Funds moved for fire station

REDKEY — Action was taken Thursday to help pay for the town’s new fire station.
Redkey Town Council approved $59,000 in local funds to pay for the new fire station, which is to be constructed beginning in late April at the site of the former town hall, 20 S. Ash St.
Council also learned the town’s sewer separation project has hit another snag and agreed to join a county-wide organization.
Jay County Development Corporation director of community development Ami Huffman told council the low base bid for the fire station came in at $459,000 from Mid-States Construction in Redkey. The other came from Muhlenkamp Building Corporation at $534,500.
The town earned a $400,000 grant through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ Public Facilities Program to build the station.
In order to pay for the remainder of the cost, council members Charles “Red” Coons, Dave Dudelston, Ted Friddle, Doug Stanley and Mike Wright first moved $20,000 from its revolving loan fund into its economic development income tax (EDIT) fund. It then agreed to use $30,000 in EDIT funds and $29,000 in local option income tax (LOIT) funds for the project.
Since the town is contributing more to the project than originally planned, council also signed a new local match letter to be turned in to OCRA.
The new fire station will replace the century-old High Street structure, which barely provides enough space to store firetrucks. It will be a metal shell building with a series of truck bays facing to the south as well as a radio room, chief’s room, storage area and restrooms.
Also, because Indiana Department of Housing and Rural Development is involved with the grant, the town is required to participate in HUD activities. To help fulfill that obligation, council signed a proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month. A banner about fair housing will be placed in town hall, and anyone seeking housing will be referred to Community and Family Services.
Mitch Hansel of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering informed council that for the sewer separation project the town now needs title insurance, and a deed for the wastewater treatment plant needs to be sent to OCRA.
Also, a formal letter needs to be sent to the Indiana Department of Emergency Management by the end of March stating a timetable for the project.
Hansel said advertisement for bids should begin on April 24.
The project is estimated at $7.9 million, and the town received a grant of $3.9 million and a loan of $3.8 million for the United States Department of Agriculture to pick up most of that cost.
Dean Sanders, executive director of Jay County of Commerce, talked to council about the benefits the chamber offers, including networking opportunities, business directory and referrals, ribbon cutting and grand opening assistance, merchant gift certificate program and merchant collaboration. Council agreed to join the organization at a cost of $100 per year.
After hearing from Rhonda Short, council agreed to close High Street from Indiana 1 to Oak Street for a Blues and Barbecue Festival to be held May 14, a car show on June 4 and Gas Boom Days on Sept. 17.
In other business, council:
•Agreed to have Dudelston get quotes to rewire the town gazebo and for a new grater box for the street department.
•Granted permission to clerk-treasurer Debbie James to attend training on May 10 and 11 at a cost of $200 plus a motel fee of $129 and payment for mileage.
•Paid for a back up pump for the water department from Peerless Midwest for $2,844.
•Heard an Easter egg hunt will be held at 10 a.m. April 26 at Redkey Elementary and fireworks are scheduled for July 3 with a rain date of July 4.
•Were told the warning siren is not working and will be looked at.
•Agreed to have police chief Todd Miller check with the state to see if yellow parking lines can be painted in front of Val’s Place on Meridian Street (Indiana 1).
•Discussed adopting a town ordinance to stop parking on the wrong side of the street and in front of water meters.
•Agreed to have a combined sewer overflow notification published in the newspaper.
•Heard Friddle thank Coons, Dudelston and Wright for the extra hours they have been putting in.
•Voted to have town attorney Wes Schemenaur update Ordinance 2015-3 to include not placing rocks close to right-of-ways and to add that $50 per hour will be charged to remove any growth in right-of-ways.
•Agreed to pay $1,800 to Peerless Midwest to inspect the filter and aerator at the water department.
•Learned that town-wide rummage sales are May 13 and 14 and town clean-up is May 21.
•Agreed to revisit the subject of $75 water shut-off rates and giving two water bill adjustments a year instead of one.
•Made water bill adjustments of $211.73.
•Paid claims totaling $98,883.13.