Town of Wolcott
101 W North St
Town Hall
March 1,20222
6:00
Present: Absent:
Cameron Emond, Council President Michael Johnson, Council Member
Jerry Lietz, Council Vice President
Darwin Miller, Council Member
Rex Pearson, Council Member
Jeff Province: Wastewater/Stormwater
Robert Thomas: Water/Street
Deputy Marshal Jarod Baer: Town Marshal
Lori Bussell: Park Board
Steve Young Sr: Ambulance Director
Kenneth Burns: Volunteer Fire Department
Sandy Miller- RWCDC and Food Pantry
Jenell Hofstetter KIRPC
Jerry Lietz: Area Plan Committee
Michelle Earney: Summer Festival Committee
Marilyn Maxwell: Main St Committee
Jacob Ahler: Town Attorney
Pamela Bennett: Clerk-Treasurer
George Mathew: Resident
Rob Bellucci: CommonWealth
Chad Reynolds: Alliance Rural Water
Sara Miller: Resident
Betty Hoster: Ambulance
Opened with the pledge to the flag.
Approve February 1,2022 minutes. Council Member Darwin Miller made the motion to approve the
February 1,2022 minutes. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Approve February Claims. Council Member Rex Pearson made the motion to approve the February claims.
Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Department Head Reports:
Jeff Province: Wastewater/Stormwater: Wastewater is going well. Jeffery was introduced as the new Superintendent.
Robert Thomas: Water/Street: The pump has been fixed and things are going well. KDM turned in two invoices for work done on School and 4th St. totaling 2860.00. Council Member Darwin Miller made the motion to pay the KDM invoices. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Deputy Marshal Jarod Baer: Things are going well. The town needs a dog kennel for unruly dogs
Lori Bussell: Park Board: 2022 Projects that are being discussed. A gate for the ball diamond, Batting Cage, Camera System and moving all electric to one location.
Steve Young Sr: Ambulance Director: No report
Kenneth Burns: Volunteer Fire Department: NIPSCO had a power surge. There is approx. $2200.00 worth of damage to the Fire Station. The Storm Alert Siren was hit as well. It will still work manually. White County is aware of the system being damaged.
Sandy Miller- RWCDC and Food Pantry: Food Pantry went very well. There were some upgrades made to the Wolcott Clinic. Installed a back-up generator and replaced lights in the office as well as a new water heater.
Jenell Hofstetter KIRPC: No meeting in February.
Jerry Lietz: Area Plan Committee: Next meeting, our downtown and the Solar Farm will be discussed.
Michelle Earney: Summer Festival Committee: Asked for permission for a Beer Garden at the festival. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz made the motion to have a beer garden at the festival. Council Member Darwin Miller second the motion. Motion passed 3-0
Marilyn Maxwell: Main St Committee; Waiting for permits for the old gas station. There will be a Shop Galore on 24 again this year. Cornhole tournament at the Summer Festival and a Holiday Bazaar.
Jacob Ahler: Town Attorney: He will be making an ARPA Ordinance for our plan for the ARPA grant. The ordinance will lay out what plans we have for the grant. Plans are to redo the Floor in the Fire/Ambulance station, fill in the dry well at the old water plant, and do work to the building at the old water plant. We would also like to redo the compost bin. We are also wanting to do, put in a new tile at Shirley Mills so her yard will drain. Put a tile along 4th St. so the yards will drain properly. Council Member Darwin Miller made a motion to have all the projects put in our plan ordinance. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0.
It was talked about a resolution for Direct Standard for trees. This would cut down on all the confusion as to what the town can and cannot do as far as cutting and trimming trees around town. Council Member Darwin Miller asked about how the walnuts at the Wolcott House can be taken care of. Council Member Darwin Miller has taken it upon himself to trim the limbs and cleanup the walnuts every Year. At the advice of Town Attorney Jacob Ahler, Darwin cannot trim the trees. The Wolcott House will have to either hire someone or do the trimming themselves. Resident George Mathew said that the farm supports the Wolcott House and the trees and walnuts should be their responsibility.
Pamela Bennett: Clerk-Treasurer: Clerk-Treasurer institute March 13-17 in Muncie. Council Darwin Miller made the motion to go to the Clerk-Treasurer Institute. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0.
The last month on the copier lease is April 2022 and here are your options.
Buy the present unit for 750.00 and keep the supply service contract-this printer.
Lease a new one but I know that is not allowed for 99.00 a month
Send 90-day cancellation letter and pay the 375.00 to have it picked up.
After a short discussion, Council Member Darwin Miller made the motion to buy the Copier for $750.00 with a service agreement of $592.00. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0.
Rob Bellucci CommonWealth: There is an easement out at the wastewater plant that Construction company needs an easement agreement. Town Attorney Jacob Ahler will get the info from Rob and get the agreement together.
DG Water Main Replacement
Ø Drill Rig Was Delivered week of 2-21-2022
Ø Pipe Scheduled for Delivery 2-28-2022
Ø We will be videoing existing sanitary to confirm location of sewer laterals
Ø New WM installation scheduled to commence 2-28/3-01
Ø Once main is installed and tested; lateral reconnections will commence.
WWTP Improvements
Ø TCI has internal / annual safety training this week and we will coordinate schedules to find alternate date for the March 2022 construction meeting
Ø CEI coordinating with funding agencies and TCI for installation of new REMC electrical service at the WWTP site.
Ø CEI coordinating with funding agencies to obtain approval on new lab equipment purchases; CEI received notification from Utility staff that existing equipment was malfunctioning.
Ø Ongoing coordination with Town’s attorney regarding prescriptive easement over the existing effluent sewer.
Ø Ongoing onsite construction activities; CEI inspection logs and photos uploaded to Procore daily.
Disinfecting has to be done between April 1 and Oct 30. There is a chlorine leak between the 2” small pipe to the large pipe at the water plant. Need to have the barn cleaned out so Bob and Jeff can get equipment in door. The air is not getting to the back flow due to Air Rot on the Piping. The floor needs to be cleaned from where the tanks leaked and flooded the water plant.
Reach Alert: This is an alert system for the town. It will be a dollar per household. They can be notified by text, email and/or phone call. Alliance Rural Water Chad Reynolds talked about a system that they have that us part of our membership dues. This alert system would cost $.10 a household. If the alert is anything related to water, there is not cost. Chad is going to get us more information on this alert system. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz made the motion to table the alert system until the April meeting. Council Member Darwin Miller second the motion. Motion carried 3-0.
Council President Cameron Emond: Tile at Shirley Mills. The tile needs to be fixed so that her yard will drain. The new tile will go between Mills and NIPSCO easement. Emond’s Excavating gave a quote of $2833.61. Council Member Darwin Miller made the motion to fix the tile at the Mills and NIPSCO easement. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Dormant Accounts Ordnance: There are several dormant accounts that need to be closed. All of these funds are at a zero balance. Janel Hofstetter asked if it would be difficult to reestablish these fund accounts if there was a need for them in the future. It is not difficult to reestablish a fund account if needed. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz made the motion to pass the Dormant Ordinance. Council Member Rex Pearson second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Transfer ordinance: Ordinance for $80,000.00 from General Checking to Park Checking. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz made the motion to pass the ordinance. Council Member Darwin Miller second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Chad Reynolds Alliance Rural Water: Chad explained to the Council what was included with our dues. These are some of the benefits. Servline, an insurance to help with leaks in the water pipes for the residence. Fleet pricing for vehicles. Council and Board member training, Energy efficient savings program, and testing for copper and lead.
Replace don’t Erase HB 1002 Ordnance: This bill will stop Business Personal Property Tax. If this bill is to passed it will take over one billion dollars in personal property distributions to the local units of government. White County stands to have decrease of 1,701,626.40 That is a 25.25% lose. The town of Wolcott stands to have a decrease of $113,717.96 at a rate of 17.6%. Council Member Rex Pearson made the motion to pass the Replace don’t Erase Ordnance. Darwin Miller second the motion. Motion carried 3-0
Utility Clerk Breanna Wood: Breanna would like to have access to the surveillance cameras. Deputy Marshal Jacob Baer asked Breanna to get a hold of Apex and get them set up for the computer.
Resident George Mathew: Mr. Mathews lives on Homer Lane. There is a Low place by the fire hydrant. He is wondering if the tile didn’t break. Bob Thomas told Mr. Mathew that he would check it out.
Deput Jarod Baer: Found a new truck for the Marshal’s office. He will get all the specs for the April Meeting.
Council Member Darwin Miller made the motion to adjourn. Council Vice President Jerry Lietz second the motion.
Motion carried 3-0