Ferdinand Town Council: Marathon meeting includes a little bit of everything

Ferdinand is going greener and Big Foot has been hiding in plain site for the past 24 years.

Such was only a small portion of the news rendered at a two-hour Ferdinand Town Council meeting Tuesday night (March 11).

The agenda listed 20 items, plus seven departmental reports.

The “greener” comes from the council’s choice — with major input from Attorney Bill Shaneyfelt and Mike Jenner with Alpha Engineering— to enter into a contract with Next Era Energy Marketing LLC to provide the town’s electric needs starting January 1.

Ferdinand currently purchases electricity from Vectren.

Shaneyfelt said he was satisfied with the contract language, the reviews he got from their customers and most of all, with the price.

The contract will run through May 31, 2018.

The best news — no electric rate increases should be expected into the foreseeable future.

Even better — much of Next Era’s electricity is generated by wind, sun and gas, making it an environmentally desirable choice.

Shaneyfelt had more good news on the money-saving front. Earlier in the day the town’s Sanitary Sewer bonds had been refinanced through Hilliard Lyons. Existing bonds through Rural Development incurred a 4.75% interest rate. The new bonds will start at a half of one percent and go up slightly to 2.5% in 2022, eventually costing 4.125% at the end for an average of 3.8%.

Total gross savings thanks to the refinancing — $550,000. As part of the process the sewer utility had to be rated by Standard and Poor’s. The utility received an A rating.

Oh and Big Foot — that’s what the sewer department calls the 24 year-old GMC, 3,000 gallon tanker truck used to haul sludge.

Wastewater Superintendent Roger Schaefer gave his annual report and explained the monster yellow truck — taller than a standard home — has cost $50,000 over the years to repair, but to replace would run in the $400,000 to $600,000 range. Land applying the sludge runs about $8,751.37 annually, not including required testing for about $2,000.

The wastewater department also processed 1,246,500 gallons of potable water last year and used it to keep park ball fields green and cut fees to IDEM.

The council also:

• Heard from Schaefer that because of winter weather, violators who were identified through smoke testing will receive an automatic 60 day extension to affect repairs. He is having some troubles with algae and is working with Midwestern Engineers to rectify the problem.

• Learned the parks will officially open April 1. All major leases have been executed and Angie Gerber at Town Hall is coordinating shelter house rental. The council held an Additional Appropriations Hearing to move $80,000 in the Park Board’s 2013 budget forward to this year, via ordinance No. 2014-03. According to President Scott Tretter, the Park Board had been trying to accumulate funds for a special project that did not materialize. The appropriation request will be forwarded to the Department of Local Government Finance for final approval.

• Appointed Natalie Howard to the Park Board.

• Learned Schaefer and Town Manager Chris James met with Midwestern Engineering reps to discuss the phosphorous problem. They will attend the next Town Council meeting to discuss a study that would determine the best resolve — a biological or chemical approach to eradication.

• Adopted Ordinance 2014-04 to increase the number of reserve Police Officers from five to seven, retroactive to February 11.

• Determined Monster Recycling will hold a mini-Spring Clean-up in the week following the Town Wide Yard Sale. Residents will be invited to drop off items on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11 from 12-6 p.m. at the 23rd Street limb disposal site (corner of West 23rd and Industrial Park Road, near Fire Station 2). They will also pick up for those residents who have no way of hauling larger items to the site. However, Monster does not accept furniture, concrete, mattresses and box springs and many other large items so the town will likely hold a second clean-up for these items only. Watch the News for details as they develop.

• Heard a detailed plan from Utility Superintendent Henry Haake concerning replacement of old cast iron water mains. With the assistance of Bernardin Lochmueller Associates, he has developed a four phase plan. Most of the work will be done in-house. The council wanted to review the contract with Bernardin Lochmueller (for design and survey work plus plan submission to IDEM) before green-lighting the project, but if it is completed, all antiquated mains will have been replaced.

• Signed contracts with Ferdinand Township to provide fire coverage ($40,000) and recreation ($23,000).

• Heard from James, since Property and Street Superintendent Tom Lueken is attending Road School at Purdue, that Lueken is working on a plan to repair pot holes and possible mill some streets that were damaged due to winter weather.

• Learned Tonya Brother Bridge will attend the kick-off meeting for the Leadership Academy April 4 and signed a contract with the City of Jasper. The contract was a requirement for the city to provide $1,000 for the Academy, the same figure contributed by the City of Huntingburg and Town of Ferdinand.

• Heard from Nathan Held with the Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission, that the grant portion of the Wollenmann House project is complete. Expended so far was $311,225 from the grant, A contribution of $178,795.07 was received from the Society, plus many other donations of material, labor and money. Later in the meeting the council approved a final grant draw down of $88,652.20.

• Approved a $677 annual insurance contract for $50,000 in coverage in the event town data is hacked or compromised.

• Decided not to release an easement recorded in 1955 between the Old and New Town Lakes. Current property owners David and Mary Rickelman made the request, but council members agreed the easement may someday be needed for a back up water source.

• Adopted Ordinance 2014-05 which identifies eight pedestrian safety zones and addresses violations.

• Also adopted Ordinance 2014-06, revising Section 3.25 of the Ferdinand Municipal Code dealing with vacation time.

• Heard plans from Chris Welp for the 2014 Ferdinand Folk Fest Fondo. This year a family-friendly five-mile bike trail will be included with the 25 and 50 mile routes. The smaller ride through Ferdinand would start at Forest Park, continue up Vienna Drive, cut over to Maple from 22nd Street, head south on Northview, then 18th, then past the library and all the way to 1st Street before looping back up side streets headed north. Council members were concerned about traffic coming to the Folk Fest and will review the route. Welp said start time was set for 10 a.m. but Council president Ken Sicard was worried that attendees would already be pulling in. The council will review the route and discuss the timing.

• Gave approval for Assistant Police Chief Rob Randle to attend a STOPS (Strategies/Tactics of Patrol Stops) certification program in Evansville April 8-11 ($465 plus transportation) and Chief Ricky Patton to attend the Chief’s Course in Plainfield March 31-April 4 ($475 and transportation). Patton reported the new reserves will finish certification at the end of April or beginning of May.

• Learned from Chief Dan Lindauer the fire department made eight runs in February, four fire and four First Responder. The department completed a tour of Forest Park and Lindauer, with Assistant Chief Donnie Mohr, attended a leadership Seminar in Huntingburg.

The Ferdinand Board of Zoning Appeals and Plan Commission will meet at 6:30 and 7 p.m., respectively, on Wednesday, March 26. The council will meet April 8 at 7:30 p.m.