Redkey without a marshal again

REDKEY — Another marshal has left town.

Redkey Town Marshal Kyle Denney resigned effective Sept. 11.

Redkey Town Council briefly touched on the marshal job during its meeting Thursday.

Denney, who was hired Thursday as a full-time officer in Portland, became the third Redkey Town Marshal to resign in the last 18 months. Longtime marshal Todd Miller resigned from the role in May 2022. Chance Retter, who took over about a month later, resigned in January in order to allow him to take office after being elected to Redkey Town Council. (He currently works for Jay County Sheriff’s Office.)

Denney started working for the town in May, marking the end of three-month stint during which the town did not have a police officer.

Prior to Denney being hired, the town hadn’t been able to enforce its ordinances or handle police calls since Retter’s resignation.

Retter explained the town is taking applications for the role. Plans are to conduct interviews in the next two weeks to find an eligible candidate.

Currently the town has one officer, Zach Moser. He’s been with the department since June.

“Zach’s done a good job stepping up,” said Retter.

Council tabled decision on a $7,350 animal control contract with Jay County Humane Society for 2024. Clerk-treasurer Mary Eley pointed out the organization has offered to lock in the price if the town enters into a two-year contract.

Council member Gary Gardner expressed his concern with a two-year contract. Retter and Moser both noted they have had issues with Jay County Humane Society responding to calls. Council member John Pierce asked if the contract would guarantee the organization will pick up animals as needed.

County attorney Wes Schemenaur noted he also has questions about the contract, such as if an out clause and specifics about what qualifies as an emergency could be added. (The contract stipulates that calls will be taken during regular business hours and only emergency calls will be taken after hours and on weekends.)

Council agreed to allocate money in the budget for animal control but held off on approving the contract with Jay County Humane Society.

Also Thursday, council approved the first reading of its 2024 budget following a public hearing before the regular meeting. 

The budget is estimated at $508,762, which is up about $35,400 from the current year’s budget. The largest increases come from additional dollars allocated for insurance, an additional $30,060. Next year’s budget also factors in 3% raises for town employees as well as a $1,000 raise for the town attorney.

Council also OK’d a $53,960 contract with Utility Supply Company of Indianapolis to purchase new water meters. 

The agreement includes installation of a new system, 144 lead-free water meters and other equipment. Town employee Randy Young pointed out the cost will be paid for using coronavirus relief funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act — per Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulations, Indiana communities must have lead-free systems by October 2024 — and an additional 144 meters will cost about $38,000. Young plans to buy about 500 meters total and will be spacing purchases out as they’re able to install them in homes.

Also Thursday, council agreed to move forward with creating zoning restrictions, which involves passing a zoning ordinance and joining Jay County Planning Commission. Schemenaur agreed to forward a document listing the process and details to council sometime in the next week. He advised council members to take their time considering the change, noting they will lose some control if they join the county board. (In order to be eligible for some grants, the town needs zoning restrictions.)

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

•Agreed to send a letter to Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition formally requesting a naloxone box be installed in Redkey. Stephanie Patterson of Jay County Drug Task Force noted the box would come at no cost to the town and would be checked by a drug prevention coalition member weekly.

•Were reminded by Young the town needs to create a plan by December for how to deal with two of its Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO). (The CSOs are in violation of IDEM’s regulations.) Council signed a $90,000 contract — the majority of the cost is covered by a grant from OCRA — with Choice One Engineering in August to conduct a master utility study, which will involve inspecting Redkey’s water, wastewater and stormwater utilities and creating a plan for utility issues.

•Spoke with Nate Kimball, an East Central Indiana Regional Planning District employee who is serving as Jay County’s community coordinator. Kimball provided information about the owner occupied rehabilitation program being created for low income Jay County residents. The program will be funded with the $1 million Jay County is receiving for being a part of the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP), a planning process through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affair for how to spend federal coronavirus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act.

•Learned Halloween trick-or-treating will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Redkey Fire Department will host its costume contest at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

•Were informed Redkey will be flushing hydrants starting Oct. 2

•Paid $256,046.41 in claims, the majority of which covered paving costs this year. The work came in at nearly $11,000 under budget, and council agreed Thursday to return $7,562.24 to Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings program for the work.

•Made $184.37 in water bill adjustments.