Redkey to apply for grant $$ again

REDKEY — There’s still hope to secure funding for a master utility study.

Redkey Town Council approved a resolution Thursday following a public hearing to apply for another Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) grant in hopes of securing $81,000 for a master utility study.

Council also approved an ordinance raising the town’s trash collection fee to $15 per month.

OCRA awards planning grants — they’re available through funds from Federal Community Development Block Grants — that may be used for projects such as a master utility study, which involves an outside company inspecting a municipality’s water, wastewater and stormwater utilities and putting together a plan for tackling utility issues. Other utility grants also typically require a municipality to have a master utility plan in order to be eligible for funding.

Redkey’s most recent master utility study dates back to 2003.

This will be the second time Redkey has applied for an OCRA planning grant. (It was not awarded funding in OCRA’s last planning grant cycle submitted in February.)

Council member Gary Gardner asked during the public hearing Thursday how the town’s application will change from when it was submitted two months ago.

Jodi Hayes of Jay County Development Corporation explained that after meeting with OCRA representatives, she and other town officials learned Redkey’s last application could have been improved by sharing more comments from the community.

She encouraged Redkey residents to take a survey available on Redkey Town Hall’s Facebook page or in-person at town hall, 8922 W. Indiana 67. She added that letters of support for the project would be appreciated as well.

The town’s grant application will be submitted on May 19. If selected, OCRA would contribute $81,000 toward the effort, with the town paying a $9,000 match. Choice One Engineering would conduct the study.

Town employee Randy Young noted sewer infrastructure dates back to the 1960s, with some of the water infrastructure dating back even further.

“Even though we just did a large (sewer) project, it did some good, but there’s still a lot more to go,” he said. “Three-fourths of our sewer mains have not even been touched. And I see it, every time it rains, we have issues at the plant.”

He reminded council the town failed to meet a Nov. 30 deadline with Indiana Department of Environmental Management to remove two combined sewer overflows (CSOs), later pointing out IDEM representatives will be visiting town for an audit May 24. (One CSO originates in a rural area and lets out into Redkey Run, and the other starts near Union Street.)

“There’s lots of issues,” he said. “Anytime we can get a study done for $9,000, you know, our share, the town ought to jump on everything we can.”

Council approved a resolution during its meeting to move forward with the grant application.

Also Thursday, council approved an ordinance to officially raise the trash collection service rate for residents to $15 per month. That’s a $3 increase per month.

In February, clerk-treasurer Mary Eley noted the town’s agreement with Best Way Disposal — a three-year contract was awarded to the company in March — generally increases about 3% annually. She noted the town had been paying $6,521 monthly and only receiving $6,010 from its residents for the service. Gardner suggested a $3 increase, or $15 base price monthly, in February to avoid another fee raise for a few years. Council agreed at that time to move forward with drafting an ordinance.

Eley noted the town will no longer be providing dumpsters — she noted four residents renting dumpsters in town — and explained that the town is currently losing $100 monthly on the service. She informed council she would be sending letters to the four residents with dumpsters letting them know they need to privately contract for dumpster services. (Residents are welcome to request additional toters for an additional fee.)

Also, council heard from vice president Chance Retter about the open marshal position, which has been vacant since Retter resigned in January. (Legally, he could not hold office and serve as town marshal. He worked in the role for roughly seven months prior to resigning when he took a job with Jay County Sheriff’s Office.) Retter explained the town has received applications and plans are to start interviews next week. Eley noted town hall has been receiving phone calls several times a day requesting the town to hire an officer.

In other business, council members John Pierce, Floyd Life, Gardner and Retter, absent president Erik Hammers:

•Heard from Young that residents planning to start a controlled burn should let authorities know. He noted an increased amount of field, grass and brush fires recently because of weather changes.

•Were informed Watson’s Excavating donated $4,000 for new cabinets and countertops at the park cabin, and they will be installed soon.

•Paid $123,659.26 in claims.