Town Council - Regular Meeting

So, we're calling meeting or at 6:01 p.m. April said she may not be here this evening. She is not feeling the best. Um, so we there's two of us. Um, what do you have first?

So, I'd like to ask for a motion to approve the minutes from August 21st, 2025. I'll make that motion. All those in favor I I would like to ask for

a motion to approve the accounts payable in the amount of $54,14325. I make that motion. All those in favor? Right. What does she [Music] welcome back? Yep. Okay.

That's the email I got. And then Yeah, that's everything I sent. Why is that right here, Jenny? Is this one? So, payment number 16. Yeah, that's what I was looking for. It's for Phoenix. Andy, you looked this over and this looks correct to you. depreciation $38,54521. So I would like to ask for a motion to approve the SRF dispersement number 16 in the amount of $380,555 my apologies 38,545,21.

This is all something that's been preapproved in the club, right? All those in favor? All right. So, this is approved and ready to go. All right. The banner electric. That's okay then. Okay. So, this is the banner electric final payment. It's our final payment for base contractor application for final payment. Andy has looked over this in agreement with the 10,238

operational testing it to make sure that it's functioning but anything that will be able to okay so that's zone and completed. So, I'd like to ask for a motion to approve the final payment to Banner Banner Electric in the amount of $10,238. I will make that motion. All those in favor?

I all those opposed. So, be it done. Ready? Yeah. Okay. So, the last I got was the progress report number 18, the doz, but $7,610.

That sounds correct to you, Andy? Yes. And that's for our staff. There's more deals there on these projects. Then I would like to ask for a motion to approve progress report number 18 with influence number 606681 in the amount of $7,610.

All those in favor? Anything else? [Music]

Joe. Okay. Uh, this past month, uh, we've had some issues. This is stuff that we've been kind of dealing with. Uh, so I kind of gave you some dates and stuff. On August 6, we were flushing on flushing the hydrants on Lake Trail, the last hydrant to shoot across the road and then scraping it up on a vehicle. And Dave was flushing and uh a vehicle passed. He flipped it over and it landed on a car and he flipped it back real quick. I got a phone call that uh it flooded their car uh and that we did this because they are a firefighter for the town and I I told him to stop right there. I says Dave is Dave does not know any firefighters on here nor what they drive. So I think Patrick and Vouch I uh I was coming into town. Brandon happened to be up at setting up at 4:31. So I stopped and asked him, "Can you come down?" I called him back, says, "Bring your vehicle down so we can get pictures. We'll get a report. We'll take care of whatever has happened." And never showed up.

So then August 7th, um, well, is that the end of that one? That that is the end of that one because Patrick Patrick waited around or I'm sorry, Brandon waited around for probably half hour, 45 minutes waiting for them to come back. I called them. It's like, "We're waiting." and nobody ever showed up. So that we So to your knowledge there's no police report on this. There's back.

Then uh August 7th uh he was up flushing at Morningside and noticed that somebody had put a camera to uh film us uh flushing that dead end hydrant up there. So we got Patrick involved. I I can go into all the details of what transpired there. Uh but they basically it's the the farmer to the south of us uh is upset about the way we are flushing. So we kind of changed up the where we're flushing. Got a different diffuser, try to keep it on the road. Uh I thought everything was taken care of. Uh then on August 13th I get a call from IDM that that farmer then said turned me into IDM. So I talked with IDM uh I I believe they called down to Indie and they transferred it up to the South Bend office which is my inspector is who called me. Uh and they I told her it's like you're more than welcome to come down and see what we're doing. Uh she says we encourage flushing. Uh I explained everything to her and everything was good there. We were just back up there the 4th again September 4th flushing this this last Thursday I think fourth. Uh then the cameras back up. So they got their pictures of us. I don't know what what is going on here or what the purpose of all this. We haven't done anything to the crops or anything. Just to clarify for everybody here on this is fresh water coming out of the hydrant that's being flushed.

Yes. If you I went up and looked at it myself the other day just out of curiosity to see what direction it could go. And if you shoot it in one direction, you're getting houses and people is what you're going to get if you go in any other direction. But IDM is generally called when there's a problem with natural water or you have a runoff. Well, ID is our ID is my inspector. Correct. They're over our water plan, everything. The ones that say do our inspections and everything. So, but they normally wouldn't be called for fresh water. Oh, no. They could be called the water system. Yes. Water, sewer, storm. Yes. They they they're kind of everything is

different different people deal different with different different areas but so so they have an open door to come down anytime they want yeah pretty much yes they just have to give me 24 hours notice or any of our plans or anything but I I told her I said you can come down I says I don't I don't know what to do with this uh because he he won't come and talk to us he had somebody else sent an email first time. It was probably the beginning of August. Um, and that might have been to you. It was on our table before along with some pictures that you had taken. So, he had contacted us once.

Yes. water sl you talked to like describe what the complaint was that

just that basically flushing water onto somebody else's property and we're basically we're flushing it into the street and there's two storm basins on each side of the street that's catching the water but the that road goes downhill to the there's probably a I'm going to say a 20 25 foot wood line between Morningside and the farmer's field. So that water is running down the road into that uh some of it's going to the catch basins, but like I say, just the grade of the road, everything's going that way into that wood line. So we've we've changed up our practices of but it's I I don't understand you know he's farmed this for before the that morning site was in and I I even also talked to Dan when he was flushing that he's always flushed that way. So I don't know since 2002 when this was put in what's happened in the last six months that we haven't done before that is causing the problem. But like I say, it hasn't killed any crops or anything. Everything's still so it's information for you guys of what I've been dealing with here the last month of just

if you're doing what you can do and you've changed it per the farmer's request and ID them has been in contact with you, there's nothing more you can do.

Really nice thing is if they got pictures of us working, you guys can see that we're actually moving something. So, okay. Uh I I talked to Patrick a little bit uh the other day top down. Uh we've got several uh properties around town that uh they got trees that are real close to the curb lines that are now growing out into the streets to where we can't get, you know, even get plowing to the curb line at snow, let alone leaf pickup. And we're getting into that here coming up. So, I'd ask Patrick if it's something we can send letters to these people to see if they will trim them back or if they don't want to trim them back. We would just have to go in there and get them cut back so they're not hitting the truck so we can

I noticed the one on the northwest corner of Patterson and Lake today. You can't even see what street it is anymore.

Yes. And just at at uh Washington and uh Gra Street going up the hill on the north side, whatever those little berry trees are that they have there. Those are really it I mean we're like 4 foot from the getting to the curve line now. They've grown out so far. I just didn't want to go do it and then have the residents upset. So I talk Patrick to, you know, we send letters to them first to inform them and uh then we just kind of go from there. Yeah. So, yeah, I'll send letters to that's why I talked to I think it was Friday, I think. And then uh so I'll send the letters to the uh property the one's homeowner, the other's property owner and that. And so on the other one that we that we had it got taken care of, too. So,

yes. Mhm. Uh community crossings, I believe, our painting going to be coming in in the next couple weeks to do that for the year and get all of our patches taken care of. And Denny, I don't know if you I got to locate for the blue barns and Carol's not here. Are they here? No, she had Ben's delivering rocks right now. So, she went over to meet with him. stupid. I didn't know if you knew if they were going to be doing that because the only I would like to get though if they're going to put the water and sewer in like to get it as they can before they come so we get the road repatched before winter.

I think we're going to do super but I don't know. Okay. He had water listed. Okay. So, but we can uh then also the anybody the tower update they've uh they've set the uh the hatchway and everything today and all of the all of the jacks to so they can raise tentatively Thursday, but uh the bowl should be raised. But we're we got a couple things Andy's got anything else he wants to add or any other questions you guys?

It was really neat seeing him put that piece in today. I cannot wait to watch the whole goify some things on their welds and their steel plates and um you know if all goes well then it might be uh going through the air on Thursday. If they have to change a couple things then it might be delayed to the pine. So yeah, it's a long. So what are the odds they're actually going to meet their deadline? They're actually pretty I was going to say it sounds like they're working real fast.

So they're they're they're pretty close on hitting the deadline. Um we want to make sure that you know your quality is compromised. So we've been working back and forth with them. They have a little bit of problem with their labor on some crews and that's why there's a longer delay than normal. Um but they've they've uh accelerated and things are going well. Um we are actually uh trending under budget right now. So um we have some contingency available that we're looking at. Um some potential existing valves to be replaced at the water plant that um are valves that aren't functioning right now. So we're evaluating that and present that to the board at the appropriate time. But again, we're trending under budget. So that's a that's a good thing.

Great. Thank you. Uh how many to bring so far? One. One. Yeah. That's huge. That's a little one. I vide you guys didn't put a couple things I remember after I put in my slip. Uh the town truck is up at the body shop. The red pickup. Get the bed fixed. That is in the body shop now. and Dave is at uh the CDL getting that taken care of. So, it's all again. Okay,

great. Thank you, Patrick. Okay.

Um, so our activity for August 2025, I do have a correction on the sheets. I forgot to It's We actually had That's why I went to go grab my master sheet when I first came out. We had 187 calls for service for August. Um, of that 187, we had 15 assists to St. Joseph County Police. We had an alarm at Orchard Heights. Uh fight Clearwater Trailer Park crash on Pierce Road. 911 hangup on Lynen Road. Uh missing juvenile on Patterson Road. Uh domestic at Clearwater Trailer Park. Mental investigation 931 in Madison. Suicidal person on State Road 4. Suspicious person Shively Road. Had a suspicious vehicle at Palmer's. Uh one suic had a suicide creek. Suicidal person on Newton Avenue. unwanted person, Clearwater Trailer Park, found juvenile on Osborne Road. It was a young child was just wandering by themselves. Alarm on Roosevelt Road and we had one assist to North Liberty Police Department. Uh and that was for a domestic at the Meadows. Took a total of 17 reports for the month. Uh two driving while suspended, two juvenile investigations, two assisting outside agency. uh two violations uh two viol two reports for a violation of court order. Uh one unauthorized control uh of a motor vehicle uh one motor vehicle theft, one sexual battery, one theft, one crash, uh one battery, one fraud, and one traffic investigation. Had a total of four arrests for the month. Uh that would be two driving while suspended, one motor vehicle theft, and one driving never licensed. and had a total of 26 tickets written for the month and five local ordinance violations.

Yes, it was a very busy month. Um the only one thing I do have is we did finally Well, actually two different things I could go on now. We talked about this. Send me the update.

Yeah, I'll send you the updated because I sent the other one. Yeah, I'll send you the updated one with the numbers. Um the rest of our flock cameras uh should be up hopefully within the next two weeks. Everything was finally approved by the state um which was a very long process. And so that is done. And then actually speaking of uh with state permitting last Tuesday uh for the coffee shop Abraham they uh they actually did get their permits from the state. So, they are up and running as far as to getting stuff done. So, they started demolition last Wednesday. Um, so some of the kind of a little bit of updates what he had given me, he walked me through of how they're going to do. They're going to try to have as much open space as possible inside kind of the area when it was um Outlaw Barbecue, the area where the counter was uh is actually they're going to have two refrigerators there and those are going to be for any local farmers or anybody local to sell local goods and products um that they can. And they're also looking at in the back section uh putting in a uh Cuban sandwich shop, Cuban deli to go along with their coffee. They have a friend that actually does um uh Cuban sandwiches comes Cuban cuisine. So that's kind of what they're looking at is actually then being able to offer um along with coffee and you know coffee, pastries, um donuts, and but to also be able to actually offer some sandwiches. So,

do they have a date there? He's still hoping before the end of the year, but um they got really behind as far as with initially they were thinking July and then they pushed it out to August and we're just now getting their their permits. Um so, they're going to try at least getting the drive-thru portion completed and starting interior work here within the next couple weeks. So, are they tearing down the

Yes, I'm not sure why they left it up. Um, but yeah, no, that that overhang will be coming out and then um where the door was to go out to that little little office area is actually that's where the drive-through window will be. And then on the other side of that, they'll have a counter um and then that's where the coffee m the coffee machines will be um for where people can come up and order. And then they have to put up a you said like a divider.

So they'll be putting a divider up in between um where our parking places are now and where the drive-thru area will be for um a barrier so that people can't drive over. Um they're also going to be in the front section where there is greenscapes right now um where they had all the bushes and the fence. They're taking that all out and they're going to end up they'll put the uh parking buffers in um about 2 feet from where the sidewalks at. So that and they'll have angle parking there and then in the front of the building um they're leaving the overhang and they'll have that as patio outside seating and there'll be two handicap spaces right there in front for people. So

I seen they dropped the is gravel or something.

Yeah. And so in the back section here uh by the dumpster, they're going to gravel that whole area. So So that way they won't there won't be any um maintenance. Yeah. And grass. So but that's their plans. So and we're kind of working with them to see what we can do as far as if we can time it correctly with Milestone being here of getting our because our property line for the town actually extends over into where their concrete area is. um to see if we can time it correctly and get with Jacine too to see what funds would be available there too. But um actually extend our town parking lot over to the to the property line and then at the same time um see about being able to help them out with their the smaller area that's there on the side of the building all at all at once to at least get that cohesive and it'll give us a little bit more parking too. So,

okay. Oh, that's all I can think of. I mean, I can I can mention it. Everybody's going to text.

Okay. Okay. Um, so we did bring uh Jess Fischer back on as a reserve at the current point in time. Um, we have been in the process now for a little over a year. Um we've had few discussions here I know as far as working with the school corporation getting that um payment for for my hours. Uh last Friday they did actually get their approval on the grant. Um so we're not changing anything as far as salary ordinance yet until we actually have a check from the school corporation which should be in midocctober um when they get their payout for the school safety grant. Um once we have that point then we can look at bringing him up to part-time uh for paid position then he would be able to cover uh from 8:30 to 12:30 um being the hours where um and actually there will be some overlap even with me because I'll do I do three hours up at the up at the school. So my three hours enable him four hours for him and then Brandon comes on at then one o'clock. So, so we have we have coverage there. But for the time being, since he has been working events at the at the wetland barn um and that so we can uh he'll be in Lakeville uniform when he's working that and there will be some shifts in the morning he can start covering even as a reserve. So

who's he work for? Uh Plymouth. He's been with Plymouth for I believe three years. City of Plymouth for three three years. Yeah. So if anybody has concerns or questions, please see Patrick.

That includes the public. Um, there's been rumors already and just stop the rumors now. Um, I questioned it myself because 10, 15 years ago there were we're all young and dumb and we all grow and we learn and we learn with experience. And I think Jess has come a long way. Um, I did sit down and talk with Patrick to find Patrick's reasons as to why he chose the person he did. And after sitting down and talking with Patrick, I I'm comfortable. Um, before talking with Patrick, I personally was not. Um, but if anybody does have any questions, please go to Patrick and he can let you know why he's made the decision that he has as to the person he has.

Yeah. And he's one that was always involved very much with the community before and even still still is. So, yeah. And he currently he does work part-time uh North Liberty Police Department as well. They just don't have as many part-time hours as what they they used to. So, okay. Yep. You're welcome. Again, all questions. No rumors and no gossip. Question. Anything else? Nope.

Well, I will have that much, but we have the architect is off making official plans for the blue barn. We had some ideas changes we made and Andy is the one who sent in. Cost me more than that. Oh yes. Did you have a question about something? No. I just I got an 811 locate for guys are going to do the water. Are they doing water and sewer?

Well, I talked to Dave today because I heard through Terry that David picked the date to get that done and I was happy to hear that. But um we had just a question about what your plan was for the sewer and if we get that okay paid. I told David I would let him know right away and if he can do both or whatever close together that way we get covered by the asphalt too with them a week to two weeks. So so yeah as soon Yes. As soon as I hear a date, I will let you know if I know when they're coming in. If we can get that done. Yeah.

It's the rock and we put a big rock down there. I don't want to set it where he's going to put the water. Okay. These rocks we keep talking about, there's somebody on an upgrade that has three. Looking at the picture, they were olders but some over at the barn, right? So Ben and I go out to look at him today because I'm the one who's been communicating with the woman and now I need to see if Ben can get him up on the flatbed. And so we go out to look. The small one is as big as the one that's at the park now. Hold on. This is the small one. That's the little one. Yeah. Yeah, it's huge.

Yeah, the big one measures six foot wide, four foot tall. So, he's not sure if he can get the big one or not, but these were free from somebody on Oak Road that didn't want them anymore. Yeah. And I will throw that out. We have a huge rock that is out of the ponds. Oh, really? It's about the size of a car. If you could see somebody that would move it. It's It's huge. But it's it's a it's a neat looking rock. You're doing all the rocks.

Well, the rock I'm using in landscaping up around the barn, but the big one I would like to use it as landscaping out at the corner of the blue barn on the at the street. So, grass already. Yeah. And that one, like you mentioned, the big one's even large enough if we wanted to etch some words into it or something. It would be neat with something etched into it because it's got a flat side. So and so is buried here.

But yeah, so that's what's happened with that. Um I'm I talked to Daniel today just to start looking at our finances again and making sure everything's in order, see where we're at with that. So that's about all we I want to plan on meeting soon. That's what I was getting at. I'm just gonna say don't put X's buried here on that rock. Anytime you wanted to do any work over there, everybody run over would see it and go immediately. You have to wait for the archaeologist.

Oh, wait. Never mind. I am hoping that within the next week we can move two vehicles out of this barn and I can get all the Halloween stuff out of the blue barn. We're going to put it over here the next from now till Halloween. The barn over here is going to be our workshop to set up all of our crops. So I will get everything we have out of that. I not going to get near anywhere. Um, but Patrick's going to get an energy drink

and help us out with that and his teenagers maybe. Mhm. Yeah. Perfect. I'm sure. Mhm. One with with his girlfriend. Mhm. Yeah. She's going to help too of that. Anything else? Yes. So that's the exciting sewer discussion. I like rocks better. Some people like rocks, some people like um so we had kind of a lumped it in really flexibility where we just guessed where it was just so we would know rough elevations, right?

Where you want to tie to along the road. Obviously, you got some flexibility there, too. I guess a couple key takeaways is like Jim said, that storm sewer is right there. So, you can get over it with the sewer, but it just makes it a little shallow. So, you're going to have to fill uh the site, which we talked about, no surprise, but you know, once you get to the barn, you're only going to be about a foot deep with your stew. However, the finished floor of the barn is about two foot, right? if my plan is your

so it'll it'll work require some side work and some things like architect suggest maybe coming this way farther rather than a straight diagonal line kind of like you had to swoop it is that what you're or no he's suggested going this way farther on the short line coming oh you mean a little bit more elevation than where we but it's not too much and then yeah wherever and then the water has to stay obviously so freezing and then

I don't know what you can decide what you want to do with your contractor our initial thought was just get it out of the road and stuff it there and you can right that's that's my plan right now is get it to the curb stop and then So, wherever you think it should be for the sewer, you tell me what the best spot is. Well, it depends where we building that corner farther south. There was one. We'll have to watch where that property line might be because is it on are the trees on the property line or are they trees are right?

So, pretty close. Yeah. Just in case. I mean, it's all kind of town right now, but 50 m. So, yeah, we don't want to. Yeah. Or there's no internet or anything in there, is there? I mean, I say the internet is on the um south side of the road. So, the internet is in the prop is in the property there. And the

Yeah, cuz the one the internet's Yeah, cuz the one of the Yeah, cuz one of the one of the boxes I think is over by um where that Well, actually it runs straight from where the sign is there cuz it's about a foot off of the sign that uh Rouch Depot there and then it runs straight west to about where uh Bubalini's driveway is and beyond the south side of his driveway there's a pot there's but it runs straight I think they're down probably about 3 ft. They did all directional boring when they did it. So I mean it should fluctuate about that.

So kind of working from bar towards the sewer you've got obviously you get to the the edge of the you know the property then you got gas fiber sto and then you get to your sanitary. So, we've got we took elevations of the of the the sanitary sewer. Um, this is even small for me, right? You know, we're about um about 3 and 1/2 ft deep, I believe. You know, three, four feet deep there. But the question for us is when you know the gas is, you know, as as the contractor comes across that, they're just going to have to pothole and be careful where the gas is and where the fiber is because those both are outside of the pavement, but closer to the blue barn. So, you expose those. Make sure that they know where they're at when they start laying. I think the red over the top down into the sewer.

I think it kind of goes rocks. So, it's going to So, it's it's it's close. Those are the two things. Well, that's why I said the better to elevate it inside the barn because you're approximately 4 foot off the ground. Yeah. Yeah. So to insulate it and bring some fill like you talked about fill so we can move back up. I think we'll get it covered. So yeah, I think it's

I just all I need to know is where to put it to the curb stop or which part of the street I should as close to the boundary line as I can. I mean, it's really up to your own,

you know, few pipes in the ground right there. It's about where the tree line is. Basically, it's close to I don't have my radio down there at 9. Um, so could be that tomorrow morning. So a few minutes before 9:00, you want me or actually? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

You be present so you can remember everything you say. Get older in the room. Okay, thanks. I'm done. I'm sorry. I don't have anything. Are you done looking [Music] video record? We're still I'm assuming we're gonna started this thing as soon as Richart Jeff Richart's gonna clear the land out here for us.

So hopefully he's going to wedding for a couple weeks. So his daughter got married over there. So he should be back real quick from so he thinks he could clear it for us. So it's all I have right now. He's also gonna cut some trail some of the limbs back in the trail, too. Yeah. Um Sarah and I went through there on the golf cart to see where we were going to do the festival stuff. I told Terry we should hire somebody. Yeah.

Should have said the mosquitoes are bad too, right? Well, we can get more of the mosquito things. Yeah. Will you show them what they are on Amazon? Because they were Are they? Yeah. Or Oh, we can you get some of those again? If we get them now, I think 30 days. 30. Yeah. So, we might have to do a second one that's not cool by the end of October. But if you get them now, anybody can walk through those woods with mosquitoes and it'll help clean up. So, two of them. Well, I think there's two per package. Two per package. I think we got four. But I think there's four. You have to look. But it should be I think we did four all together to get the square footage. Yeah.

So if you can get those moms are going to be coming up real quickly. I ordered them from Mr. Mac. Okay, so booms are coming. Jacqueline is getting the um skater tubes and as soon as we get those we'll get those put up in the woods. That way our trails are not maybe up a little bit. Yeah. Especially for fall festival. Yeah.

So if we as soon we get those put up and start controlling the better it would be. Does anybody have anything else? I have just a few things to go over. Nothing controversial. First of all, we have a from the Methodist church. You had one, too. I put Yeah, I saw it. Yeah. Who's this from? Methodist church. Oh,

Lakeville. Dear Lorie, thank you for participating in the Lakeville party in the park. It was great to have you helping with all the arrangements and for the school supplies. Everyone enjoy the party and have a wonderful time. We appreciate your time and effort in this annual event. [Music] Can be put somewhere. Those are letters. That one's right here. Okay. So, there's that. Uh, budgets. I've gotten Joe's going to be working on his. When do those need to be approved and turned in by?

No, November 1st, isn't it? End of October, November. That is the the very end of of the period. We do not want to be waiting that long. Right. So, by our next meeting, I want to get approved. We've been I we've been talking about two months. So, we need to sit down by our next meeting and it's a work session. So, let's go over everybody's numbers and we'll go from there. Have we heard what the percentages are in raises? I haven't seen anything yet, but I haven't been on date at all this week. Not yet. But you did get Yeah, you did get the numbers though from

Yeah, I got that the ones I showed you. Yeah. Uh I called surf the internet last week. and called us myself, but then called on behalf of ATM. Um, and I talked to them about the little lids on their flower pots is what they call them because we are missing most of them. Um, I heard that, you know, this person's called, that person's called, Patrick's called, Jeff, I don't know if you've called, Chris has called, or Joe's call.

Everybody's called. So when I call them, they look it all up. They said, "Nope, we don't have anything on here that anybody's ever told us about these." Like, "Well, that's just not true." I said, "You know what? That's fine. It doesn't matter." I said, "Last week, somebody was walking down the street and they fell and there just happened to be a flower pot right there. They had other circumstances involving their fall, but the flower pot did get in the middle of it. Um, so I said, you know, I would really hate to like have any kind of legal issues. It is in the rightway, but your your I go, what if that was a child?

I go, are you guys ready for that? Oh, no. Hold on. Let me let me get my supervisor. And this was just last I don't know what day was that incident. So, it was a week. Oh, would it happened the It happened the day of the fire territory board meeting cuz that was right before that. I think that was a Wednesday, a week ago. They were on Monday. They checked everyone. Every single street is one last week.

Is it? Yeah. No, he went they went house. It took three days and they went house to house. replacing him. Good on you. Good on you. You managed to get him to do it. Well, after seeing somebody falling and I mean the one you're getting before it's a really is it is a right of It's in the technically it's in the right way and they're only like three foot off the road and nobody should be walking into somebody's property anyway. But I guess if you're stumbling, it can happen. And then you can stumble like your whole leg into one of these.

Exactly. You trip. You trip wherever you were supposed to be walking. You stumble. You fall into the hole. It's much worse than if you like. Let's be grateful. This was not. So um less than a week after calling them, they were down each and every single street. And they also left seven. They have seven. And then they left some with Joe as well. So we both have No. So, when they did the initial install, it had it was a key that had to lock them. And I I just I don't They just left them on there and didn't lock them. So, the newer ones, it's a push. It's spring loaded. So, as soon as it's push,

yeah, they shouldn't get sucked up now. It's spring loaded. As soon as it's push, it allows it like a door. It allows the latch to go back when you push down on it. and then it it goes forward and then they have to have a key to be able to open them. So So if there are any further issues and I think I sent a message out to most of you stating, you know, if you see them, let's reply to this message so that way we're all on the same page. Um so we'll do that same thing again if there's more issues. And I asked them for a ticket number before I got on the phone so that way we have proof that we have called made this call. So if it happens again, we'll do the exact same thing. Yeah. And if anybody notices them, if there are ones missing, either Joe or I can, we'll get them replaced now.

Okay. So, that's I did forget to mention that Kevin, I'm sorry. Your turn. Okay. Sorry. Sorry. Kevin wants his name. The gas station. He wants money. Okay. Yeah. But uh the fire department was going to be here this evening. According to the chief, he's not. But since we do have Randy here and she's 1:00, we have some questions. Okay. You're probably not prepared for the questions. That's fine. If you can just get back with us the answers, this would be great.

So Patrick and I So if this is about fire territory properties, then there may not be. It's about the town of Lakeville property stuff. Okay. Patrick and I had a meeting last Wednesday. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. That was the night of that incident with fire territory. Then I did the whole need thing. Yeah. That was a bad day. It was just um the one of the first things in that meeting is that they had asked us they want to sell the lake fire truck that they have a lifetime lease on. Okay. No. Why do they think they

they want to sell two of theirs plus the one that's in the name of Lakeville and replace it with one instead of three. That way they're not maintaining three. They don't need as many as they have and they want to downsize and go down to one. I asked if the one in the name of Lakeville is sold, where does the money go and what happens next? Well, it goes back to Lakeville. It's up to Lakeville to reimburse that and replace the truck is if I'm wrong, correct me. No, that's Yeah, that's what it sounded like what Andy had said. Yes. So, my understanding So, that truck is owned by the town currently. It is titled in the town state and there is a lease time lease

with the the fire territory to have it be used by the fire territory until the end of its useful life. Yes. I don't understand where they're getting this that you would have to reimburse somebody for the fire truck.

He said $50,000 I mean, well, first off, the buyer territory doesn't get to decide to sell it. Okay, hold on. Hold on. Before we go any territory started, there were things in the name of the town, things in the name of the township. As those got sold off, a new one would be purchased for the territory. But now we've been told by the attorney of the township that they cannot have physical belongings in their name. So none of the vehicles are in the name of the town of the territory

which in the past I I don't know what has happened but like the suburban that they just sold what it even said on the side Lakeville Union Territory and that was purchased by the territory years ago. Yes. But the township just sold it. Okay. Without the territory knowing anything about it. Okay. Um, at least they're ask I can do nothing about what they're doing, right? But we do have eight bill. Fair enough. Fair enough. So that's what's happened has happened and we can't do anything about it. We have one truck in the name of Lake

and they are want I asked for them to come here and explain everything to the board because it's not my job to explain this to everybody in this room. It is their job as to why they want to get rid of it. So fire was supposed to come here this evening to explain that to everybody because it's not just for my ears. It's for everybody's ears. So when you lease something, is that just like paying rent to the person that owns it for a lifetime? Well, since that was no, there was no dollar and then so it's still it's like renting it basically, right? It's not owning it. That is correct. the fire. So there is no reason why we should give them any money for the truck that we made.

Correct. If I'm remembering right, this was the fire truck that the St. John County RDC helped buy. No, that would be that's the new one, isn't it? That's the new one. And that went into the township for this one. This one get a grant. The original town truck that you own right now, I I'm pretty sure they got a grant for a matching grant for that truck. But it boils down to it. He had no leasing it. They have no right to

use it until it dies. They can use it till it dies is what that piece of paper. They can sell it if we just lease it to them or we have a lease on it to them. That's what I'm saying. I don't understand why they think any money. They are coming to us asking us to sell it. They're asking your permission to sell it, but they shouldn't give any of the money for it. No, they said the money comes back to the town, but then the town has to put more money back in to get a new truck. Yeah, they Yeah, they said that that the town would then be responsible for replacing the truck. keep the two because they won't get rid of three to only maintain one.

The town has to buy that one truck if they're selling two trucks at the township. I'm assuming that they will do a percentage of it. But if they don't want for whatever reason to use our truck anymore and give that truck back, what what do we have that says we need to put money into another truck that would go into the name of it be in the name of Lakeville? If they sold three to go into one, is it double titled in Lakeville and Township? Because why would we ever sell it? Take our money to get them a truck. Why? Nobody's here to explain that tonight. But this is what was again. Correct me if I

No, Andy Andy wanted Andy was supposed to come to the meeting because he wanted to um because then Lori did tell him because she's just one board member. She can't make a decision board and had told Andy then he needed to come to the meeting tonight. And then Andy was going to explain to the council so the council could make the decision on whether or not to sell it. They say that the tax rate for the capital fund would need to get raised in order to pay for a new truck if a new truck was not purchased for them by the town. I could see that being a repercussion of not doing what they're

So, they're not wanting this truck anymore. I I don't know what they're going to do. They're wanting us to sell it and then give that money to go towards the new truck. Yeah. But it wouldn't be our money. If they sell two of them and we sell one, they're going to say that their teachers are the owner of the new truck. So tell them to sell put the money towards that's what we teach. Yeah, that's what the the uniform tax rate was raised for that.

So So what would happen? Well, the township trustee right now basically runs the fire department, right? I mean, she has the final say on what they spend their money on, so on and so forth, right? Just like don't have any input on how the town is the provider unit and as long as they are providing fire department service, they are able to control how that is done internally. So, does Lakeville give the township any money for coverage for fire? our our tax dollars, our public safety tax dollars go off to the end property tax dollars. Yes.

And it's also included the the tax rate for the fire rate includes money from the town and that tax rate is set jointly between the township and the town via ordinances.

If we did not have the territory then or tax rate they have one tax rate and in town we have a different tax rate. Right now it's uniform because we have the territory and part of our taxes do go towards that in town. So it's not just the township people paying for fire. People within town are also paying for fire services. So if our taxes are paying the fire department for coverage, how does that make us responsible for have to help buy a fire truck? I guess is my question. I think and the equipment replacement fund

was explained because I did ask so what is the equipment replacement fund? Is it not replace the equipment? No, it replaces the things that are on the trucks, not the trucks themselves. It would probably it would be that other fund I think that it would have to come out of the there's the equipment replacement fund and the what's the other one called? Are they using drive at all? I have no idea. I mean, if they're selling it, they obviously don't need it, right? But they have a lifetime lease, so they can use that truck to unless we sell it. No, we can't. We can't sell it. Oh, we can't sell it.

Not unless they hand us the keys in an agreement saying we don't want your truck anymore. The lease exists. And what the lease does is say here in exchange for a dollar, the town is leasing this truck to you for the extent of it its useful life. So until the trucks or or until the territory is dissolved, I believe is how that was worded. One of those two things has to happen before that lease ends. So either the township has to like find in writing that it is at the end of its useful life or there's nothing that can be done with this truck. I don't know what they're talking about. They want they want us to suck. and they want to sell two of theirs and then take all the monies from all of those.

There could be a mutual like termination agreement of this lease or somebody would need to make an official finding that it is at the end of its useful life before it could be sold by you at all. But then what is our legal obligation of taking that money to provide a new truck? I would have to look at the interlocal to see if it says anything about it. Okay. I mean, it probably doesn't because your interlocal didn't say a lot about intent. Hence the issue. Yes.

And that would be a thing that I 100% disagree with Marcel about about the fire territory not being able to own things because one of the big changes that happened to fire territory statutes after your guys was set up. So like within the last 10 years, the statute that says that all of these things have to be in your interlocal agreement. One of the things they added was you have to say what happens to the territo's property if it breaks up. If the territory couldn't own the things, it wouldn't have to say that, right?

Well, the way it stands right now in what we what we have been told, which I believe I forwarded you that evening a couple months ago saying that they can't own things. I can do nothing about that. that any other vehicle that was under the territory isn't anymore. is so negative just thoughts and observations. Is that the law for the state of Indiana as far as territories not disagrees? Yeah. Yeah. Because you see every fire truck in a parade. Well, one truck will be fired territory.

That's Marcel. That's our sweetie. Everything we say will be watched later on by others. Thank you, Marcel.

So, if we sell it, can we decide later when I mean I'm asking Brandy, will it come to us first? If it it has to because we have the title. The title we have in straight up the township cannot sell this truck. No. And before it could be sold by the town, either there would have to be a mutual termination of the lease agreement, right? Or somebody would have to say in writing, it is at the end of its useful life, which if that was the case, you wouldn't get any money for it if you sold it, right? It wouldn't have any value if it's not worth anything. I mean, they have somebody they want to sell it to somebody now

$30,000. How much? 50,000. Not not by somebody. That's also not how you sell government property. That's what I was told in in a conversation in their parking lot. You know, not not by not by the law. Just saying you got to auction that stuff off. No, you just have to take bids and you take them for 24 hours. Well, that is the reason itself taking bids is but we're not even and it's longer than 24 hours but

so for us to get fire service do we have to provide we have a any part of helping with getting fire trucks or no we pay it in our taxes in our territory agreement it is not specifically listed. All I'm asking. So, I think you have answered my questions. I I'm going to should double check on what the analytical says and what the lease says, but I as far the lease says for the lifetime of I'm sure on that. So, until they hand us a piece of paper stating it's dead or we don't want it anymore,

even if they say they don't want it anymore, that's not what police say. says if the territory breaks up or it's at the end of its useful life. Okay. Or they break the lease basically, right? No, they should not break the lease. They can't break the lease. Really? Not unless it's dead. If it's dead, then it's at the end of its life. And

you break the lease by having both parties sign the mutual termination agreement. But there's no provision in there for somebody to just say, "I'm done. So that explains. Do we have any more questions? Clear. I'm just relaying and asking Brandy because we've been a meeting and that's what they wanted to present this evening. So

I mean as far as like you know who has the leverage to force people to do it if assume if the interlocal doesn't say I mean they have a truck that they could either use it or don't have to use it. They want to say they want to say you you have to sell it then they got to either say it's at the end of its useful life at which point it's what are you going to sell it for? It's junk. you this. So, it's not worth anything. Or they somehow convince you to sign a a terminating release to do what they want. Okay. Okay. Now, they're going to make you do that. And now we have our legal representative who has explained it to us.

Like I said, I'm going to double check on what the local says about property, but last time I looked at it, it did not say much. Okay, that's what I needed to know. Patrick, do you have any questions on that? No. You understand it all, too? Like I said, in the long run, if you don't do it, it could affect your taxes as far as like they they make a case where they need a new truck and it could affect the tax rate to raise it to get a new truck. Um that was for the ambo but

um one more thing there was a complaint last meeting from Morningside correct Jim Moon was complaining about the builders around him there's no official. So, he just was kept calling in.

Uh he was getting mad that the he was upset that the contractors were well, he called in to the town hall. He was upset that the contractors were uh parking in the cult and said they were blocking the fire hydrant. And Cindy let me know. I got dispatcher out there. Also, he said there was numerous vehicles. I got out there, there was only two. Yeah. The vehicle moved, I think, or something.

Yeah. Then the next day, it was over a couple days. Yeah. And unfortunat normally what they were doing, so um Allen Edward Homes has a sign up out there. They can only have contractors can only have two vehicles in the lot at a time. And then except for or at least on the roadway. Um the other but they can park on the lot next to it, which is lot 46. However, that was after right after we got all of that rain and the lot was way too soft. They would have picked up the mud and then we would have Right. back to back. So, they got Yeah, they got that one.

Yeah. So, they were only allowed um Allen Edwins only has two vehicles back there in that cult. So, that way they don't block anything. But I was out there both days. There was only two vehicles out there each day. They were not blocking they weren't blocking the hydra or anything. I did have him move their van over a little bit more just in case and that for the for the clearance room, but um he was actually working right there on the front of the house. So, if it would have been a fire truck, he could have came right there and moved and moved his moved his van. But um they've been parking now that they've moved on. They got they've been working on the other house now. So, so and I did talk with the male lady um the supervisor and she did say if it's cuz he was worried about his mailbox being blocked which it wasn't that that day but um she what she she suggested the male supervisor and I um passed that on to Alan Edwin Homes that if they are going to have work vehicles and it becomes a continuing issue they normally the other what she sees in other communities is the builders will just put up a temporary mailbox and the mailbox would be further out. So then that way it's not being blocked by anything and it couldn't be just a temporary mailbox. So I relayed that on to Alan Edwin. So anybody

So the only thing I have uh one of the I had gotten message in it. So the only just in regards for um Pam Bansky had had messaged just in regards for uh what Joe with the hydrant. Um, she just wanted that wanted to reiterate that she she did not call him as a firefighter. Uh, she was just calling it as a private citizen. And the reason she said she didn't come back up cuz Joe explained to her that Dave was new. Um, and that and so she didn't want him getting in any trouble or causing any more problems. So that's why she didn't come back over. No. Well,

thank you for understanding that. I'd like to make a motion to adjourn 708. I in favor? Yes.