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Cloverdale water issues compound
CLOVERDALE -- Town leaders would like to have a comprehensive study of Cloverdale’s utilities. However, a damaged elevated sewer line has become a more pressing matter.
Lori Young of Curry & Associates came before the Cloverdale Town Council Tuesday evening with two options to consider for replacing the damaged line on Blue Side Way, which was recently hit by a falling tree.
The first option was to re-install a gravity-forced line. However, Young reiterated that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has discouraged doing so.
Young said her recommendation would be to have the pipe insulated and built with ductile iron. The pipe would also have to be supported at joints every 18-20 feet. Removing trees near it was also a long-term action.
The cost for the new pipe would be roughly in the $75,000 range. This only included the actual construction.
The second option was to install a grinder pump lift station at the site. This would include building a force main that would tie into the sewer nearby. Young provided that this was more of what IDEM would prefer.
The cost for both the grinder lift station and forced main would be comparable to putting in a new elevated sewer line. However, Young implied that there would be long-term power and maintenance costs.
Stardust Hills developer Don Gedert noted that maintenance on the old line was “practically zero” for the 40 years it was in service. He added that a lift station’s power and maintenance costs over time would become prohibitive, while gravity would “do the job.”
“I’m not a fan of getting letters from IDEM,” Town Attorney Richard Shagley commented. “If you go against their recommendation, they’re not gonna forget.”
New Council Vice President Gary Bennington responded that there was “not a whole lot really” IDEM could do if the new elevated line was built “to their specs.”
Councilman Greg Jay brought up again IDEM’s recommendation against it.
“The aerial sewers, they’re obviously not a fan of,” Young said. “There’s just the risk of failure. There’s the risk to the waterway below and if it breaks and sewage is flowing into the waterway. It’s just not a preferred form of insulation.”
Former Council President Larry Fidler added that the town had been paying $7,500 a month for a temporary pump, which has required daily re-fueling. Clerk-Treasurer Kelly Maners added that $11,000 had been spent to rent it.
Considering the urgency of the project and the accruing costs, the council chose the grinder lift station with a dissenting vote from Bennington.
Young added that a design of the new station could be drawn up by the next council meeting. Though indicating it would be aggressive, she suggested that bids for the construction could be had by March.
The council was later given input on its consideration of a wastewater study by Maureen Hayden of Commonwealth Engineers, as well as Kristine Krueger of Thrive West Central (formerly the West Central Indiana Economic Development District).
Hayden stipulated that the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) wants to see communities take a “holistic look” at utilities. A grant could be given to do three studies for wastewater, stormwater and drinking water.
“That planning grant would allow an engineer company to come in and look at all of those aspects in each of your utilities ... and then work with you to determine what may be your priorities,” Kreuger explained.
Kreuger emphasized that these grants are awarded on a cycle. As such, the town can have time to decide what it needs most. What the town will require when the time comes is a certified grant administrator to submit its application.
Kreuger added that OCRA focuses on low-income communities, and that Cloverdale would fit this designation. OCRA will also consider now how COVID-19 has affected the community as a whole.
“In a way, being under the gun from IDEM right now may work to your advantage,” Hayden interjected. “That’s the other thing that OCRA will wanna know: How pressing your need is.”
Shagley offered that in order for the town to tackle its inflow and infiltration (I and I) problems, it had to know specifically what needs fixing. The comprehensive study would provide that opportunity.
However, Maners was quick to say that the town does not have the money for the study.
“We have multiple bonds that -- right now -- they’re not getting paid off until 2026-2027,” Maners said. “I don’t doubt that we need to do something, but we are not in a position -- and probably won’t be for five years -- to do a big project.”
Maners stated that Cloverdale brings in $80,000 a year from its food/beverage tax, and that $70,000 is set aside in a sewer depreciation fund. However, this money for 2021 would effectively be depleted with the Blue Side Way project.
In other business:
• The council approved a request by Town Marshal Steve Hibler to begin paying Officer Jeremiah Jackson part time for the next four to six weeks.
Jackson will stand in for Crime Scene Investigator Rick Lambert, who recently had a shoulder operation.
• The council approved the purchase of a new sodium monitoring system for the town’s water plant for $2,699. The council also approved the purchase of a new pump for the sodium system for $4,434, including a spare part kit.
• The council approved a bid from Republic Services to dispose of special waste (i.e. inorganic material like rags).
The service includes a one-time delivery charge of $100 and a haul charge of $450 for four tons. Fulk said the town does not generate that much in one month, and the haul charge only applies when Republic picks up the waste.
• The council approved purchasing a rebuild for a grinder pump at one of the town’s lift stations for $3,044.
• The council approved former Deputy Marshal Levi App purchasing K-9 officer Maggie from the town for $1.
Maners explained that the town had bought Maggie for $1, but that App was her handler. The town will keep all K-9-related equipment which has been purchased with donation money.
• The council approved a new contract with UMAC for $3,785.25 per month.
Maners explained that the town had actually been out of contract with UMAC since 2018. While the contract amount increased, she also said the town had been paying $3,500 when UMAC was supposed to be charging $3,605.
The one-year contract will go into effect on Feb. 1.
• Council President Rick Dearwester announced that seven applicants were up for the town manager position. The council agreed to hold an executive session next Tuesday to consider the applications.
Along with Maners, Shagley and Hibler, the whole council was in attendance at the meeting.
The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Cloverdale Town Hall.