Town Council - Regular Meeting

manufacturers and new pumps that they make nowadays, they can the single page pump will do thing. They just put it with a higher performance impeller on it and it'll get the same pumping amount, but it's cheaper. So, we don't need a day convers,000 to order. Everyone standing to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Second.

All in favor?

Hey Paul, how are we doing with city ordinances? So July 2nd I met resident at 155 Jefferson Street Jefferson regarding trapping cats. On July 3rd I posted 155 Mark Street for abatement check 196 Grant Street for abatement which was more than compliant. July 10th, install complaints on 255 Front Street, stopped to talk to the owner about that on 14th. Um, had another complaint regarding his dog, stopped and talked to him again. The first time it was actually off its chain. The second time he was walking with it, not on leash. Um July 14th post to 298 Front Street for weakment. July 15th sent sec uh the second notice for nuisance ordinance violation to 452 Jackson and a second nuisance uh violation to 155 Martin took photos of 299 Kelly Street for lead down there. July 18th, remove the cap from 155 Jefferson and return to 345 Weston. July 18th, place a 72-hour tag on abandoned vehicle at 275 Market Street. And July 24th, she removed another cap from 155% and returned to 345 West Street.

Thank you. in business. Melanie Kellogg BBC updates.

Hello. All right. So, for those who don't know me, I am Melanie Kellogg. I'm the executive director for B Noble, which is Noble County's lead economic development organization. I just want to give a brief overview of what we accomplished last year and then what our goals are for this year into next year. So, um, in 2024, we saw more than $107 million invested by local businesses within our community, um, via real estate abatement, um, and then new businesses coming in. Um, which is great proof to show that businesses are wanting to continue deepening their roots here in Noble County. Um, here city in particular, we saw a lot of interest in housing development. It's a slow process, but I am still working with the regional partnership on some ready funding um and with the housing resource hub for housing to get some movement going. So, we're getting closer and closer and I'm hoping that as those conversations continue, we're able to grow even more. Um, we did well this year give $100,000 with our investment trust fund to Noble Early Learning, which is Noble County's second licensed child care center. Um, this is located over in West Noble School District. Um, and it will serve children from six weeks to 5 years old. Um, which will help get more and more parents out there working. I do also want to note that we um just approved a $50,000 grant for inhome child care services. Um so it's to help if you backstory with the vouchers being cut more and more people can't afford to go to an actual

facility. Their only option is going to be inh home child care. Well, we want to make sure that everybody is still up to par and doing what they need to do to save place for our children. Um, so with this grant, um, is between V Noble and then the Northeast Indiana Regional Child Care Coalition. I believe that's the whole bill. Um, but you can receive up to $5,000 um to become a licensed provider um increase your licensing um and then level up to pass to quality. This also comes with a free Bright Roll subscription which is great because then you're required to use it and then we can see okay how many childcare providers do you have in your home and then we can also monitor that you have the proper ratio kids to adults making sure that everything is still up to par. And then what's great is you'll also get 15 hours of free business consulting. So if you're not sure how to do your proper budget or go through licensing, we'll provide that for you all within this grant. So it just opened two two weeks ago. So we have flyers for you. Um so that's that's exciting. Um we are doing a lot of revitalization. So we've worked closely with Ltel to increase the fiber throughout Middle. One of the things that we like to promote is that even if you are working from home, we're still a great place to come to visit to live. Um, and so Live tell um gained more than 2,600 new customers this past year and laid around 202 miles of fiber across Noble County. And with the new grant cycle going through, there will be more. So even more county will have that

access to highspeed internet which is great for individuals but also really great for the school system if they're working to help kids have more chance of being connected. Um we know that youth are the future. So we have sponsored multiple STEM programs throughout the county. So we've done robotics camps, engineering, and then a lot of career fairs as well. So, we've done one with each school district. They are starting to come in um and get registered for for next year. So, as the passive quality high high school students have to attend a career fair during school hours. And so, we are working with all of our key partners to ensure that um if it's trade school that's there or different manufacturers from across the county to make sure that those students have that ability to learn that as well. Um, we also had a workplace preparedness grant um that we received from the community foundation. That's a grant that they received from Don Wood Foundation. Um, and with that we were able to give eight individuals within Noble County gear to um expand their career. So, it was everything from a lady who just uh graduated beauty school getting her clippers and everything ready for that to people working um in our manufacturers getting sort of boots, proper clothing, things of that nature. Um we also received a grant from Bosch this year. Um, so if you know of any K through 12 STEM programs that need funding, we received a grant to help fund those throughout the whole county. Um, usually that was just for the manufacturing camp, but last year we saw such a need across the board from Purdue Extension

um, and beyond. So if you know of any schools or clubs or organizations that might want STEM, we have funding for that as well. Um sorry uh we have also been working um in partnerships with the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center to bring entrepreneurial coaching to Middle County. So we're doing this twofold. We have a representative that is in um Albian and Kendville twice a month and then we're working over in Legionir for Hispanic workshops to help u bridge that communication gap and knowledge base gap. Um, when I say that, we looked at the minority owned businesses in Mill County and one would think that we would have a lot. We have one, which shows that there's an information gap. So, we're working on bridging that as well. Um, so looking ahead to 2025, we are going to be really strengthening our business and retention um, visit. I guess that's what they are. So basically I go into the businesses and I will help connect them to other experts. So if it's a Purdue extension and they are looking to get a professor for free because Purdue pays for that um and getting them connected that way or if it's with Northeast Indiana or what have you and then really figuring out what those businesses need to grow and to stay happy here in Noble County. um really working on building our infrastructure growth through ready processes, looking for other grants, things of that nature because infrastructure is such a high need here. And and I'm not just talking um fiber, things of that nature, but um sewer, portable water, things of that nature. So really being able to grow

that so that we can expand industrial parks and housing. Um and then really working um with school and employers to make sure that everybody's getting the proper training and grants because with the new legislative students aren't necessarily going to have access to grants that they used to have. So we want to make sure that they have those opportunity and that information so that they are still able to grow and thrive here in Noble County. Um, so yeah, that's really all I had just question. Sorry, I tried to give like a 30,000 foot view.

We found really very exciting and and like we're moving forward. We are. Yeah, we're we're doing great things. I'm going positive. Yes. And we are already for the year at around $74 million invested. Um, and that doesn't include some of the recent um, businesses that have been that have been pulled have moved into or will be moving into the county. So, we're we're growing and it's great to see. It is. And we thank you for all your hard work. Yeah, I think

because it looks like you've been covering quite a bit there. Yeah, we we have the we stay busy for our next team of two and we just got we have an intern starting on Monday, a high school senior. Excellent. Noble, how can we help you?

Just let me know if there's anything that I I can do. So, if you know of a company that's thinking about expanding, but they're not sure exactly where to start, send them our way. Or somebody who has an idea about a business, you know, we can help them with that, too. who are, you know, are I won't ever say that I'm the expert across the board, but I know people who are. And so making sure that those business owners and everybody have makes knows that they're supported and not just out there in La La Land, I think, is a big key to make sure that everybody stays successful. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Anybody have questions for her? Run City Elementary off site drill at the Run City Town Hall. Thursday, October 28th at 1 p.m. August. Sorry. [Music] Yeah. thing.

So, um the school has to have some place to go. Something would happen on site there. So, say like a gas station or something like that. So, they practice twice a year. They come over here and we put them all over the town hall wherever we can fit. Okay. So, I don't know. I think you help stop traffic and Yeah. Oh, K through five. Some go into the basement. the younger ones come up here. Um, so it's part of their disaster drill. Okay. That they they do.

Thank you. Just station 40 rehab. Got a [Music] recommend not so much control. So this is an updated quote from the one that you had in your packet. Yeah. And that has to do if you want to explain it, Scott, the new pumps they have.

So the new pump the um salesman went back to Liberty Pump and asked him because he wasn't sure at first. So he just quoted three pump. So he did follow up with it and then that's why he had the bill later because he found out that they could make the single phase pump do the same and which it lowers bill and and we're trying to do away with the VFD because they're they're digital. Uh our power grid is at the end of the line around the lake in some areas and it doesn't have do not have problems with so as we update we're trying to get rid of but it's a lot cheaper not to get a page converter and three tab and all that. So univers well and I he mentioned a little bit about putting a coating on. So this particular station is degraded with the concrete. It's been in there for 50 years. it. We cannot um put a new one in in that same area because we don't have enough space. The road is right up against it. So, we will need to do the coding on that. And I think that's running 60 no 36 36,000 for that. And then uh the actual station portion is 82,000. The other item on there is an odor control. Is that something we can add later? We have

I made sure that he he put states in the panel to put a break for one. That was not much of a increase in price. So we had that control later date if we ever would like to if we don't. Well, in in the past we have had problems, but I don't know if it has to do with this coding help take care of it. Make the seals tighter on it. Um, and the location of the station. Where is this one at? 4D. Uh, it's on Lake Side Circle. Get a lot of methane gas. One down there by Mulland. Yes. Okay. I think the other issue with it too is it's kind of an authority. Yeah.

So, where it's located, it's so when we I notice we get the complaints when we have a lot of humidity. Yeah. It's holding it coming out. So, we'll just wait and see if we get complaints once we have a line. We can install it after. And um Heidi did not give me updated numbers on the sewer count. I'm pretty sure that we have the money in there to do it, but without checking with her. She's in class this week. So, if you would like to approve it pending her recommendation on funds, we can do that tonight.

Yeah. I would make a note making [Music] on basis that we had to come second. All in favor? I

you skipped our rate study. Yeah. Um Heidi and I had met with an Indiana rural I want to say alliance. I'm not sure if that's correct, but we met with them and he is in the process getting us a quote of what that would be and if it would even be any cost for us and we'll get back to you as soon as we find the information out. But he was encouraging that we would qualify get it for free. Okay. So, it just be a matter of us or maybe getting the numbers together, get to them until we figure out where we're at.

And I would like to have a motion for um our books to be audited before we do our final budget. They haven't been done since kind of was our account and with the new cuts from the government and so on so forth I would feel a lot better knowing exactly what we're working with the next year

um the state every so often but it doesn't have to independent what's the cost um I don't know and he charges it per So it kind of varies. It usually runs down around about 600. Um I got back with I think it was like five or six.

You just want Okay, that's fine. You doing the general? Yeah. And once I hear back from Bill, it's he used to be like the state for accounts and he's retired, but he does work on the side. So, but he's familiar. I think you did a while.

We got second manager report. Uh we had eight meetings for the month. We had 11 building permits for the new house being built on Pleasant Point rebuild. Three demos, one deck, one shed. Um fruition in our industrial park is adding a building. We have two house additions. Um the foundation is also for fruition and one electrical. We did not have a July plan commission or BA meeting. So currently the two outstanding issues we had is um Swany on Northshore is currently being fined daily. Um

is there any well they're they're going to Dustin talked to the hesitantly and they're going to file an appeal which that's up they have to file by August 18th. Administrative I don't know if I'll assume all three of the violations the house well separate violation correct and the one the full that's the 2022 varian

so yeah so we'll just wait for them to file their appeal. See what they have to say in there. [Music] Then then I have to write another note I guess answer the appeal

and then Weisenberger were just waiting probably on a court date right this point. Yeah, I think they finally have everything in the record. start finalizing the records so that we court confidence to schedule [Music] that's kind of any conservancy district we have our annual inspection on Friday that does not include the crane this we do that every other year or the tabletop exercise that we do throughout the year. So, um or my budget hearings are scheduled for August 13th and September 10th. Ecosystems is still treating the public access site. And on that note, from what he had talked about in the about the sewer plant last month, I had sent him some three or four questions that I had in concerns with the quote that he had given us to the sewer plant. I've not received those answers back yet. So that's why I did not bring it back to me for a discussion tonight. Um I'm supposed to meet with them tomorrow. So we'll see. He has everything compiled up for answering those park board. We had um our segment concert on August 2nd. That was the wise guys and food trucks. It went really well. We had good turnout. We had pickle ball tournament on Saturday. We had 10 teams. That went well. We have our last concert of the season is September.

Yep. But then so that'll be the wingman and I think they do 50 6070s. Bike trail update. We've paid for their last billing so they're paid up. Um, I'm working on purchasing the items that we decided for the monies that was left over from the grant. So, once I get those and receipts and I have to send all that down to close the grand out. Okay.

Um, let's see. the chamber um paid to have speakers and lights that change color for it's one of their donations for their 20 35th anniversary. So, they used the speaker system in the parade this past Saturday. So, I didn't hear any play. So, hopefully everything worked well. Um I'm still working on trying to get the meeting together with the industrial park people on the waterhed plan. I think I'm going to have better chance this fall once everybody's slows down a little bit. I think um Liberlos Landing. Oh, we're moving forward on that. Thank goodness. We the station's installed, the testing's complete, the plat's been recorded. Um we found once we had the plat recorded that there are not enough numbers left between all the houses that are on that plat. Okay. So now we have to name the private road and everybody's got to change their addresses out there to the new new name, but it frees up a lot more addresses for us. So once we get the addresses, then I can do the annexation. So hopefully we'll have annexation um documents ready for the September meeting and then for the board meeting on it in October, November.

My plan is to get it done before the end of the year. That's good. That's good.

So, what else is on there on the video store clean up that Paul had mentioned earlier? I'm trying to work with him to get that cleaned up and he he only cleaned up around the sign. He cut the trees down, but he didn't do anything else the rest of it. So, I have um a guy that does some he does a lot of different work for us and I asked him to give me a quote. He's he he's like a jack of all trades. He does a lot of different things, but I can't have like a tree service won't come in and do it because it's more than just what tree work is.

Yeah. It's actually cleaning up all the rest of the junk that's back there, too. So because on the back side it's the mess on the back. I want that cleaned up so that it can actually be mowed and maintained. So hope he thought the next talk about that property going up for sale or anything? No, he's only he's he's he's got plenty of money and he's paying the taxes on it. So it's not going to go up for sale. So, the only way and I think if I can get him a quote of what it would cost and I was going to give him the opportunity to go ahead and do that before we did it.

If we do it, we'll have to pay for it and put it on his taxes if he would do it outright because he does he's not he doesn't live here. He lives in Florida. So, for him to know of finding somebody to come and do the work Yeah.

is probably difficult. So, I thought if I can find somebody getting a quote, we might be able to to get it cleaned up without any further, you know, pressure from us to get it done. Hopefully, that'll work. I don't know. That's it. and 1,836 1,836,000 55 gallons. At we put out 1,398, 367 gallons. We were shut down for about a week. We were having some issues with weather. Um we had three p outs 72 gate pulled one pump on some of the stuff we did this month out here around the pump or the the well. We removed all that sod out there, put weed barrier and put it rock uh for the speaker. We actually installed a switch on a GFI with plug mode door fixtures. Also, we installed the four LED cam lights. Had to cut the old cam lights out without destroying it and put the new ones in. Uh diagnosed problem with back repaired which took several days. uh installed a pallet rack in the shop to organize it better. Took the sander insert from the plant to the shop so it wouldn't be able to be stored inside. Put out barrels for a grade. Also picked up for the way.

We put gravel along Bernice and Cur Island north. Burn the edges of the road so it wouldn't be tight to drop off on the edge for the car driving off the edge of the road. Uh, and we also fireworks the outside. That's good.

It went fine. Said he was sorry. Won't happen again. City Marshall's office.

Okay. Vehicle mileage. Squad one million miles. Squad 2,088. Squad 3 552. And squad 41,48 hours worked. I work underne 51 157 part time 52 and reserve 16 ordinance violations abandoned vehicles one animal 7 nuisance is two abatements two parking two officer initiated events business check 69 other departments Warrant served or attempted. One extra patrols 12 park security test 120 including poling 14 traffic violations 11 ticket threatening 56 warnings. Other events four checks three checks 21 golf cart inspections. Three OB inspections complaints. One animal complaint in the miscellaneous complaints. One suspicious person, one suspicious vehicle, one suspicious activity, two disabled vehicles, two fights, family fight, family fights or disturbances, three accidents, three medicists, two 911 calls, three civil processes, two driving complaints, three citizen assist, and two profoundity. Case is open. July 5th, intimidation against conduct, criminal mischief, and criminal confinement. July 5th, invasion of privacy is a separate complaint. July 9th, theft.

July 13th, operating without proof financial responsibility, prior offense. July 14th, unlawful possession of a syringe, unlawful caring of a handgun, possession of meth, possession of a default substance and driving while suspended. July 22nd session of meth and July 27th, reckless driving meetings attended. I attended a online meeting the northeast uh law enforcement training council town council on the 14th and July 30th I met with uh the head of benchmark or act um they were they are a program that is funded through 988 um which was just created maybe two years ago um under the last administration and uh with the cuts from Doge um they are their funding has been eliminated.

Really? Yeah. So, um, they were an organization that if we had somebody that was experiencing any type of mental health crisis, drug or alcohol, um, problem, we could call them. They would come right to the scene. they would take over and if they felt that the scene was safe for them, we could go back to work and they would deal with that person and take them to treatment wherever they needed to go. Um, so at the end of August 31st is the end of their their work.

So, any hopes of coming up a grant or funding for that from somewhere else? Um, I doubt it. Um, I talked with uh I talked with Dave Abbott so we can maybe at the state level and start talking about some legislation or um reaching out to our federal legislators to maybe get that money reinstated.

Yeah. Um, the other thing that we have that I reached out to the sheriff and all the chiefs, um, part of the opioid settlement dollars that every community got. Um, there's restricted and unrestricted funds in that. The restricted dollars, most of the cities will not be able to use it because they don't have a a purpose. um the sheriff's department's funding a release coordinator at the jail with some of that money. Um but other than that, I reached out to them to suggest maybe um being held for those calls.

Yeah. Um the other flip side is like parking behavioral health. um they have a team that can respond but to rural areas their their time limits like a hour and a half to actually make the scene. So, and they're coming from Red um Northeastern Center can but they're coming from Auburn. So, and that's 45 minutes.

Yeah. So, um this was our best option. um they usually in act benchmark they usually made those calls anywhere from 30 minutes to 45 minutes every time. So center needs to have a response from the out that's yeah okay they they have one but it's at their office down in Warsaw.

Yeah. So, [Music] it's going to end up going back to us responding to those calls and having to deal with them, taking a big chunk out of our days. So, uh, and it was a much needed thing. Oh, yeah. It was awesome. Yeah, they did great with course. So I'm going to see they also covered up things like um autism children with autism and so on and so forth. Yeah. It wasn't just those out on drugs or whatever. No, mental health or

neuro vision of a any type of situation for them, you know, how to handle it. We have our numbers are keep going up with our and you know it's not unusual for anybody who called out for the prices that we spend.

Yeah. That's going to be um if we go back to the old way that we used to do things and take them to Park View for the initial if they're willing to go with us to Park View um then we basically become a parking patient and uh otherwise we'd have to transport transport over to Auburn. the northeast center um to that facility. So either way, it's going to take a big chunk out of our our days.

Well, I hope we can find some relief in there somewhere. Yeah. Keep us updated on that.

Okay. training attended or conducted. July 15th, we did department training on stops training which is strategies and tactics of patrol stops. July 24th, I completed instructor update and July 29th we did train control rifle qualifications, special events activities. July 4th, we set up barricades. We put up the parking signs uh for the July 5th fireworks. Um July 5th, we set up barricades on Brook Street, taped off the seating areas, and then we worked the celebration, picked up and put everything away. So, very, very long day. Other notes mounted road close signs on July 17th on 12 of our barricades. Um main appointment at max plats for the noise with squad three. July 29th, Wood Range City Police Department used our shooting range. And July 31st, I mounted real close signs on our other 13 barricades. So all all the barricades now have real close signs mounted to those. for incidences in town. In April we had 143, May 269, June 227, and in July 233. Immediately surrounding and outside of town in April was 59 instances, May 166, June 128, and July 119.

The sheriff's department in town had 29 incidences in July. April there was 25, May 20, and June 26 and again 29 in July. And then right outside of town they had in April the sheriff's department had 76 in April, 75 in May, 74 in June and 85 incences in July. The speed radar sign on Front Street. Overall summary, average speed was 25.57 mph with the minimum being 5 miles per hour. The maximum being 63. Average value per day is 647.4 vehicles. I don't know where comes from, but something total volume of cars month coming into town 20,070 for vehicles.

I have had a couple of calls for Herman Street at school time with some leaders over there. So, if you would, I'd appreciate it if you could maybe make your presence known that beginning of the school day and into the school day down there. He said that they were going at pretty good clip going past the house about three days in a row. You know, t out there now. Wor about the ones that come up over the hill. Yeah. Yeah.

You can't see them until you gone over the top. Yep. And there's no spot of sight on that side. So, no. Anyone have anything else they'd like to contribute or ask? Um, what is the origin story of tragedy? I think I remember that it um you can put it out the night before and has to be put back that same picked up.

Yeah. The reason I asked is North Floor has a lot of um non-residents that put it out when they leave on Sunday and put it really close to the road and it's very easy to hit them and they're there all week all and some of our neighbors they don't even put it in when they're there on the weekend. It's It just lives at the end of the drive. I just Yeah, it's supposed to be brought back. It's not supposed to be I think it's next morning or something like that. Yeah,

I know. That's how it looks with mine. We put it out on the Thursday night back in on a Friday. Yeah, you're good. But um we have the same issue with two businesses across putting them at the end of their drive and just leave them with it. We have that and you know during the storms when the wind and it pushes them into the road and then somebody has to you know stop their car and pick them up and yeah it's just it's it my alley's a little narrow and go to the liquor store with them a couple times.

What if there's nobody else? do that. Okay. when the claims of town funds of 46,266 and 49 cents and sewer operating funds will be paid at 51,747 19 motion to do So Yep. We'll be out of this time.

Goodbye. But all in favor? All right.

Thank you everyone for coming. I haven't running. Good luck.

No, not [Music] Never ending like 3,000 else [Music] for [Music] tomorrow. I'm sorry. They don't start back.

Oh yeah. I was just curious. I seen it there one day. I came out was leaving for work for them. I justify labeling it government services. I took it for a power attorney and he done nothing wrong. He kept saying he never went anywhere. Well, because Okay.