Fillmore council talks grants, fire service rating

FILLMORE -- With all of its members and legal counsel present at its monthly meeting last Thursday evening, the Fillmore Town Council addressed progress made on two recent grants, as well as a decrease in a fire service rating that determines insurance coverage.

To start the meeting, Town Marshal Darrel Bunten said no major suspicious activity had recently occurred. However, he addressed an issue concerning residents parking on the sidewalk in front of Fillmore Elementary. The marshal said that while it posed a safety hazard, he said the sidewalk was not painted yellow. Bunten advised the council to talk with school administrators about parking at the school.

The council next considered a decrease in the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department’s ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating. The rating determines how much residents pay for insurance costs related to fire services. On a scale from 1-10, a lower rating means residents have lower insurance rates.

Bunten, who also serves with FVFD, said its ISO rating went slightly down, but, generally speaking, insurance rates will remain the same. The rating was brought up regarding needed flow testing of the town’s fire hydrants, which council members agreed was overdue.

In other recent news, the Community Crossings grant for needed roadwork in the town was submitted toward the end of September. A response from the state will be expected sometime in November.

Additionally, the town is currently working on its letter of intent for a water grant from OCRA (Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs). The grant will cover a study of the town’s water and wastewater management, as well an update of the lift stations which channel away that waste.

Lastly, the council signed off on its budget for 2019, as well as water and sewer bonds from the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) which establish that money used to address related issues will be paid back by the town.

In a public comment, Bunten said that the annual Fillmore Fireman’s Chicken Barbecue was a success this year, commenting that a large amount of money was collected.

The next regular meeting of the Fillmore Town Council is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Fillmore Town Hall.