[0:39] [clears throat]

[0:41] All right. The September 8th uh Mbury Town Council meeting will be called to

[0:45] order. Please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance.

[0:48] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[0:53] republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[1:00] justice for all.

[1:05] » Sorry.

[1:08] » Kent Kaufman >> here.

[1:09] » Mike Holloway >> here.

[1:10] » Gary K >> here.

[1:12] » Carl Miller >> here.

[1:13] » And Kevin Miller >> here.

[1:15] » All right. the we have the minutes for the August 17th and August 24th

[1:19] meetings. >> I'll make a motion that we accept the

[1:22] minutes of the August 17th and the August 24th, 2026 meetings uh minutes as

[1:27] presented. >> Second.

[1:28] » I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions?

[1:32] All in favor? >> I I

[1:35] » All right. This time we'll open the floor for public comments.

[1:44] Mary Ktown of Mbury. Um I just wanted to um thank the city of Gan and also to

[1:51] thank Niblock um excavating last week. Um Selge construction hit the live force

[1:58] man. Um we didn't know the the locations of these two force mains that go down

[2:04] Orpha Drive. The asbuilts were not necessarily correct. Um there was a lot

[2:10] of they're deep and were even deeper with the gravity. Um but Gan jumped into

[2:18] play. We had an extra vector truck because we needed to in order to keep up

[2:23] with Spring Valley since school was in session.

[2:26] Um and then we needed an ex a piece of HCP pipe. Um we didn't have any on our

[2:32] yard. Selge didn't have any because they're using PVC and um so Niblock

[2:40] Adam Clark with Niblock jumped in and brought us over a piece of pipe. So and

[2:44] then Robert's guys um Robert brought out two couplers. Um it it was a

[2:52] mess. Um Selj's guys did a great job getting it put back together, but it was

[2:58] a really stinky, ugly mess. [laughter] So anyway, and our wastewater guys were

[3:03] on it with getting the pump shut down at the Spring Valley lift station to stop

[3:08] the flow. So anyway, I just wanted to say thank you and they did a great job.

[3:13] » How deep was that? >> The force man is um about 9 to 10 ft.

[3:20] » Wow. >> And then we're um

[3:22] » all that water in there. >> Well, and we're at that location, we

[3:26] were Selj was about 22 or 23 feet deep. Holy cow.

[3:30] » Um, so they were trying to like they're they're three trench boxes deep and then

[3:35] they also have sheeting. Um, so anyway, it it's some pretty tough construction.

[3:42] Um, yeah, just it's tough.

[3:48] » It worked out. >> It did work out.

[3:50] » The guy down in the hole. >> The guy The guy down in the hole. Yeah,

[3:54] he with that saw and cutting through that force mane pipe with it being full

[4:00] of stuff. Yeah, it was it was ugly. >> The fine stuff. [laughter]

[4:05] » Yeah. So, anyway, not >> Thank you, Mary.

[4:11] » Thank you, Mary. Uh, I do have a comment. Um, I'll do that from over here

[4:16] if nobody minds. Carl Millard, um, I'm a Middlebury resident. Very proud. I'm I'm

[4:23] proud of the community, the way they all came together. Um local businesses and

[4:30] volunteers. Uh if you've not been out to the memorial wall, that is a thing of

[4:37] beauty and [snorts] it is a sight to behold. It's it truly is a work of art

[4:42] and it's it's quite a tribute to those who have served.

[4:45] » Um thank you, Robert, for bringing the idea in

[4:49] » and bringing that to life. >> Thank you. And uh I I know I'm going to

[4:53] miss somebody. I know Dodie was involved with the committee and Mary and Mike and

[5:00] Kevin and >> Jesse kept us all alive.

[5:02] » Yes. It's it's an amazing project and it

[5:06] really is beautiful. I just wanted to make sure everybody knows that.

[5:09] » Yeah. Jesse is so extremely organized. It's not even funny.

[5:14] » Yeah. And and if I can add to that, so uh Friday, September the 11th at 6 p.m.

[5:21] is the dedication ceremony and so pass that word around. I know it's the fall

[5:26] festival going on, but [snorts] >> coming night too

[5:30] » home, of course. Uh but it's at 6:00. Um so, um it would be great to see a large

[5:37] turnout for that. U went into it. a lot of volunteers,

[5:42] [snorts] a lot of companies donating time, materials. Um, we had we had

[5:50] companies donating material. We had companies donating time on stuff that's

[5:54] not their material. >> Like, right, come we had Well, we'll

[5:58] come do that. So, it's just it's been a great um

[6:05] uh it's been a great thing to see the community rally behind it. And it is

[6:09] truly an honor to the veterans that are buried in that cemetery and will be. I

[6:17] was taking my grandsons by and um we drove by and one of the young ones said

[6:23] in the back said, "Paby, are you on that wall?" I said, "Not till I'm dead."

[6:27] [laughter]

[6:30] But it is it's it's it's it was great. It's really great.

[6:34] » It is beautiful.

[6:38] All right. [snorts] Uh, moving on to expense vouchers.

[6:41] » I'll make a motion that we approve for dispersement the expense vouchers as

[6:45] presented. >> Second.

[6:47] » I have a motion in a second. Any comments or questions?

[6:51] » All in favor? >> I

[6:53] » I >> I.

[6:55] Uh, no unfinished business today. Uh, request for payment to FCI

[7:01] Construction for pay application number 13.

[7:05] So pay application number 13 from FCI Construction is in the amount of

[7:10] $54,47049

[7:13] um for the water treatment plant improvements and it's the work that's

[7:17] been done between August 1st and August 31st. So we're asking for council's

[7:23] review and consideration for approval so that way the clerk can send it to um

[7:29] Indiana Finance Authority for payment. We'll make a motion that we approve pay

[7:34] application number 13 from FCI Construction in the amount of 54,47049

[7:41] cent for the water treatment plant improvements. This is for work done

[7:45] August the 1st, 2026 through August 31st, 2026.

[7:50] » I'll [snorts] second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any

[7:53] comments or questions? All in favor? >> I I

[7:58] » All right. Request for payment to Niblock Excavating. Pay application

[8:02] number one for Highland Hills Valving for upper pressure zone.

[8:06] » Yeah. So, this pay application number one from Niblock is in the amount of

[8:10] $29,940

[8:13] and it is for that valving that we need to um replace up there in Highland Hills

[8:18] in for the upper pressure zone. Um there is actually no work. This is for

[8:23] materials that are stored on site. And so, um, I think that their work will

[8:29] either be this fall or early next spring. Um,

[8:33] » and this is part of contract C, right? >> Right.

[8:35] » Yeah. >> Yep.

[8:38] » So, it's the same thing. It um has to be approved before it can be submitted to

[8:44] um IFA. >> I will make a motion that we approve pay

[8:48] application number one from Niblock Excavating, the amount of $29,940.28

[8:53] 28 cent for the Highland Hills valving for upper pressure zone. This is for

[8:59] work done through a or done August 4th for materials to be stored on hand.

[9:04] » I'll second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any comments

[9:08] or questions? All in favor? >> I I

[9:12] » I. >> All right. County Road 20, utility

[9:16] extensions to MSSE closeout. So, as requested, we're just bringing

[9:21] this forward so that way you can see where we ended up from the original

[9:25] contract to the um actual cost of what it the project cost was. So, the

[9:32] original bid was $35,985.

[9:36] we're um we were able to shorten up some of the water main run um because we

[9:41] didn't want to have a long dead end to just dead end um and the water not get

[9:46] used in that section of pipe. Um and then we were also I think we modified a

[9:51] little bit of the sanitary sewer. So it reduced the cost down to $237,605.

[9:59] So the difference in that is the $68,924.95.

[10:05] So, and the rest of it is um a summary of because that was an interlocal

[10:10] agreement with Oakart County. They um then gave like deposited the money. Then

[10:16] what we do is we make sure that we verify with Elcart County Redevelopment

[10:20] Commission um that all of our numbers are correct. We give them all the

[10:24] invoices, everything. And then once they verify and they say that we agree with

[10:29] you, then we'll cut a check back to them um for the difference. So, just so you

[10:35] know how that all works. >> Okay, this I like this part. This is the

[10:40] first one I've seen actually under. >> This is the second one under.

[10:44] » It was the first one I've seen like that. Oh,

[10:46] » that I that I remember. >> There should be cake or something.

[10:50] » We have cheesecake in the first. [laughter]

[10:52] » Yeah. Okay. [snorts]

[10:56] » I like that. That's good news. Um, do we need to uh

[11:01] » It's just a This is really just for information because you know so many

[11:06] times um you guys only see change order after change order or different things

[11:10] like that and so >> well thanks for bringing this highlight

[11:13] to us. >> Yeah. [laughter]

[11:15] » Well, I think we mentioned that at some point. It'd be nice to know once they're

[11:17] wrapped up project is complete. >> Yeah. Tada. There it is.

[11:21] » Yeah. >> Yeah. The last one I think was the

[11:25] community crossings, the paving package that we did. It came in under two.

[11:30] » All [snorts] right. Well, uh, small purchase for maintenance on

[11:35] well number eight. >> So, um,

[11:39] yeah, this is small purchase. Um

[11:46] they had their original small purchase for well number eight was in the amount

[11:50] of with parentless Midwest was in the amount of $24,740

[11:55] and the quote for um well number eight soft starter was in

[12:00] the amount of $10,990. Um

[12:04] so this that would be an additional on to what the original was. Um because it

[12:10] was after they had pulled and done the initial service for the pumping

[12:15] equipment, it's discovered that the soft start um which is like some controls was

[12:22] needed. Um and Steve's here if if you have any specific questions. Um so this

[12:29] is asking for consideration to approve the $10,990

[12:35] for the additional work that's needed. I know they told us up front that

[12:40] there'd probably be more coming down. I'll make a motion that we just add on

[12:45] the $10,990 to the small purchase plan for the well.

[12:50] » I'll second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any

[12:53] comments or questions? All in favor?

[12:56] » I I >> All right. Uh small purchase for

[13:02] cemetery paving invoice. >> Okay. So, um we brought the cemetery

[13:07] paving um for the cemeter for the road repairs on that um north south road on

[13:15] the east side of the cemetery. The surface material was 27,488.

[13:22] I'm sorry that's wrong. [snorts]

[13:28] Was $28,168. Um and then but prior to that we had had

[13:34] some patching done because it was like a roller coaster. So that patching amount

[13:39] is was not included in that total. So we're asking for consideration of

[13:44] proving $4,320. [clears throat] Um and below there's a breakdown of the

[13:52] the various funds that it's coming out of. So the the east west road at the

[13:58] very north end would be coming out of the veterans memorial wall because that

[14:02] was part of the project. Um and then this would just be that north south so

[14:08] surface and the asphalt base um to patch so we could get it so it wasn't a roller

[14:14] coaster. >> So the approval request is for the 4320.

[14:19] » Correct. Yep. Now, I'll make a motion that we approve the additional amount of

[14:23] $4,320 uh paid using the cemetery road repairs.

[14:28] » I'll second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any comments

[14:31] or questions? All in favor? >> I

[14:34] » I >> All right. Uh small purchase for easy

[14:38] valve and tap and sleeve. >> Do you want me to continue?

[14:43] » You're on a roll. So, this is for the purchase and

[14:47] installation of a 10-in easy valve at 9:15 South Main Street. Um,

[14:55] we did the install a

[14:59] It was a tap on a 10 a 10 x 10 tap, right?

[15:03] » Well, you still val there's two different things. You're

[15:08] right.

[15:14] Okay, we should have broken this down probably

[15:17] into two different sites. I apologize. Um, so

[15:23] yeah, we we were working down with um, Jacob

[15:27] and they needed to have a um, we needed to have an easy valve installed so that

[15:32] way then they could tap, right? They didn't tap. I'm getting stuff confused

[15:38] right now. The valve was broke fire valve going into Jgo. So we had to have

[15:42] an isolation point because all the other valves south there were broke.

[15:47] » That's correct.

[15:52] » Water. >> So in order Yeah. In order for Jacob to

[15:57] do what they needed to do, we needed to install an easy valve because the other

[16:02] valves that are down there were installed by another company

[16:06] and they do not work. Um, we can't we can't get even close to 95% shutdown in

[16:16] order to like do what we need to do. So that that was

[16:21] that part. >> Sorry, Mary, if I can. So, the correct

[16:25] me if I'm wrong, the easy valve is in the amount of $15,550.

[16:31] » Um, I think it's also So, the easy valve was $10,65.

[16:37] » Okay. >> So, the labor was the five

[16:39] » labor was >> and then labor. Yep.

[16:41] » Okay. >> This one.

[16:44] » It's Yeah, this one and the one breaks down the valve the valve price and then

[16:48] the labor price. >> Okay. Thank Thank you.

[16:53] So, and then that so we had to have two taps at the water tower site. One was a

[17:00] 10-in tap at the booster station and one was an 8 in tap

[17:06] um because there's two separate lines that

[17:10] we needed to connect up to. So those were one the 10 in was 1,600 and the 8

[17:19] in was 1360 >> or a total of 15550.

[17:25] » Yes. >> Okay. Thank thank you.

[17:26] » There's just been a lot going on here lately

[17:29] » with the labor. >> Yep.

[17:36] Uh, I'll make a motion that we approve the small purchase for the easy valve

[17:40] and the tap and the sleeve uh to be in the amount of $15,550

[17:50] um, forgive me. Payable to who? >> Uh, EJ Prescott. Thank Thank you.

[17:57] » I'll second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any

[18:00] comments or questions? All in favor? I

[18:04] » I I >> All right. Agreement with Aban Marsh for

[18:09] river riverbend pedestrian bridge replacement.

[18:14] » So um attached is a an agreement with Aban Marsh for professional design

[18:20] services for the pedestrian bridge um replacement. Um if you've been out

[18:26] there, the bridge is um not in the best of shape

[18:31] and so and it's over the little Okart River, which is how we connect the

[18:34] downtown area um over to Riverbend Park. So, um,

[18:44] Aban Marsh had it broke down, um, the different services there, survey,

[18:48] design, um, bank stabilization,

[18:52] um, permitting, bid documents. So, it all totals

[18:56] $40,000. Um, but there is alternate tasks because

[19:00] we're not 100% sure if we're going to need some of these other items. Um a lot

[19:06] of it's dependent upon the the uh permitting agency's IDM you know once

[19:14] they get it into their review. So if we need those alternate tasks then

[19:19] the total would be 55,800. Um so parks um has submitted a grant

[19:26] application and they've also worked with friends of the Middlebury parks. Um each

[19:31] of those agencies um have agreed to gift $5,000 towards the design of this. Um

[19:39] parks budget has $22,000 to put around 22,000 to put towards it. So then we

[19:45] would need additional funds from CEDIT or CCD in the amount of $23,800

[19:52] but that that includes the alternate um amount of 15,800.

[20:00] So, um, we're asking for your review and consideration. Um,

[20:06] you know, even if this doesn't move forward immediately because we're going

[20:10] to have to find the funds for construction next, that's going to be

[20:14] the next hoop that we'll have to jump through, but the design will be solid.

[20:18] It can sit, you know, for a year or two if we need to. Um,

[20:24] but that's the first step in order to make this project happen.

[20:28] So,

[20:32] » so, so we're looking for approval to spend for the um engineering and design.

[20:39] » Yes. >> Yes.

[20:40] » Okay. This would be towards a new bridge.

[20:46] » Towards a new bridge. Yeah. The other one is leaning so bad and the railroad

[20:49] ties have shifted even more. Um Tom's got it roped off. Um trying

[20:56] [clears throat] to keep people off from it. That's

[20:59] can be a chore in itself. >> There's no way to salvage what's

[21:03] currently out there for safety purposes, >> right?

[21:08] We've had a couple engineering companies out there

[21:12] contract.

[21:26] So, we just be throwing good money after bad.

[21:28] » Yeah. So, for those >> band-aid

[21:30] » Yeah. For those online. >> Yeah.

[21:32] » For those online, just to summarize what um Tom and Wright with our parks

[21:37] department just said, they've had engineers out there. They've had

[21:40] contractors out there to look at it. Um and just the way that the bridge has

[21:45] shifted even more um over the summer. Um it just ha it'll have to be removed and

[21:52] replaced um with a more secure structure.

[21:56] How old is that bridge? The old one? Nobody knows?

[21:59] » I have no clue. Do you have any idea how old it is?

[22:03] » Yeah, it's been there for a while.

[22:14] » So, the amount we're looking for is the amount with the contingencies. Is that

[22:18] correct? >> Yeah, that's the 238.

[22:22] The >> 55858.

[22:23] Yeah. Oh yeah. Um but the additional funds

[22:27] from town funds >> Oh, would be the 238.

[22:31] » 238. >> Yeah,

[22:33] » got it.

[22:38] Um

[22:42] and then um >> and I mean if this is something that the

[22:45] board wants to think about and you know discuss I mean we can

[22:50] I I don't think that it's it's not like it's going to get built this year.

[22:54] » You're right. [laughter] >> So right

[22:56] » I mean if it's perfectly fine to hold on >> what's the possibility if we delay on

[23:02] this that the costs are going to go up? Um, I would say if you delayed like, you

[23:06] know, two weeks or a month or whatever, that's one thing. But if you're going to

[23:11] delay longer, >> six months or something like that, it

[23:14] could go up >> until next year. um are are um because

[23:18] of the style of bridge uh where it is those kinds of things are tiff funds

[23:24] available to assist

[23:30] its infrastructure. Is that something that we can at least

[23:35] [laughter] take to the RDC to see if it's

[23:38] » even permissible from for tiff? I think that we would need an attorney's

[23:44] position on that. >> I'm not sure exactly where it's located.

[23:48] Is it in >> It's in Riverbend Park just south of

[23:50] East Warren Street. So, um >> right next to the road.

[23:54] » It's more so in it. It could be um contributing to the downtown tiff, but

[24:02] it's more so in the Mbury East TIFF, which is a county tiff.

[24:12] Is that at the end of Lawrence? Is that where it's at?

[24:16] » Yes. >> Yeah.

[24:18] » Yeah. Right here. Well, just a little bit.

[24:25] » Make the picture go up. >> Make the picture

[24:27] » go up. [laughter] >> Okay. Then Lawrence Street. Oops. Now

[24:30] it's too small. I can't even There we go. It's right in here. Right there it

[24:34] is. >> Comes back and then here's the river.

[24:37] So, it's right back in here. M >> there's a pathway that anybody from this

[24:41] town can ride their bikes or walk over it to get into the park without going

[24:45] » and we can discuss it further Jackson so that way because

[24:50] it might be stretching it. >> Yeah. But the question is it's a little

[24:54] far down. >> Okay.

[24:59] » In her ask didn't cause us a thing. That's the question.

[25:02] » Okay. >> Right.

[25:07] Well, you knowing that we're going to do this uh and not knowing what all the

[25:11] contingencies would be. I mean, I think right now it makes sense to approve that

[25:15] greater amount and see once the project is ready to go. I mean, we've at least

[25:23] set it aside. Um, I mean I So I'm going to make a motion

[25:29] that we approve the $23,800 toward the Abon Marsh Engineering for uh

[25:36] the Riverbend Pedestrian Bridge over the Little Oakart River.

[25:40] » I'll second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any

[25:43] comments or questions? All in favor? I I

[25:48] » Then I think what we'll need is um an approval of the agreement itself.

[25:55] the agreement. Oh, >> okay. Marsh. Okay.

[25:57] » Because it'll be an agreement between the town and Aan Marsh.

[26:01] » Yeah. >> Well, then I will make an a motion that

[26:04] we uh approve the agreement with Avon Marsh for consulting and engineering for

[26:10] the pedestrian bridge at the Little Elcart River at Riverbend.

[26:15] » I'll go ahead Ken. >> Got it.

[26:18] » I'll second. >> I have a motion in two seconds. Any

[26:21] comments, [laughter] questions? All in

[26:24] » favor? I >> I

[26:25] » I >> All right. Uh 2027 town council meeting

[26:32] schedule. >> Looks fine to me.

[26:37] » I'll make a motion that we approve the 2027 town council meeting schedule as

[26:42] presented. >> Second.

[26:44] » Have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions?

[26:47] All in favor? I >> I

[26:51] » All right. Uh while we're on that kind of loop here, how about the 2027 paid

[26:56] holiday schedule? >> I'll make a motion that we approve the

[26:59] 2027 holiday schedule. Uh paid holiday schedule as presented.

[27:05] » Second. Go ahead. No. [laughter]

[27:08] » I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? All in favor? I

[27:14] » I >> All right.

[27:18] Jaylee um you have some deep thinking for us to go into here

[27:22] » before we do budget. Um Jackson, did you bring the salary amendment? Can we do a

[27:28] salary amendment from the hiring of Dustin Dilks at the last council

[27:32] meeting? >> Um

[27:33] » Oh, that's right. >> So I for kind of spaced it and then

[27:38] after the fact I was like, "Oh yeah, we needed that on the agenda."

[27:43] So, uh, what we'd be looking at is ordinance 724-f

[27:48] amending the salary ordinance to, >> um, [clears throat] set the labor 3B,

[27:56] » okay, >> which was previously vacant

[27:58] » and um notating that's no longer vacant and will be paid at a rate of $25 an

[28:03] hour. >> No other changes. Effective September

[28:07] 8th. That was 724F as in Frank.

[28:13] » Yes. >> I'll make a motion to approve

[28:18] ordinance 724F as presented by Jackson. >> Second.

[28:24] » I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? All in favor?

[28:29] » I I >> Okay. Now, budget. Um,

[28:35] » do we have to >> I

[28:38] have not gotten a lot of input this year on budget um from pretty much everybody.

[28:46] So, I am slowly working on budget, but I'm kind of just

[28:54] shooting in the dark right now. So, if there's anything in particular that you

[29:00] want to see, please let me know so that I can get that done. Um, salaries, I'm

[29:06] kind of doing a 3% uh across the board.

[29:11] » Those will be based on reviews this year.

[29:14] » I have those reviews if I don't I don't I don't know if you've seen any of them

[29:20] or not. >> Haven't yet. So,

[29:24] um, >> Robert and I have been, as far as the

[29:27] public works, Robert and I have been in discussions already on the budget. So,

[29:30] we'll be meeting here in the next couple weeks to to go over that.

[29:35] » Okay. >> We've got some preliminary numbers in.

[29:37] » Same with me and the marshall. We've been in discussion.

[29:41] » Okay. So, >> Derek or Steve, if you need anything,

[29:45] let me know and I'll come down. We'll talk about it. So, just let me know if

[29:48] you got something in mind and I'll glad to come to you guys.

[29:53] » I'm kind of just comparing things with capital plan to figure out where to put

[29:58] some money aside for different projects. I know obviously like the pedestrian

[30:03] bridge is something that we'll need to talk about. I don't know if that's going

[30:06] to be next year either. Um or maybe it's worth having the money there in case we

[30:12] can encumber it at the end of the year possibly. I'm not sure. I don't know

[30:16] what other bigger items you might have coming up. Um, so that's just kind of

[30:23] where I'm at. Um, but just know we need to have that adopted, fully adopted by

[30:29] the end of October, no later. So my my goal is that second October meeting,

[30:35] which means that that that first October meeting, we have to have our public

[30:40] hearing. >> Yeah. So, which means I also have to

[30:44] advertise it two weeks before that. So, we're getting down to crunch time.

[30:49] » Are you saying you need to know like within a week?

[30:52] » Preferably >> each of us. [laughter]

[30:55] » Um or at least maybe by the next council meeting and then I can kind of give you

[31:01] guys numbers of how it's going and how it's looking. Um,

[31:07] yeah. I'm just I'm again I'm kind of looking at last year's budget, this

[31:12] year's budget. Um, looking at those numbers, kind of seeing how much money

[31:16] we might have to play with. Um, because again,

[31:21] » I'm sure [clears throat] that bridge, if that's the design cost, [laughter]

[31:24] » we still don't really know what >> what's coming down the line with sea one

[31:29] and lit and all of that good stuff. um the like that the county has we we did

[31:36] our must meeting um we we have a plan in place. It's as

[31:43] far as I know has not been accepted yet by the state. I don't know if it will

[31:46] get accepted. I don't know if it doesn't get accepted, if we'll still play by

[31:50] what we wanted um or if we're going to have to put our little bucket out for

[31:55] the county to go beg for some of that share.

[32:02] um you have comment Mary [snorts]

[32:07] » and one thing I guess to keep in mind is we've talked about um getting an

[32:12] inspector you know if we would get an inspector on

[32:17] full-time here um instead of like having all these different contracts

[32:23] um plus there's a vested interest if we do have somebody in house um so anyway

[32:29] an inspector obviously would need a vehicle. Um, so there's more expense

[32:35] than just, you know, hiring an inspector. And,

[32:40] » you know, that some of it can come from water, some from sewer possibly. And

[32:44] then, you know, if we do it a third, a third, a third, some of that would need

[32:48] to come out of tax revenue. >> Um, there's a lot of projects coming,

[32:54] » but that could save us a lot of money in the long run.

[32:57] » Yeah. Um, we'll still need the engineers to like help with review of shop

[33:01] drawings and make sure that everything that they're supplying is correct, but

[33:06] um, I think it could be beneficial. >> Well, are you talking full-time then or

[33:11] part time? >> Full time.

[33:13] » There that there's that much that we can keep somebody busy full-time,

[33:17] » I believe. So, at least for >> at least the next five or six years.

[33:21] » At least for the next >> I'm not doubting. I'm just, you know,

[33:24] sometimes it just blows my mind. >> So, yeah. So when they do like even when

[33:29] INDOT does um state road 13 in 2030 and 2031 and possibly going into 2032

[33:38] um we have water and sanitary sewer and it's just all going to be part of the

[33:43] project. Well the INDOT inspectors I'm I'm not saying anything against them but

[33:50] they don't they don't run into that a lot. that's not in their their

[33:54] wheelhouse of knowing what needs to be done 100%. So, it's it's part of the

[34:01] bid, but >> um it's just better if we have somebody

[34:04] there watching um and making sure that they're

[34:07] » it's not going to make a conflict with their within DOT's people. Good.

[34:11] » No, no, they >> Well, because the contractor does it

[34:14] now. So, like so the contractor provides it and not cheaply. they've partnered

[34:20] with, you know, like a lot of communities partner with INDOT and have

[34:24] inspectors there. Um, they just work together

[34:28] um [clears throat] because, you know, you respect INDOT for

[34:32] what they have. They they've got the knowledge there with building roadways

[34:36] and [clears throat] >> stuff. So,

[34:39] » and like that on on top of that too, you know, GIS is having issues with their or

[34:45] GIS our locators [laughter] are having issues with one of their

[34:50] vehicles, so they've been borrowing public works truck. Um, I know that they

[34:55] kind of want to get something anyway that they might be able to use to sort

[35:00] of keep their stuff in instead of always hauling it in and out of the building.

[35:04] Um, I still don't know if that's feasible even in the winter time just

[35:07] because it does get cold. Um, and we don't have a place where they can park

[35:12] it to keep keep the paint from freezing and things

[35:17] like that. But there's just all these little small things that are starting to

[35:21] creep up and the money's starting to get a little

[35:26] limited it feels like. So, um, it's just a little challenging this year. Well, we

[35:32] also have um the technology plan that we're working on. There's more licenses

[35:36] that we need for the GIS in order to make all of that um really operate. Um

[35:43] so there's licenses, there's different levels of licenses. Um, but they're kind

[35:49] of what they're creating is you have your base GIS um, maps and everything,

[35:54] but then as the guys are out in the field, say if they they fix something

[35:59] that like they just knew about and it needed fixed, they can go in and do um a

[36:06] a work >> order

[36:08] » work order um, and say it's finished once they get it done. but say they

[36:12] didn't have time, they can just create a work order, assign it to whatever

[36:16] department it is, and it sits there until then it does get done. Um, so that

[36:22] that's really nice. And then we also have another element of when residents

[36:27] call in if they have an issue, um, you know, say

[36:33] say that their water pressure is low. Um, sometimes that can be caused by a

[36:38] water softener. it. There's different reasons for why their water pressure

[36:42] might be low. So, if the guys go out and that's kind of like a service call. So,

[36:47] that's a whole another separate program, but like the work orders get tied to

[36:51] that specific point. So, if it's like maybe a fire hydrant that they've um

[36:58] replaced, you know, replaced a part on it or they

[37:01] painted it or whatever, it becomes a log of everything that you've done to that

[37:06] that piece of equipment. Um, so you can look back and see, um,

[37:12] you know, maybe they're turning valves, exercising the valves to make sure that

[37:16] they're going up and down, and maybe one breaks in the closed position. That can

[37:20] be noted right there. So, we know we need to replace it. So, it it's a pretty

[37:25] powerful um the Ezra is pretty powerful with

[37:31] everything that it can do and what they're doing and setting us up for.

[37:35] It's exciting. Um, [clears throat] so but it comes with a cost. So

[37:42] » how how hard would it be be to know what we've paid engineering firms for

[37:48] inspection? >> I can

[37:49] » just the inspection part. >> I can put a summary together. That would

[37:53] be f because that would tell us like if we're gonna spend more than our own

[37:57] inspector, >> that would certainly give us some heads

[38:00] up as to how much how busy, you know, and the the value of having our own.

[38:06] » Mhm. >> Plus the intrinsic value of having a

[38:09] somebody that's on our side. >> Well, right from the beginning.

[38:12] » And it would create uniformity project to project to project,

[38:15] » right? Yeah. >> Because we know our specs better than

[38:18] » anybody else. >> Yeah.

[38:19] » Yeah. Um, we probably would need to like look and see what we would need to do

[38:23] with the current um, contracts that we have with like Donny Hugh and Associates

[38:28] for US20. Um, you know, the need for inspection or having one of their

[38:35] inspectors out that would kind of go away, but they're still going to need to

[38:39] be involved. Um, I just I just feel that we when you have

[38:46] somebody that's invested here, it's goes much better. Um,

[38:56] I can't think of anything else. >> So, Mary, uh, jumping to streets and

[39:00] roads. I know you had put an email out regarding community crossing matching

[39:04] grants. Have we applied for those or >> No, because I need to do estimates and I

[39:10] also need to like figure out how much that we have that we can al allocate

[39:14] towards that um because like MBH restricted you have to use that towards

[39:20] um paving roads like it cannot be used for any other thing. It can't be used

[39:25] for design pavement striping nothing. It's paving. I I would definitely be in

[39:30] favor of applying for those grants. Um especially what we have. Yeah. Yeah. For

[39:35] for what's needed. Again, looking at that PASER schedule. Uh you know, if we

[39:40] can maybe try to get ahead, >> I'll um

[39:43] » on some of those roads and streets that need to be, you know, fixed.

[39:46] » I'll try to put some estimates together before the next meeting and then so that

[39:51] way we can figure out what we're going to apply for. we might have to call a

[39:56] special meeting just so we can sign a letter, a financial commitment letter

[40:00] because that has to be signed by the um town council in order to put it in with

[40:05] the grant application. So there might need to be one more meeting

[40:08] » at the end of um September. >> Thank Thank you.

[40:17] » Any other questions? Okay. >> Thank you.

[40:22] All right. Are we done with that?

[40:26] » I don't have anything else unless there's any other questions or comments

[40:31] or concerns or >> do you want to hear from us before the

[40:35] next town council meeting >> regarding regarding budget? Okay.

[40:39] » Tonight, [laughter]

[40:42] » we're going to be out of luck. >> Okay.

[40:44] » So, like like that. that it just gives me time to at least kind of get it into

[40:48] the system and look and see and make sure that it's something that actually

[40:52] is fundable as well. >> Okay.

[40:54] » So,

[40:58] » all right. Uh on to announcements. Uh Elart County Plant Committee meeting

[41:02] September 10th at 9:00 a.m. at the Public Services Building.

[41:06] Elart County Plan Commission meeting September 10th at 9:30 at the Public

[41:11] Services Building. Middbury Park Board meeting m September 16th at 10:00 a.m.

[41:16] here at the town hall. Elcart County Board of Zoning hearing

[41:21] officer at 9:00 a.m. at the public services

[41:25] building. Elcart County Board of Zoning Appeals

[41:30] September 17th at 9:00 a.m. at the Public Services Building.

[41:36] Next Middle Rate Town Council meeting will be September 21st at 6 PM here at

[41:41] the town hall. Um, our memorial wall dedication is at 6:00 p.m. on September

[41:48] 11th, which is this Friday. Uh, please attend.

[41:53] And we are adjourned.

09/08/2026 Town Council Meeting

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