Fillmore Town Council to consider utility rate study

FILLMORE -- Clerk-Treasurer Tom Gilson announced to the Fillmore Town Council that it would need to consider utlity rates and authorize a rate study this year.

In December, according to Ordinance 2014-7, rates increased by $0.96 for water and $1.42 for sewer, bringing the minimum rate of any bill in Fillmore to $32.95 for water and $48.86 for sewer. The rates are set to increase again this December by $0.99 and $1.47, respectively, but the ordinance does not provide for another rate change in 2019.

In part, the rates pay for three bonds totaling $1.1 million and each at 4.5 percent interest: The first from 1999 for $292,000 with payments set to go out until 2039 and the second and third from 2004 for $656,000 and $127,965 with payments set to go out until 2044.

At some point the town defaulted on the third bond and has since been required to establish reserve accounts for water, sewer and stormwater funds.

Generally, the bonds were used to install a water and sewer system in Fillmore, connect it to Greencastle’s system and make repairs to the Fillmore system. The high utility rates, which have been a major complaint for residents and council members, pay in part for these bonds.

They also pay for use of Greencastle water. Residents and council members have since considered the benefits and cost of installing an independent system, but the idea has been dropped on the advice of Mary Hoover, Rural Development Specialist of the USDA Rurarl Community Assistance Program (which holds the bonds), who said maintenance costs will eventually outweigh the benefits.

In other news:

-- Absences: Town Marshal Darrell Bunten and Town Maintenance Director Joe Cash were absent.

-- Fillmore Police Department (FPD): Clerk-Treasurer Gilson reported that Marshal Bunten is waiting to hear back from the Putnam County Council before potentially purchasing a car from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

Marshal Bunten presented two quotes last month for a new police car, which he mentioned needing at the start of 2017. The quotes are $29,000 for a Ford Taurus and $33,000 for an SUV. The council tabled the decision pending this potential purchase.

During public comments, an audience member asked whether the town really needs two police cars. The council responded that it had already been considering the question because the marshal and deputy do not work at the same time except for special events such as Halloween.

The concern, however, is whether having only one car would slow the FPD’s response time.

Clerk-Treasurer Gilson is to return to a future meeting with a cost analysis of having two police cars.

-- Salaries: The Fillmore Town Council approved Ordinance 2018-1, which sets salaries for town employees in 2018.

This year’s ordinance is identical to last year’s, which included 3 percent pay raises for the town marshal, deputy and town maintenance director, who had not had raises for seven and 12 years, respectively.

The salaries are:

-- Clerk-Treasurer (Tom Gilson): $19,804.84 annually, paid from the general, sewer and water funds

-- Council members (President C. J. Huller, Robin Duncan and Bill Ashcraft): $5,931 annually, paid from the general, sewer and water funds

-- Marshal (Darrell Bunten): $15,450 annually, paid from the general fund

-- Deputy marshal: $10,815 annually, paid from the general fund

-- Utilities operator (Joe Cash): $30,316.53 annually, paid from the sewer, water and MVH (motor vehicle highway tax) fund

-- Certified water operator: $6,000 annually, paid from the water fund

-- Utility clerk: $10.50 per hour, not to exceed 12 hours per week

-- Mower/trimmer: $55 per mowing

-- Housekeeping: $20 per cleaning

-- Truck Routes/Road Signs: President C. J. Huller reported that the town has not yet made progress on installing road signs designating the truck routes or replacing any existing signs in town. Bill Ashcraft reported that he had found a contractor who would be willing to install the signs.

After “numerous complaints” and “deterioration of the streets,” the council introduced Ordinance 2017-4 last year to regulate to movement of large vehicles on town streets.

The ordinance applies to vehicles that: Have more than six wheels and/or more than one rear axle; weigh more than 14,000 pounds empty or loaded; or semi-tractors of any kind.

The streets are: Cemetery Road from Main Street, Right of Way Road to Main Street adn Main Street to Cemetery Road and Right of Way Road.

Violations carry a progressive penalty of $100 up to $500.

The ordinance passed in July, but is not effective until signs designating the routes have been posted. At the time, this was estimated to happen in a month or so.

The Fillmore Town Council’s next regular meeting is set for March 1 at 7 p.m. in the Fillmore Town Hall at 2 N. Main St.