Continental Village Council met in regular session on January 14, 2020 with Mayor Miller presiding. Members present were Armey, Knipp, Streicher and Sullivan. Also, present were Mayor Miller, Maintenance employee Thompson, Solicitor Welch, Administrator Prowant and Fiscal Officer Darby and village residents Shannon Niese, Robert Brown & Brad Schroeder. Mike Varner entered the meeting late. The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance.
A motion to go into Executive Session to discuss appointing a public official started the meeting. Let the record show no action taken during Executive Session.
– A motion to appoint Todd Bartley to the empty council seat was approved by a roll call vote.
– Mayor Miller opened the floor for nominations for Council President. Jordan Streicher was nominated as Council president. After asking if there were any other nominations, roll call vote taken, and he was retained as Council President.
– Council approved minutes of previous meeting, approved bills as presented and approved the receipts since the last meeting. Management Reports presented for 2019 & 2020 except for the bank reconciliation will not be posted until the year is closed and approved by signature.
OLD BUSINESS:
– Second reading held on an Ordinance to transfer the parking lot on the north side of R&B Meats to the Putnam County Community Improvement Corporation for economic development purposes for the sum of $1.00.
– A motion to reduce the temporary appropriation for the Permissive License Tax as the Fiscal Officer used the year beginning balance instead of the yearend balance. The temporary appropriations for this fund will decrease from $13,660 to $5402.52 was approved.
NEW BUSINESS
– Building Permits: W. Rice for a new garage to replace the one that burnt down and was demolished presented and approved.
– Mayor Miller recommended retaining Kathy Prowant as Administrator, Dean Williamson as Fire Chief, Arnie Hardy as Police Chief, and Susan Darby as Fiscal Officer. Council approved.
– Mayor Miller added Personnel to the Finance & Technology Committee and then recommended that the Council Committee members remain the same as last year unless someone wanted to change. Council agreed to stay on the named committees.
– Police Chief Hardy reported that two of the part-time officers have resigned. Council accepted the resignations.
Hardy also reported that Trevor Williamson would like to hire in as a part-time officer. Council approved hiring Williamson and set his wages in an Emergency Ordinance.
– Maintenance Update: Thompson presented a quote for a valve exerciser for $4,050. It is hand-held so they will not drive into residence yards to do the maintenance on the valves. The Fiscal Officer will apply for a Bureau of Workers’ Comp Safety Intervention Grant for the purchase with the village paying for one third of the cost. Council approved a motion to allow the Fiscal Officer to apply and sign any necessary paperwork for the grant.
– A motion to allow an inter-fund transfer $22300 from the General Fund to the Debt Service Fund as instructed at the last audit to make the fire station loan payment was approved.
– Darby presented the year-end debt reports to Council and reviewed what each report shows. The Village paid off two more loans in 2019.
– Darby also reported that she has another CRA (Community Revitalization Application) for a new house. She passed the information to Council to review. No action taken.
– Prowant reported that she had received six requests from residents who had leaks for reduction on their sewer portion of their bills. These include the following with her recommendations for reduction amounts: Lot 5 in the Trailer Court -$100 off; E. Sugar – $29 off; W. Rice – $63 off; 606 W. Rice – $160 off and S. Fifth – $52.50 off. Also requesting a reduction was a resident on W. Forrest St. – $315 off sewer. Council approved Prowant’s recommendations.
– Comment of the Public: Mayor Miller invited Shannon Niese of Lakeland Drive to address council. She questioned the water billing as her bill has doubled. Miller explained that water/sewer rates increased and the water cost of operation flat rate increased $6 for the quarter. He went on to explain that Continental’s rates are the lowest in the area and is the reason the Village did not qualify for funding for the water tower. The Village would have had to triple the water rates to qualify for funding and he refused to do that the residents of Continental. Niese stated that she and her property owner have checked for leaks. The property owner checked her meter to see if it was turning when no water was running and it did not so her meter reading is accurate. The only option left is to replace her five-year-old meter with a radio read meter. Niese also asked about going to monthly readings to make it easier for people to budget. Miller stated once all the meters are upgraded to radio reads then it will be feasible. Currently residents can make monthly payments but there is a charge for this service.
– Miller asked if there was any other business for the good of the Village and Varner stated that he has noticed some of the streetlights are dim in the park and one in front of the town hall. Thompson will look into it.
– Meeting adjourned with no further business.
Susan Darby,
Fiscal Officer
Village of Continental
