Council, marshal questioned

REDKEY — Questions and complaints were the focus Thursday.
During Redkey Town Council’s meeting, the town marshal was asked about his long lunches, a resident sought answers about a fine he received and another gave a reprimand about a comment she overheard.
Greg Curme, councilman in charge of the street department, asked sheriff Todd Miller how long he has been on the job and if he still needs someone riding along with him.
Curme wondered why Miller gets to take a longer lunch than the half-hour that other town employees are given and asked how long he had been the town marshal.
“Do you still need somebody to ride with you to show you things that you’re required to do in this town?” he asked. “You go to Portland for lunch and things like that?”
Miller said he attends monthly business lunches and checks in with prosecutor Wes Schemenaur through the week, visits the probation office, Jay County Sheriff’s Office and Portland Police Department.
"There's numerous things that we have to do in the City of Portland,” Miller told Curme. “We can't operate this police department in just the Town of Redkey when our county seat happens to be in Portland and that's where all the offices are.”
"I think Todd's doing a wonderful job," council president Kyle Champ said in defense of Miller. 
Curme got up and left the meeting after the discussion.
James Phillips objected to a letter he received that said he had violated the junk ordinance in town and has to pay fine of $220 in city court to reimburse the town for mowing his property. He read the part of ordinance that he was cited for and asked council.
"Do I have to pay this fine?” he asked. “The question is ... Is this ordinance here a legal document?"
"Well I would suggest that you direct your questions about the validity of the ordinance and what the ordinance says and what it means to your attorney because what you're asking the board to do or what you're asking them to do tonight is legal advice,” council attorney Wes Schemenaur said. “You're asking them to tell you what it means or what it says and I'm telling them as their attorney not to answer that question because that would constitute giving you legal advice.”
Phillips said he didn't need legal advice and told council they would hear from his attorney.  
Dottie Quakenbush directed her question to councilman Mike Wright concerning the recent Redkey Fall Festival.
"I'm just telling Mr. Wright what I heard,” said Quakenbush, “that you thought there was just nothing but junk up there."
Quakenbush was upset because the festival committee worked hard to bring the festival to fruition.
Wright said he wasn't interested in the antiques and other items that the festival had for sale.
"I'm not gonna sugar coat it," Wright said.
"But as a council member you should support the town," she responded.
Wright said he and his wife attended the festival.   
In other business, Wright, Ted Friddle, and Charles “Red” Coons:
•Accepted a bid of $750 from Marcum Maintenance to repair the roof at Redkey town hall.
•Agreed to purchase a smaller chlorine bleach pump for the Redkey Water Department to save water, not to exceed $430.  
•Agreed to purchase salt for the roads, not to exceed $1,000.
•Agreed to give new town utility worker Brandon Barnard, a $150 clothing allowance. “Street department is working well. The new boy is doing real good,” Coons said of Barnard.
•Agreed to purchase a new storm door for the Redkey Park Cabin.
•Learned from fire chief Randy Young that a meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday with engineers and community development director Ami Huffman to review the drawings for the new fire station.
•Heard that deputy Ryan Miskinis is at the police academy in Indianapolis and deputy Monty Shrack and Miller are working 12-hour shifts.
•Approved paying claims totaling $124,865.72.