Cracking down on leaks

REDKEY — The town is cracking down on leaks.

Redkey Town Council approved a resolution Tuesday for monitoring and responding to excess residential water usage.

Council also agreed to begin the process of formally creating a town park board.

Redkey has been installing new “smart” water meters across town. The technology has the ability to record water usage in 15-minute increments for residential properties, and it automatically notifies town employees when a meter records abnormal readings.

Utility worker Seth Fugiett explained the town will attempt to contact the resident in the event their meter begins showing a continuous flow of more than three gallons an hour. If the town can’t reach the resident and the high usage continues, the water department will turn off the resident’s water to prevent leaks, water damage or high bills. 

“It’s just going to save a lot of headache, a lot of hassle,” said Fugiett. “We have the technology to be able to give you guys notice.”

Once the system has flagged a residential water meter measuring continuous water usage at more than seven gallons per hour within 48 hours, the water department will shut off the meter.

There will be a $50 reconnect fee before service is restored. Per the resolution, customers using the new meters also won’t be granted adjustments for leaks.

Council members Brenda Beaty, “Watermellon” Jim Phillips, Jenny Staver, Floyd Life and Byron Daugherty approved the resolution.

They also introduced an ordinance to establish Redkey Park and Recreation Board, which will consist of four members who live in town. 

According to the ordinance, the board will have the following powers and duties:

•Exercising general supervision of the parks department

•Establishing rules for the use of parks and recreational facilities in Redkey

•Preparing and submitting an annual budget

•Accepting gifts, donations and grants for park purposes

•Contracting for services, facilities and improvements

•Acquiring, holding and disposing of property for park and recreation purposes

Council will appoint the park board members. Pursuant to Indiana Code, there must be no more than two members of the same political party. (Pete Olson, government advisory director with Civitas Strategies, noted the town must attempt to follow that rule unless it can’t find qualifying members, after which it could be categorized as a non-politically affiliated board.)

The ordinance also calls for establishing a park fund within the town’s budget. Plans are to formally vote on the matter at town council’s September meeting.

In other business, council members:

•Approved an agreement with Sara Grady for her services related to recording town board meetings, uploading the recordings online and maintaining the town’s website. Grady has been recording board meetings at no cost to the town since June 2024. As outlined the new agreement, she’ll be paid $400 a month for recording regular meetings, editing and uploading the recordings online, conducting routine website updates and administering the town’s Google account. Grady will be paid $75 per special meeting using her services, $30 per hour for website content uploads beyond routine work and $40 per hour for emergency website support or Google administrator issue resolutions.

•Discussed protocol for the number of trash toters a residence may use. Plans are for the town to provide one trash toter per residence, with additional toters to be provided by Best Way Disposal for an extra $5 monthly. (Additional toters that are not paid for may be removed by the trash service.) Council discussed implementing the procedure at the end of the year in order to allow time to notify residents.

•Reviewed a proposed set of rules and duties for council members and elected officials. Olson explained it should serve as a “living, breathing document” to help ensure success moving forward. “The goal here is to have an orderly council meeting that makes it easier for you all to get your process going and flowing better,” Olson said.

•Learned town marshal Alex Heath — he’s currently attending Indiana Law Enforcement Academy — recently brought on Jonathan Filomeno as a reserve officer.

•Heard Redkey Community Development, a newly formed group working to become a nonprofit organization, has been coordinating volunteer efforts across town. The organization will host a movie night with several showings of “Back to the Future,” food trucks, cornhole and other activities from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at the old fire station.

•Were informed Miller Pipeline paid $2,500 in dumping fees to the town in July.

•Learned there are a little more than 100 new water meters left to install. Fugiett anticipates the remaining equipment should be installed before winter.

•Heard a quarterly report from Jay County Development Corporation executive director Ceann Bales, who shared an economic overview of Jay County. The county has shifted from a 3% to 4% unemployment rate in recent months. Averages wages have increased 2.3%, she explained. Gross domestic product increased by 6.2% in 2023. “That means wealth is growing in Jay County,” said Bales.

•Learned eight new signs have been placed around Redkey Elementary School and signs reminding semis to follow state routes have been placed around town entrances. Two of three street signs stolen earlier this year have also been replaced.

•Heard plans to replace the locks from the former concession stand building at Morgan Park, with council members noting Redkey Junior League officials and other park officials haven’t had access to the building for some time.

•Were informed Beaty reached out to Delta High School and Jay School Corporation to recruit high schoolers looking for volunteer hours. Beaty plans to work with volunteers to scrape and paint fire hydrants from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays in September.

•Heard Redkey Fire Department Board meets from 7 to 8 p.m. the first Monday of each month, with the meeting open to the public after 8 p.m. (September’s meeting will fall on Sept. 8 instead in observance of Labor Day.)

•Made $287.75 in water bill adjustments.