Ferdinand Town Council to get tough

The long and the short of it is this: Builders of the Dollar General Store did not follow the drainage control plan they submitted and had approved by the Town prior to receiving a building permit.

The result has been problems for neighboring property owners.

Joyce Beck with A-1 Realty was in attendance at Tuesday night’s council meeting for an update. Owners of Dollar General had been given until then (April 14) to respond to multiple requests from the Town to take action or at least provide a plan that would rectify the situation.

Nothing happened. Nada. Requests ignored.

Beck reported the electric pole behind Holiday Foods (one of the properties she manages) is starting to list due to standing water. She asked what could be done.

Council members agreed — it is time to get tough. They authorized Attorney William Shaneyfelt to do whatever is necessary. “Basically, if we threaten legal action we don’t bluff,” Shaneyfelt asserted.

He let Beck know she, too, might have cause to proceed separately. “Our issues are different. We’re seeking compliance,” said the attorney, also noting, “We are addressing the present and going forward. Yours are more past issues.”

While she would need her own legal representation, Beck can, if desired, piggyback on the Town, and also pursue reimbursement for specific damages. But Shaneyfelt assured her, “We’ll take it and run with it from our side.”

The council meeting lasted over two hours with a plethora of issues to discuss.

Several members of the Ferdinand Volunteer Fire Department were in attendance to seek guidance on replacing the VFD’s 1990 Pierce 2500 gallon pumper truck.

Chief Dan Lindauer told council members late last summer the truck needs to be replaced — after the 2015 budget had already been approved. But, since it takes 250-300 days for a custom chassis fire apparatus to be delivered, the VFD’s truck committee wanted to know what their next steps should be.

Luke Fleck chairs the committee and explained why the committee feels a custom chassis is needed.

Fire fighter Randy Gehlhausen said this replacement truck will serve two purposes. No. 1 as a pumper but No. 2 as a solid backup for the rescue unit.

A representative from Mid-America Fire and Safety had worked with the fire truck committee on specs and was in attendance to answer any questions (although the purchase would be made through an open bidding process).

The truck in question could run anywhere from $400,000-$600,000. Add to that the department is trying to maintain a 20-year equipment replacement cycle, the existing Pierce is 25 years old and two other trucks will soon celebrate their 20th birthdays and the conundrum is evident.

“Can the Township help?” queried Clerk Treasurer Bev Schulthise.

The short answer is yes, and all council members said that body has been good in the past. “Talk to the trustees, to help with the purchase,” urged Shaneyfelt. “This is as important to the Township as well as the Town.”

Fleck and the other fire department members were also told to talk to Lisa Gehlhausen at the Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission in search of grants, and possible to Rural Development about low interest loans, although the Town is already working with RD on a loan to pay for the mandated phosphorous abatement.

Councilwoman Debbie Johnson said each department should set aside some funds each year to help pay for capital purchases such as this one.

“We are all for this,” added Councilman Ron Weyer. “I consider this one of our duties [to provide fire protection].”

Microchips and feral cats

Dubois County Humane Society Board member Bob Johnson came bearing gifts of a sort. He said the Society wants to work with communities like Ferdinand that care for animals. Thanks to Officer Lloyd Froman, who raised a little  over $300 in donations, he was delivering a microchip scanner for the Town’s use.

The scanner will read microchips embedded between the shoulder blades of pets so that if one is lost its owner can be found, The microchips are about the size of a rice kernel.

The Humane Society will hold a clinic on Sunday, May 3, from 1-3 p.m. at their facility on Wernsing Road in Jasper and for a very low cost, residents can have a chip embedded in their pet. Those interested should call 812-482-PETS to schedule an appointment, necessary so enough supplies will be available.

Sicard told Johnson the Town has a feral cat problem and Johnson said the Humane Society can help. The Society transports animals twice a month to Bloomington to be spayed or neutered, but catching cats can be problematic. However, the the Society will loan traps to capture the cats, who breed like rabbits.

The council also:

•Discussed a two year contract with Monster Recycling and will decide how the $2 per month fee will be assessed in the near future.
•Heard reports from all department heads, all of whom are working on various projects from filling pot holes to adding a three-phase power line to feed a transformer at MasterBrand.
• Sold the Chevy S-10 truck to high bidder, Kirk Pennington from Huntingburg for $1,505. A total of 16 bids were received.
•Heard Wastewater Superintendent Roger Schaefer named the new complex at 475E, Ferdinand Biosolids Facility — a requirement to secure a 911 address.
•Learned Town Manager Chris James is in discussion with Allen Hoffman at the monastery about acquiring land to square off property west of the Old Town Lake for a possible future recreation area. Also that the 2015 Leadership Academy is underway.
•Heard from Park Dept. President Mike Steffe the parks are open and the new rest room is completed.
•Learned 10 teams signed up for GAB’s Clean Sweep on Saturday, May 2, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
•Approved contracts with Umbaugh for a rate study and Ice Miller for bond counsel for the phosphorous project.