Ferdinand Council: End of an era – curbside recycling to stop

All would, for the most part, agree. It was good while it lasted.

Councilwoman Debbie Johnson was the bearer of bad tidings at the Ferdinand Town Council meeting Tuesday night (August 11).

Paul Voegerl Jr. with Monster Recycling has departed the state. His father, Paul Sr., has been maintaining the business but since the bottom has dropped out of recycling, he would like to close up shop as soon as possible.

However, Monster’s two-year contract with the Town of Ferdinand for curbside recycling extends until the end of 2015.

According to the agreement, if Monster defaults prior to that time the company would owe the Town $9,000, the amount the Town expended to purchase plastic recycling bins.

In the interest of fairness, attorney Bill Shaneyfelt suggested that amount be prorated over the almost 20 months Monster provided the service. Johnson will talk to Voegerl Wednesday morning (after the newspaper has gone to press) seeking $1,500 in damages.

“We have had a tremendous service these last 19 months,” noted Johnson. “The response has been overwhelming.”

Councilman Ron Weyer agreed and suggested efforts be made to find a similar situation with another vendor.

Anyone interesting in going into the recycling business should contact one of the council members.

Meanwhile, DO NOT PUT BINS CURB SIDE ON MONDAY. They will not be collected unless Voegerl does not agree to the terms the council is proposing.

The bins are owned by the Town, except in a few cases where customers purchased extra bins or live outside town limits. Council members agreed they would make a determination as to how the bins will be collected at the September 8 meeting, which promises to be as jam packed with items to address as the three-hour meeting (actually 2 hours and 55 minutes) held Tuesday night.

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Drainage issues consumed 45 minutes.

Resident Larry Mundy, who lives on West 23rd Street, shared videos of one of the four recent rain events that flooded his property (he had videos of the others as well).

Don Farina, who lives on East 23rd, has made efforts to contact the state seeking help as, while Mundy lives on a Ferdinand Street, East 23rd, also known as SR 264, is part of Indiana’s road inventory and not something the Town can address.

Steve Wahl from Best Home Furnishings who was there for another matter, said Best is willing to divert an additional 12.7 acres to a retention pond the company owns to help alleviate the matter. The company is not in violation of anything but wants to be a good neighbor.

Johnson, along with engineer Steve Grundhoefer, will approach Jim Hagedorn, who owns some duplexes in the area, to see if he would agree to install a second detention pond.

Should the Town have to replace the culvert, it would be a costly proposition because the street would have to be built up and widened to make this option work.

Johnson also promised Farina the Town would write a letter and make contact with the state, putting pressure on the Indiana Department of Transportation to rectify the problem on East 23rd.

Housing study

Dubois Strong President Ed Cole was in attendance to present a report on the recently completed Dubois County Housing Study. He noted the county possesses four distinct housing markets, including Jasper, Huntingburg, Ferdinand and the rest of the county, with different price points and other variables.

“We see this as an economic development problem, not just a housing problem.”

Cole said the Housing Committee continues to meet and a sub-committee has been created to help develop a mix of new workforce housing for multi and single families, also addressing rehabilitation of existing homes.

The study revealed that Ferdinand could support a mix of 75-125 new single-family residences and 25-50 multi-family options over the next five years. These houses should fall in the $100,000-$150,000 range, although he is not comfortable with the upper cap and thinks it’s too high.

Rental houses should fall in the $675-$800 range.

He added, “12,000 people commute in [to Dubois County] every day to work.” The goal is to capture 3-5% of those commuters.

Cole also said the new six week CDL trucker program will commence October 5 and is a joint effort from several entities.

Finally, he noted Dubois Strong has $130,000 to loan from the Enterprise Loan Fund designed to help start-ups and entrepreneurs. If anyone is interested, they should give him a call.

Phosphorous project

Several items were discussed or approved during the course of the evening in relation to the phosphorous abatement project.

On the good news front, an archeological review of the area determined the site is clean, which is one hurdle cleared.

But much like the tentacles on an octopus, the project is multi-layered with various issues needing to be addressed simultaneously.

The biggest issue at present is financing. The Town is seeking a loan from Rural Development because of favorable interest rates, but Rural Development has tentacles of its own and many hoops to jump through for those seeking funding.

One of those hoops is a required public hearing, which was set for 8:30 p.m. at the September 8 meeting.

Shaneyfelt said it was his hope that most of the Rural Development requirements will be completed that night so a packet can be delivered on September 9 to Mike Strahl, area RD representative.

Another requirement is a wastewater rate study, and Shaneyfelt is already in discussion with a representative from Umbaugh and Associates, an Indianapolis accounting firm that specializes in rate studies.

Council members agreed that rate studies should also be completed for the electric and water departments, but decided to seek prices for all three from Umbaugh and the latter two from Pat Callahan and Associates.

Rosenvolk Festival

Mark Ginter and four Ginter progeny — garbed in medieval attire — attended the meeting to promote the Rosenvolk Festival — the first German-themed medieval fair ever to be held on American soil. Slated for October 16-18, the fair is a fund-raiser for three organizations: St. Ferdinand and St. Henry Youth Group, St. John Bosco and John Paul the Great Catholic High School, now a homeschool cooperative.

Ginter shared some of the plans for the festival, to be held on three acres at Monastery Immaculate Conception, and explained sponsors are definitely needed. He has applied for various grants and rumor has it one was received, but more funding is needed to pay for the entertainment, including groups like the Knights of Valor who will bring horses, armor and jousting accoutrements from Canada.

He asked the Town to contribute and they asked to be given until the September 8 meeting to consider.

Ginter said sponsors will be suitably and medievally recognized and the event will be featured in the September 10 issue of the German language international magazine Das Fenster.

The council also:

• Learned the Dollar General project to fix drainage problems at the Dollar General store will likely commence this autumn. The project scope calls for fixing an orifice that was improperly installed, building up the driveway and raising the berm. Weyer asked for something in writing, including the projected time frame for completion.
• Authorized a property exchange with Joan Quante needed for the phosphorous abatement drying beds.
• Adopted Confirmatory Resolution TA 15-C1, creating an economic revitalization area and subsequently, a tax abatement for Webb Wheel following an 8:45 hearing.
• Adopted Resolution TA-C2 creating a real and personal property tax abatement for Best Home Furnishings following a 9 p.m. hearing.
• Heard from Wastewater Superintendent Roger Schaefer the West Clarifier project is progressing and while the wet arm was pitted, it is salvageable.
• Approved a special claim from JH Rudolph for some additional work on Birch Drive, Maryland near 5th and Michigan near the high school during the town’s annual paving/repaving project. Property and Street Superintendent Tom Lueken said the Southeast Dubois County School Corporation will likely reimburse the town for the last project.
• Set a public hearing for 8 p.m. on September 8 to consider a request from Ryan Muller to vacate an alley behind his home at 935 Missouri Street. He owns a lot on the other side of the alley and was advised he should seek the vacation in order to build a structure on the adjoining lot. Between now and that meeting, all department heads will be asked to review as a utility easement will need to be maintained for an existing storm sewer and any other utility easements would need to be identified as part of the decision-making process.
• Heard from Chris Welp with DC Multisport that the third annual Ferdinand Folk Fest Fondo is set for Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20. The Fondo is a cycling event for all levels of bicyclists with ride options of 26, 33 and 50 miles. This year the route starts and ends at the Tri-County YMCA, so cyclists can shower after the ride and spend the rest of the day “rehydrating and relaxing at the Ferdinand Folk Fest.” This route, however, means riders will have to cross Main Street. The council gave approval provided the police department also approves and is available those mornings during the 15 minute window when bikers set off across Main from the Y.
• Discussed and will amend a contract with engineer Steve Grundhoefer to include a separate fee for projects over and above what he is tasked to do by reviewing stormwater projects. Johnson said the hope is to bring in an outside engineer with Grundhoefer having oversight.
• Heard seven applications have been received for the police chief position — three external and four from the Ferdinand force.
• Set a public hearing for 9 p.m. on September 8 for an additional appropriation public hearing to access $7,800 the Park Department has in its coffers from the sale of used mowers. They need the funds for the shelter house renovation at Fifth Street Park.
• Signed a contract not to exceed $3,000 with Justin Harbough of Quality Forest Management to provide consulting and marketing services for the sale of trees that must be removed for the phosphorous project. The trees must be culled so as not to disturb the habitat of the Indiana bat.
• Heard from Council President Ken Sicard the final Comprehensive Plan update meeting for the public is set for Thursday, August 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ferdinand Community Center and everyone is invited to provide input.
• Learned the BZA will meet August 26 at 6:30 p.m. followed by the plan commission at 7 p.m. The Economic Development Commission is set to meet Monday, September 14 at 6 p.m.