Burning concerns brought up in Fillmore

FILLMORE — With it relayed that many calls have been received by the local fire department, Fillmore leaders could be looking closer at burning within the town.

The Fillmore Town Council fielded from Fillmore Fire Asst. Chief Dan Heavin about mitigating open burning at tis regular meeting Thursday evening. Now, the town is going by general standards.

Heavin related that calls have consistently come in which items such as copper, leaves and tires have been burned at night. Such fires have been extinguished per the state’s guidelines in the Indiana Code.

Accordingly, burning waste materials is prohibited, while exempt burning activities fall under being recreational or ceremonial in nature. Residential burning (i.e., including brush, paper and wood), however, can be restricted by municipalities per their own burn ordinances.

“They’re burning trash and we’re doing nothing about it, well, we can’t do anything about it because we don’t have an ordinance for it,” Heavin said. “Other than we can just do what the state says.”

Part of this, Heavin provided, is because personnel would only respond if a complaint for an outside burn comes in. While this would fall under it being a nuisance, consideration for a recreational burn is to notify the fire department.

It was not definite if illegal burning is specified under the town’s nuisance ordinance. Clerk-Treasurer Andi Schardt noted that the state’s guidelines are available at the town hall.

“I understand people wanting to get rid of their yard waste and stuff, and I don’t see there’s a problem with that,” Heavin said. “But when they’re starting carrying shingles and tires, it’s getting a little out of hand in this town.”

To the point, Heavin bluntly said such fires are put out because of smoke flowing into people’s houses. In the end, the concern ended on being considerate of one’s neighbors.

In other business:

• The council conducted its first readings of ordinances related to the town’s 2024 budget and officials’ salaries.

As to the budget, the General Fund is to be set at $74,596, The Local Road and Street Fund at $15,000 and the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund at $50,000. The rounded tax rate levy is set at 70 cents.

With the officials’ salaries, the clerk-treasurer is to earn a bi-weekly salary of $1,175. The utilities operator will earn a bi-weekly salary of $1,167, with 25 days’ paid vacation. Town council members have monthly salaries of $495. The clerk-treasurer and utilities operator will also have $600 cellphone stipends paid in December.

Both ordinances are to be adopted next month with their second readings.

• The council approved for a new sign to be erected next to the town’s portion of the Vandalia Trail. With Eric Freeman also attending, Mike Richmond of Putnam Parks & Pathways related that a trail signage “overhaul” is taking place within the county.

Richmond said 12 new signs are to be placed at road crossings, apart from the trail head sign in question. The portions are to be named after historical figures of the county.

• The council approved an agreement with certified public accountant Larry Tippin for him to update the town’s capital assets. Schardt stated that Tippin’s hourly fee is $75, with a work estimate at 45-60 hours.

Capital assets include a town’s facilities, infrastructure and equipment and vehicles.

• The council approved a request by Utilities Operator Joe Cash to purchase 20 tons of salt from the Putnam County Highway Department for use during winter.

Citing a letter from the county, the price for salt stands at $96.67 per ton, while the price for salt-sand mix is $32.75 per ton.

With Schardt and the whole council of Meredith Trusty, C.J. Huller and Jerry Huff present at the meeting, Cash and Town Attorney Jeff Boggess were absent.

The next regular meeting of the Fillmore Town Council is set for Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Fillmore Town Hall.