TOWN OF HUDSON

115 PARSONAGE STREET

HUDSON, IN  46747

(260) 587-9500

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

MARCH 26, 2010

 

CALL TO ORDER:  The Town Council President Brian Hayes called the Town Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

 

ROLL CALL: Brian Hayes ___ Kathy Kope _ X_ Steve Smith   X Atta “Tatsy” Hayes, Clerk-Treasurer X        Ward Odom, Town Manager _X _

 

Attendees:  Bill Ebert, Ed Miller, Gary Kope, Phil Dawson, Jennifer Pence, Mark Phillips, Rachel Lake, and Josh Kope

 

MINUTES:  Kathy Kope moved, seconded by Steve Smith to approve the minutes of the February 26, 2010 meeting.  Motion carried.  K. Kope moved seconded by Steve Smith to approve the March 11, 2010 Public Hearing of the Salem Township Fire Territory formation.  K. Kope moved, seconded by Steve Smith to approve the March 17, 2010 minutes of the Joint Salem Center Fire Territory Fire Territory minutes.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT   All quotes have been received for the turnout gear portion of the current FEMA grant. Sizing and ordering of the gear will begin next week. Only two quotes have been received for a light bar for the command truck.  One was from TOMAR Electronics, Inc.  The light bar quoted is a Scorpion model, similar to the one on the new police car for $1320.00. The second quote was $1345.00.  The thinking now is adding side lighting instead of a light bar for safety at intersections.  The cost would be approximately $500 versus the $1320 for a top light bar.  Kathy Kope motioned, seconded by Steve Smith to pursue this plan.  There was a FEMA AFG workshop on Tuesday, March 23, for information on the next round of grant applications. It was discovered that the current year grant awards are not complete and there is still the possibility of a fast attack truck and/or the new fire station. For the coming round of applications, there is a possibility of a regional communications grant application and a regional grant for Recruitment and Retention of volunteer firefighters. At present they have three radios on different frequencies bands.  The grant for the retention of volunteer firefighters incorporating incentives to award volunteers with a point system, etc. Both front half shafts were replaced on the HMMWV grass rig. Both shafts were in desperate need of replacement. The costs were $175.00 each and were installed by the fire department. The fire department will have a spaghetti dinner on Saturday, April 24, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the fire station.  Following current practice, rather than a set price for the meal, donations will be accepted. Since the last Town Council meeting, there have been 13 incidents:

2- Structure fires (mutual aid)     2-Station stand by             2- Field fires              

2- Vehicle accidents                   1- Fire alarm                    1- Fundraiser event

3 -Medical assist calls

Bill Ebert asked permission to remove the Fir tree on the south side of the fire barn as this would allow for additional parking by the volunteers.  K. Kope motioned, seconded by S. Smith to approve the removal and cleanup.

 

 MARSHAL: During the month of March, (4) warnings, (2) citations, (16) incident reports, (1) other agency incident, and (4) arrests. 

 

UTILITY DEPARTMENT:  There will be 59 residential septic tanks scheduled to be pumped for the year of 2010 along with 2 industrial and 2 business septic tanks that are on annual pump cycle. There will be a change in mosquito spray product that is presently being used to a new product that is called Aqua Anvil. This product (Aqua Anvil) has been proven to be effective against mosquito species that has been shown to exhibit resistance to other products. Ed Miller will be attending a training seminar sponsored by Alliance of Indiana Rural Water on pumps and lift stations in Mulberry Indiana on April 28th. Next week, planning on the installation of the radio read meters will begin.  As much as possible, the meters will be phased in, possibly section by section of the town. Materials have been ordered to repair the overhang on the front of the Town Hall.  Due to the color, the order was special order. The wiring of the downstairs meeting room has been completed and a report sent to the insurance company.

 

CLERK‘S REPORT   The clerk-treasurer attended the IMLCT classes March 8 to 10 at Ball State, Muncie. A bill has been passed in the Indiana legislature providing that counties will mail provisional property tax bills on time. The next Town Council meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 23.

 

 TOWN MANAGER:  Four purchase orders were issued in March (February 22 to March 21) for $1,917.23. Total for year is 19 purchase orders for $14,418.22. In February, there were 2,466 visits for 5,263 pages on the Hudson web site.  Ammonia for February was 52.2/mgl on 802,000 gallons of total waste water flow.  The Steuben County Board of Commissioners has created a Steuben County Port Authority whose purpose is primarily transportation.  Hudson has representation on the Board.  The Town Council needs to appoint a representative. K. Kope motioned, seconded by S. Smith to have Ward Odom serve as Hudson’s representative. IVM Consulting, the company that did the Phase 1 environmental study on the shovel ready site, has approached the Town of Hudson about applying on its behalf for an energy efficiency grant through the Indiana Department of Energy.  There will be no cost to the town.  They will conduct energy audits and manage the grant on improvements to the Community Center and Utility buildings. Requests for quotations on 2010 projected street repair projects have been sent to 10 companies.  We have received two quotes so far at $ 74,140 and $ 54,387.  We are continuing to attempt to get INDOT to work with us on Main Street at SR 4 and Schenkel Drive at State Road 4.  Part of the total project will be funded by TIF funds in the TIF district and the balance by current budget.  Request permission to negotiate and get started with these if price can be kept below bid minimums. Motion made by K. Kope, second by S. Smith, and approved.  There was a public hearing on the fire territory on March 11 and a joint meeting with the Hudson Town Council and the Salem Township Advisory Board on March 17. The Salem Township Advisory Board voted against the fire territory. The closing on the property for the Dollar General (Hudson DG, LLC) was on March 24.  Permits have been issued for the signs and the building which is expected to be completed in August, 2010.  The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has approved the permit for the water and waste water line extensions and the utility easement is being prepared by the Town’s attorney.  “Shovel ready” industrial site: Review of all applications has been postponed by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to a date to be determined.

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

CLAIMS:  Claims were approved and signed.

 

ADJOURNMENT:  Motion made by Kathy Kope, seconded by Steve Smith to adjourn.  Meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Atta “Tatsy” Hayes

Clerk-Treasurer

 

Approved:

 

 

 

Brian Hayes

President, Hudson Town Council

 

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