The Independent-News, Volume 117, Number 4, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 20 June 1991 — Page 6

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - JUNE 20, 1991

WALKERTON TOWN BOARD MINUTES The Walkerton Town Council met at 7:00 p.m. on June 3, with the following members present: Gene Reese, Maggie Gaddis, Cheryl Rizek and Walter Heil. Attorney David Holmes and clerk - treasurer Judy Hiler were also present. The minutes were approved as read. Monthly police, work order and electric, water and wastewater reports were accepted by the council. There was no citizen's input. David Behr spoke to the council about a meeting comprised of himself, a representative from each of the seven industries in the Industrial Park Southwest, Cheryl Rizek, Len Jaske and Jeff Zehner. The seven industries are on septic systems, and are discussing the possibility of each of them contributing to, and paying for sewer extensions throughout the park. A rough estimate is SIOO,OOO for the entire project. The Walkerton Industrial Fund is going to act as a conduit to getting this job done. The Industrial Fund would like to use the engineering study, of the sewer system, that the Town had done a couple of years ago. Behr said that our study is about half way there, and needs to updated. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS KOONTZ LAKE LIBRARY Monday & Thursday 7:00 p.m. WALKERTON COMMUNITY OUILDING Sunday 7:00 p.m. For Further Information CALL 586-3243 OR 586-368$ F^tHLEU^ \ 413 Michigan Street X 9:00 e.m. • s:oi ? Call 586-3722 ATS BAIT SHOP On State Road 23 Koontz Lake WE NOW HAVE BLOCK ICE AND 18 LB. BAGS OF ICE CUBES PEPSI SPECIAL 12 pak *3.79 |2l 9i WALKERTON STORAGE & RENTAL ALL SPACE SIZES Monthly Rates Available Located Across From Teachers Credit Uniofl 4 2 Doors North Os Hook's On St. Rd 23 FOR INFORMATION CALL 586-RENT (586-7368) Or 289-9987 mgg 2

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Holmes feels this is the way to meet the needs of the industrial park, because the Town doesn't have the funds to do the extensions right now. He also feels that it’s essential for the Town’s engineers to complete the study and oversee the job, because these sewer extensions will become the Town’s when its completed. The Town will then be responsible for it, and maintenance of it will be our responsibility. Walt Heil made the motion to authorize a further engineering study. Seconded by Gene Reese. Carried. Behr showed the council the architect’s proposed design for the downtown project. The drawings show twelve foot wide walks with areas for planters for flowers or trees. Some antique lighting will • also be installed. Behr added that although we were given permission to hire an architect, we were not given permission to spend money. The full release of funds, for this project, is scheduled for July 3, 1991. Behr said that a little earlier he learned that the architect had mailed us a bill, and wanted to know if there’s a possibility of our paying that bill and then being reimbursed in thirty days. Holmes advised that the architect’s contract says that he doesn’t get paid until the grant funds are released. OLD BUSINESS: Water projects were discussed. Rizek said that Walt Heil and Gene ■ Reese have read the water systems study that was done by Butler, Fairman & Seufert, and asked if JOHNSON INS. AGENCY DON R. JOHNSON Certified Insurance Counselor DONNA L. RAUSCH DIANE JOHNSON We Sell Service Along With Our Product Call (219)586-2580 Koontz Lake Sh/optomctr^tJ Walkerton A I 0 p.m. Thursdays A For Appointment. IMMI J WHITEPINE LANDSCAPING Excellence In Landscaping And Lawn Maintenance FREE ESTIMATES GREG CRITES 393-5264 JOHN NIEZGODSKI 393-5269 Hamlet 4tf4p I WILLIAMSON ACCOUNTING Complete Accounting And Tax Service For Individuals And Small Businesses 1550 Pine Rd. 784*3832 Plymouth 11292 '

they had come to any conclusions. A representative from McDonough Associates, Inc. had previously told the council of some considerations that they have on the study. Rizek added that there is also some concern about a well site across from the school. Although we did get an okay for the site, there is a question of whether or not we really need that well site. Holmes said that if we commit ourselves to a test well, then we would have to determine where our funds are coming from, and we don’t have enough money right now to go ahead. McDonough Associates, Inc. have said that we need a computer mapping of our water system in order to determine flows and pipe size. It was decided to ask McDonough to attend the next meeting, and ask Butler, Fairman to attend the meeting after that. Compensatory time is given, to Town employees, at a rate of one and one half hours for every hour worked, in lieu of monetary compensation, for overtime. Rizek said that some decisions about compensatory time have to be made before we get into the 1992 budget hearings. The council and Attorney Holmes discussed several different issues, concerning compensatory time, with Superintendent Back, Assistant Supt. Bolze and Chief Gassensmith. Such as, does comp time begin after eight hours in a day, or forty hours in a week and how much comp time can an employee accumulate and save for later use. Supt. Back feels that they should get comp time whenever they are called out during off hours. There are times when an employee may take a day off, using saved up comp time for pay, and then be called out for an emergency that night. Attorney Holmes explained that our employees are presently being given comp time for anything worked outside of regular hours, and advised that the council needs to decide what their policies are going to be, and act on them if they intend to make any changes. He added that the accumulation of comp time is a 77 SOFFIT« FACIA K - VANDERHEYDEN ¥ EA VESTROUGH SERVICE J Coll MS-771* FOR RENT NORTH LIBERTY COMMUNITY CENTER AIR CONDITIONED Renting For All Occasions 300 S. Main Street Phone 656-4134 or 656-4773 THREE D CAMPGROUND 750 E., G rovertown (219) 867-8432 Pavilion, Video Games, Elec , Water. Dump Station, Sports, Playground & Store, Miniature Golf And Golt Driving Range REASONABLE RATES Aug 2 91 - - - - - - - NOW RENTING Mini-Storage Located In The North Liberty industrial Park Sizes Starting At 5 x 10 To 10 x 30 656-4914 9:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m.

concern because it’s an unfunded liability. Heil and Reese both said that they feel employees should be required to use up as much of their accumulated time as is possible. Holmes suggested adopting a policy that would limit the number of hours an employee can accumulate, and perhaps set up a target date of December 31, 1992 to get the accumulated hours' down to approximately eighty hours per individual. Gassensmith said that holidays cause a lot of comp time for the police department and suggested paying the officers for holidays instead. Discussion centered on the FLSA rules that say emergency personnel is paid straight time for one hundred seventy-one hours worked in a twenty-eight day period. Overtime or compensatory time is then given at the rate of, time and a half for hours worked over the one hundred seventy-one hours. Gassensmith asked if the council would consider giving the police department time and a half for hours worked over forty hours a week. Holmes recommended that Gassensmith put both of his proposals, concerning paid holidays and time and a half over forty hours, in writing and submit for the council to consider at budget time. Nothing can be changed for 1991, as the budgets are set for this year. The accumulation of vacation time and sick days is also going to be reviewed. Sidewalk applications were reviewed. A total of 659’ of sidewalk replacements was accepted on a motion by Walt Heil. Seconded by Gene Reese. Carried. An application made by Leo Savoie/Savoie Properties/Century 21 was not accepted, as these matching funds are meant only for residential sidewalks. Rizek asked Supt. Back if a rusty cover can be replaced, by the water holding tank, before the fourth of July. Greg Williams gave the council reports of all the utilities. They showed the average bill per classification, a decrease in electric line , loss over the last three years and ) also that the dollar loss has dropped proportionately. A NEW BUSINESS: I Rizek read an invitation from our I sister city, Walkerton, Ontario, J Canada, to attend their 1991 Homecoming. Since Rizek plans on going to the homecoming, she asked the council if they would like to send a proclamation acknowledging their one hundred twentieth birthday. Rizek read a proclamation in recognition of the John Glenn High School Band, which is going to represent Indiana in the "National Festival of the States" in Washington, D.C. Governor Bayh has also designated July 6-12 as "Falcon Pride Week" and July 7th as “John Glenn High School Day." Gene Reese made the motion to accept the proclamation (printed at the end of these minutes). Seconded by Maggie Gaddis. Carried. There was a discussion of the lot on the corner of Michigan and Jackson Streets, that is overgrown with grass and weeds. Chief

| AM ER I CAN LEG ION | I POST 189 | f WALKERTON 1 NO BINGO THIS FRIDAY B Watch For Further Notice *

Gassensmith has sent the owners a letter which gives them until June 4, 1991 to clean up the property. If the property is not mowed, the council discussed having a town employee do the clean up and billing the owner. An insurance committee, including Cheryl Rizek, Walt Heil, Ed Walz, DeWayne Pavey and the clerk, met on May 25, 1991 to discuss the Town’s insurance coverage. The clerk read a report of that meeting. There was some discussion of changing the deductible on the inland marine insurance, but it was felt that if something happened to several of the smaller items, at one time, we could be faced with a two or three thousand dollar loss. Attorney Holmes doesn’t feel that we have enough general liability insurance coverage, especially since we have exposure outside our town limits with the electric department. The clerk is to check into higher general liability coverage. It was decided to keep the inland marine insurance as it is now. The derk reported that a "clean up property" letter had been sent to the Norfolk & Western Railroad concerning the lots at 905-907 Roosevelt Road. An employee from the railroad has asked how much the Town would charge to do the clean up. Holmes advised, that the clerk should call the supervisor at Norfolk A Western and have him confirm, in writing, that they are going to pay for the clean up. Supt. Back is supposed to look the property over and give a cost estimate for the project. A letter from Bliss-McKnight Insurance, concerning a police liability seminar, was reviewed. Attorney Holmes recommended that some of our police department should attend this seminar, as they are very helpful and informative. Chief Gassensmith announced that he will be having a Neighborhood Watch meeting in the Town Hall on June 6. Gene Reese said that he had a call from Dr. Murray concerning a proposed combination effort for a new park. The school would like to get together, on June 11, with a council member, Attorney Holmes, Attorney Peddycord and a school board member. Reese is going to represent the council at this meeting. Claims 560 through 599 for $35,421.21, and payroll docket dated May 28, for $17,126.21 were accepted on a motion by Walt Heil. Seconded by Gene Reese. Carried. Gene Reese made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Maggie Gaddis, carried. PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, First American Music Encounters (FAME), under commission of the Washington D.C. Bicentennial Commission, has selected “The FALCON PRIDE," John Glenn High School Band, to represent the State of Indiana in the “National Festival of the States" in Washington, D.C., July 6-9,1991; and WHEREAS, Evan Bayh, the Governor of the State of Indiana, has issued an Executive Order Proclamation designating July 6-12 as