Russellville Town Council notes fix to water loss

RUSSELLVILLE -- After a long period of continual water loss within the town, Russellville officials are now more at ease after a major breach was recently identified and repaired.

Clerk-Treasurer Martha Mandleco said that Alliance of Indiana Rural Water came and “listened” to the town’s water meters last month. As it turned out, Alliance relayed that a large water leak was located behind the Russellville Town Hall.

Mandleco said that a damaged water line in this spot was dug up on July 26 and then repaired. She added that the line was put in at least 20 years ago and just somehow ruptured or was inadvertently damaged during installation.

Troy Elless of Utility Management & Construction (UMAC), who advises the town with its utilities, said that daily water usage had gone down since the repair. Mandleco further implied that the amount of unbilled water had drastically fallen compared to previous monthly readings.

In new business, it was announced that they and the Russellville Community Center’s stewards were waiting for Town Attorney Stu Weliever to figure square footage used by the council and Mandleco. This would be the last step before finalizing an agreement to compensate the Community Center for office and storage space.

The agreement was consented to by the council in a special meeting held on July 31, and stipulates that the council would pay the Community Center $250 per month retroactive to March 4.

The Russellville Town Hall was condemned by Putnam County Planning and Zoning on that date, necessitating the transfer of Mandleco’s office and that of the town marshal, as well as equipment, to the building.

The agreement also stipulated that the council would pay $50 per meeting for using a room which would require heat to be turned on.

The council agreed to move to the “alumni room” after concerns were raised about community members not being able to rent the current meeting room for social gatherings. However, Mandleco’s office space is set to remain where it is.

The council also approved Resolution 2019-2, which Mandleco said would state that the town’s CCI fund cannot be tapped into because it is empty. Money overseen by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) was put into the fund last year, and then spent on Russellville’s Community Crossings projects.

Mandleco described the process and the resolution as “just paperwork,” but said it was still necessary.

As the Russellville Water Board, the council was informed by Elless that the town’s water tower underwent a sanitary inspection last month. While cited for not having a padlock on the surrounding fence and needing a new screen on the overflow, he said the town was dinged for its water loss and not having a plan for an emergency.

Elless said he explained the water loss and how it had been repaired, and that he had drawn up a plan for an issue like a chlorine leak and sent it on to the inspectors. These sanitary inspections normally take place every five years.

As a minor order of business, Council President Cary McGaughey announced that he would likely be late to next month’s regular meeting due to a family commitment. He advised that the meeting may start at its normal time, or that the council could wait until he arrives.

The next regular meeting of the Russellville Town Council and Water Board is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Russellville Community Center.