Option offered

Redkey Town Council heard an option to fulfill a state requirement for livestreaming meetings.

Council heard from Craig Frazee of Portland’s Dynamic Business Solutions web designs during its meeting Thursday.

Frazee explained that Indiana House Bill 1167 goes into effect July 1, 2025. The new law requires Indiana governmental agencies to “provide on a publicly accessible platform: (1) live transmissions of public meetings and (2) an archive of copies of the live transmissions with links to any meeting agendas, minutes, or memoranda.” If the entity does not have internet capabilities for live transmissions, it must record meetings and store those recordings for at least 90 days.

Currently, internet is not available at the park cabin in Redkey where town council meets each month.

Frazee noted his business is able to provide the equipment needed to fulfill the requirements. He suggested a 360-degree video camera that also captures audio and sits on a tripod in the middle of the room. It automatically focuses on whoever is speaking. (Jay County Commissioners and Jay County Council utilize the same device to livestream and record their meetings.)

To get set up with the necessary equipment, he continued, would cost between $10,000 to $15,000. (The camera also needs to be hooked up to a laptop with additional video storage.)

“When I’m talking with cities and towns, I’m advising them to not delay terribly long because we are finding that some of the equipment … lead times are starting to stretch out,” he said. “So, it’s a good idea to consider and make a decision relatively quick so we can get that equipment on order so we’re not right down at the wire trying to beat a deadline.”

Once purchased, he said, the equipment would take about six weeks to be delivered.

Frazee noted his company is working on a proposal catered to Redkey. He told council he would provide a quote to the town in the next week.

Also Thursday, council introduced its newest member, Gavin Grady. He was recently selected by Jay County Republican Party chair Jenae Blasdel to fill the seat left vacant by council vice president Chance Retter, who resigned April 25. Grady appeared via video call during the meeting.

In related news, council agreed to re-elect board officers, designating Brenda Beaty as president — council member Floyd Life abstained from the vote for Beaty — and Grady as vice president. (Dave Dudelston, who had been serving as president, was not at the meeting.)

Beaty suggested re-electing officers Thursday.

“We’ve had a breakdown of communication, and we’ve had a resignation,” she said.

Also, council decided not to allow police officer Chris Boggs to drive the town’s police vehicle to his home in Muncie after his shift. Boggs had been using it as a take-home vehicle, according to Beaty.

Boggs left the meeting after the vote and did not return. 

Council also tabled a proposal from council member “Watermellon” Jim Phillips to offer each Redkey household one month of free water, wastewater and trash services for their birthday. Beaty suggested holding off on a decision at least until the state has completed its audit on the town’s finances in the next few months.

In other business, council:

•Hired John Brooke of Muncie to serve as the town’s new attorney. Former town attorney Wes Schemenaur resigned from the position in mid April. Brooks will charge $350 for attending meetings and a $195 hourly rate for other work. Maura Hoff of Muncie also submitted a bid for the service at a flat $245 hourly fee.

•Heard the county’s $1 million owner-occupied rehabilitation program — it will help residents pay for home improvements such as replacing a roof, water heater or heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit, doing electrical work or making a home more accessible — will be open from May 28 through June 28.

Applications will be available at Redkey Town Hall, Dunkirk’s city building, the auditor's office at Jay County Courthouse, community coordinator Nate Kimball's office at the Community Resource Center in Portland and online at jaycounty.net. (All applications must be filled out and turned in on paper in person.) There is a limit of $25,000 per household, with applications being handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

•Approved an agreement with Gary Fraley to mow town properties after learning Tim Kesler has resigned from the job. Kesler and Fraley both submitted bids for the work, with Fraley’s coming in at $3 less at $395 per mow. (The town rejected bids in March, with three council members agreeing to mow for the town at that time. In April, they decided to hire Kesler.)

•Learned Ohio Valley Gas will be replacing all steel lines throughout the town over the next six months. Plans are to move forward with scheduled paving in the fall after the majority of the gas company’s work.

•Addressing a question about the town’s policy to cover one water adjustment each year for residents, council members confirmed that adjustment could be used to fill a swimming pool but noted if the resident has a leak later in the year, it would not be covered.

•OK’d advertising with The Commercial Review to hire a part-time utility worker and a request from Tadeusz Kolodka to vacate an alley between Harrison and Butler streets connecting Grandview Avenue and Wayne Street.

•Tabled giving Susan Pierce a raise. Pierce cleans the park cabin for the town and is paid a flat $100 monthly for the service, regardless of how many times she cleans the cabin. Council agreed to invite Pierce to its next meeting to discuss the issue.

•Appointed Grady to oversee the park department and Life to oversee the police department.

•Made $660.60 in water bill adjustments.

•Approved $56,122.77 in claims.