Redkey hires new marshal

REDKEY — Town council hired a new marshal Thursday following an executive session.
Redkey Town Council voted 3-2 to hire Todd Miller as marshal after a motion to hire Jessica Maymi was denied by the same margin.
Council members Charles Coons, Ted Friddle and Kyle Champ voted to hire Miller, a native of Redkey, with Mike Wright and Greg Curme dissenting.
Miller currently works at Corrections Corporation of America in Whiteville, Tennessee, and was a park ranger with Chickasaw State Park in Tennessee.
His duties in Redkey will begin in early March. He is police academy certified in Indiana and Tennessee.
The vote to hire Miller came after a motion to hire Maymi, who has been interim marshal since Jan. 15 and was previously deputy marshal, was rejected. She became interim marshal after Tracy Layman left the job to take a position with Dunkirk Police Department.
“We asked Jessica to step in and be acting marshal, a month ago, which she did. She stepped up to the plate, done a good job and I nominate her to be our next town marshal. I think she could fill the job,” said Wright. “You’re promoting within, which is what everybody works for. You put in your dues, you’re trying to work your way up the corporate ladder.”  
Wright, who oversees the police department, made the motion to hire Maymi, but only he and Curme voted in favor.
“It’s not a knock on you working here by any means,” Champ told Maymi after the decision for Miller. “We feel you are a wonderful person and asset to the town.”
There was also discussion about sewers on properties that have been torn down. The sewers on the properties need to be capped off on the property line or they will be charged a minimum monthly sewer bill.
Redkey town attorney Wes Schemenaur plans to write a notice for the paper to notify property owners.

In other business, council:
•Learned that the Indiana Department of Emergency Management Mechanical needs to do annual inspections of backflow preventers for all businesses.
•Gave permission to Roger Clay to replace a motor home on South Elm Street if it meets all requirements.
•Agreed to allow the water department to purchase a hytrel sleeve and two flanges from Motion Industries for $894.62, a duplicate order for inventory and a bearing from Kaman not to exceed $1,700.
•Agreed to purchase a generator for $1,810 and a trash pump for $1,297 for the water department.
•Heard an estimate of $5,621.01 from Advanced Signs & Graphics for new street signs. Street department employee Jon Pierce was asked to get two more estimates that include poles for the signs and the cost to add East, West, North or South to the signs.
•Agreed to allow Watson Excavating to fix a leak at Main and Oak streets for $5,600.  
•Agreed to purchase a welder for $500 for the street department.
•Approved several water bill adjustments totaling $873. 66.
•Agreed to advertise a generator on Craig’s List for $8,000 that was originally purchased for the wastewater treatment plant.
•Learned that Schemenaur is revising the nuisance ordinance to be passed at the next meeting.
•Approved paying claims totaling $105,665.88.
•Heard that little league sign-up is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Redkey Park Cabin.