February 17, 2023 at 5:06 p.m.
Trash fee will go up
Redkey plans to increase rate to $15/month
Trash fee will go up
By Bailey Cline-
REDKEY — Trash fees may be going up.
Redkey Town Council agreed Thursday to move forward with raising the garbage service rate for residents to $15 per month.
Council will need to go through the process of amending its ordinance before the new rate goes into effect.
Redkey clerk-treasurer Mary Eley pointed out the town’s contract with Best Way Disposal expires soon. It generally increases about 3% annually, she said, adding that council could seek additional bids for the service.
The town currently pays $6,521 monthly for trash removal, but it only brings in about $6,010 from its residents for the service. Eley suggested council raise rates by at least $1.25 monthly.
Town employee Randy Young said council should look into how much the service will cost in the new contract in order to determine a price.
Council member Gary Gardner noted citizens currently pay at least $12 monthly for trash pickup. He suggested bumping the price to $15 to cover additional costs.
“I think $15 is the most reasonable. That keeps us from having to raise it next year,” he said.
Council members Floyd Life, Erik Hammers and Gardner, absent Chance Retter and John Pierce, agreed to move forward with raising the rate.
Also Thursday, Redkey awarded a $158,131 contract to Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne to pave several streets in town.
In December, Redkey was approved for a $196,100.25 Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings grant. It includes paving Boyce Street between Sycamore and Meridian streets, Bell Avenue between Meridian and Butler streets, Sycamore Street between Indiana 67 and Main Street, all of Morgan Drive through Redkey Morgan Park and Bell Avenue between Meridian and Washington streets.
Eley and Gardner noted the bid came in significantly lower than expected.
Council also discussed a letter from Indiana Department of Environmental Management about the town’s failure to meet a Nov. 30 deadline for removing two Combined Sewer Overflows. (One CSO originates in a rural area and lets out into Redkey Run, and the other starts near Union Street.)
Young said he and former council member Dottie Quakenbush have reached out to Jay County Health Department environmentalist Heath Butz about the CSO that starts outside of town but that Butz has not checked it out yet. He recalled attorney Wes Schemenaur suggested contacting Jay County Drainage Board or Jay County Surveyor’s Office about the matter.
“It starts a lot farther out in the country than we’re responsible for,” he said.
“IDEM does not care. They said if it drains into our city limits, it’s our problem.”
Because the town missed its deadlines, he said, it will likely need to create another plan to address CSOs. Young told council it needed to sign and send a response to the letter by the end of today.
Per IDEM regulations, the town is also required to complete inventories of all water service lines in its system. The action is used to identify and address significant sources of lead in drinking water, according to a document about Lead Service Lines from IDEM. The town must comply with the order by Oct. 16, 2024.
Also, council heard it received two applications for its vacant police officer positions. Gardner noted the town does not offer benefits and cited this as the reason for the town’s inability to find and keep officers. Eley pointed out there are other towns in Indiana that don’t have a police department.
“I don’t know what the answer is, but we do need police presence,” she said.
Young noted he’s been a town employee covering various departments for almost 11 years and has never received benefits.
“You’ve considered it once or twice over 10 years, I keep asking for it, and we just can’t do it. So now we’re going to do it for a police officer?” he asked.
“As many jobs as I take on, and you tell me, ‘Well you better get busy.’ That’s not right,” he said.
If the town looks into offering benefits to its officers, it would also offer the same to Young, Gardner assured him.
In other business, council:
•Agreed to amend the town’s salary ordinance in order to fix a clerical error. (Eley explained she didn’t clarify the town planned to employ either two part-time deputies or one full-time deputy.)
•OK’d Redkey Festival Committee to host Gas Boom Days downtown Aug 12 and 13, as well as allowing the group to use the town’s insurance, electricity and water for the event. Organizer Mark Leavell noted the event is growing annually. “We could use some help from the public,” he said, requesting more volunteers get involved.
•Gave permission to allow Culpepper and Merriweather Circus to set up in town for two shows May 26. The circus was originally scheduled to visit in 2020 but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
•Heard spring and fall cleanup days are scheduled for May 20 and Sept. 9.
•Learned a master utility planning study grant application has been submitted Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The town should hear back by March 16, according to Jodi Hayes and Travis Richards of Jay County Development Corporation. Council thanked Hayes and Richards for completing the application. “If it wasn’t for the economic development group, we wouldn’t have this,” Eley said.
•Learned the annual fireworks show hosted by Redkey Fire Department will kick off at approximately 10 p.m. July 1. Young noted the department is accepting donations.
•Discussed participating in the Hometown Heroes project, which displays banners featuring local veterans.
•Denied a request from engineering firm Fleis and VandenBrink for an additional $7,604.06 for completing the sidewalk leading from Redkey Elementary School to Morgan Park. Eley noted the company has asked for the funds citing it worked additional hours on the project. Neither INDOT or Schemenaur suggested paying for the work.
•Learned the town will be using $6,300 recovered by insurance to repair damage to the city building after a pipe burst.
•Heard American Electric Power will be removing dead trees near the wastewater plant and from the walking path that leads from Redkey Elementary School to the post office along Main, High and Union streets.
•Received a plaque from Reece Leavell — he recently became an Eagle Scout — for contributing toward his installation of a gaga ball pit at Redkey Morgan Park. Former council president Dottie Quakenbush delivered the plaque.
•Signed the town’s nepotism policy, which is renewed annually.
•Made $6,484.57 in water bill adjustments.
•OK’d Young to purchase a $650 air compressor.
•Agreed to maintain Hammers as interim president until next month when more members are present.
•Paid $94,313.07 in claims.
Redkey Town Council agreed Thursday to move forward with raising the garbage service rate for residents to $15 per month.
Council will need to go through the process of amending its ordinance before the new rate goes into effect.
Redkey clerk-treasurer Mary Eley pointed out the town’s contract with Best Way Disposal expires soon. It generally increases about 3% annually, she said, adding that council could seek additional bids for the service.
The town currently pays $6,521 monthly for trash removal, but it only brings in about $6,010 from its residents for the service. Eley suggested council raise rates by at least $1.25 monthly.
Town employee Randy Young said council should look into how much the service will cost in the new contract in order to determine a price.
Council member Gary Gardner noted citizens currently pay at least $12 monthly for trash pickup. He suggested bumping the price to $15 to cover additional costs.
“I think $15 is the most reasonable. That keeps us from having to raise it next year,” he said.
Council members Floyd Life, Erik Hammers and Gardner, absent Chance Retter and John Pierce, agreed to move forward with raising the rate.
Also Thursday, Redkey awarded a $158,131 contract to Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne to pave several streets in town.
In December, Redkey was approved for a $196,100.25 Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings grant. It includes paving Boyce Street between Sycamore and Meridian streets, Bell Avenue between Meridian and Butler streets, Sycamore Street between Indiana 67 and Main Street, all of Morgan Drive through Redkey Morgan Park and Bell Avenue between Meridian and Washington streets.
Eley and Gardner noted the bid came in significantly lower than expected.
Council also discussed a letter from Indiana Department of Environmental Management about the town’s failure to meet a Nov. 30 deadline for removing two Combined Sewer Overflows. (One CSO originates in a rural area and lets out into Redkey Run, and the other starts near Union Street.)
Young said he and former council member Dottie Quakenbush have reached out to Jay County Health Department environmentalist Heath Butz about the CSO that starts outside of town but that Butz has not checked it out yet. He recalled attorney Wes Schemenaur suggested contacting Jay County Drainage Board or Jay County Surveyor’s Office about the matter.
“It starts a lot farther out in the country than we’re responsible for,” he said.
“IDEM does not care. They said if it drains into our city limits, it’s our problem.”
Because the town missed its deadlines, he said, it will likely need to create another plan to address CSOs. Young told council it needed to sign and send a response to the letter by the end of today.
Per IDEM regulations, the town is also required to complete inventories of all water service lines in its system. The action is used to identify and address significant sources of lead in drinking water, according to a document about Lead Service Lines from IDEM. The town must comply with the order by Oct. 16, 2024.
Also, council heard it received two applications for its vacant police officer positions. Gardner noted the town does not offer benefits and cited this as the reason for the town’s inability to find and keep officers. Eley pointed out there are other towns in Indiana that don’t have a police department.
“I don’t know what the answer is, but we do need police presence,” she said.
Young noted he’s been a town employee covering various departments for almost 11 years and has never received benefits.
“You’ve considered it once or twice over 10 years, I keep asking for it, and we just can’t do it. So now we’re going to do it for a police officer?” he asked.
“As many jobs as I take on, and you tell me, ‘Well you better get busy.’ That’s not right,” he said.
If the town looks into offering benefits to its officers, it would also offer the same to Young, Gardner assured him.
In other business, council:
•Agreed to amend the town’s salary ordinance in order to fix a clerical error. (Eley explained she didn’t clarify the town planned to employ either two part-time deputies or one full-time deputy.)
•OK’d Redkey Festival Committee to host Gas Boom Days downtown Aug 12 and 13, as well as allowing the group to use the town’s insurance, electricity and water for the event. Organizer Mark Leavell noted the event is growing annually. “We could use some help from the public,” he said, requesting more volunteers get involved.
•Gave permission to allow Culpepper and Merriweather Circus to set up in town for two shows May 26. The circus was originally scheduled to visit in 2020 but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
•Heard spring and fall cleanup days are scheduled for May 20 and Sept. 9.
•Learned a master utility planning study grant application has been submitted Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The town should hear back by March 16, according to Jodi Hayes and Travis Richards of Jay County Development Corporation. Council thanked Hayes and Richards for completing the application. “If it wasn’t for the economic development group, we wouldn’t have this,” Eley said.
•Learned the annual fireworks show hosted by Redkey Fire Department will kick off at approximately 10 p.m. July 1. Young noted the department is accepting donations.
•Discussed participating in the Hometown Heroes project, which displays banners featuring local veterans.
•Denied a request from engineering firm Fleis and VandenBrink for an additional $7,604.06 for completing the sidewalk leading from Redkey Elementary School to Morgan Park. Eley noted the company has asked for the funds citing it worked additional hours on the project. Neither INDOT or Schemenaur suggested paying for the work.
•Learned the town will be using $6,300 recovered by insurance to repair damage to the city building after a pipe burst.
•Heard American Electric Power will be removing dead trees near the wastewater plant and from the walking path that leads from Redkey Elementary School to the post office along Main, High and Union streets.
•Received a plaque from Reece Leavell — he recently became an Eagle Scout — for contributing toward his installation of a gaga ball pit at Redkey Morgan Park. Former council president Dottie Quakenbush delivered the plaque.
•Signed the town’s nepotism policy, which is renewed annually.
•Made $6,484.57 in water bill adjustments.
•OK’d Young to purchase a $650 air compressor.
•Agreed to maintain Hammers as interim president until next month when more members are present.
•Paid $94,313.07 in claims.
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