Ferdinand Town Council: New faces join police reserves; one promoted to full time

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Ferdinand Town Council met a week early for their March session, gathering Tuesday night at Town Hall.

Police Chief Lloyd Froman introduced two of three candidates who wish to serve as reserve officers. Both were accepted pending clean drug screens and both will now be required to complete 40 hours of pre-basic training, and other instruction. Autumn Gogel and Trevor Vaal were both welcomed by council members and thanked for their willingness to serve.

The third candidate, Reed Duncan, will separate from active military duty at the end of this month and is currently stationed in Texas. He, too, was approved to serve as a reserve, pending agility and department testing as well as the drug screen.  Chief Froman thought Duncan would have no trouble catching up with the prebasic training, even though it will begin March 13.

Following the departure of Sgt. Lueken from the force, current reserve officer Steffen Scott Zink, a Jasper native, was hired as Lueken’s replacement. He will be required to attend the Police Academy within a year of his hiring but has already passed pre-basic, the drug screen and agility testing.

Council President Ken Sicard, who participated in the interview process, thanked Froman for the opportunity and said the experience was “interesting.”

Other department heads made their report, or submitted information to Town Manager Chris James who did it for them.

Such was the case for Property and Street Superintendent Tom Lueken, who is currently attending Road School Purdue. Lueken and his crew have been busy with Community Crossings Projects, including new drainage on the east side of Virginia between West 9th and 10th, sidewalks on the west side of Virginia from 8th to 16th and the north side of West 5th from Virginia to 5th Street Park. He is working to schedule a date for curb, ADA ramps and sidewalk installation following the drainage project.

In Lueken’s stead, James announced that Spring CleanUp 2017 is slated for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 11 and 12, with April 13 in reserve to finish the large item pick up. Some of the prices have changed due to the cost of disposal and a complete list will be included in an upcoming issue of the Ferdinand News.

In addition, Beth McManaway with German American Bank was present to again seek permission for the bank’s Clean Sweep, to be held Saturday, May 6. Up to 10 teams will meet at the bank at 6:45 a.m. that day. Any non-profit interested in participating should contact McManaway by April 15 at 812-367-2288. Each organization can earn up to $300 to pick up trash on designated routes, with a completion time of 10 a.m.

Wastewater Superintendent Roger Schaefer talked sludge. His department hauled 880,000 gallons of the stuff for land application last year, 221,000 gallons over the normal level and explaining the need for the plant expansion that was required by IDEM. Construction has begun on the phosphorous abatement project. On April 15, the contractor will begin installation of the drying beds on the chosen site.

Schaefer attended an equipment expo to start searching for what will be needed to move the sludge from the treatment plant to the drying beds. A large truck with a 3,600 gallon, polished aluminum tank will be required and he asked for and received permission to work with Town Attorney Bill Shaneyfelt on the specs.

The plan is to advertise in June and open bids in July as the truck builder will need approximately six weeks to complete it.

He will also need a loader, which can be bid out in November or December, as well as a spreader, not needed until June of 2018, and saw no reason to bid the three items together as they will all come from different companies and spreading the cost over a longer time should be easier on the budget.

Town Manager Chris James is working on the Leadership Academy. He’s received several applications from prospective participants and expects more to be forthcoming.

The first session will be held Friday, April 7 at the Ferdinand Branch Library.

James gave the head’s up about an Indiana Municipal Managers Association conference April 26-28 at Swan Lake in Plymouth, cost details to be shared at the next meeting.

The council also: 

• Granted permission for four town employees to attend OSHA training in Huntingburg March 29 and 30.
• Adopted a revised salary ordinance for Dean Gogel, who recently completed certification as a lineman and will receive a wage increase from $19.45 per hour to $20.95 per town statute.
• Gave Clerk-Treasurer Bev Schulthise permission to sign off on Compliance with a Statement of Benefits for Benet Hall LP as the entity has completed and basically exceeded all real property improvements requirements as outlined. The property improvements came in at $3.5 million, far over the original estimate.
• Heard from James the fire department made seven runs in February, five fire and two First Responder. Chief Dan Lindauer was unable to attend on the first Tuesday of every month is set aside for a session at the fire station and a planned cross training was scheduled so firefighters could drive the ambulance when necessary.
• Gave permission for Schaefer to order manholes for the Leaf Drive/Begle Properties sewer line extension as the company that fabricates them is backed up by about six weeks due to Community Crossings projects.
• Re-established the Cum Capital development Fund via Ordinance 2017-04, changing the existing levy from 4¢ to 5¢ per $100 of assessed valuation.
• Heard a detailed report from Ed Cole with Dubois Strong (watch next week’s News for details).
• Will meet again in special session next Thursday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m., concerning the Randy Begle/Möbel/Town annexation.