Shipshewana Council Meeting
August 13th, 2020 @ 6:00 P.M.
WOLFE COMMUNITY BUILDING
345 N. Morton Street
Shipshewana, IN 46565
COUNCIL PRESENT: Zachary J. Stoltzfus, Joshua A. Weimer, C. Arlene Lazzaro, Elmer J. Mast, Tad T. Hite.
MOTION: A motion passed to accept the agenda with flexibility.
POLICE CAR CAMERA PURCHASE APPROVAL: A quote from Watch Guard of Allen, TX was presented for the Council’s consideration. The quote includes a car camera, and body cam which are all part of a digital system that are used in all our police vehicles. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed approving the purchase of a car camera system for the Police Department from Watch Guard of Allen, TX at a cost of $5,975.00 to be paid from the CCD Fund.
COUNSELING AGREEMENTS: The Town Marshal had previously requested approval for a Corporate Wellness Counseling Agreement with a company called Crosswinds for the Police Department. The initial investment is $3,500.00 and counseling will be available to officers to address traumatic, and other life events. The Council had asked that an agreement for the Fire Department be looked into as well. The Attorney reported that both agreements have been reviewed, the initial investment for the Fire Department is $1,500.00. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed approving the Corporate Wellness Counseling Agreements with Crosswinds for both the Police and Fire Departments at an initial cost of $3,500.00 for the Police Department and $1,500.00 for the Fire Department.
POLICE REPORT: Officer Jackie Diekman has been asked by a judge to participate in the Drug Court Program in LaGrange. They want to hire her to do follow up work that would take 2 to 3 hours per week. The Attorney expressed concern regarding the same issues you would have with the School Resource Officer position, either you work for the County or for the Town. Discussion followed regarding approaching this as a good will gesture or community project but never doing it so that the Town would lose coverage, more like a mutual aid situation.
The 12-hour work schedule is working out well. The Town has much better coverage, it has cut overtime hours, and the officers are getting time off, which results in a better officer when they are on duty. A complaint was received from a property owner that lives near the MEC regarding Truck-Pulls that went on until 1:30 in the morning last Friday. Discussion followed regarding excessive noise, time limits for events, enforcement, possible guidelines, and the possibility of an Ordinance.
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT: The drywall for the new weight-room at the Fire Station should go up tomorrow and we should have the room done around mid-September. Annual PM has been done on the fire trucks this month and five of the trucks have items needing repair. One repair is the head gaskets on the backup pumper, Cummins has done this work before at a cost of $5,000.00 – $6,000.00. The Town had approved the purchase of uniforms, but they may have wait to be sure we have sufficient funds for the truck repair. Discussion followed. The Town Attorney recommended checking into an excess levy appeal for Fire Protection Services. If approved, it would result in a tax increase. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed authorizing the Clerk-Treasurer to contact the Town Financial Consultant to see if an Excess Levy Appeal for the Fire Department would be possible.
Discussion turned to Insurance coverage for Fire Trucks and all the equipment, loose or attached. The Town Manager reported that representatives from the Insurance company are willing to come and further explain what coverage the Town has and to answer any questions about coverage available.
IT REPORT: The Council President reported that the IT Director continues to work on a calendar and will put together recommendations going forward. We have been looking at internal security and are making changes to the Town Hall lock system, we need to determine who needs to have access where. We are working on putting together a policy with safeguards regarding technology, how much access should the IT guy have, for example he does not need the Police Department videos. Currently there is no policy in place, we need to update our employee policy manual, computer use policy, and have a confidentiality agreement policy for the IT Director. Discussion followed.
WAGE & SALARY ORDINANCE AMENDMENT: The Town Manager reported that (SSE) Service & Support Employee, Xane Moore had left a couple of weeks ago to pursue other opportunities. I have an individual willing to fill the position, Gage Naylor; will begin employment with the Town on August 19th and be trained as the Water Superintendent. Our current Superintendent is looking to retire in a few years. The Ordinance Amendment sets the wages for the new SSE. Discussion followed.
MOTION: The Town Council unanimously passed AN ORDINANCE AMENDING WAGE AND SALARY ORDINANCE NO. II-F-1-d(2) FOR TOWN EMPLOYEES FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2020.
VAC TRUCK HYDRAULIC ARM REPAIR: Tabled.
ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING MONEY TO THE RAINY-DAY FUND: Per the recommendation of the Town Financial Consultant an Ordinance has been prepared for the Council’s consideration to transfer $90,000.00 from the Town General Fund to the Rainy-Day Fund.
MOTION: The Town Council unanimously passed AN ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING MONIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE RAINY-DAY FUND.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATES: The E. Middlebury Street project is on schedule and should be done in October. Having truck traffic come in from the east for Lake Park Industries is working well; when they go to Phase III trucks will come in from the west. Nine new fire hydrants have been installed but there is still restoration & concrete work to finish out the project. We are hopeful that the SR 5 sidewalk project from Farver Street south to the Bluegate Garden Inn will still move forward this fall. On Harrison Street north there is a large tree that needs to be taken down, I do not have a quote on it yet. There are also some smaller trees on the Pumpkinvine Trail that need to come down for safety reasons. The cost maybe more than $5,000.00 for tree removal. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed approving up to $10,000.00 for unsafe tree removal on Harrison Street and the Pumpkinvine Trail.
SUMMER HELP: The Town Manager reported that we have a Summer Help Employee who is willing to continue working for the Town on weekends to enter data on the Silversmith GPS location device. This individual has also been trained in both the water and sewer testing that needs to be done on the weekends. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed approving an extension of employment for Summer Help Employee Omar Flores for weekend work to help with the GPS location for the Town at the same wage that was paid while working as Summer Help.
FIRE DEPARTMENT I-PAD PURCHASE: A request was presented for retro-active approval of 8 I-pads to be placed in Fire Trucks at a total cost of $3,672.00 from Verizon Wireless. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed retro-actively approving the purchase of 8 I-pads for the Fire Department at a total cost of $3,762.00.
TOWN HALL FIRE ALARM CONNECTION & MONITORING: Two quotes were submitted for the Town Hall Fire Alarm Connection & Monitoring as follows: M & M Fire Protection & Security Corp. of Goshen, IN quoted $2,593.00 with a monthly monitoring fee of $54.99 for a 5 year monitoring agreement. Choice 1 Communications, Inc. of Goshen, IN quoted $1,739.00 with a monthly monitoring fee of $35.00 for a 3-year monitoring agreement. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed to accept the proposal from Choice 1 Communications, Inc. of Goshen, IN in the amount of $1,739.00 with a 3-year monitoring fee of $35.00 for the Town Hall Fire Alarm Connection and Monitoring.
SEWER DEPARTMENT TRUCK PURCHASE: The award for the purchase of a new truck for the Sewer Department was made at a prior Council meeting to Gates Chevy World of Mishawaka, IN of $37,431.00. The truck was delivered on August 5th. A motion was requested to retro-actively approve payment between meetings. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed retro-actively approving release of funds in the amount of $37,431.00 for the purchase of a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado from Gates Chevy World of Mishawaka for the Sewer Department Truck.
FINANCIAL REPORT: The 2021 Budget Workshop will take place on August 18, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. At the August 27th Council meeting we will be opening bids for the Sale of a Fire Truck. Council Members should have received the July Fund Report and August 3rd letter from Jayco. A motion was requested regarding the June 25th, July 9th and July 23rd Memoranda with the July Bank Reconciliation, Claims Registers & Adjustment Journals. Discussion followed.
MOTION: A motion passed approving the June 25, 2020, July 9, 2020, and the July 23, 2020 Memoranda along with the July Bank Reconciliation, Claims Registers, and Adjustment Journals.
MOTION: A motion passed suspending the rules for a second reading of all Ordinances.
Discussion followed regarding the possibility of having a tree removed near old US 20 and Berkshire Drive due to the roots getting into the storm water drainage in the area.
MOTION: A motion passed adjourning the meeting.
________________________________________ _______________________________________
Zachary J. Stoltzfus, Council Vice-President C. Arlene Lazzaro, Council Member
________________________________________ _______________________________________
Elmer J. Mast, Council Member Joshua A. Weimer, Council Member
ATTEST: ________________________________________
Ruth Ann Downey, Clerk-Treasurer
