The Crothersville Town Council held public hearings on the 2016 budget and a stormwater drainage grant when they met Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Clerk-Treasurer Terry Richey said, “There are not a lot of changes in this budget and the one we have this year. The General Fund will need a little tweaking.”
She told the council the town is seeking a general fund budget of $579,000 up slightly from the $572,000 sought for 2015.
The town is seeking a total budget for 2016 of $922,147.
There was no public comment and the council took no action was taken on the budget. The town’s 2016 budget will be considered for adoption at the council’s Oct. 6 regular town council meeting.
Surface water drainage could be improved if the town received a federal grant according to Trena Carter, representative of ARa, the grant writing and administrative firm used by the town.
A public hearing was held on the town’s proposed grant application.
If the grant is approved the town proposes stormwater collection system improvements to increase the drainage capacity of the system that would include the installation of storm sewer along Park Avenue from Hominy Ditch to Howard Street and going east on Howard Street to run to Kovener Street.
New box culverts will be installed at Bethany Road and Park Avenue and rehabilitation of the Hominy Ditch waterway by removing obstructions that limit the flow of the stream.
The total amount of funds to be requested is $998,280. The local match for the project is $198,280 that would be spent from the water depreciation fund.
“Everyone living in Crothersville knows the town has drainage issues. But the intense rainy weather earlier this year caused us to focus more on drainage,” said council president Ardell Mitchell.
No one in attendance objected to the project which the council unanimously approved. Carter said the grant awards are expected in November. If the town is successful, construction would begin in May-June of 2016.
In other matters, the 125-year-old deteriorating brick IOOF building at the stoplight corner in the center of town will soon be transferred to Indiana Historic Landmarks. That group approved obtaining the building to rehabilitate and market.
The building is owned by EARTHH (Environmental Awareness Reathed Through Helping Hands) but has gone through two delinquent tax sales and a commissioners’ certificate sale without getting any bids. The Jackson County Commissioners now hold title to the property and will be transferring it to the town which will quickly transfer ownership to Indiana Historic Landmarks so work can begin.
The town agreed to pay IHL $40,000 (the estimated cost of razing the building) to help pay for remediation costs. When the building is stabilized it will be marketed by IHL for a new business location.
- By a 2-1 vote, the council approved Ordinance 2015-7 giving the chief of police, not the town council, the authority to hire police reserves. Council President Mitchell voted in opposition to the measure.
- The council agreed to hold their regular town council meeting in November on election day, Nov. 3. Residents will vote for a new town council and clerk-treasurer to begin serving in 2016 on that day.