Town Council - Regular Meeting

because I had two off of North Northport. Yeah, they were pretty rough. Mhm. Yeah. And I I can only imagine what the speed is he's going in probably would not be very good. No. And I hope he's wearing helmets because that Satan save those two. Yeah. A lot of them do. The only I think the the only fatal motorcycle accident I've been to, his helmet was strapped to the back of the bike.

Well, one of those guys had a six-month road ram. Yeah. Just a Yeah. So neighbors, how's life out on the streets? Pretty good so far. Yeah.

Getting your spring things all done out there. Okay. I'm I'm trying to get some I think my road bushes are dying out in the salt road, so I might have to take them out. So, sorry for that. Yeah, I know. I'm only going to charge the town. So, no,

we're not. Sorry. To the flag of states of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Minutes for the last meeting. Second.

All in favor?

Awesome. So, I called Lee uh to bring up to you guys, bring some attention to what SP1, which is now SEA1, Senate Ro, because it was signed, I think, Dustin, help me out. I think April 25th, 2025, I believe, when Bran signed it. Um, but what it does is it totally revamps on how taxes are going to be collected. I brought this Lee. This was a class I actually took on uh abatements 97 pages.

Um, but I tell you what, there's a there's a lot of different things uh in that uh that bill. It was a 374 page bill with a 220page amendment. Um, so they've amended a lot of things on it. Yeah. The the biggest one for homeowners are are like your primary residence, your So your primary residence, your oneacre homestead, your your home uh starting in well, actually it starts now on your tax bill. You'll probably see it, but um your standard deduction, you have a homestead deduction that's $48,000 currently. um well in 25 it was and then you have the supplemental. A lot of people don't realize what the supplemental is. It was created to reduce the assessed value. So you have your $48,000 that comes off the gross assessed value. You have it was 35% was the supplemental which then you take what's left after 48,000. You times it by that take that number out gives you your net assessment. Then they start adding you know the tax rates and so forth into it. But what uh SEA1 does is for five years it'll cap out in 2031 that $48,000 homestead goes away. It's totally gone solid numbers out. But what they did was in its place which it's actually it's a really good deal is the supplemental which is percentage base goes from well 24 was 35 and 25 is 37.5. Every year it increases. So on 2031 the cap year it will go down to or go up to I'm sorry 66.7%. So 2/3 the value of your primary residence will be a deduction. Never had that before. It's it's huge.

Um and also the state at least for five years they I mean they always can jump in an amendment you know which is that happens quite a bit. There is a tax credit that actually comes off the tax bill. Uh it's 10% of the tax bill up to a max of $300 given to everybody as long as you own a property. It's got to be your primary residence, but it will come off of that. Question. How are they best primary residence there? Uh you have to claim it. Yeah, you have to claim your primary.

Correct. But does that mean they actually are living there and you would prove they are or they aren't? Well, that is up to the auditor. The auditor is the one that grants those. Uh there was a law that got passed in just this session, spring session, that says if if you're found out to be lying on your on uh the sales disclosure you turn into the county that that is your primary residence, you're claiming that homestead. Doesn't matter if it was one year, two years, five years, six years, whatever. They the state says you will go back on that taxpayer and say you will pay us those back taxes because you were not that was not your primary residence. Used to be can now it's you will you shall apply that. So that's the state jumping in on that one. Everything everything out of this this is a class I had to take um came from legislation all down at the state. So they define that by time or months occupied or I mean what about snowbirds I guess

if they well the thing is they have to claim it that property as their primary. So if you're claiming that as your primary you can't go to Florida and claim one as your primary. You can have one primary residence. So they're not saying that they have to prove they live. They don't they but they can. So yeah but that doesn't help us up here. No, because we got these people with two homes and they claim ours and they don't live here and they don't put their driver's license in this address. So, they're able to still vote and do everything that they want to at their actual primary residence, but we take the less we take the tax hit.

Well, what will happen is it would be if you believe that's going on, you must contact the auditor. The auditor will do an investigation on it. they will contact the taxpayer because I usually it's me doing the investigation typically. So um but it it can happen and when it does it's those back taxes shall be paid forward. So when did that that went through this year? That was amended this year. So it would be probably start in 27 I believe is when Okay. So yeah because I've turned some in several times. Yeah.

Over and over and over and somehow it keeps getting put back on. They should it it shouldn't it should they should never be put back on when it's when they find out the primary is not there. They shouldn't get that. It's a special designation you get because it's totally that 1% tax rate. But I need cooperation from others on that. I can't do it myself. Well, I I agree. And I can't keep going back and checking to make sure that they did what they said they were going to do. I understand. I know you've contacted me before and I've taken it to the auditor because I have no jurisdiction. We don't control the deductions. Um, that one specifically I said to you and you further and talked to him got put back on again. That one got put back on. So, see my frustration?

Very much so. Yeah. Because if it's your second home, but you guys ever understand really how tax caps work? Because I've had people say, "Well, hey, there you can't take me up uh my assessment up more than like 3% or whatever." That's not how the caps work. The tax cap works on your primary residence and your oneacre home site. The max that when it says cap one one the max your tax could be is 1% of the assessment. That's the cap. It's not the assessment can't go up. It's the tax can't go up. Uh cap two, we're looking at second homes, rentals, egg land, and excess residential land. land that you're mowing or maintaining or land that's not being farmed. There's no solar farm on it. Uh no, um commercial or industrial that's cap 2. So that land or those buildings what whichever it is can only go up no more than 2% of the of the assessed value. And cap three is farm buildings which right now I heard legislation is looking to get farm buildings moved to cap 2 like the egg land but that right currently it's farm uh farm buildings commercial and industrial buildings that's cap 3 the max tax cap you can be without being capped so when I just look for things to happen that hear things going on at the state so but also they gave a supplemental homestead credit which is 10% of the tax bill up to $300. 65 and over is a credit and I believe there are I think there's an income basis on that. I believe married couple can't have an income of over 70,000 but I believe they took away the value of the property which to me it's uh Dave

Abbott if you're listening I it's kind of a slap in the face because I really think it should be higher uh because 65 and over it's only $150 credit coming off the bill. I personally think it should be at least $1,000 myself. Um that is that held to a income level. Yeah, it's an income level and I believe it's 70,000 for a married couple.

Uh and then the a disabled homeowner, there's a credit of $125. All of these, they used to not let you stack these on top of each other. You had to pick, oh, if I'm disabled, but I'm married, I got to pick which one I want. Now, they were letting you stack the credits on top of each other. So, that's going on. Then on the the 2% that is also it's one that's never been created before. We've never had a 2% deduction which is 2% of the tax. That's they call it 2% because it's the properties inside the 2%. Like this year it started out at 6% but by 2031 we're at caps. It'll be 33.4%. Well, we've never had it. So people are going to start rentals. You guys have rentals. You'll start getting a deduction on those and it's automatic. You don't have to file for it or anything. It's just got to be in the 2% tax cap. And I'm you're probably asking how are they going to pay for this? A lot of people haven't. Your income tax is going to go up. They know. It's part of that bill that they kind of just snuck that one in and it's a it's a shell game. Honestly, it is. Um it's uh I think currently right now Noble County has a 2.3 in uh local income tax split. Um what it's going to do is it's going to allow them I believe the county can raise it to the max of 2.5. But on top of that, if a town has a population basis of 3500, which right now it's currently only Ligonier and Kendleville, they can create their own lit on top of the county's lit.

So, uh, just this year they tried to lower the population basis. It would have gotten room city, but it got voted down at the the House. I don't even think it made it out of the Senate. So there's just a lot of things going on. Um we have to stay on top of it. Um I got asked to I was nominated to for vice president of our associate session association board and we meet down at the state house talk with legislators and so forth. I said yeah I'll go ahead and do it. And I got the nomination. I'm vice president. There's five of us on this board. Uh we go down and we talk to Smalls, Dave, Blake, uh anybody that'll talk to us because some of the things we're doing, they make no sense. It's like this lit tax. One of my guys in my office figured it out because he lives in Kendallville right now. He will get he will receive when if this thing totally caps out, he'll get like a $900 discount on his property tax. if the tax rate stays the same and so forth, he'll pay in an extra I think $1,300 though in income tax. So where where did we get anything?

So that that's my my thing on it. You know, when they were bringing SQ SQ1 up, they they would we were just constantly trying to get a hold of them. Hey, this is this is not right. You got to they wouldn't listen to anybody. They did what they wanted. you know, we've constantly, you know, been reaching out to them on different legislation and all of us, it's going to take all of us, everybody in this room, you got to talk to your representative, you got to talk to your senators to make things right. So, one of the reasons I'm here is to talk to you guys about abatements. Um, the land, like land can never be abated on anything. So, uh, real estate abatements are decent. You typically don't give any more than like 10 years. And if you cap your abatement, which is probably the best thing to do, like Kenny, you I you can't even you can't even get an abatement because you're selling cars. But if you didn't, say if you had an automotive uh place that made brake pads, you're going to put an addition on your plant. I would advise Rome City, if you that's who you're coming for for the abatement. Ken says, "Yeah, we're putting $5 million in this." I would say don't give anything more. Don't don't do anything. just let it go at that because just because he puts five million into it, we apply whatever he's done had had a taxpayer had this happen to it only came up to like a quarter of what the abatement stated because just because you put five million in it doesn't mean it's worth 5 million. It's like you could put 50,000 into a kitchen that doesn't mean you're going to sell the house and make 50,000 from it.

Um but I had a taxpayer county approved his abatement. It was a $1.2 $2 million expansion and improvement. Well, we put everything in. He said, "Hey, I'm done. I'm ready to go." It only came up to a quarter quarter mill 250,000. That's all it got from 1.2 million. They called, "Hey, matter now. Hey, what's going on?" That's all it did. I got I said, "Did you do this?" "Yes." "Did you do this?" "Yes." "Well, state cost table said, "This is all it gives you." You know, so I, you know, that's the one thing about real estate abatements. You might not always get out what or you you might have it might be worth more. Cap your abatement. Don't let it go just open-ended. Yeah, you do whatever and we'll just follow it. Now, here's the big one. Now, I've been preaching to the choir on this. I'm actually meeting uh Kendville's mayor sometime next week, but I've had to constantly talk to the Noble County Council over it. Uh personal property equipment. You guys, if you if you are not careful, we will give the farm away. And this is because on personal property, on equipment, the way it used to be, there was always the equipment go through its depreciation schedule, totally depreciate out. The state always had you paying 30% of you were taxed 30% of whatever was there. So, but what they did, infinite wisdom, is they said, "Hey, we're taking that away." So, when something's on its depreciation schedule, it'll go through be totally off the books. I mean, they're not even being taxed on it. You don't get that residual at all. Uh, a good example, and put that in here. Let me see real quick. Um, before SEA1 wasn't wasn't active, there was 30% floor. So if you had a an abatement for like solar like a solar farm um in five years it's say if you had a $96 million

uh AV there assessed value well with taxes after 40 years of taxes on it because the 30% stayed that generated $52 million in taxes you guys are going to crack your pants on this one because they took the the 30% away you get 6.2 2 million. That's how much taxes you lose. So, the reason I bring this up and I've brought some different forms to you guys. So, when Ken, I'm sure you're familiar with this 103 long. It's personal property. That is what has to be filed with us.

And if you open up, I think I just opened it up. I think I've put some numbers there. Yeah, right here. So, on pool two, that's I believe got an 8-year tax life. You need to ask when somebody files for an abatement and this is anywhere. I've been telling everybody this Kendallville, Ligonier, the whole everybody will listen. You need to ask before you accept that that resolution or do a resolution. What's federal tax life on that? Because uh the pool that I put some uh uh you know like some uh percentages on for Ken is an eight-year tax life. Well, if you guys gave a 10-year abatement, you're giving money away. So because of that, I got brought up into a meeting. I was I was doing my own thing down in my office. I get a call from Jackie. Can they Well, hey Ben, can you come up and help the county council with the abatement? Yeah, no problem. So I go up. They were getting ready to do do an abatement. And the guy wanted a 10-year abatement. I said, why would you give a 10-year abatement on equipment? It's only worth uh four years. If they had done that, they would have hardly gotten anything in taxes. Because if you look, one of the things people don't realize, there's a depreciation schedule already built into personal property. Let's see. I'm going to read that. So on pool two, that's any anything with a 5 to 8year life. But in the first year when you when you say, "Hey, I'm ready to start the abatement." It depreciates 40% right out of the shoot. Well, you put a 10-year abatement on that, that's 100%. It's just gone and it keeps doing that. Year uh two 56% at a 90% abatement. So you're it's very very minuscule and it keeps doing that but you're at 40% on the very last year when it's 16% of the value. You're only at 40% and then it's gone and the rest

of your stuff it it doesn't come back. There's no 30% floor on it. You don't get anything. So you have to be very careful. That's one of the things I've been telling anybody that'll listen. Any council, any any town manager, clerk, mayor, you guys got to be careful on these things because those are the people's money that we're messing with. We need to know what we're doing, what we're giving away. Um, I'm not, you know, I told the council before and they've gotten mad at me. If I ran my budget the way you guys do, I'd be living in a box. Uh, because they just don't think sometimes. and they're good people on there, but they just I've invited them to come to classes. And I'm going to make that make make that to you guys. In August, third week of August, we have uh our assessor's conference. We have classes are budgeting abatements, exemptions, um you name it. And I'm since I'm on the executive board for the state, I'm going to see about inviting people to that just to go sit in on these classes. Um, I think free education is is a must. And I tell you what, some, you know, I come home from a week of conference. I've got a a binder just filled with things. Um, and it's important to who you're talking with as well because you're connecting with different people. Oh, I can call you like paper tilly, you know, I can call you. They put together the SD or SEA1 book and they taught the class on it. Very, very educational. Um, but al so on your personal property abatements, make sure I think Lee that I think that'd be the first thing I would ever ask anybody that comes in and says, "Hey, we've got equipment. We want an abatement. What's federal tax life?" That way you can tell these guys it's five years. Do not give anything more than that.

So, so what you mean like whenever I buy a piece of my accountant, your accountant knows better. Yeah, he does. He he know he know he knows the federal tax life. So that's what you're interested. Yeah. The your account the person's accountant can tell them that piece of equipment has x amount of tax life on it. You guys need to know that now. That's more than anything because you're because without the 30% retain, you know, retainer that that stayed there,

you're not getting anything. You go too long, you're just giving it away. So, there are some forms though that I would like you guys to to know. Maybe did I give them to you guys already? Maybe I did. Yeah. Um, maybe I didn't. That's okay. Yeah, I did. Okay. So when when a personal property abatement is filed, one of the ways that we know that it it's actually going to be going going to be used, they're actually going to claim it, the equipment's in and so forth, is that one, they file a CF1 with you guys.

Did you guys know that, and I didn't know this, I mean, that's something I just found out a couple years ago, uh, if if a CF1 comes into you guys and you guys don't sign it by May 15th, you know, it's automatically granted. Granted? No, it's not. No, I the CF the CF1's automatically approved if you don't do it do it in timeline. I thought it was gone. No, no, no. It's automatically you're automatically saying yes. You didn't Okay. You didn't look at it in time. We found that out because it happened. We call them and tell them they have to have it in by this meeting. If they don't, then we're denying it.

You can deny it and they can actually appeal the denial. Um, and they have to go through through my my appeals board. Didn't go through the state and so forth. But yeah, it can be denied. Um, but if you don't grant it, this happened in one of our bigger towns. Uh, taxpayer come up to me goes, "Hey, they did they didn't sign it. I had it turned in. Saw that it was turned in." And I and I said, "Well, I don't know what you want me to do do about it. I mean, I you know, I'd like to help you, but I can't. I mean, it's up to the taxing district." And his accountant called. He goes, "No, look at this law. Look that IC IC code up." Called the state and they said, "Yeah." Yeah. If if they just let it stay on their desk, it's automatically approved.

Yeah. But if they don't ever actually get it turned into No, they have to have they have to have it submitted. Yeah. And this and the case was was it was submitted. It's just that town just strugg. But yeah, they have to submit it. But once it once it's signed or it's been in here and it's not signed and I have that copy, the only way they can get that is they have to have a timely filing on their personal property. May 15th the deadline, that's got to be turned in in a 103RA. That's signaling us we are ready to start that abatement. So that's some things that we're we're going to do. What is one of the options for if they miss they're deadline? Can they come back the next day?

They Well, they can actually The thing is is if they missed the deadline and say they called, "Hey, we had something going on. We missed the deadline." They can call you guys and say, "I'd like to apply for a waiver of non-compliance." Waiver of non-compliance is totally up to you. I have nothing to do with it. I've advised people contact Kendall County, you know, different places. This is what you need to ask for. You're asking for the taxing district, you uh to say, "Okay, we understand the circumstances. is we'll go ahead and grant that you have x amount of days to get everything turned in and they must have everything turned in. Uh and now you're giving them an extension really is what you're doing. Uh but when they turn in the erra, everything's good. That's just telling me, yeah, that personal property is up and running and we're going to run with it. Now, for you guys, we don't have a whole lot of industry, but we we do have some. So, we just want to keep an eye on that federal federal tax line. How long is that good for? Um, now there's a couple different type of real property abatements. A vacant building deduction. That's it's got to be a commercial property and it's got to be rolled into a commercial endeavor. Uh, they can go up to 10 years. I think that's what we did with Silven Sellers. It's how we were able to grant that um because it was denied prior. I think we were able to get it through with Tony Garrison's help as a VBD, vacant building deduction. Um, most pe most towns I've seen typically give about a three-year uh life on those and they're good because the way real estate's been going, that's probably your best thing. There's no floor on it. As it is, as the assessments go up, there's the value. Um, and then the real property abatements as well. they still have to file with you guys, you know, for a CF1, but for the way they signal the assessor's office or I'm sorry, real property agreements, sorry, the auditor. Um, it's odd, but it is. Uh, the way

they do that is they it's a form called a 322 that's just telling us, hey, yeah, we're done. We're ready. We're ready to go. Um, but my big thing is is watch uh the the amount of life that's on personal property because you you will stick it to yourself if you don't. Um, real property doesn't have that. And right here, here's a list of facilities that can be granted um or can't be granted, I'm sorry, uh, abatements. land can never be abaded. There's a lot of stuff uh that SP1 has jumped its hands into. I think we're just now seeing it. Um the state tried to amend the personal or the local income tax up to 3.5% which they they got denied. Um I try to send you guys I I know I send Heidi and Lee legislation updates. I mean I can give me your email. I'll send that stuff to you. We get them constantly. Uh, a lot of times I'm getting a hold of Ben Smalls. Dave, hey, this is the stupidest thing ever. Dave was just in my office Monday and I had had about an hour and a half meeting with him. Uh, tried to get Dave to see my point about a higher 65 and o over deduction. I actually I actually did I put a bill together. It went nowhere. But it took me taking Dave Abson tax bill and uh I took his tax bill. I said, "We need to for when you turn 65, we need to do something more than what we're doing." I said, "We should give a $100,000 deduction 65 and o over." And he wanted to know why. I said, "Okay, your tax bill," and this was a couple years ago, your tax bill was $3,800. I said, "If I take that $100,000 deduction, run it through, your tax bill

drops to $1,200." I said, "You're still paying tax, but a greatly reduced rate." And I said, and I said, "A lot of people said, Dave, your house is over a half million. That's why, but a lot of people wouldn't pay property tax." And I said, I personally feel, and I'm going to say this until they vote me out or I retire, that when you turn 65, you pay tax your whole life on everything. And the state just keeps asking for more. I think it's time we do something. Uh I'm not acting like Micah Beck with who says we need to get rid of it because they're just going to replace it with something. Look at what they've already done. They're taking they're now going to be taking more than what you're going to get. Uh now I want to jump back to that real quick and I'll say I'm done. Um I spoke with a guy named Brian Kusamano. He's CFO of Nexus Group. He's also a a tax attorney. Brian told me that when they proposed the lit increase it one it's going to encompass everybody people who don't pay tax I mean or property tax renters u like when my kids lived at home both of them were working I was paying the property tax my wife and I were but he said in theory now he talked to a couple economists uh in theory there's more tax revenue coming in because there's more people paying into it from their income tax. He said it should lower tax rates because we cannot have this excess. It would be there and the rates that we they would have to charge for your home should start dropping because of that. And I brought that up to Dave Abbott on Monday and he said, "Yeah, the the goal from Jeff Thompson who of Ways and Means said it's to make it more of a ratebased system instead of like assessed dollars." He said, "If the rates start dropping, people start seeing more of a relief because you're paying it weekly on your income tax."

So, as we get more legislation, I'll be more than happy to send it to you. So, that's all I got. Yes. Um, do you know anything about the committee that they're going to form for the elect tax that Doug Hart really want to see happen? Um, I know they tried to put a committee together for the whole tax system that got voted down. Well, they want each individual county make to develop one their own little group out of the entities that it affects.

They have yet to ask me. So, um, I get along with the council members other than they sometimes don't like what comes out of my mouth because I'll tell them the truth on live stream. So, it is what it is. Um, but like police and fire, they're they're going to be ones that'll probably have to start scrimping because schools and everything, we're going to have to rely on the county to give them money. Uh, I do know they got a carve out right now for fire and police to make sure they're being funded, but to what extreme? uh the days of the schools thinking, "Hey, we're gonna have uh this uh big stadium style uh football, you know, screen and the artificial turfs are over." Uh they're squeezing it in now before this fully takes effect because referendums on big bills like that or big projects can only happen on general elections. Uh and then there's a cool off period if they do not pass. So they can't a place can't just turn around and throw it right back on. Is that going to work like the bottom issues in Michigan?

I don't know. I don't I don't know how those are. Um right now, I mean, I personally think they were in such a hurry to try to do something that they didn't think everything through. I I really do. Um and when I was talking to Ben Smalls, I asked, "Why don't we raise sales tax?" I said, you know, if we're going to like give relief, let's give relief. Let's raise sales tax. I'll control my spending. I'll control where I want to go spend. and he goes, "Well," he goes, "thought is, uh, if we do that, we might have too many people fleeing the state uh, to try to buy things, not purchasing here."

But they did, he did talk about the the sin tax, alcohol, tobacco, which if anybody smokes, they probably don't want to. My gosh, it's it's unreal. But, you know, they did talk about hitting that, you know, raising that. But, you know, I honestly when when I talk to like other assessors and uh like legislators, it's almost like they're going to probably end up creating a new tax. I fully believe that. I don't I don't think it'll go through as they won't just give us, hey, here's free money. Yeah, we have a surplus. They won't they're not going to do that.

It'll be a delivery fee. Uh it'll be it'll be something that they talked about a sales and service uh you know like when people like an attorney when you get paid okay we're going to tax you on that but then I've had some other people say well that's almost double taxation if I'm getting tax for a service I provide then I have to turn around and pay income tax on it. It's almost a double taxation. So there's a lot of stuff going on down there that I think they don't know what the hell they're talking about half the time. So, I I don't think it's going to be implemented in the time frame where they were talking about previously.

I I don't either. I mean, I think I'll probably uh be like bones uh before they even get anything totally taken care of. I mean, it's it's nuts. But half the bills I see, I look at them and it's like, what the hell are you guys even talking about? And they have one that came through that they wanted to do a bunch of things. And so we got with um AIC and they sent a representative over to talk to that state senator and they said, "You know that bill you're trying to push through? It's already you guys passed that last year." Oh, I guess I didn't realize that. And it's like, and you're proposing a bill. Come on. I get I get kind of worked up at how stupid they are sometimes. So,

what do they do about what what would they do if they passed the marijuana stuff? We'd have a lot of 420 friendly people. No. Um, no. I mean, and the reason I asked because you know, I work in Michigan. Yeah. And you and I'm just across the state line. You look at all the cannabis shops, there's 90% of them are Indiana people.

Oh, you know, all over the place. That is one thing I I think my son's a cop and a good one here's been here forever. Uh Ryan said he thought that they would pass medical way before they did recreational. Uh it's more controlled, but who knows? I mean, I thought we were supposed to have a good time when they sold the tow road, but I don't know about you guys jack crap coming from that. So, yeah. Well, they always find ways to spend it. All right. That's what I'm saying. you know. So, right now, you guys here, you think your property uh assessment's too high, come see me. Okay. Thanks, Ben.

Follow up on ordinance violation

for abandoned vehicles. I have letters out to 285 Spring Beach, 402 Grant Street, 102 Weston, 252 Weston, 175 Jefferson, 472 Spring Beach, for 530 Spring Beach, and 355 Bernice Avenue. Um, nuisance violations. I have letters out to the pole barn on Jackson Street. They live in Walkerville or have a Walkerville address. Um 452 Jackson Street, 252 Weston Street, 295 Weston Street, 155 Martin Street, 114 Park Drive, and 355 Bise Avenue. and we abatements letters to 351 Jackson, 452 Jackson Street, 555 Jefferson Street,

249 Front Street, 155 Market Street, 198 Street, 14 Park Drive, 414 Lions Drive, 910 Lions Drive, 935 Lions Drive, 285 Spring Beach, 4556 Spring Beach, 1315 Northshore, 1440 Northshore, 1450 Northshore, 740 Lakeside Drive, 750 Lakeside Drive, and 355 Bernice Avenue. Did you mention um the video connection? I did not. Um you want to go ahead?

Yeah. So, well, Lee had been in contact with the owner from the video connection. Um they have been this last week um couple days actively working and I think they're down. Yeah, that's all they're doing. Yeah, that's okay. It looks good today when I paint tops some trees and did some work on the back side of the back side of the store on the lakeside um and cut the trees down or the brush growing up in front of the around the uh the sign there. So, um that was posted early May. Yeah,

maybe April week and a half, two weeks ago. I don't remember. I I'm having an issue with the Devastrada property. We've uh it's been an ongoing ongoing thing. It is time for the two cars she had, those are gone or all three vehicles are gone. Um so the red Chevy Equinox, I think it was maybe. Um

yeah. that's that's gone. Um her minivan's gone, the white pickup trucks in the garage. Um and then I don't know which one of her family members brought in a silver dot charger. So, um that just happened here within the last week and a half, I believe. Um, so there's a letter for the Dodge Charger. Yeah. So,

yeah. Um, is there any way that we can, um, I don't know, a more forceful letter saying that your property has been a continuous issue for a number of years and we've had enough. Yeah, let's start. I guess I've already I already gave her till the 19th to address the issue. So So after the 19th, what happens? Then I can find her. Okay. So because I think we keep on pushing this off and they not think it's okay that we're not going to do anything. We have to show we're serious.

Yeah. And and it's not just um her property. it it's just not physical property, you know, it's noise ordinance and other issues that are happening on this property also that you know that needs to get a handle on. Summer's coming. Summer's coming. I haven't had any noise complaints or things of that nature. Well, they were working on cars at 1 2 3 4:00 in the morning. Bang in um head lamp shining on their houses.

I have I have a grandson lives two houses down that has to get up at 4 in the morning. It's a little rough on him when he's getting woke up at 2. All I can say is call and

yeah. Well, by the time he calls and so on so forth, he don't want to do that. He just wants to be in bed. He's got to go to work. Well, I'm saying if he's getting woke up at 2:00, if if he calls, we've got somebody on duty till 4 and they can make a quick trip there to address the issue and deal with it. But nobody's complained about that till you just said something tonight. So, you know, it's like a barking dog complaint. Okay. I can't just go deal with somebody's barking dog if it's not barking. So, generally if if the dog's barking

Yeah. and we can sit there and say, "Yes, it has been outside. It has been barking for an extensive period of time because we've been there and we've listened and we've watched. Now, we can address the issue." But to call me and say the dog barks all night long when you're calling me the next day if I see I see your point, Paul. I really do. But I'm just saying that um the when your guys are doing their rounds,

maybe he could take an an extra lengthy time of sitting around down there and see if what kind of noise level he's coming up with maybe kind of a deal. Because you know when guys are working guys, they don't want to get up and be calling people in the middle of the night. They just want to go to sleep, right? Are you guys getting any complaint letters from anybody? Nine times out of 10, my grandson's got another kid in that in the bed with him. He gets up, the baby's up, you know. Yeah. I've only I've gotten one um from the Baldridges about their neighbor's barking dog. So,

oh, I'm sorry. I was talking about Well, 102 Weston. No, because I know I have. So, that's why I'm reaching out to No. Okay. And I apologize. I will forward my

Okay. Insurance.

All right. So me and Paul met with a medical trust um a couple weeks ago and um they gave us an estimate um which would we could offer uh the employees two insurance plans instead of just the the PO plan that we have currently which for some families is expensive and if we would change to this we could offer a PO plan and a high deductible plan. So that they would be they would pay more out of pocket, but with the high deductible plan, they would have an HSA plan that they could contribute money to to help cover any medical expenses instead of it just all coming out of their paycheck and not being able to use. Um, so that would be beneficial for some people in the PO plan would probably be beneficial for others. Um, as it stands currently, we would either stay at what our current rate is or will be lower depending because the high deductible p plan is a lower cost. It just depends on how many employees pick which one. And then it would include our health insurance, our vision, dental, short-term, long-term disability, and it would all be through one company instead of two different companies. Um I did reach out to Leah Parks and Topeka um because they have had it for some time now. Um she says that they've been very happy. They've not had any issues. Um if they've had any questions or anything come up is very easy to work with. Um that we would be changing from PHP United Healthcare. Um they said that they've not had any issues with any doctors or claims or services that anybody has needed

issues with previous no illness. Well, not with them, but they've been on it for some time. They haven't had any. Um and then I also talked to Barb Hawk's name last name.

Yeah. Um, and they've also been on it for an extended period of time and they've they've had no complaints, no issues either. Um, I asked them if they've seen any huge influx in their cost because it it can go vary by the state of some people have high medical costs and then other people have low medical costs. They said they haven't had hardly any major shift. Maybe a couple percent at the most, but it's um and like there's a spreadsheet for example that you said the other one was 14 this time. Yes. Yeah. If we stay with our current plan, it's going to go up 14. Yeah. With

Yeah. with PhD and so and with Ames increases in 25 and 26 they didn't have any increase 24 that they had a 4.1% increase and in 23 a 5.5 um but it's been relatively around that three 3% average in the past years instead of and I think last year our rate went up 11.4% 4% staying with PHP. You had time to talk to your wife about any deter. He he hasn't even been We haven't talked to him about it. We just talked about it. Oh, okay.

Us three, but we haven't talked to your guys either. I mean, I mentioned it to Daniel a little. Yeah. both of them to kind of look at what kind of medical bills they had in the last year to see how this would compare compare and I got nothing back from him. So apparently it's not an issue for them. I don't know. When I talked to Daniel about it, he was interested in the one that had the HSA. Yeah, he was. Yeah. Yeah. It is.

But does this have like a tele medicine where employees can actually call because I believe they can solve like 70% that I don't I don't remember much. I don't remember him because a lot of times people it's not necessary. No offers that television. Yeah. Through my chart. They do have virtual visits. This actually are No, you and they do have another one at tell or something like ask. I don't remember them talking about it, but it wasn't a question we asked. Yeah, something there. There are virtual visits.

Um virtual visits. It works very well because then the employee doesn't have to go to the doctor's office, right? They don't have a co-ay. A lot of times they can do it after hours and it's been a big benefit for us. So, yep. There's actually no cost towards the plan which obviously keeps premiums down too.

Yeah, there's no cost or anything on those. It's like those virtual visits. The other part that they talked about with this is we would have I don't know if I just said that or not, but we would have an option between the two two choices with a two different plans that you could select from. So you could select the one with the HSA or you could select the other option. Um, and if we went with the HSA, if the more employees that went on the side with the HSA would actually bring our cost down. That'd be great.

So, um, that was one of the pluses. The other plus is we're locked in for three years. So, insurance rates continue to climb over the next three years. We're locked in. We're not going to see that increase that increase of 10 11 12 whatever percent. Yes. And then they and I think in Yeah. Lutheran's in it opens up more than what PHP has.

Yeah. They said too that with the savings that the town is getting, the council could decide to incentivize the people to go to the HSA account by saying, "We'll take some of that money that we're saving and put so much in your account for you." Yeah. If you take the HSA portion of it, so $1,000 or $2,000 an employee. Yeah. To get them started. Uh, the HSA was a great It really was. Yeah. I I had one for about 15 years. It was Yes.

Did you mention that that because I was writing something down that once they got a certain amount built up in there, if they wanted to invest it, they could. Oh, that we have an I go for a motion to be accepted. No, I can't. I make a motion. I thought you made a motion. I said I need a motion.

I'll make a motion. All in favor? Okay. just used to we all know who's doing what Monday. Give us a little while. Those trench pages. Yeah. Trench box purchase. Okay. So, we I had David go back through and and check with rental companies, which I emailed those to you, but I don't know if you had time to look at them. Y

before you came to the meeting. Um, the only company that rents them is out of Indianapolis and they have a $1,500 delivery and a $1,500 pickup fee. So, it was going to be $4,000 per weekly rental. Yeah.

The other option we looked at was Facebook Marketplace, see if there was any that were out there that we could purchase. Well, most of them are well everyone that I saw were the big large ones that are, you know, 8 foot by 4 foot and you have to have a huge piece of equipment to move it. And the other issue that we have is that we don't our areas that they have to get into are too narrow or we just don't have access to them with big equipment. So nine times out of 10 they're hand carrying everything and they're hand digging things or maybe we might have an mini excavator be able to get in there because we have places in the narrows that you can't get equipment in there at all because it's either on a hill or it's between the two houses and it's too narrow. People built into our easements. Um so this hand carried panel type trench box is probably our best option. And it's at 77

$7,52.50 and we can split it between the two departments because they'll use it for obviously for the sewer which it if we have to do grinder station work probably more than street but they also will use it for street stuff when they have to get in there and dig a new drain or I don't know what else got any other options there hole. Mhm. If somebody does reach out to us, could we rent that to them or like a book? Will they reach out to us to want to use this? We don't usually have any other towns that that's just my experience.

Yeah. No, we don't usually do that between town to town. I mean, unless it's We have occasionally asked like Lraange for their big vacuum machine, but that was when we're under an emergency. I think it was out there Oak Shores when we had that problem, wasn't it? But normally TS don't they don't do that. I don't want

Y second. Make a motion. approval background. Oh, yeah.

Molly, we're so happy to see you again. I apologize for being late from the meeting. Sorry to say.

Well, I didn't figure you wanted to come and listen to Ben, so I didn't even tell you. And I knew Ben would take a half an hour. Um, so I emailed Lee the proposal and the task order and I think she worked out that I got red but pretty selfexplanatory. You got any questions? We're all approved. So then you'll need a motion to approve it. Is there a signature page on this? I have a copy of the password.

Okay, that'd be good. You got it tabbed out. Yeah, you want to bring it up. Come on. Do we have to decide between we want the instation window? Next question. I think they got a done on the the two different ones for the main left.

I'm going to spec those out. We'll see which ones is with the guaranteed savings contract approach. We are going to design up to 30% design. So very bare bones basic design for both options of the lift station. will get a contractor on board and they will be able to price out both options so that the town can make an informed decision. Okay. As far as cost goes down.

Yep. Yep. That's it. All right. Thank you.

Vincy Hammond Oprah Grand.

Yeah. Um, good evening. I'm Lindsay Hammond. I'm with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. I am your Northeast community liaison and I thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight um and address you. Um so, okra, we work with Indiana communities to build relevant economically thriving places where people want to live, work, and grow. Um we have we provide uh our mission is to provide technical assistance and resources to aid communities in achieving shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. Um we have so we manage the state's um community development block grant program. Um, so we have federal funds that um come down from HUD and pass through the state or come to the state and our job is to get those funds out into our small rural communities across Indiana. Um, so these federal funds aim to support non-entitlement to cities, towns, and counties, so less than 50,000 residents um to assist them with various initiatives. And we have um construction and planning grants. So we have on the construction side 80% 70 to 80% of what we do is water projects. So waste water, drinking water, storm water. Um but we also do public facilities, light clearance, main street revitalization. On the planning side, we have master utility studies. We have comprehensive plans, feasibility studies, downtown revitalization plans, and economic development plans. Um we do have requirements um because our money does come from HUD. Um the main national objective that we work with is benefit to low to moderate income persons. So 51% or more of the community being served or the project area. Um those individuals must be 51% or more low to moderate income. Um, we also manage the Main Street program, Indiana main

streeting program for Main Street America. And so we have a four-point approach that communities can follow. And this is to focus on transforming your downtown area um via or your community via downtown revitalization um focused on economic vitality, design features in the downtown promotion. So, bringing the community together through events and um increasing foot traffic to your businesses. Um attracting businesses um and people to your downtown to grow your tax base. There's if they're usually as a standalone individual uh organization, a 501c3, they work hand inand with a local unit of government to be able to do that. Um, there's so much more I could tell you, but I will just u answer any questions that you might have.

And what is your grant process?

Um, you have to work with an ochre certified grant administrator because they're the only ones that have access to our EGMS system. A lot of our grant is based on uh community need. sort of focused on community need for the project, but we're also focused heavily on community engagement um throughout the process because we are here to serve your current residents in your within your community. Um, and so the process would be we like to see three to six months worth of uh project development and then you'll come in and we just have it's a very competitive process. Um, but we have a narrative portion that they they complete based on project description, project need and then we have a a financial impact section. Um, and we look at the on a construction. It all depends on whether it's planning or construction. Uh the construction obviously is a longer time period for us. We have two rounds of construction each year. Um the round one is in spring and round two in the fall and that's a two-phase process. So it's a proposal and we provide technical assistance before the application phase. Planning and O we have three cycles a year and that's a one month um application process because there's not as much involved. Um but if you come come in for a construction project, we're going to look for a scope of work um a budget that ties to that. that we're going to look for the community that the community was engaged in planning that project and a preliminary engineering report. We're going to look for that. Um we're going to see that you we're going to have you demonstrate to us that you explored different financial options before coming to us. Um but you would reach out to a grant administrator and they would guide you through that process. But I would be your main point of contact for the state. So if you have any questions I this is parts here. If you have any questions about um eligibility on for any of our programs, the programs themselves, you can reach out to me.

And what about the funding caps you have on different projects? So, our MAX grant um on construction is typically 700 or 750,000. Um on public facilities, it's 750. On water projects, it's either 700,000 or 750,000. And that's based on the total project cost, whether it's um above a million or below a million dollars. And then it's based on your combined water rates as well. And then we'll look at your eligibility based on your low to moderate the low to moderate income percentage of your um population or like I said on water projects, we're looking specifically at project service area, project area.

And do you have a lean that works with the person who's writing the program? from our from Ochre's perspective. I would be your liaison with that, but then the community would contract with and work with a grant administrator. Um, a lot of them don't charge up front to write the application itself. Um, but the grant administration, you can take up to eight 8% of your grant proceeds and use that towards paying for the grant administration throughout the construction process or planning process. But you kind you you would we have a list on our website and you would look for somebody we say it's recommended that you find somebody who's familiar with your area uh because that is just helpful. Um you don't want somebody across the state. So there's a list on our on our website. You can also a lot of communities work through their RPOS as well.

Okay. Yeah. A lot of the RPOS's will have grant administrators on staff. What do you have up here? Is it or are you in region 3A? Region 3A. Region 3A. So, region 3A has certified administrators on staff. Question. Have a question.

Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. And don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always available. Thank you. Thank you so much. Actually, I just we just had a meeting last week. We had a meeting. So, here's what repair.

Um yeah, the waterhed has two wells in it. We did well number two in 2024 and well number one needed to be updated. So I went ahead and had them go ahead and do that. If you want to approve and that that money comes out of um not redevelopment but from the watershed fund. We have a separate fund for that. So it doesn't come out of the town's funds, but I need it to run through. We need a meeting to approve it.

What's it for again? For the waterershed. So the wershed is the it's for fire protection for the industrial part. It's the building that's there's two buildings at the very back of Kelly Park. That's what they're for. So they they they operate the fire hydrants that are there's one in in Kelly and then we have them around in the industrial park over there and we're in the process of upgrading those too. But how big of a well are they? Oh, it's Scott. How big do you think those two walls are out at the waterhed? They pump a lot of water. They're enormous.

Make sure Right. Because Perilous is the company that comes in and takes care of all that. It might say something on on the second page there. Cheryl, I assume they can be come out with a huge crown. They come out like a small truck because the reservoir is underground. No, doesn't say anything about that. Just what they were going to do to fix it, I think, or clean it. We have a purchase order for $18,500. Make a motion to approve it.

All in favor? No. And we need you guys to back up to the contract they did for Commonwealth. We don't believe there was an actual motion done on that. Okay. At least we we don't remember it. So, if you just do it again, if you've already done it, do it again. Sorry. So, we've got it covered. All right. Second.

All in favor? in a letter of understanding unofficial detour. Oh yeah, this is a little late in the process, don't you think? But um so it's the unofficial detour is the same detour that county had put out when State Road 9 was closed. Yeah. They want paperwork done on it, but they will they will be closing nine again probably

off and on because they're not done. So they stopped at 900. They're going to start again at 900 and go all the way up to the Tire Star Road in Wokville. Okay. So that will start sometime in did it change after the last meeting? Mid July. Mid July. So best best possible time to start road work in Rome city is well they couldn't do it before July 4th. So I guess that would be the worst part but after July 4th is just as bad in the month of July. I need approval of letter of understanding. I make a motion to approve it. All

in favor? I approve. for minimum real estate tax abatement approval.

Yes. So that we got them this afternoon and for precision for the personal property and for momentum for the real estate property. So got them here. You would like to approve those. They go until 2028. We need a motion for these were already approved, don't they? They those haven't been approved because we haven't gotten them. I need a motion for how much real estate taxment

we're doing upward. It it started in 23. It was a fiveyear abatement that we agreed to. So they have Yeah. try to do this. They did quite a um upgrade at their plan with um because it's all CNC machinery in there. They put in a bunch of new

CNC's and they had machines and they had to redo all the concrete because obviously they're much heavier than what was being manufactured industries and it did bring in more jobs. All in favor? They're on I think three shifts now. Momentum position. Yeah, I think they got some bailing now. Yeah,

it's only a signature line for two board members. Do another line, right? Just I just or is it just Cheryl? Just I think it's just you and then I attest it. Okay. precision medical personal property placement approval voice annual renewal.

Yep. It it's in the same ballpark range. I forgot to look at what we paid for it last year. It's just for our software system for keep our billing and accounting and payroll for the nuts. Need approval for voice systems. Make a motion to approve.

All in favor? Yes. Um Brian Alberine, he lives on Spring Beach and there is an old Cheryl called a fire alley, but I I don't know. Could be a fire alley. An alley. It's it's a I think it's

10 foot 10 foot wide and it runs. So Spring Beach when you come on to Spring Beach and you turn um there if you know where Max Miller lives, Max has lived there forever and that house on the back side that Paul's always writing nice letters to. Um it's in that area. So there's an alley for some reason that was between It's hard to explain. So, here's the road. Here's one lot. And then here is the lake lot. So, the alley is between these two, the back lot and the lake lot with the road being back here. So, I'm inclined to think it was an alley for fire purposes because it's not where the actual road is. And the property to the east, which is where Tony Lelay lives, has already been vacated across his property. So, it doesn't go anywhere to the east and it ends at um I don't know who bought that property.

It ends in the next property, does it? So, it doesn't go all the way through currently. So that is my real. Okay. So this is this is the lay property. Okay. This is Brian's property right here. If we go to another screen, I think we if we would have went to the surveyor section, it would still show that. So it's right here. Right here. And the roads back here. Okay. So he's asking to have that vacated. so that he can build a garage there because if you're familiar with that part of the land with an ambulance,

there's a big hill there. And so he wants to build a garage which would be two story from the front but single story coming in off the road so that he can so he doesn't have to walk down that hill to get to his house. So like in the winter time he'll just go down through the steps and then come right out at the level of his house, his back door. And is the zoning board good? Yes, it comes to you with a favorable recommendation from the plan commission. Okay. Because it's I mean we're not using it. Portion of it already been vacated and it doesn't go anywhere the opposite direction. So to give permission to vacate the alley.

Make a motion. Make a motion. I second it. All in favor. All right. And that ordinance number is 20261. I personally thought we had vacated all of that several years ago because we did do one of those further down on Spring Beach um probably 15 years ago and we did one over on Lion's Drive that was the same way. I think

the one for the neighbors cross and Normans that that's been vacated for them. Yes, some of them around have been vacated in town, but I meant like on the lake where they had those additional lanes and then the roads were put in a different location. Strange address for Dollar General. Yes, the plan commission um approved their new address to be 650 Kelly Street in Rome City. I just need your approval on it. Make a motion to approve the address. All

in favor? right through.

I'm I'm going to take a minute and address everybody that's in here. Um I got a lot of phone calls because people were upset about a Dollar General coming to Rome City and they thought this board had something to do with that. No, we did not. It was commercial property. They brought the bought the property. They can put their own business on that property. We had nothing to do with it. P commission zoning board. Nobody had anything to do with that. That was back. Dollar General wants to meet within 15 minutes. Everybody abandoned vehicles. Chapter 90 revision. Yeah. So, currently our abandoned vehicle uh ordinance addresses by definition uh any motor vehicle designed for use on public streets and highways and required to be licensed for use by the Indian motor vehicles whether or not on a particular vehicle is actually so used or so licensed. I would like to include in this ordinance um watercraft to include boats pontoons and PWC's. Um and that will address in the definition. It is unlawful for any person to keep, park or store any wreck, junk or abandoned vehicle to include watercraft or park thereof on any public or private property within the town when the vehicle or park thereof is not kept in a garage structure or other enclosure. not visible from the street or neighbors property regardless of business zone so as not to be exposed to public view

access. Um so there's several pontoons and uh personal watercraft that have not been licensed registered for years and they're not on trailers and they're not on trailers. Um so by changing our ordinance we I can tag those vehicles. we can deal with. Sounds great. I think it's something that's really been needed. Didn't know how to go about it. So I don't if that's something you want to type up, Bill. I can look at it and see if I can handle it.

Otherwise, I'll call you Dustin. What about like TVs and stuff like that? Um, no, that'd be a great inclusion as well. Thinking while we're doing stuff. What about um trailers have to be plated in license? They do. Um, trailers would be another good inclusion. Yeah, campers. Campers would be considered a vehicle.

Yeah, if you're talking RVs or motor homes. Yeah. Yeah. So, that would fall under the vehicle portion, but um yeah, the golf carts, the trailers, watercraft. So I think those would be all good inclusions with that old border rec

as long as they're plated. As long as they Yeah. See, a lot of people don't a lot of people don't even plate their trailer. There's not like they only use it twice a year and they're just take they're just gambling that they're not going to get caught. So if if it's sitting around and we get a complaint on it and there's no tag on it then he can tag it and get get ticketed. Um under the penalties um

penalty. Any person otherwise keeping, storing, or parking a wreck, jump or abandoned vehicle in violation of any provision of this chapter shall upon conviction be fined in the sum not less than $25 nor more than $300. And uh each day that the violation shall continue shall be a separate offense. So, so it's left up to the officer's discretion as to what they want to charge.

Manager report. What? No, because it we'll have to bring it back in ordinance form.

I had eight meetings for the month. Um 12 building permits. We had one remodel on Martin Street, which was a house that we had put a stop orderer on and they complied. They let the inspector get in there to see what they had done. Two electrical permits, one lead to two pole barns, two car port, I can't talk. two car ports, one shed, one addition to a pole barn. Um, silven silven plazas um came in and got their permit and you can see they're underway. Uh, and one gazebo. We had three variances for the month. Um, one was for Mr. Albertine's garage, the other one was on Cane Basin Landing for a pull bar and height and size. And then one was on Bayiew dry for um pullbar size. Those were all approved. Uh I for the month of May I typed the legal notices, finding effects, interested party notices and agendas for the May meeting. We have two variances. One is a house edition and they need a streetyard and a sideyard setback. And then one is a shed and they need a sideyard and a streetyard setback. And then we still have the ongoing saga of um Weisenberger. I don't know if Dustin has an update on that.

Um no, no tenative dates on that. Would finalize. Did you have that status meeting on the 27th? Okay. Once it's completed, then I'll set the brief 15 days to respond to their brief and then they get another brief. So maybe by December maybe. Okay.

Okay. uh plane commission. We had the Alberine vacation and um the Dollar General was that one lot subdivision typed the legal notice and finding facts interested party notices for um this coming May land commission meeting. Dearrun Point, which is a major subdivision over off Hilltop. It's actually going to be I think it's a five lot subdivision, but four of those lots are garage or accessory lots only. So, they're on up. So, Lakeside be on the opposite side. They'll be on the opposite side.

And then we'll also get back our road rideway that somehow we lost at some point along the way. So, that'll solve that problem. Right. And then

um Larry Young is coming back in front of the board for a sketch plan. He wants to replat lot 1A in the Promised Land subdivision. And he's looking at loting off along corner of East Gate and 850. And they'll run this way. will face onto Eastgate. There'll be three lots for single family development.

So he he has a large lot there and he was talking about splitting it off for a pole barn and I said, "Well, have you considered we need housing. Um, have you considered splitting it into two or three lots for houses?" you know, people are looking for places to live. So, he took what took it and ran with it. So, we'll see what the plan commission has to say about it. Um, Thursday night, conservancy district um just working on the district plan and updating their their books, their emergency action plan books. Park board, we have our concert series and then our July 4th food trucks. And all the parks are now open for the season. They're currently working on the painting to the tennis court, pickleball courts. That's this week hopefully with the good weather. Um they'll have that completed so those will be ready by the weekend hopefully to play. And then Gaff Park, if you've driven by there recently, we had the company come in, actually Ark paid for it and put the concrete walkways in around the musical bells. And then we had a section put off for a gazebo and then the bike repair station and a bike rack. So those are all put up now and the guys went in and filled in around it. got it leveled out and seated and they planted three trees. So, it looks really nice down there. Um, Noble Trails, they're still working on their section to a villa and they had their 5K. I think they had about 130 35 people, so that was good turnout. Um, the chamber, we did our roadside cleanup on May 2nd. We didn't have as many

people, but we still got 40 bags of garbage. So, There's always garbage out there to be picked up. Well, this is the total this year for Sycamore Park. We didn't get We didn't get there. So, all we did was Canal and 850 going towards 9ine and then Vineyard Christian always does nine, but they couldn't do all of nine. Yeah. Because it was closed. So, they went from town to 900 and then they went down um Kelly Street Extended and cleaned that up. So, yeah. Okay. We had 10 bags come out of Sycamore Park. Yeah.

And the Buffalo was gone and it's back again. He's all repainted and we had the American 250 um logo put on it this year. um Eberhard and I forget what your associates name is that I spoke to is working on the last um contract that we need signed in the industrial park and I'm still I'm working on getting her more information.

That's it, Reagan. So hopefully by next year or next month we'll have that signed. Lumber lost landing. We're still working on the annexation. Video store has been cleaned up. The parcel that was partially in the town jurisdiction and partially in Noble County's jurisdiction that they needed to split off has been completed. Thank God. That was very difficult with the two jurisdictions involved. Paul and I are meeting with INDOT on the pro various projects that are going on around here. We meet every other Thursday with them for updates. And as far as NIPS go in their pole replacement over on Spring Beach, Bay View, and Northshore, I have not heard anything recently back from them because I told them that they needed to work with Mediacom and Century Link. So that all of the wires are switched over to the new pole and the old pole is removed. So if you've noticed around town that we have a half pole and then we have the new pole.

Yes. And that's just strictly with those utilities not working with each other. So I told him, I have a pole sitting next to my house probably. And I told him, I said, "You're not going to start work until you have some kind of an agreement with these other because I'm not having half poles all over the town. Just looks terrible." Um, but we're not going to do that. See if I can get them one by my house. Is it Is it run? No, they put a new poll up and then I have the old poll just sitting.

Oh, well, I don't know that the old poll is ever going to come out if there's still lines on it because then I would we would have to coordinate with Mediacom and they don't answer their phone and I'd have to coordinate with Century Link and they don't answer their phone. So, the chances of getting any of the half poles down,

unless the pole falls down, which that's not even a given because if you drive down 900, there is a pole that just hangs there. So, I have no hope that the half poles will ever go. But this this I do have control over and I'm telling them they got they have to work with each other. So, hopefully it will get done. And then the last thing is um if you've noticed as you're heading up and down up on the trail, the fishing line trail signs been put up. We just have to have the mason come in and put the stone in. So we're getting closer on that project to be done. That's it for me. Water Street had 500,000 65 coming this last uh we started up the u we had 119,871 go out call out. We had one fall off two little pumpkin 38 little stuff we did is a gap part dog and assembled the reo and anchored it down which

did it come from a

I think you had 100 pounds of Then we put up the bike which we had to run to pack the anchor that and then epoxy it in the concrete. Then we mounted the the bike repair rack in the air station mounted down. Then we went to cooling to pick up the three trees that were planted there and put malt ground. U Harbor. We did get over there and actually take some dirt and grade it out and plant some grass on the plat yard. So, but it's repaired now.

See, he put rocks up there as well. He put rocks up there, just FYI. Yeah, he had some he had some uh snow markers about 10 15 foot tall.

So took them apart. Uh we replaced the poles around the perimeter of parking lot. We also replaced the stage sign down there cuz they got hit or something. It was kind of great. They sure had a nick in their bumper guys. But uh this time we pull out like ballers. Um hopefully in the future we probably and then at the old mother Mary third down from 90 to all those brushes out park. We cut down on pine trees right there at the parking lot. uh ran a dump grind to remove the stumps. Then we dug up three of the aries from G Park and trans park. Uh we windized gas and teleport to get water going for uh empty bin six times this month and a main sewer line going out plant that were brought in. Okay, thank you.

Vehicle mileage squad one, 1441 miles. Squad 2 doesn't exist. Uh, squad 3, 649 miles. Squad 4, 863. Hours worked, I worked 171.75. Uh, Dustin 184. Daniel 157, part-time 37.5, and reserve 24 and a quarter. Town ordinance violations. We had the one weed abatement that I posted for the um video store, one golf cart or OV that was driving on there was no RV on State Road 9, and one parking ordinance violation. Officer initiated events 23 business checks. Assisted other departments 10 times. Warrants attempted or served four. Assisted motorists three times extra patrols. One park security checks 74. Community policing events, five traffic violations, four tickets were written, 28 written warnings. VIN checks, uh, 10 VIN checks, one H check, 21 golf cart inspections, and one OV inspection. Complaints, three animal complaints, one juvenile complaint, one drug complaint, two mis miscellaneous complaints, one suspicious vehicle, one suspicious activity, one disabled vehicle. Uh, three family fights or disturbances, three accidents, one medicist, two 911 calls, one driving complaint, two citizen assist, one suicidal or mental health, and one found property.

Case is opened and/or arrests made. Uh resisting law enforcement OWI prior and attempted escape. Driving while suspended. Driving while suspended prior. False informing OI endangerment. OWI controlled substance. Theft disorderly conduct another OWI and delinquent act with uh six juveniles involved. Meetings attended. Uh, police prosecutors meeting April 2nd. Training council meeting April 2nd, town council meeting April 13th, drug free county meeting, justice and prevention April 14th, police prosecutors meeting April 16th. Um, meeting with INDOT for the bridge and state road 9. April 23rd and the AIM Health Insurance meeting on April 23rd. Training attended or conducted uh department training. We did shotgun qualifications. Um, and then April 7th through the 10th, uh, Dustin and Daniel attended patrol officer response to street drugs. April 15th, we did an introduction to breaching and structure clearing for patrol. And April 21st, we did firearms qualification for our backup and offduty carry weapons. special events activities. We did traffic control for mobile trails 5K run and walk and deliver RX meds from the dropbox to uh district 22 for the BA pickup. Um and then we've been working on our body camera. Uh the server crashed for all of our videos for the body cameras.

Yeah. Great. Yeah. Um so I've been working with our company on that and uh and working with Gary who's I don't think he's been successful, but he tried he removed the hard drives and he's trying to recover. He was here most of the day.

Yeah. So, well, he removed them out of the system. Um, back I want to say it was the same day as the Noble Trails 5K. He took took the hard drives out um trying to salvage stuff. So, I don't know. We can still download video files um with the extractor, but all our past videos I can't access right now. So that's an issue. Um so working on that with the uh the company and the range police department used our range on April 30th. Um for incidences um January we had 180, February 145, March 147 and then April was 114 in town. outside of town. In January there was 86, February 104, March 124, and April 76. Sheriff's department in town in January had 12 incences. 10 in February, 14 in March, and 26 in April. outside of town. January they had 67. February they had 60. March they had 78. And April they had 97

traffic sign. Um minimum speed was 5 miles an hour. Maximum speed was 52. Um, average volume per day was 414.3 cars coming into town on Front Street. Total volume for the month was 12,429 vehicles.

And how many pounds of uh medication was it that you were able to collect? You have to ask uh 90. That was 96. 94 97 pounds of prescription contact.

We couldn't stop anymore in there. You had to empty it. It was It was cramp. Good. Good. Claims presented for payment down front $130,621. So we're operating $49,86621. Our bill

in favor. All right. Okay. I didn't sign on that one. The purchase order, Cheryl. Our next town council meeting will be June 8th, 126 at 6:30. Make a motion for adjournment.

Back to our normal time. Yes, Ben will be here. Thank you everyone. Enjoy a warmer weather.

Like it couldn't be any easier. Well, it's like your but pick your phone but you don't have an You don't know. Okay. So we should notice