Redkey police to get new guns

REDKEY — New board members, new marshal, new pistols.

Redkey Town Council approved a request Thursday from Marshal Zach Moser to purchase six Glock 9mm pistols from Kiesler Police Supply of Jeffersonville for just under $1,000.

Moser, who was promoted to marshal about a month ago, proposed trading in the department’s current weapons — three Glock 22 Generation 3s and three Glock 27 Generation 3s — for .40-caliber, 9mm models at a cost of $982.80.

Jay County officials approved the purchase of 50 Glock 17 pistols from the same Jeffersonville business for Jay County Sheriff’s Office in October.

“The sheriff’s department is going to be switching to 9mm this year,” explained Moser. “I think it’s a good idea to kind of stick with what they do, since, you know, the ammo’s cheaper, they’re easier to shoot.”

Council vice president Chance Retter added that many departments are switching to 9mm pistols, and he made a motion to approve the request.

Council members approved the decision unanimously.

Also Thursday, Moser proposed town council give him permission to pursue K-9 training to certify his dog as a police canine.

“Portland is the only town in the entire county that has a canine dog,” said Moser. “I pull a car over, and I think a dog needs to run it, it’s not going to happen.”

A United States Marine Corps veteran, Moser previously trained a police dog specializing in explosives. He asked council in June to consider allowing him to train and handle a canine specializing in narcotics apprehension and tracking. Because of his military service and the G.I. Bill of Rights, Moser added, the training cost would be covered. If OK’d, he plans to raise funds to accommodate the department’s police vehicle for a canine.

Retter said he thinks the town needs a canine, but he still had questions, with town attorney Wes Schemenaur adding they would need to check if the dog would be a liability. Council tabled Moser’s request.

In related news, Retter noted the town has received a few applications for its open police officer position. He pointed out Redkey will need to hire someone soon, as Moser will be attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy for 10 weeks starting in April. (Currently, Moser is the only full-time officer on the force.)

Town employee Randy Young noted a letter has been submitted to Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requesting an extension or new agreement regarding two combined sewer overflow (CSO) violations. (IDEM set a December deadline for the town to come up with a plan to eliminate the two CSOs. One starts near Union Street, and the other originates in a rural part of the county just north of town and lets out near Main and George streets. If not fulfilled, IDEM could begin fining the town.)

Choice One Engineering is conducting a master utility study for the town, which should be completed by spring or early summer. The study may provide options for how to deal with the problems.

Young also noted one of the buildings at the wastewater plant has had the same issue for the past three years with an air handler freezing because of cold weather. He said his solution has been to use his personal auxiliary heater and a propane heater, but he noted the temperature has gotten as low as 20 degrees inside. Answering a question from council member Dave Dudelston, Young said he learned the unit — it’s powered with gas and must be kept outside to avoid an explosion — was not made to work in the cold.

Council also approved and later rescinded a motion to look into purchasing a city owned cell phone for Young, who pointed out he has used his personal phone for more than a decade. Young told council he’s content with using his own device, noting most folks who need to reach him have his phone number.

In other business, council members Brenda Beaty, “Watermellon” Jim Phillips, Floyd Life, Dudelston and Retter:

•Discussed the county’s $76,400 study ongoing through Ritter Strategic Services to look into radios for emergency responders. Moser pointed out he is currently using radios loaned from Portland Police Department and suggested the town hold off on purchasing new radios until the county makes a decision.

•Heard a request submitted by Citadel Supply owner Brooks Fugiett to vacate the alley between his business (9096 W. Indiana 67) and Jasper and Mary Abernathy’s property at 9114 W. Indiana 67. Plans are to hold a public hearing on the matter at Redkey’s next meeting in February.

•Appointed council members to oversee different departments as follows: Retter, police department; Beaty, water department; Life, fire department; Dudelston, street department; Philips, wastewater department; and Retter and Dudelston, park department.

•OK’d spending $1,238.72 at Wright Way Collision Repair of Albany to fix a bent mounting frame on one of the town’s trucks and $1,587 at Toric Engineering of Danville to purchase a new backup network switch for the water/wastewater department.

•Elected Dudelston as president and Retter as vice president, with Beaty dissenting on Retter’s appointment.

•Selected Beaty as council’s representative to the East Central Indiana Regional Planning District.

•Heard the fire department has received 20 new air packs. The purchase covered by a federal grant provided air packs to the county’s six fire departments. Young added that the town needs to start planning for how to replace other aging equipment at the department, specifically the town’s firetrucks, which date back to the 1990s.