The Independent-News, Volume 121, Number 30, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 7 December 1995 — Page 6

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- INDEPENDENT NEWS — DEC. 7, 1995

WALKERTON TOWN BOARD MINUTES Delayed our service, and those who dropped out but have worked as a driver for the service. It was decided that as long as an individual works for the service, in some capacity, they will not be billed for the class fee. Attorney Holmes is going to write to two people who do owe us time or money. David Behr reported that the governor signed the library grant and he is now working on the environmental review process. An agreement needs to be drawn up between the Library and the Historical Society. The Historical Society will have to be insured by the town, and Ed Walz said the premiums will probably be negligible. Behr said that the committee has gone through all the Housing Rehabilitation Grant applications and they are now verifying income and assets of the applicants. Citizen’s Input: Grover Johnson said that he is still interested in getting sewer service to his home. He asked about an easement for the property along Miller’s Merry Manor. Attorney Holmes said that the Council will first have to make a decision as to whether they want to extend the sewer there and at whose expense. Whether the cost will be to those who want the service or to the rate payers. Pres. Rizek asked Zehner if he has any idea what the cost will be for this extension. Zehner said that he hasn’t really looked at the cost, but added that Oselka Construction had once quoted around $7,500.00. He feels that it could be done for less. Mr. Johnson asked if the Town has to provide him with sewer service. Attorney Holmes said that the Town has to provide sewer service, but does not have to pay for it. Holmes added that when the sewer service was initially expanded there were government grants what paid for part of it. The current project is partially funded by a government grant and by a bond issue. The sewer extensions that are now underway are to serve the greatest number of people for the cost. Individual lines and extensions aren’t usually paid for by the Town. Zehner is to get some cost figures, for this extension, for Johnson within two weeks time. This will give him some time to think about what he wants to do. It can then be looked at by the Council, at their Dec. 4th meeting. Old Business: Reese asked if Steve Groves has been making his note payments.

The Clerk answered that he is paid up to date, although the last payment was late. Holmes asked for the Council to set aside a half an hour at the next meeting to review some items of old business. Pres. Rizek asked if the codifications is one of those items. Holmes answered that it is and he will be willing to attend some extra meetings to get it taken care of. Holmes is to get a Cedit Plan to us before our Nov. 20th budget hearing. Zehner told the Council that Underground Services inspected the inside of the 30” main, near Pine Creek and found that the line is in worse condition than the videotaping had shown. He asked the Council to approve replacing this pipe at an estimated cost of $7,500.00. Reese made the motion to allow, seconded by Hartsell, carried. Zehner said that there has been some correspondence concerning the yield and stop signs at the Norfolk and Southern crossings. Norfolk & Southern is giving us permission to put the yield signs on their crossbuck posts. Adams Street will have a stop sign put on the crossbuck posts. Holmes said that our concern here, is that initially there was a recommendation that there be stop signs installed at the crossings, and then Zehrier pointed out problems with the paralell streets and the limited distance that was available. These things created other potential hazards, so then a further study resulted in the recommendations for the yield signs. Zehner said that a representative from the railroad came to town and looked at each of the crossings. There would be a limited distance to alert people of the stop, and he thought that yield signs would put some control over traffic flow, but would not put people in a panic. It was also decided to put the signs on the crossbucks because this is the last possible opportunity to place the signs. Hartsell made the motion to install yield signs at the Norfolk & Southern crossings at Georgia St., Virginia St., Illinois St. and Kentucky St., and a stop sign at the Adams St. crossing. Seconded by Reese, carried. Zehner had two quotes for a dump body and they were: Neil’s Automotive Service, Hartford, M 155,996.14 55,996.14 and Deed’s Equipment Co., LaPaz--59,476.00. Deed’s bid included rust proofing. Zehner said he would like to buy the dump body from Deed’s since they are local and if we purchased it from Neil’s we would have to make at least two trips to Michigan. Reese made the

motion to accept Deed’s quote, seconded by Hartsell, carried. New Business: Pres. Rizek named a new Park Board, and it is as follows: Tracy Fry, Democrat, 4 years; Brian Savoie, Democrat, 3 years; Tom Alexander, Republican, 2 years and Scott Hostetler, Republican, 1 year. These terms will automatically roll over. For example the one year term will roll over to a four year term. These people will remain on the board until they decide they want to resign or retire. Rizek said that according to a letter she received from Roman Brehm in July of 1994, everything was going well in our Electric Department and there was no need for a rate increase. In June of this year Brehm said that he saw a need to increase the commercial electric rate, and Rizek said that she gave a copy of this letter to Superintendent Bolze to check the figures. Bolze said that he contacted Brehm, and they decided that all the rates need to be raised. Bolze said that he was concerned with the figures they came up with, and contacted O. W. Krohn & Assoc, to review our rates. Buzz Krohn distributed a report he had prepared concerning our electric rates and summarized all of our rates for the last ten years. All of our ordinances provided for a fuel adjustment which we pass on to our customers each month. The ordinances also provided for a wholesale cost power tracking factor, and this is something that has not been addressed since Nipsco started raising their rates to the town. The Town has been absorbing the Nipsco increases, over the years, and it is now starting to catch up to us. Krohn recommended that .006935 per kilowatt hour power tracking factor be added to our fuel adjustment factor on each month’s bills. He further recommended that we implement this power tracking factor as soon as possible. Krohn also recommended that after our February increase from Nipsco, the power tracking factor be increased to .009059 per kilowatt hour. In the past interest earned from investments was used to offset any Nipsco increases, but now the increase are such that the interest will no longer offset them. Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 on page two of Krohn’s report were discussed. 1. Implementing the aforementioned power tracking factors. 2. Consider reconciling a portion of the past undercollections that resulted from not imposing tracking factors for previous Nipsco wholesale rate increases. 3. Consider authorizing a general rate

study in order to determine the current utility revenue requirements and rate of return considerations. Hartsell made the motion to accept all three recommendations, seconded by Reese, carried. Hartsell made the motion to authorize O. W. Krohn & Associates to do a general electric rate study for the Town, seconded by Reese, carried. Rizek said that she received a complaint from Terry Roush concerning his water bill. He had been told that he would not be charged for watering the new grass that was hydroseeded, and then was not informed when the Council found they could not give a break on the water bills. Reese asked Attorney Holmes what we can possibly do to help the residents in that area. Holmes answered that the rates are established by ordinance, and we really can’t discriminate and charge some residents for half their water usage and other residents for all their useage. On January 1, 1996, a new law goes into effect that requires all towns, who have personnel with Commercial Drivers Licenses, to have a drug and alcohol testing program in place. Dave Bolze and Zehner are to check and see if they were given any sample programs at one of their meetings. Reese made the motion to accept claim 1327 for $5,354.00; claim 12466 through 1326 for $76,036.48; payroll docket dated 10-25-95 for $21,736.14; payroll docket dated 11-8-95 for $20,045.27 and manual claims to Oselka Construction and Woodruff & Sons. Seconded by Reese, carried. Reese made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Hartsell, carried. CHRISTMAS MEETING ENJOYED The GFWC Walkerton Women’s Community Club held their Christmas meeting, at Al’s Diner, Koontz Lake, on Friday, Dec. 1. Each member brought a homemade ornament to place on the Christmas tree after which they sang Christmas carols around the tree. The singers were accompanied by Verice Walz and Sue Rice. Devotions were given by Mildred Casey, who read a touching Christmas story. A memorial service was held for three members who passed away this last year. Barbara Simpson conducted the ceremony for Lucille Dipert, Helene Remus and Margaret Moravek. The group was then shown a copy of the Nov.-Dec. issue of the Country Woman magazine in which there was an article and pictures of the club’s secretary,

Shirley Awald. Shirley was the winner in that magazine’s contest for Dazzling Holiday Desserts recipes. Her pecan cake roll took first prize and she was given an enthusiastic round of applause by her proud fellow members. Three members were reported being in the hospital: Caroline Hancovsky, Clara Dixon and Margaret Tracy. The president urged members to remember these members with cards and letters. She also asked members to bring food for the Community Pantry to the January meeting. Donations were given to the pantry and also money for toys for children for Christmas. Birthday celebrants were Neoma Personette, Ruth Ullery and Vi Masterman with Mrs. Masterman receiving the birthday present. Following the business meeting a cookie exchange took place. The next meeting will be on Jan. 5 at the Community Building. Officers for the coming year will be installed. "POSTMARKS” Linda Johnson Postmaster SPECIAL OPERATION ‘‘DEAR ABBY” For the past 10 years, ‘‘Dear Abby,” newspaper columnist, Abigail Van Buren, has encouraged Americans to send cards, letters and parcels through ‘‘Operation Dear Abby” program to service members stationed overseas during the holiday season. The Postal Service works in conjuncition with the Armed Forces to identify unique addresses to be used by Operation Dear Abby. This year, five approved addresses are effective from November 15 through January 15, 1996. Following are the five special Operation Dear Abby addresses: America Remembers Operation Dear Abby APO AE 09135 America Remembers Operation Dear Abby FPO AE 09646 America Remembers Operation Dear Abby APO AA 34085 America Remembers Operation Dear Abby APO AP 96285 America Remembers Operation Dear Abby FPO AP 96385