Posting of numbers urged in Redkey (3/22/05)

REDKEY — A campaign to have more property owners put address numbers on their buildings is being launched in this community, primarily to speed emergency vehicle response time.

Redkey deputy marshal Donnie James introduced the topic for discussion at Monday night’s town council meeting, and Redkey Fire Chief Randy Young quickly voiced his support.

Young said his department has had 3 a.m. calls to respond to a certain address, only to find a string of buildings with no address numbers.

Town attorney John Brooke said a new ordinance requiring address numbers on all buildings went into effect late last fall, but the harsh winter might have prevented many property owners from putting new numbers on their buildings. Brooke suggested mailing out a reminder with the town’s next water bills.

The ordinance, unanimously approved last fall, sets standards for the posting of address numbers requiring them to be at least three inches tall.

Another idea suggested by Brooke was to send reminders to just those where there are no obvious address numbers. However, James said, “I won’t be able to find the numbers to give you those addresses.”

Another topic of discussion at Monday’s council session was trying to improve the town’s appearance now that spring is coming.

First reading was approved of an ordinance regarding the removal of abandoned vehicles. James said the new ordinance was necessary to update previous laws and make them hold up in court. James said that the police department had suggested several changes in the previous abandoned vehicle ordinances.

Second reading with these revisions and then passage of the final ordinance is scheduled for the town council’s next meeting on Monday, April 18.

Also, Councilman James Guffey suggested that some exception should be made for town residents who are building demolition derby cars for the county fair. Guffey said that usually about five of these cars are built every year in Redkey. Brooke said he would revise the ordinance to reflect the changes suggested by the police department, as well as include a provision concerning demolition derby cars for review at the April meeting.

In other action at Monday night’s meeting, council members:

•Heard an update from Brooke on efforts to adopt a zoning ordinance for Redkey. Brooke said he and council president Violet Erlenbush met with Jay County officials to discuss the topic, and they were recommending that Redkey set up its own independent zoning codes.

Appointment of seven town residents to serve on a planning commission specifically for Redkey appears to be the next step to be taken, Brooke said.

Requirements for adopting town zoning regulations are fairly detailed, “but we can do it,” Brooke said. He pointed out that volunteers will be needed to serve on the planning commission, and they should not be town council members.

•Approved the issuance of a new three-year contract for refuse collection service from BestWay Disposal Service of Randolph County. According to the contract, Redkey includes 550 units for once a week pick up service with annual fees of $47,586 for the first year, $49,500 for the second year, and $50,754 for the third year.

BestWay, the community’s current provider of this service, was the only firm to submit a bid on the contract.

•Were informed that Fern G. Schmieman of Nampa, Idaho had sent two donations of $500 each to the community — one for the fire department and the other for the parks and recreation department in memory of her brother Ed Young Sr., a former Redkey fire chief.

Current Fire Chief Randy Young made the announcement about the donations. Schmieman is his great-aunt, and Ed Young Sr. was his great-grandfather.

•Heard the volunteer fire department’s annual Easter egg hunt for community children will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 26, at Redkey Elementary School.

•Listened to a report from the fire chief that repairs are needed to improve several of the town’s fire hydrants. This information was referred to Darrell Smith, the councilman in charge of the water department.

•Learned that deputy marshal Mike Daniels was resigning from the department, effective Friday, March 25. Daniels said he intends to remain a resident of the community and continue to serve on the Redkey Volunteer Fire Department, but he had accepted a new job in the private sector.

Council members approved the promotion of Redkey reserve police officer Kenny Haines to fill the full-time vacancy on the department. Haines, 43, a rural Redkey resident, had been a finalist for the last full-time opening on the department.

•Agreed to allow an unimproved but dedicated section of Union Street to be upgraded for use as an entrance and exit to a parking lot at the former Christ Church building, along Ind. 1, which is slated to become the new home of Redkey Faith Ministries.[[In-content Ad]]