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Russellville council settles into 2020
RUSSELLVILLE -- With a new member having taken the oath of office, the Russellville Town Council touched on various topics during its first meeting of 2020 Wednesday evening.
In its routine order of business, the council voted to retain Cary McGaughey as its president. The body later retained Stu Weliever of Henthorn Harris & Weliever in Crawfordsville as the town’s legal counsel.
The council also selected the stretch from Public Road to 2nd Street as a priority for future roadwork through the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. Clerk-Treasurer Martha Mandleco said the estimated budget for the project is $160,000.
Mandleco added that the town needed to confirm whether or not Harrison Street is owned by the county. This may determine who would ultimately be responsible for covering the costs to repair the road.
Though it was not an item on the agenda, Mandleco and Town Marshal Matt Biggs brought up having a police uniform allowance. Mandleco said a policy was passed in 2017 with regard to Biggs’ general compensation.
With input from Weliever, Mandleco said the town needed to update this policy and then, per Indiana’s home rule statute, pass it as an ordinance. The council indicated that it would address this issue soon.
With the town’s ongoing considerations regarding the town hall, Mandleco said that structural engineer Betsy Wilkerson had not yet written a letter declaring the building as safe. Wilkerson related to Mandleco that she had a family tragedy, and guaranteed it would be completed by next weekend.
It is assumed that Wilkerson is the structural engineer who inspected the town hall last October. She determined that it was not compromised by damage related to adjacent properties on the east side of Harrison Street.
It remains to be seen if this letter would override the condemnation of the structure by Putnam County Planning and Zoning last March.
In other business, the council formally announced that its meetings will take place on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m.
The council also took an ordinance under advisement designating Mandleco as the collection clerk for local fines. The council will tentatively approve the ordinance at next month’s meeting after hearing public input.
Council members also approved a $10,000 yearly contract with the Russellville Volunteer Fire Department, with payments being made twice a year. Mandleco added that Russell Township’s assessed value far exceeded the town’s in terms of supporting the department.
Additionally, the council agreed to purchase a used salt spreader from the Bainbridge municipal government for $1.
Addressing the council as the Russellville Water Board, Mandleco said that 23,400 gallons of water were pumped than billed last month. This is a decrease from the last month’s estimation of 25,600 gallons from November.
Concerning a stormwater planning grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Mandleco said she had tried to contact grant administrator Jason Hartman about its application. However, she was told by Troy Elless that it was not complete. Mandleco said she would call Hartman again soon.
The next regular meeting of the Russellville Town Council and the Russellville Water Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Russellville Community Center.