Sewer project to move ahead

REDKEY — Town council received a projected time for the sewer separation project to begin.
Mitch Hansel of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering informed Redkey Town Council on Thursday that the state engineer should approve the sewer plans before Christmas.
Also Thursday, council approved fire protection contracts and said goodbye to its outgoing president.
Redkey received a $3.9 million grant and a $3.8 million, 40-year loan at 2.5 percent interest from the United States Department of Agriculture for the estimated $7.9 million sewer project. Approval from the state engineer will lead to the project being bid out early in 2016.
“So 90 days from the end of the year we will start construction,” Hansel said. “Sorry it's taken so long, but we're finally there.”
Fire contracts with Redkey Volunteer Fire Department were approved for 2016. Fire protection will be provided to Richland Township at a cost of $5,337.02 and to Greene Township for $228.39.
Because of an increase in cost for 2016 from Portland Fire Department, Jefferson Township trustee Gale Bicknell asked council to consider allowing the fire department to cover all of Jefferson Township for $5,400 instead of partial coverage for $1,886,41.
Council agreed to Bicknell's request and she will take the offer back to her board for final approval.
Kyle Champ, the council president, said goodbye to the group after choosing not to run for re-election after serving since July 1, 2011. His term ends Dec. 31.
“And I would like to tell everybody it’s a pleasure working with you on the board,” Champ said. “We’ve got a lot of things that are going in the right direction.”
Champ was approved by council to serve on the board of directors of the Regional Planning Committee that meets four times each year. He will replace Doug Stanley who was elected to council in November.
In other business, council members Charles “Red” Coons, Ted Friddle, Mike Wright and Champ, absent Greg Curme:
•Learned Redkey Police Department deputy Ryan Miskinis will graduate from the police academy today and the department will have three full-time officers until Monty Shrack leaves for the academy on Jan. 20.
•Agreed to purchase four new tires for the three police cars at a cost of $1,400 from Green Fork Tires, a light package for all three and a video camera for one. The money will come from the gasoline account and has to be spent by the end of the year.
•Heard Redkey town attorney Wes Schemenaur recommend waiting until February or March to send out new citations for residents who have paid a fine but not cleaned up their properties.
•Learned fire chief Randy Young traveled to the Indiana Statehouse to receive the grant for a new fire station. The town received a $400,000 grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs in September. Young was also approved to purchase hoses and other equipment before the end of the year.
•Heard from Champ that Brooks and Fugiett has volunteered to tear down the old concession stand at Redkey Park, but the electrical panel will have to be moved first.
•Approved letting Engineering Solution Midwest install a metal roof on the water plant at no cost since the company put a roof on the building in 2009 and it has leaked ever since.
•Approved ordinance 2015-6 to pay Randy Young $150 per week for water testing.
•Approved water bill adjustments of $349.72.
•Approved claims totaling $87,324.99.