Cloverdale seeks READI funding

CLOVERDALE — With much of their focus recently turned to road improvements, grant funding remains a waiting game for Cloverdale officials. Even so, keeping options open means that a part of those could be realized through a regional partnership.

With Town Manager Jason Hartman taking the lead, the Cloverdale Town Council considered how repairs to the drive near the Cloverdale McDonald’s and much of Beagle Club Road could be covered through this partnership Tuesday evening.

Hartman first outlined that the town needs to have both a pavement asset plan and a street inventory completed by December. This is so it could have gone for a Community Crossings grant next January.

However, after consulting with Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory, Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center Executive Director Kristin Clary and Brian Pohlar of HWC Engineering, Hartman said the town could hold off on this.

The rationale behind this concerns potential through the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI). Up to $50 million would be allocated to different projects in a region encompassing Putnam as well as Montgomery, Boone, Hendricks, Morgan and Johnson counties.

As such, a whole project including both the drive (currently a private one owned by McDonald’s/Jedele Enterprises, Days Inn and Ralph Lee) and 250 feet of Beagle Club Road was thrown in as part of a package submitted to READI.

The project total cost of the project would be $1.5 million. Hartman explained that with a $1 million grant from Community Crossings for the project, the town would match $250,000. On the other hand, READI would contribute $500,293.

The state will announce in December whether or not the package will be funded. As such, Hartman said he did not want to do the engineering if READI is to fall through.

With Community Crossings still in mind, Hartman presented a contract with HWC to draw up the pavement asset plan and the street inventory, as well as a subdivision review. The overall cost would be based on an hourly rate and not exceed $18,000.

The cost breakdown would be $10,000 for the pavement asset plan, $1,000-$5,000 for the street inventory and an estimated $3,000 for the subdivision review. Hartman noted that more funding to the town would come if mileage is added to the street inventory.

The council ultimately gave its blessing to move forward with the contract. This approval stipulated that HWC would oversee the plans.

Hartman finally announced that the town’s application for funding from the State Water Infrastructure Fund was not accepted. He noted that only 22 communities throughout the state were chosen out of 500 applications. However, another $50 million round will come next July.

In other business:

• The council conducted a public hearing on the town’s budget for 2022. Clerk-Treasurer Kelly Maners outlined it as follows:

— Local Road and Street Fund: $80,000;

— Motor Vehicle Highway Fund: $252,000;

— Cumulative Capital Improvement Fund: $4,000, specifically for park equipment;

— Public Safety LOIT (Local Option Income Tax) Fund: $117,479, mostly toward vehicle maintenance and purchases.

• The council adopted a new salary ordinance in Ordinance 2021-5 for Deputy Marshal Wade Warren’s salary to be raised from $35,530 to $37,500. Town Marshal Steve Hibler noted that the latter was the mark for Indiana Law Enforcement Academy graduates, and that Warren graduated last June.

Maners stipulated that the budget would be “really close” with the increase, and that there had been internal disagreement on this. This said, she did not object to the ordinance.

• The council approved a lease agreement with Kent Goldman of Andy Mohr Ford (who is also a reserve sergeant) for a reserve police vehicle for the Cloverdale Police Department. With there being additional costs for insurance and gas, the town will lease the vehicle for $120 a year.

Town Attorney Richard Shagley provided that the agreement was a “fair resolution.” Hibler stated that funding would come from CPD’s reserve donations, not from the General Fund. Maners added that the town would be responsible for licensing and maintenance.

• The council approved issuing refunds totaling $22,612.45 to residents outside the town limits. Hartman said a discrepancy had been found with stormwater billing as such, and that the town did not have the authority to do so. The approval stipulated that counts had to be contacted before checks could be issued.

• The council approved a five-year contract between the town, the Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department and Cloverdale Township for fire protection. The town will pay $35,000 annually, maintain its hydrants and warning signs and provide the first 10,000 gallons of water usage. Meanwhile, the township would cover the fire department’s maintenance, equipment and insurance.

In the same vein, the council also adopted Resolution 2021-6 to allow for transferring the Cloverdale firehouse property from the town to the township.

• The council approved Resolution 2021-7 for the divvying of money from the Public Safety LOIT Fund for 2021. The remaining funds will go to the police department with the fire contract being determined.

• The council approved Resolution 2021-8 for the council president to sign over the titles for four vehicles the town recently sold at auction. A truck sold for $950, a truck with a plow for $2,000, a tractor for $2,100 and a dump truck for $8,200.

Council Vice President Gary Bennington and Councilman Greg Jay were absent at the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Cloverdale Town Hall.