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Rate increases to proceed as scheduled in Roachdale

Wednesday, December 10, 2008
By MARIBETH WARD, Staff Writer

ROACHDALE -- Town Council members Jack Jones, Bill Long and Barbara Scott answered questions and heard concerns from residents at the start of the monthly town council meeting Tuesday evening.

One resident asked about postponing the second increase for water and sewer rates due to take effect on Feb. 1, 2009.

"There are a lot of single person homes in this area. Some of these people live on a very limited income and are really struggling to pay their bills. I know one woman who lives on $600 a month and has 17 prescriptions. If you could postpone it until spring when usage is down it would give them some time," she said.

Council President Long responded that they couldn't postpone it since everything had been decided and put into motion legally. The rates are increasing 50 percent for sewer bills. The cost was split into two 25 percent increments with the second increase due in February.

Water rates are rising 75 percent and they too are being split into two increments.

In August, the minimum cost to customers per 3,000 gallons for sewage rose to $23.55. The second increment on Feb. 1, 2009 will raise the minimum amount to $28.14.

Water bills increased to a minimum of $14.62 for 2,000 gallons in August, and will jump to $18.54 in February.

There was some good news. Town Clerk Martha Louk reported that gas costs for November, December and January were going down 15 percent from the prior three months. They are down five percent from this time last year.

In other business, the council voted to transfer a police vehicle to Center Point for $1500 to be paid on or before Jan. 30, 2009.

Town Marshal Mike Mahoy recognized Deputy Rick Kiefer who is retiring from the Roachdale Police. Kiefer served four years on the force. Mahoy presented him with a framed collage.

Long suggested the council consider applying a three-level fine system for all town ordinances that do not have fines attached to them. His suggestion was $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second and $100 for a third. The council tabled the suggestion until they could discuss it with Town Attorney Tom Casey.

The board also commended town merchants for the decorations in downtown.

"They did a great job and the town council wants them to know it's appreciated. Several people were involved helping and we appreciate it all," said Long.

The Roachdale Town Council meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the town hall.

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  • If the town of Roachdale would stop wasting money on new decked out police cars they would not need to raise the sewer rates.Last mo.my sewer bill was higher than my gas bill.What will they do with this increase?buy more police equipment,maybe a new aromored police car equiped with machine guns,r.p.g.lancher,or maybe a new drug dog,what happened to the old one we needed so bad.Maybe we should deputize everyone in roachdale and take over bainbridge and ladoga,make them pay for sewer.

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 8:39 AM

  • To Jeromwell1

    Maybe you should come to a council meeting and you would be enlightened on why your sewer and water bills are going up instead of making ignorant accusations. The police car and uniforms come out of a totally different fund and have nothing to do with the utilities. Get a life and know what you are talking about before you show your ignorance to the whole county.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 10:45 AM

  • I have a life you idiot,you must be on the town board,what diffference does it make what funds it comes out of,it is still a waste of money to buy something we dont need,what is wrong with the other police cars we have,not fast enough,not enough equipement on them,this is Roachdale IN.not chicago,Get a life yourself and stop blowing OUR money.

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 12:52 PM

  • This is so funny....

    -- Posted by Z_2382 on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 1:43 PM

  • sounds like he's jealous. sure he would take a new work car if one was offered to him. and how are you going to put a price on the assurance that the police car will make it to you if you are being robbed, are choking, or there is a fire. police in indy get new cars about every 3 years buddy, it's normal.

    -- Posted by iloveblacks on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 5:36 PM

  • No, Jerome i am not on the Town Board, good try though. Not only do you need to attend meetings so you are more informed on how the money is spent or what it is used for, you need to take spelling lessons. Plus, you need to quit watching all those movies with all the neat stuff they put on police cars that are really far out!! I am not an idiot, i am a realist and you really need to get out more and see what is really going on. Maybe you can pry yourself away from your computer and go to a meeting and then, maybe then you can write something intelligent and redeem yourself. Good Luck.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 5:46 PM

  • Sorry jcromwell1,,,magoo is right, strict laws are laid on water treatment facilities. This creates greater expenses to treat waste water. Many cities and towns are forced to raise rates as much as 60% to 100% to maintain operations.

    Police departments have to take care of themselves too, they have to claw and scratch for all the funds they get. It may be a looong time before the department can get a new car.

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 6:05 PM

  • It doesn't take a genius to figure out who "magoo55" and "Xgamer" are does it?It's true,the blue stick together huh?

    -- Posted by ilovewhites on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 6:54 PM

  • Solution.Simple.Cut our overpaid town employees salaries to help pay for the water and sewage?It's absolutely ridiculous what they make.Fire the town clerk and give me her job.I'll do it for $19,000.00 a year.And I don't need an "assistant".So that's roughly $20,000.00 saved from her salary and another $26,000.00 for the assistant salary that I wouldn't need.And I could stay at my job and STILL get my kids home from school without leaving the office.So there's $46,000.00 saved for the good citizens of Roachdale.Sidenote,I don't chew gum or slouch.I also don't answer when other people are asked questions.Does the town marshall go to the elementary school and tell the kids to "stay off drugs,and don't pay your bills".What?

    -- Posted by po'd on Wed, Dec 10, 2008, at 8:09 PM

  • $50 a month in indy for water. i will trade bills with roachdale residents anyday. it's amazing how much different it is there compared to the city. you all have no idea how lucky you are.

    -- Posted by iloveblacks on Thu, Dec 11, 2008, at 9:36 AM

  • To po'd,

    You have to pay more for competance. Look what ignorance pay got Roachdale last year. Let's see....um....a thief and someone who screwed up the towns books and money. People are just upset with her because she makes people pay their utility bills,just like the State of Indiana tells her she has to do by law. Last time i checked Duke Energy doesn't let people slide for long.Good job Martha...keep up the good work. Don't let the losers of Roachdale step all over you. I hear delinquent utility bills are way down. No more wellfare!

    -- Posted by tired_ of_ignorance on Thu, Dec 11, 2008, at 10:56 AM

  • I'm not on welfare.Spelled WELFARE!Back to the subject.Never have been.Never will be.My utility bill has NEVER been late and NEVER will be.I just wish for $39,000.00+ a year we could at least get a little bit of a personality with that salary.Hell no,she doesn't have to steal,she hired in(under the table,job never posted)for $6,700.00 more a year than Jennifer.If they had been paying Jennifer that much,maybe she wouldn't have had to steal.And to smaller_gov_now,my last utility bill was $247.56.$56.00 and some change was gas.So start feeling my pain buddy.I'd like to know what the town workers utility bills are.It would be interesting huh?The meetings are a joke,that's why nobody goes.Bill Long has the dilirium tremons.He's thinking about his next drink.Jack Jones doesn't care what happens in Roachdale,he's 110 yrs. old.He's gonna die soon.And Barbara Scott always has a deer in the headlights look on her face.The town marshall was sued by his former landlord for rent in Bainbridge.Public record.Does he go to the school and tell the kids to "stay off drugs,don't pay your bills"?I'm not po'd I'm livid!

    -- Posted by po'd on Thu, Dec 11, 2008, at 1:43 PM

  • check your spelling magoo......moron, then worry about how others spell..if you are not on the town board then you must be related or working for the town, Just how many people does it take to run one office? Also if the BIG town of Roachdale needs 4 officers to patrol it with there new hi-teck police cars, is crime so bad here?? Maybe i need to move. PO'D was right about attending the meetings nobody wants to go becouse of the people on the board.Maybe if they had the meeting at the Roachdale Tap, more people would show up and you could make more sence out of the board members, atleast you would have something to wash all the B.S. down with.

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Thu, Dec 11, 2008, at 5:41 PM

  • To jeromwhostillcan'tspell

    Would you please move? I wouldn't want the outsiders that read this paper and responses, to think we are all illiterate like you are. You must spend a lot of time at the bars, since you are hoping you can bring in more business to their establishments by writing ignorant statements (please reread your last few comments). I hope i don't confuse you with all these big words i used. Once again, get a life and learn how to spell.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Fri, Dec 12, 2008, at 2:13 PM

  • To Ilovewhites,

    You aren't as smart as you think you are. obviously, you read into things more than you should. Just stating facts, that's all. But remember, blue is true, and white is trite.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Fri, Dec 12, 2008, at 2:15 PM

  • To magoo55stillaidiot

    Again you are wrong,i dont drink or spend time in bars.The outsiders know what kind of fools live here,if they did not know before ,they know now from reading babbling b.s.that you post here.I really dont understand your point on anything,if you have one.What does anything you have said have to do with my opinion of the town board wasting money on new police cars,I see where they are going to sell one car from their fleet to crown point for 1500.00,if a 1500.00 police car is good enough for crown point i would think it would work for Roachdale,i guess i was right the first time,not enough gadgets,not fast enough,wrong color, please enlighten me on this.

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Fri, Dec 12, 2008, at 4:14 PM

  • I have been reading these comments, and i have to agree with jcromwell1. What does Roachdale need with a new police car? What was wrong with the other one? They only need to patrol .05 sq. miles according to the cences bureau. I also did some research on some surronding towns and this is what I found. Ladoga- average waterbill 45.00 average sewer 45.00 no town marshell- 2 part time officers, 1 cop car.

    Waynetown- water 10.00 sewer 35.00 2 officers, 1 cop car and the sewer system is new. So why is Roachdale paying so much more and now there raising it? Sounds to me like the tax payers of Roachdale are paying for things that really aren't needed. Maybe Money out of one fund to cover the money blown from another. AS far as magoo the man in blue..the only magoo i know is the old blind cartoon charater, does this fit?

    -- Posted by indiana_girl on Fri, Dec 12, 2008, at 5:25 PM

  • It's .5 sq miles not .05

    And why not compare your utility bills and cops to Bainbridge? More comparable to Roachdale.

    -- Posted by bobbittle on Fri, Dec 12, 2008, at 7:15 PM

  • Oh Cromwell,

    what a wicked web we weave, first of all, the town that is buying the old car is Center Point, not Crown Point, which is up in Lake County. Second of all the old white car is maybe not old in years, but has had a lot of miles put on it and things going wrong with it. When you start putting more money into an old car, than what it is worth, doesn't make sense to keep it. Center Point doesn't have the funding we do to buy a new car, once again if you would have come to the meeting you would know the facts. One more thing, i am not a Roachdalian, i am an outsider looking in and i still can't believe you were never taught how to spell correctly.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Sun, Dec 14, 2008, at 7:50 AM

  • Indiana Girl

    I am so ashamed that you used that title Indiana girl, since the rest of us Indiana Girls aren't as stupid or blind as you, and you obviously shame us all by using a title that includes all females in Indiana. I am not a person in blue so get that out of that small pea you call your brain. As far as being blind to facts, you should check yours. Not everything is in writing of what these police officers do as far as how much they patrol or how far. These guys assist other depts. like the county or whoever may have an emergency that needs immediate attention. Their first concern are the people of this county, so needless to say the cars get used a lot. Maybe you should attend a meeting too, so you can take your blinders off and see reality for what it is.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Sun, Dec 14, 2008, at 7:58 AM

  • One look through Mibor's real estate listing will show more houses for sale in Roachale than in any comparative sized town. The towns utilities are a mess, its finances even worse. Not that it is a fun process, but I would like to see the town audited. Where is all the money going? It is not uncommon to see utility bills that dwarf rent or mortgage payments. Could it be, that the Roachdale utility's need to be foreclosed on and merged into one of the local gas distributors? It does seem as though it would be cheaper for its residents. Roachdale needs an overhaul, top to bottom.

    -- Posted by dragonjbynight on Tue, Dec 16, 2008, at 2:33 AM

  • The town books were just audited by the State Board of Accounts and alot of the houses for sale are foreclosures or foreclosed houses that were bought cheap, fixed up, and resold for a profit.

    -- Posted by tired_ of_ignorance on Tue, Dec 16, 2008, at 8:03 AM

  • To Magoostillaidiot

    If you are not a Roachdalian, you sure act like you know everything going on in Roachdale. I am sure Center Point dont have the funds Roachdale has,They dont have 150.00 a month water and sewer bills, They also probabley have a town board with connon sence. If you are an outsider, How do you know i dont go to the town meetings? Stop hiding behind a stupid name, move to Roachdale ,Then you could have a say in Roachdale!

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Wed, Dec 17, 2008, at 11:28 AM

  • jeromewewishwecouldspell.

    You really need to learn how to write and spell, you get worse everytime you attempt to write the english language. This is my last response because i don't want to make you look anymore stupid than you have already shown. You need to learn how to comprehend when you read because you don't even see what you are reading, or it could possibly be that you have a pea for a brain. Reread the comments and you might be able to get what i was really saying. If not, please get a tutor to help you. I feel really sorry for you, and i can't keep humiliating you like this. I know you don't go to town board meetings because you wouldn't understand a thing going on.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Wed, Dec 17, 2008, at 12:23 PM

  • magoostillaidiot

    You are right about the town meetings,no one goes because they cant understand a babbling idiot like you.You have not said anything on here about the issues in roachdale only complain because no one agrees with the purchase of new police equiptment,and the town board.I feel sorry for you because your life revolves around police toys. stop hiding behind a childish cartoon name,everyone knows who you are.Go stand on the corner,wait for the new police car to come by,maybe they will sound the siren for you.

    -- Posted by jcromwell1 on Thu, Dec 18, 2008, at 8:49 AM

  • You can't get any answers at a town meeting anyway. If they are not prepared for the question they will not have an answer. And as much as some would like to defend, there is still the matter of the lack of oversite of the town funds. That issue was settled out of court wasn't it? As will usually happen when it will benefit both parties.

    -- Posted by reeltime on Thu, Dec 18, 2008, at 12:43 PM
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