Council asked about buffers, cleaning

REDKEY — Residents voiced their concerns to council members Thursday about the buffer zone around the town for confined feeding operations and about cleaning properties in the town.
Council also adopted its 2015 budget and agreed to purchase a new truck and plow and discussed how to spend infrastructure money.
Dottie Quakenbush was upset that council members didn’t attend the Oct. 9 Jay County Plan Commission meeting, during which the commission recommended to Jay County Commissioners a half-mile setback buffer around Redkey for CFOs and CAFOs.
Council president Kyle Champ said he was told the meeting had been changed and member Ted Friddle said he wasn’t aware of the meeting.
She suggested that the buffer around town be changed from a half-mile to a mile and that members attend the next meeting.
Champ agreed with Quakenbush that a half-mile isn’t enough and again announced the upcoming meeting — 7 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Jay County Courthouse auditorium — for those interested in attending.
Mike Wright again approached Redkey town council about clearing junk, cars and tires off private properties.
“Well the problem hasn’t went away and I’m not going away either,” Wright said.
He noted that it took five months to send letters to property owners telling them they had seven days to clean the junk from their yards or face a fine. Chief of Police Tracy Lehman said he sent 19 violation notices in September.
“Just because we fine people doesn’t mean they’re going to pay,” Champ told Wright.
Redkey town attorney Wes Schemenaur suggested that town employees could be used to clean the properties or someone could be hired if funds were available. But Champ and clerk treasurer Debbie James agreed there was no money in the budget to pay someone to clean the properties.
“We have to be consistent all the time and follow up,” Friddle said concerning the ordinances.
Champ and council members David Dudelston, Friddle, Jon Davis and Greg Curme also adopted the 2015 budget of $502,700, with no public comment. The budget is up slightly from last year’s total of $499,094.
Council agreed to buy a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado for the street department for $24,149 from Schepel Buick GMC, Merrillville. They also agreed to buy a plow for it for $5,467.74 from Key & Son Feeds in Alexandria. There is $12,247 appropriated for the truck, and James plans to check on interest rates to finance the remainder of the cost for the truck and the plow.
Champ informed council that Jay County Commissioners are giving $11,196 to the town from the infrastructure fund and James needs to write a request for the funds and what they will be used for by Dec. 15. A motion was accepted to get bids for tearing down two blighted properties.
In other business, council members:
•Chose not to take action for resident Chase Louck to obtain a permit to move a 12-foot by 55-foot trailer to a vacant lot on Union Street. After looking through the ordinance, council members would not make a motion to allow Louck to move the trailer and said if they granted him a permit they would have to do it for others.
•Granted a 30-day permit to resident Gary Herman to allow a camper at the property he is remodeling on McKennett Street. He was living in the trailer at Paradise Pointe Campground before it closed for the season.
•Heard from Randy Kriscunas of Fleis & Vandenbrink, Inc., that the sewer separation project is going well. Dudelston reminded residents to be conscience when traveling in town.
•Paid a claim of $917 to WatchGuard for a camera for the new police car and agreed to keep the 2009 Chevy Impala to be used by town employees.
•Approved paying $1,200 to Riggin’s Electric in Muncie for a charger for the generator at the water department.
•Agreed to have Dudelston purchase two stoves for the Redkey Park Cabin for $449 each from JaMar Appliance in Portland, to be installed by Coon’s Service.
•Agreed to pay $2,047 to Coon’s Service for a new air conditioning unit at the town hall.
•Agreed on water adjustments of $79.28 at 331 E. Main St., $22.79 at 20 N. Sycamore St., $42.57 at 122 S. Elm St., and $458.82 at 632 S. George St.
•Paid claims of $86,143.97.
•Were reminded that the Halloween parade is at 5:30 p.m., with line up at 5:15 p.m., Oct. 31, followed by trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m.