Redkey buying new water meters

REDKEY — The town purchased new, lead-free water meters with the bulk of its American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

It still has some money leftover from the project.

With the deadline to obligate ARPA funds looming next month, Redkey Town Council agreed Thursday to spend $20,000 of its remaining dollars on additional equipment for reading the meters.

In September 2023, council OK’d a $53,960 contract with Utility Supply Company of Indianapolis to install a new water meter system, 144 lead-free water meters and other equipment using American Rescue Plan Act dollars. (Per Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulations, communities were required to have lead-free systems by October of this year.) At that time, former town employee Randy Young planned to buy about 500 meters total, spacing the purchases out as employees were able to install the devices in homes.

Council president Brenda Beaty explained all of the water meters have now been purchased, leaving the village with approximately $60,000 remaining in American Rescue Plan Act dollars that must be obligated by the end of the year.

She suggested purchasing a $20,000 antenna from Utility Supply Company to connect with the meters. (The antenna had been considered originally, but officials were unsure if ARPA funds would be enough to cover it along with the other equipment.) Plans are for the antenna to be attached approximately 75 feet above ground on the town’s water tower.

“It’s something that we don’t have to drive up and down the streets, (it’s set up) where we just go to the water tower, and all of the meters will be read at one time,” explained Beaty.

The antenna equipment also flags problems in the system, such as potential leaks at homes.

Council agreed to use ARPA funds to purchase the antenna.

Also, Beaty proposed using ARPA funds to buy a new town vehicle, referencing a quote she received for a 2022 Ford F-250 priced at $39,500. She suggested the vehicle could be used for plowing snow. 

Council did not vote on the purchase Thursday, with attorney Maura Hoff noting Beaty may seek quotes and bring them back to another council meeting for approval.

Hoff added she would need to look into whether the purchase would qualify under ARPA spending guidelines. (In July, Redkey adopted an ordinance establishing the remaining American Rescue Plan Act dollars allotted to Redkey — at that time, approximately $170,000 — as revenue replacement funds to be used for municipal purposes and updates to the town's personnel policies.)

Council also heard Thursday about developments with the December deadline imposed by Indiana Department of Environmental Management for updating the town’s long-term control plan addressing combined sewer overflows (CSOs). 

Utility worker Ted Kolodka talked about getting the public involved, suggesting the town create a committee. The group — he proposed members including the town council president, utility department workers and any others who may want to be involved in the process — would review the plan as well as related projects.

 Addressing Choice One Engineer’s master utility study plan approved by council in August, Kolodka talked about an estimated $2 million project to make improvements to the service area on George Street and Bell Avenue. He said there’s a significant increase of water flow in those areas each time it rains.

“That tells you that there’s a lot of stormwater that’s going straight into the center of sewer, it also tells you that there’s maybe some other things that are going on,” he said.

He noted he’s been looking into grants through Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs — they require a 20% match — and working with nonprofit membership association Alliance of Indiana Rural Water to find other available grants that could cover the town’s match for the $2 million project.

Kolodka talked about smaller projects that Redkey could do to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the town’s wastewater system, including smoke testing, disconnecting wastewater lines from abandoned homes and replacing manhole covers.

Also, a proposal from council member Jim Phillips regarding utility payments died for lack of a second.

In May, Phillips proposed offering each Redkey household one month of free water, wastewater and trash services for their birthday. At that time, Beaty suggested holding off on a decision on the matter until the state had completed its audit on the town’s finances.

Phillips read off numbers from Redkey’s budget Thursday, saying the town could afford to grant the free services for one month. He suggested it as a gift for Christmas to residents.

Beaty questioned if Phillips knew how much it would cost to offer free services for a month. Kolodka also pointed out the water department lost $80,000 in 2023 and cautioned council about the gesture, noting it may impact the ability to apply for grants.

In other business, Phillips, Beaty, Floyd Life and Gavin Grady, absent Dave Dudelston:

•Learned Redkey was awarded $166,134.75 in Community Crossings funds for 2025. The Indiana Department of Transportation grant can be used to resurface streets, among other road-related projects. Plans are to potentially pave sections of George, Elm, Sherman, Butler, Cleveland, Wayne and Ash streets. Beaty suggested the town could also look into adding some sidewalks with the money. (Redkey’s match is $55,378.)

•Were reminded Santa Claus will ride into town on a Redkey Fire Department truck at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 and set up at the gazebo in downtown Redkey.

•Briefly discussed renewing the town’s insurance for employees with United Healthcare. Next year’s rates for the town increased per employee by about $175. Clerk-treasurer Gloria May said utility worker Todd Miller is the only employee on the plan. Beaty noted he will no longer be on the plan, explaining he turned in his resignation letter Thursday.

•Were informed of a “sinkhole” on Indiana 1 (Meridian Street) at its intersection with Sheridan Street. Beaty noted that Indiana Department of Transportation should be coming in the next two weeks to fix the damaged section of the highway in town.

•Heard the town had four applicants for its town marshal position. (Former marshal Zach Moser resigned effective Oct. 22.) Beaty suggested hosting an executive session with police officer Jon Cave in the coming weeks to interview candidates.

•Heard from Beaty that Dunkirk is not interested in extending zoning regulations to Redkey. Council members in past meetings discussed joining forces with Dunkirk for zoning in town.

•Learned a community member has been gathering price estimates for repairing the town’s clock tower. Plans are in the works to look for and apply for grant funding for the project.

•Signed an annual agreement with Redkey Fire Department for firefighting services.

•OK’d purchasing eight pallets of salt to be used on the streets over the winter.