the town will sell out of the truck or and the the proceed will go there and then the town's title the title will have both the amount of amount of money. That's that's the simplest way to to deal with it. So it is possible and legal has just explained how we can go about it but then again it's the three of us that need to discuss what we want to do with that talk because I hear a lot of like us not taking initiative or putting enough into and what exactly does that look like to them because I don't I we still haven't gotten words on what that means for you guys if you're saying that we're not participating enough in anything moneywise like what what are you looking at and what is it that you want from us? Because that's not clear. What I see is a lot of people who like to keep drama going. I see a lot of people that want to keep divisiveness going and I'm not into that. I don't want to do it. I don't think it should be that way. I think we're way past this. I grew up like that. I don't want to see it anymore. Like literally, I watched our grandparents, our greatgrandparents, argued to grocery stores, the bank, the school, whatever, over township and town over the same things. We're talking eight years of the same.

Yes. Pro problem. There is no problem. Do you get what I'm saying? Like, we don't have a problem with you guys. I'm sure you really don't have a problem with us. Within the last six months, our relationship has gotten a lot better. Yes. Like we really don't have a problem with you guys. No, we don't. Like we don't like when I corrected the other where everybody gets this percentage is they look at their assessed values and they say, "Oh, well they're only bringing this amount." Oh, well that's of course hear it a lot. The town's only the town's only giving 18% and the township's doing the rest. We get that push back in our face all the time.

So until we have 20 200 new homes, that's all you're going to get. And what all all set that up? Yeah. All our money goes for infrastructure. Seriously, just to run the town and to pay the few employees that we have literally now. We did have a little bit we did have contracts, certain contracts like early on that are now different because things are different. So we got to figure out a way to make each other happy. And I mean we need to work together. This isn't all about the township. This isn't all about town. This is about what we need as entities together. And this is where we all need to sit at the same table. Yes. Talk about it.

Yes. But we need to sit and talk about it without contempt and weirdness because we're kind of over it. We're kind of like there is no reason any of this is going on anymore, right? We're all We all want the same thing. I was looking to see. So, I don't see any reason for any of us not to be able to talk to one another, but I also think

I don't this is just my opinion. I feel sometimes that there is a lawyer that stirs the pot and I know Marcel used to be ours. Sometimes I wonder if that isn't the reason. There's a little bit. I don't know. That's just my opinion. That means nothing. That is just an opinion and I'm just putting it out there that I feel like we need to have people who are all cohesive because we're not enemies. Stop stirring it to make it that way, right? Like we are all one area. There is no reason this should be going on and we should be done with it. And I think we should all we all want the same thing. We all want you guys to succeed. We all want the medical things that need to be done around here. We all want everyone covered. We just need to talk about what do you actually expect from us. We need to tell you what we expect from you, right? So, let's all from us. We need to tell you what we expect from you, right? So, let's all just do it. Well, and but this is the other thing, too. It's like somebody brought it to my attention the other night who's been on the fire department,

right? No longer on the fire department and they're like, you know, this is back in the 1990s. They are still complaining about who owns what truck. And the town always comes in and we have our one truck that stakes our plane. And I'm like, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we're not saying the town people get on this truck like they used to. And the township go on this truck. I mean, you walk over there now, the majority of those firemen don't even live in this township, right? And a lot of that is just because they work outside and the ones that do live here in the township don't have the qualifications that we need to be on our department.

Well, and I think partially like when it comes to the truck issue, a lot of it is partially like we did invest in that truck. We have to get figure out like our part. What also are we giving back with that? Because we put a lot of money into that too. But I will tell you, so how do we fix that whole issue? When that whole when your truck issue came up last year, it was spoke incorrectly from a board member when they said your truck needs to be replaced. You need to replace it. No, that does not mean that was complete incorrect speaking because just because you brought it to the territory doesn't mean that when we're done with it, you just have to go spend a million dollars to replace it, right?

I think it should would have been better to say it's served its purpose. It's aged out and yeah, we can say that it gets used maybe three, four times a year and it still is a very good truck, but it's not one of the frontline trucks. So, where would we be better? I mean, when they're telling us in our meeting or, you know, when we're sitting down in the fire department and saying, "What's your needs for the coming year?" And he's saying, "Well, I need this right,

you know, tanker and I can get more run water in it, the manpower, you know, now you're running four people off of it versus running two on each truck and trying to get water back into the port. Can we consolidate three to one or can we consolidate?" What you have just said is a very kind way and a very understanding way of stating what it should have been stated a year ago. But a year ago, it was being stated with such harshness and anger and just there's been a lot of meanness. I mean, you have to admit I mean, while while we're laying this out, we might as well lay it out. I wasn't going to Facebook with anger, okay? I was over there simply doing the job. And Lori, you have didn't you were throwing a lot of anger on

my Facebook page. It had nothing to do with the but here nor there. We have went moved on past that because me and you have had a conversation that you have to put this behind. We are just trying to provide a service. But I think it's interesting. You know, you think when you said earlier that we're charging for water. We do not charge for water. We make no money off of water. It actually cost us money to put a fire out. I thought that when you went in fire you could charge X amount. So you're charging for the service. So if we So you're charging for the service, not the water.

That's it. That's the only thing you can serve because and where his his argument is is from the state level when you're taxing the taxpayer for a fire service. You cannot turn around then and charge them for water. You can charge them for your truck usage and your fuel and your manpower, but you cannot charge them for the what are they called like the water um the well okay it's different like if we ambulance can charge a totally different thing is if I use a pad right you know instead of water no because they look at that as already being attached

being paid as part of the protection taxes. I'm not arguing over this. Unfortunately, taxes don't cover the Have you Have you asked what North Liberty does with this kind of thing? North Liberty does not charge nor does South Chief over there and they do not charge. I actually asked North Liberty's clerk and what they do is they have a fillup spot for their fire trucks and if they come and they take it from there they charge them $444 per thousand gallons. It's a it's probably a metered and it is very it is metered and they can tell you what time it took.

Yeah. Right. That's around $100,000 or a little bit more to do that and we cannot afford to do that and they are but they did they did charge the fire department once in the last four or five years you know because they did empty the water tower and that takes a lot more you know stuff to move you know for the water department that's the only time they've ever they're just going by metered rates basically because of but I talked to fire chief over there a couple months ago and he said we've never charge, you know, we have, you know, water a lotment allowance and then it goes 90% of the time we're underneath that. Yeah.

I have a question. Can we get back to whether we are going to sell our fire truck or not? But if we decide to do that, who decides what we buy and do we buy brand new or who pays for the fire and who pays for it? And is it titled in both company or It would be titled in both names. Whatever hours who pays for it? The Well, it would be the territory. Yeah, the territory would pay for it with the the proceeds from this truck from the two from the sale of the two trucks. Any extra would be the fire truck?

So, what equipment or trucks would the fire department have when this is all done? I mean, would we have two fire trucks, one grass rig, one what what would we have? So right now we got I think nine trucks all together. So we got our squad which is our main truck out that's two years old. What's that? A pickup truck. No, it's it's a big fire truck. Fire truck. Okay.

So we run BLS non transport service off of plus fire you know scenes. Uh we got two tankers you know that if we go out to a fire those two tankers will follow that truck out. The town owns a fire engine which is Um it's it's a fire truck, but it doesn't have uh BLS non-transport, you know, equipment on it, right? So that is just considered a fire truck. Is that the main reason why you want to get rid of it? I mean, if it's still functioning, it's I think it's a 20 or 2000 truck. Yeah.

So it's 25 26 years old. I mean, it's still a good truck, but it is time. you know, it will makes a smaller fire department a very nice truck. So that's why there's even smaller than us out there. So um and we have a rescue truck and a grass truck. You don't have a boat. What do you call what do you consider a rescue truck? So like if we go out to like water rescues, you know, it's got the ropes in the life vest and that kind of stuff on it and the gummy suits. So you water, you know, water's ice on the water. Okay.

You can get in the water and it's not as cold. I mean, it's still cold, but not as cold. So we do water ice rescue training every with it every year. So when there's ice on the water, we actually go out there and break the water, break the ice, and jump on. So, and all that stuff's on that truck and it's also on squad. Uh, it's mainly, you know, we use it a lot for manpower transport getting up to a fire scene. So, it's got life pack or air packs on it. So, you actually have two trucks that you would put a fire out with or how many vehicles do you have you actually besides not a grass fire but we can put a fire out with three different trucks

and one of them is the one of the light trucks or And you want to sell that and buy a tanker with it or I don't even remember what the options were. I think it was to sell two engines. One that's still titled in the name of Lakeville, one that's titled in the name of township. And then the funds from the sale of both plus the the replacement fund has $84,2 in it and that could be added to it also to go to go towards a new tanker which is approximately $212,000. I don't know. I've never heard that number before. Yeah, that's what came up in the meeting the other night.

What was his million dollar truck? It's you know pumper tankers go roughly a million dollar. Well, he originally talked about a tanker and then he said possibly who did Brian or Brian a pumper. The reason why we want reason why we want a pumper tanker is if our main engine goes down, we can switch everything over to that truck and use that as our mainline truck until our squad gets fixed. He also Andy also stated that a new tanker could be here by January 2027 and a pumper tanker is two to three years in the making. you know. Yeah. Special order.

They're also looking at a lot of capacities. Um the new one held a lot more than the other consolidate two trucks one more. Yeah. The pump tanker would carry 3,000 gallon. The ones we have now carry one's 1500 the other's 1,200. So if we get rid of both of the tankers that we have, we can carry more water with that one truck than what we can with the two trucks. But it would require selling three of them to get the one, right? No. Two. Two. One. The Lakeville. Well, then what do they want to sell the Lakeville truck for? Then they want to sell the Lakeville truck and a township truck together. Together. And those funds go towards the purchase of a new truck,

which I I'm just I'm only asking because somebody showed up at my house tonight and had a big long conversation about getting rid of the lake truck. So, one of the issues is it's trying to find out. it's sitting and being maintenance and not being used. We use it actually maybe three or four times a year. We've I mean honestly I just had this conversation too with the chief earlier cuz I said when it comes down to it is the engine he's like there's really the engine only cost maintenance the oil. Yeah. It's tankers that are costing us big money. It's I mean we just put $50,000 between the two tankers in the last two years.

Those really are the ones we're looking the one tank they're costing us. But as far as the engine, I think I think maybe the only reason that came up in conversation is that you're going to be able to get more money out of it now if you wanted to contribute into something new. Right. It's still a good backup truck. I mean, I've been told by several of the firemen over there, why would you get rid of the engine? is great backup truck and stuff. It's not my decision. That is that is between the administration and the territory. I don't make decisions on what we bought. I get confused on the whole tanker 151 to tanker 51 to engine 51 and what do we really need, right?

Just for the record, we're talking about the sale of engine 51. Yes. Okay. Yes. Everything over there is 51. has a number in front or letter in front of it to what actually it is. But I too have been told by firemen that if they were going to replace any trucks over there to replace the two tankers and keep the engine as a backup. That's kind of what I heard. And but then we sit and we just I think what they're doing is they're just looking at what's the best way and what brings the best resell. Yeah.

So, it would be better to get rid of two tankers and keep the engine. At least one of the tankers. Well, one one's right now getting the motor rebuilt, right? And the other one had over $30,000 repairs last year. Yeah. Yeah. That does sound like a good candidate to go. Yeah. So, I mean, is that a decision brought to us whether or not we are willing to allow the sale of engine 51 or do you want to go to two tankers?

Well, I just wanting to know is I'm not the way I'm getting this from the last meeting sitting there is just where do you stand with it? If it got to where they were ready to go forward forward, are you willing to trade it or are you because I think in one of your meetings last year, you guys were talking about that if if we gave it back, you would sell it and it would just come back into township or into the town's money like in your own purse. It wouldn't stay in the territory. That wouldn't be right. That would never be something the context was the town was concerned that it would not have any property that

any that whatever the the territory would purchase of it the town would not have any any ownership interested in it. Oh, no. If anything, so anything that is purchased right now, I mean, it is I mean can tell you we bought a utility truck last year that was 100% just paid for out of our township money. It is not does not say Union Township side is still I mean we still run it under it was just that we had the monies sitting in township funds. That's when we got rid of that suburban because there was one that was way past its time, right?

But the style of all these trucks would be I mean same thing if like let's say the township sold the tanker they would just contribute it right back into the territory for repurchase which is I think would be the right thing to do with engine 51. Also the repurchase would be anywhere between 600 to 1.2 too. Well, we can afford that number.

Was a year ago somebody in the audience asked where where do we sit with the squad? Is it going to be paid off? And I don't know if it was in a temporary meeting or a township. And I said that the squad will actually get paid off December will be our last payment on it. And so their idea was you just roll the debt like acquire new debt because you don't want to ever sit with no debt. Okay. And that's how this whole conversation with trucks started.

But but we tried to say and I was trying to tell them the other night is as far as the titles, you mean everything is in Union Township except for the one you hold. But that was prior. I mean that is just how they always did it. But there is a co-owner that we can put down below and why they didn't do that in the past. Yeah. I don't that was the biggest issue. Why was it never done? I dare know it said but going from today forward it should be code. I mean in the defense of private they probably just thought well there's a governing unit and that's just how they since it cannot be technically it should be under the name of territory. It can't be that it cannot be that's

it cannot go into a territory. What was state of harbority? It has either the union township or the town ideally it would be a territory. So this is food for thought. This is nothing to vote upon this evening. And I'm just going to say that I'm all for whatever we can do together that will make the fire department get what they need. I just want to make sure everybody's on the same page tonight and then take that with you and yeah, think about what you think that helps. I don't have a lot of weighing one way or the other. Let's just get it done. There you go.

It sounds like the fire department needs to figure out what they think the best thing is and make the recommendation to the territory board. that make the decision. We I mean I think I know what they want, but they've got Are you talking about the fireheads board? Yeah. They got a big dream and it's like Well, that's something that they're going to have to figure out right down on paper. And if it is to be able to sell engine 51, then we could probably start some proceedings if it's all agreed upon. But some kind of a formal proposal. This is what we're looking for. This is what we want today. soon. We're not gate. Okay. Soon. Yes. When is the ambulance coming back? It is.

We're not going to say a date, but I would say close. They're getting close. Wait, not a few things happen, which I think it's going to be great looking at. It's coming. It's going to be Every day I think about it. I'll tell you, April, I think about I picked off all the letters to have our own ambulance. Every day I worry about it. Every day I think whose mom or dad is having a heart attack and we weren't there enough or quick enough or had enough, you know, it just it's on my mind all the time. That was such a big battle in this town just having ambulances. So right now that truck is certified. Okay.

It's just we're waiting on a few things out of it to happen before we can actually put it under. And that was the other thing came up and at the fire territory meeting um was just that council needs to make a decision if the because the township board is going to meet tomorrow to make that decision moving forward if the township board wants to um go ahead with the ambulance service. Um so then that's something then the council town needs to decide tonight if that's something

the ambulance has never been under the territory how it was. So, let me read this really quick just to go according to what was actually said in the meeting. We first started talking about the bond. Well, remember the bond was 100% theirs. That had nothing to do with um the bond is a whole different thing. When we raised the tax levy last year, I thought that was to go towards Ambo. I evidently was mistaken and that was only to go towards the firemen and the payrolls of the firemen.

Got it. Um, so going from there, if territory took the ambo, the levy would raise again. Marcel said no, it would not raise. Um, the state board is not currently taking appeals, so it would not. So, they're wanting to know the Ambo is going to happen whether it's through the township or through the territory. Would we like it to be part of the territory or let the township be its own governing body or allowed to just like the fire department to be part of the territory? If we do that, we have to amend our territory agreement. Um, we would have to vote emergency

to add the ambo. Um, we'd have to vote to add the ambo, not to amend the agreement. Yeah. Marshall. Yeah. What's your thought process on that? The township can operate the ambo. Um, the Ambo is going to have a $1.2 million budget for three years. For three years. Um, it's $900,000 just for fire. When we took the ambulance bond, we looked at it for funding.

It was an operating bond, so we fund it for the repairs, the maintenance, um, getting it like up back on the road. So you figured that was going to be anywhere from 50 to 100,000 not knowing what we were going to get with everything and then adding an extra personnel to run off back because we already run three under the territory. We budgeted for three. Yeah. Three with the idea that you know we didn't get this bond. We're still going to have a structure of three firemen full time right

on each shift. So the bond then permitted us basically like 330,000 a year of a budget and from that you'll pay your medical supplies you'll pay your personnel and the maintenance but the longer we can stretch that well I know for years that there was always a struggle and some of the old firemen now I know this is a whole different people there's this big huge argument on whether that ambulance should even be in the building. Remember, it was a whole regular building.

To me, I'm like, whatever is best for all of us in this situation in town with our emergency services utilizing what we can or should be utilized. What do you feel about ambulance with a light together? Seriously. Okay. So, our recovery just because of the ambulance. Okay, good. Starting there next week. Who's that? FYI when was given it was meant for ambulance and fire. That's the only way got that grant. Yes. The only not right when we when we applied for that grant so that we could give it to you guys. We basically

made sure of that because there was a lot of situations with that building and stuff on the other side. There was a lot of stuff going on with that and there was a lot of turmoil about because some people were still the old mindset and we were trying to get over that hump of just finally just putting them all emergency in the same not everybody agrees with that but the way that we have it set up now it's said emergency services it's emergency services to me and I doesn't matter is what that says as long as it works and everybody's in agreeance for the same thing at all. So that's I really wanted

they have a meeting tomorrow night and they're wanting our thoughts, opinions. We would have to vote on it and I don't know if we're ready but if we were ready then we could vote on it tonight whether or not we can't be included into the bond as a township till the bond is paid out. I mean, you've Which that was even a little confusing when it was brought up to the table. The bond has already been issued for the 1.2 million to bring it back under the township. The question was should how do we feel about the ambo being brought into the territory instead of just being

instead of being it used to be? Well, when you don't have a setup like we used to have, there's kind of you have to do something. Well, the township can handle Ambo, but would we rather to see it come into territory rather than just township? The same way the fire department the same way the fire so everything would fall under the territory. The same the same way. Right now, I also have a question because we there was a couple meetings or maybe it was the last one. I can't remember. It might have been the last prior territory. I could be off because the last two months

about, you know, we're we're always we believed that our taxes were going for emergency services through a different way through the route county. Did you ever plan anything out? No, that was on the lease. That was on the for the Yeah. Well, lit now. Yes. But so we were wondering did you ever haven't got an answer on that yet as far as for the that portion of the public that's part of like us putting towards like services. So we're like then where's all of our Yeah. No, our taxes do of course. So the taxes for the town go in but yeah as like earlier you are receiving that kind of stuff though from town. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

So, that was the biggest question was just on um wanting to move forward. Number one, if the town did want to move forward as well as like the township's going to vote on that tomorrow, it's going to go forward either way. But yeah, so but the but the best situation and what we discussed at the fire territory board meeting was to incorporate then the ambulance under the fire territory just like the firemen. So every you just have one entity that is one overseeing uh board with it. Kelly, do you have an opinion on that? She does. She said it'd make her bookkeeping a lot easier if it was under territory. Well, me personally, I would have rather just kept everything under the territory because you can make a line item. Yeah.

And have all your ambulance expenses come out from. But unfortunately, the DGF once it's separated because it's a township bond, which is crazy. So they want to see the monies. I mean, so when we took that, we can't just sit on that money. They want to see that when we took that bond, we were using it. Correct. And so, we're doing good. I mean, as long as we keep showing them in good faith, like, yes, we got our inspections done. Now, we're getting the lights, you know, fixed. Now, they're in training. I mean,

I have a projected date, but I will not put it out there because if I say this date and it's not there, then people are going to be like, you know, Yeah. But I can comfortably say in the next two months. Got it. Summer. So, do you have the manpower for it? Because I know that was part of your discussion during too. One month it was like we need another ambulance. And then says, "No, we don't have any people to man it." The next month I hear the fire chief says, "Oh yeah, we need another ambulance." at this point. But do you have the power for like if if there's a fire and you need an ambulance go on ammo or what?

The way they're establishing it, if you want to talk. So go ahead. So if we have a fire, all the firemen are going to get on the fire trucks and the tankers. They'll leave the ambulance set. Medic 10 or South Bend medics will come down and do our ambulance service as we're at the fire in case there's somebody. That's the way it works right now is what you're saying. Yes. So that's an ambulance and it'll still work the same way because we don't have enough manpower to run the trucks that we need to run out the door with the fire. So the people will come down and use our ambulance. No, they won't bring their own. So the ambulance will be used when there's a call that does not require fire.

They're going to look at the call. So basically dispatch, whoever dispatch dispatches those trucks. If it's a fire, they're going to roll every fire truck to a fire. But if it's a car accident, then two people are going to go on a fire truck. Two people are going to go on for a heart attack at somebody's house somewhere. But you know, ambulance, rescue. Yeah. As of right now, there's two paid people for Ambo and we did agree to we have three. So, right now three people on every shift. So, the other night when they asked, were you wanting to go ahead and approve for a third full-time person? That was for the territory. Yes.

We as the township have the monies to bring the fourth person in. But I want to be cautious. It's not like when we run this service, it's going to be like, oh, you know, I mean, we want it to be a marriage. Yes. We want it to be that it's running together as a system because I can't guarantee you that if he's a territory employee now, but if he's on the ambulance tomorrow, I don't want somebody from the town be like, why is a territory person on the township ambulance? It doesn't matter. It doesn't really matter. All the same entity in my mind. We're all the same when it comes to what are necessary.

So, we're looking at what's the perfect marriage. What is the way of getting it just all under one? I think it would be putting the amble getting it all together. But we know that we have a three-year bond on it. And so for those three years, it those monies will be sitting. Now question would be can we take the monies that are sitting over here and just do a transfer over into the territory to fund it. I don't know the deal I was going to say it seems like that would be the township is is using the bond to pay for the service by paying the territory to do it. That's kind of what we're looking

sense. Yeah. And I think that's then when Ryan was saying, well, if township's putting the monies into it, is the town bringing any money to the table, right? But I mean, if it comes under the territory, then the town's contribution to the territory is going.

So, it's more of a like I think you said, Patrick, it's going to have to be more of a discussion come budgeting because right now we've already established our budgets. Um, yeah. You know, we can't just say, "Oh, yeah. Let's just go throw another 100,000 and the budget's not going to allow it." So, but the bond can pay for it. So, I think it makes more sense to have everything under one, which would be the territory. And just like you said, you're getting paid by terri by territory. If Ambo's being run by township, then

I would say I would I would be concerned if there would have to be a contract or something between if the township ran ambulance service on its own, there would have to be some kind of a contract between the township and the territory in order to make sure there were no liability issues with the terra people being on the ambulance. So, one way or another was did somebody bring that up? Um, I was thinking one of the board members said I just asked on whether or not

contract old ways were contract and work with all of these things when in reality we probably could have done things a lot differently when it was first. But it was new like we didn't have fire territories. We didn't have any of that. And they did a really good job of doing considering the chaos that was being ensued about all of those things. Right, Carol? because Carol was a part of those those the fire territory, right? Yeah. And so there was a lot of and a lot of it stems from a lot of past stuff too like things people not like.

I'm going to say I don't think because the statutes that set up fire territories back in the day were made clear. Well, again, at the end of the day, the only thing is the township provides fire. We do not have to provide ambulance. Yeah. So, that those are the state statutes. You provide fire. And I mean, we're fortunate because we do have South Bend where the county contracts to South Bend. But, I mean, that's been a big topic of discussion and I think that's why the become a discussion with us is that that contract could get pulled. Yeah. How when they say, "Well, we're not going to do it." Well, they're talking and it's already in talks. Well, I'm sure because they're talking heavier now than what they were.

Yeah. More of a conversation for needs to talk too. Yeah. So, yeah. How is insurance affected if we sell a fire truck on it now? I mean, yeah, we all pay an insurance. They're getting more gallonage with the newer tanker. And then um with having because that was one question I brought up not at this fire territory meeting at the prior one um it was basically actually negated because of the fact that now we have a full-time fire department which then under insurance ratings actually gives a lower rate than what we had before based just upon gallant inch but they would be getting higher.

Everybody within here tell their insurance company that there's a full-time fire department and a volunteer fire department. Your insurance, your personal insurance should go down. Yeah. Yeah. By a whole four dollars a year. I've talked to some of them. It's been over $400. Really? Everybody will be tomorrow morning just because we went from volunteer to full time. Yeah. Anything else for this evening?

Ry's gone. Yeah. Just want to make sure we're wrapped up here. Does anybody have any questions for them? No. Can you guys let Ryan know what was discussed tonight so I don't have to make a phone call at 9:00 at night to let him know? Please. Thank you, Randy. Randy, we're glad you're here. I had one meeting go. I got home at 5:15 in the morning and uh we got some time. No, I really did. I got home.

Oh my god. I had a couple things to say, but seriously, just some real quick. I think you folks know the county council cannot lower your property taxes. Okay. There's some people around saying we can't. Really?

Oh, yeah. One guy running for office tomorrow, if he loses big time, but he says 75% of all your money back. You know what that is? True. You know how to do you know that would do to you? But these are guys trying to run for office. They lie like, you know, there was another gentleman going around saying, "The county has all this money. We need to give some of this money back." He's lying, too. We have so much unfunded liability in this county. It's incredible. So, I'm working on a fire, excuse me, police pension. We're about 20 to 30 million underwater with that. and we're going to we're working on it now to hopefully hopefully fund 15 to 20 million this year. We can do that. So, just something that I am working on. Our small bridges in this county has not been worked on for 20 years. So, we're working on that now. You're talking 20 to 40. So, again, we got to protect our people. We're going to do So, that's all I really been talking about. Um, we have lowered property. What the state allowed us to do, you know, I talked to you about for the 55 and under. If you're 55, been in your house 10 years, let me encourage you to apply for that. That's a state thing. That's county. They they allow the county to do it. St. Joe County is the only one that's done it. And two months ago, we passed a tax deferment. I thought to keep grandma in her home property tax what it is. We passed it the commissioners veto and so we voted override a veto but we don't you need six. So we do what we can and as for the commissioners for the ambulance thing that's a commissioner thing.

I have talked to our commissioner I just don't have any authority over you guys. Yeah, you have more authority by calling our commissioner and say look okay we'll see what they do. I'm following like a push. It's not only Lakeville but it's there's a lot going on. There's a lot in my district. Does everybody know who Randy is? So anyway, that's about it. No, except the parade. The parade. Wait, first there's some people in the room that have never met you and they don't know who you are.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Randy Fig. I want to come. He represents our district. I have the largest district, but like this lady right here, I have a lot of cows in my district. Yeah, I do. I have town of Mishawaka have eight precincts. One precinct city, South Ben, Madison Township, a lot of Ben Township, Union Township, this township, well this sorry, Mosa Center, uh, Liberty and Walk. So, let's So, the parade, yes, we're the parade. So, you guys can have a meeting on that. So, we can please include me. Give me a text.

Absolutely. Thank you. Looking forward to it. And that's all I really have. But that's it. That's enough unless you have questions for me. You have a question, feel free to contact anybody. Thank you. I have seven uh township trustees. That's a joke. Five um school systems. Yeah. Have you heard any because there's a lot of um discussion that there's going to be some township trustees within your area that are going to get consolidated. Have you heard any? Yes, I have.

Okay. I've heard about that. There was a law that was passed. Funny you brought that up. Jake Paul and AJ Tashk and I brought up and people are against that and but what happens is is a scoring system right and so the DGF I believe they do the scoring system and you have till this year then if let's say if I'm just using an example I haven't heard okay let's say you need to then you'd have to say this is why right and what would happen is you have to combine with another township

what you're looking at is trying consolidate. I don't know if you followed it. It is on a point system, but they're looking I mean it could greatly affect a lot of the southern townships down here to where bill 94 becomes one. And the question with all of that is is who votes them in? Like who's your board members for it? You know, there's a lot of unknown questions because we already discussed how we don't want to lose our authorities down here. What if we lose them to Why do I feel like that should be much more for like within city?

That makes more sense to do it towards in the city areas. That's what's going to happen. But the outskirts it doesn't make sense to do it because everyone's seen the city side you know pen they're mishwalk but damn a lot of were here and they could be affected just and they are it's not per se but just out there is it could be Madison green not Madison they have their own volunteer they're safe okay it will not well like I said this is just conversation there amongst people that Madison green um center and portage and I'm like

according to what I'm reading I'm like I don't see how these people are reading into that. Yeah, that's um there's a,53 townships in our state and they say we're going to go down about 700. So we'll see. Wow. And then you have a year afterwards the voter notices we're talking two years those are running for township. Well, there are

Well, don't they have to put Is that something that goes into the voters's hands? Like whether we okay that that's okay to change that or not? Like if we were a little bit that's why the trustees have to say this is why I need it and they make the decision out. So they're doing to the trustes that they did to the schools. Is this what they're doing to the trustees but they did to the school when they they decided that they were gonna score all the schools how well they consolidated

I mean there are a lot of townships that don't manage a fire department they give township assistance they might have a thousand people in their little township and they're I think they are trying to look at that more but that's what they are sense they might even go to work like you have office Right. And so that's what they're really look at. Let's get rid of Yeah. But there's just a lot of rumors out there. This is Southern Harbor. That's not That's having a volunteer fire department is Yeah. Madison's

if you have department. That's I've heard that before. There are certain places if they don't have one, you can't do certain things. I mean, it makes sense for like a town of 400 that has a clerk, like other places that are a lot different than us, like middle of nowhere, Wyatt style people that are still having like I understand that. That makes sense because of money. Yeah. Uh for for incomes for those people, but at the same time, you know. Yeah. So, we'll see. Let's hope. Yeah, by that good luck tomorrow. Does anybody have anything else?

Going once, going twice. I would like to ask for a motion to adjourn at 7:55 p.m. So, who is the optimistic person that was 6:45? I know it's got a lot of time. Do I have a motion? I make a second. All those in favor.