Roachdale Town Council approves radio upgrades

ROACHDALE -- Technology doesn't come cheap.

Advances in radio communications have left the radios in Roachdale town vehicles in need of upgrade or replacement. The town council approved a $3,277.85 quote for town radios.

J & K Communications submitted the quote, which will include rebanding to police car radios and new units for the utility trucks. The utility department will also get a pair of hand-held radios for use in the backhoe and other equipment.

There will be a base unit at Town Hall.

Currently, the police radios function, but the utility radios are completely out of date, too old for rebanding.

"Right now (the utility trucks) don't have anything," Town Marshal Mike Mahoy said. "You don't know where anybody is."

Council member Jack Jones asked Martha Louk about the availability of funds. The funds were available, so the measure passed unanimously.

Mahoy also spoke with the board about semis parking on Railroad Street. While the practice is not a new one and has not caused a problem in the past, the volume of trucks on the street has increased.

It has reached the point that trucks park too near to the intersection of Indiana Street, blocking the stop sign.

Mahoy inquired about placing a no-parking sign near the end of the street so the trucks can get only so close to the sign.

Some research of town ordinances revealed a law is already in place for such regulations. The board approved the request, putting the regulation into effect once the sign is posted.

In other business:

* The board approved the outsourcing of the town's biannual public awareness mailings. Louk said the quote was for $600-$900 for each mailing, which is cheaper than the town can do itself.

* Council members and town employees discussed what to do about stray dogs in town. Mahoy said when dogs have tags, they can still try to locate the owners.

However, with the Putnam County Humane Shelter closed, there is no place to take dogs without owners.

"If it doesn't have a tag, we don't catch it," Mahoy said.

Board members discussed the possibility of taking the dogs to the Hendricks County shelter. Mahoy plans to research the possibility.

* The board spoke with representatives from Harris, Harvey, Peebles & Thompson law firm in Crawfordsville about becoming the town's attorneys.

No decision was made, but the attorneys will submit a proposal so the issue can be discussed at a future meeting.