James earns certification

REDKEY — Darin James will take on more responsibility while two leaders of Redkey Fire Department have been re-elected.
Redkey Town Council learned at its meeting Thursday that James passed his Indiana Department of Environmental Management certification test to be a certified water treatment plant operator.
James took over most of the responsibilities at the water treatment plant in June after water plant superintendent Bill Tressler resigned. Michele St. John, Albany’s certified water treatment operator, was paid to sign off on James’ work until he was certified.
He will begin as the certified operator on Jan. 1.
Council also heard Randy Young and Donnie Knisely were re-elected as fire chief and secretary respectively of Redkey Fire Department at its recent Christmas gathering.
In other business, council president Kyle Champ and council members David Dudelston, Ted Friddle, Jon Davis and Greg Curme:
•Selected a bid of $1,125 from Fred Kaufman to buy a 1981 Ford dump truck from the city. Four bids were received.
•Rejected a bid of $86.12 to purchase an asphalt roller. The roller will instead be scrapped.

•Voted to purchase a shotgun for the police department for $350 from 21st Century Firearms.
•Agreed to purchase two batteries for the new dump truck and plow for the town at a cost of $257.94.
•Voted to have James purchase $2,017.43 worth of inventory for the Redkey Water Department.
•Agreed to purchase four radios for $50 each to be used for the water, street and sewage  departments and one for the town hall. T and T Electronics from Farmland will install and program the radios for $308.
•Voted to keep The Thompson Group, Parker City, as the town’s property and casualty insurance provider.
•Heard that a year-end meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 to discuss salary ordinances and a reorganization meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 1 to elect department heads and elect council vice-president and president.