SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 3:00 P.M.
SHIPSHEWAN TOWN HALL
Roger D. Yoder Council Room
345 N. Morton Street
Shipshewana, IN 46565
PRESENT: Council; Elmer J. Mast, Lynn M. Bontrager, Tad T. Hite. Staff; Robert W. Shanahan, Sean M. Neeley, David L. West, Sandra D. Mast. ABSENT: Council; J. Mike Wilcher, C. Arlene Lazzaro.
- Mast called the meeting to order and noted that Council Members J. Mike Wilcher and C. Arlene Lazzaro were absent with all other Council Members being present. E. Mast noted that the purpose of this special meeting is to address the issues we are having with the telemetry system at the Water Plant.
WATER PLANT TELEMETRY SYSTEM: B. Shanahan presented a proposal from Middlebury Electric, Inc. for the repair and replacement of the monitoring system for the Water Plant in the amount of $40,000.00. This will upgrade the SCADE Control System at the Water Plant, we have requested additional quotes and have not received them. Due to the alarm going off repeatedly when nothing is wrong and with bad weather right around the corner I am recommending that we treat this as an emergency repair. To upgrade the system and make the necessary repairs people will have to get on top of these water towers. The proposal from Middlebury Electric is not broken out into materials and labor because they are not sure what all will be necessary to make the repairs, but they have submitted a not to exceed amount of $40,000.00. Once the equipment is installed we will be able to monitor the system and know what we are looking at. T. Hite asked how the current alarm system works to alert our employees when there is an issue. D. West reported that when the alarm goes off it calls me first and says high or low water alarm. If I don’t answer it then calls Sean, then Rodger, Bob and Ruth Ann. Right now, when the alarm goes off you have to come in because you don’t know for sure if something is wrong. The alarm went off 19 times when I was on call one weekend, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when or why it goes off. Discussion followed. B. Shanahan referred Council Members to their paperwork for a Fund Report dated September 20, 2018 for the Water Works Improvement Fund which is where the cost of these repairs will come from. The current balance in that Fund is $916,363.29 so we do have the money to cover the repairs. Discussion followed regarding repairs that were made to the current system four years ago. B. Shanahan reported if we wait for the other quotes the weather may turn and the repairs won’t be able to be done until spring. L. Bontrager asked if this is the same Fund that the South Water Tower painting will come out of. B. Shanahan reported that the painting for the South Water Tower will come out of a water fund and it was budgeted in 2017 as a project to be completed in 2018. D. West pointed out that our current alarm system is out dated, and they cannot get parts for it anymore. B. Shanahan reported that once the new system is installed we will be able to build on it to do monitoring for the Sewer Department. Discussion followed.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to accept the quote to update the SCADE Control System at the Water Plant per the proposal from Middlebury Electric, Inc. at a not to exceed amount of $40,000.00. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
- Shanahan reported that he would notify Middlebury Electric to proceed at an amount not to exceed $40,000.00.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT: B. Shanahan reported that all the money from the sale of the Hudson cars has now been received by the Shipshewana Car Museum, Inc. and referred Council Members to a report provided to the Town from Worldwide Auctioneers. B. Shanahan reported that the total amount received from the sale of the Hudson Cars came to $3,811,043.50.
- Shanahan referred Council Members to their paperwork and reported that the Council had directed K. Bachman to respond to AT & T regarding their proposed lease telling them that they had to come back with a better proposal. In front of you is the letter that was sent. Both Kurt and I had reviewed the proposed lease from AT & T and found it not to be favorable for the Town as the Town would be losing money and they want to install more equipment.
- Shanahan referred Council Members to the last item in their packet which is a Notice of Tort Claim from Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak regarding a trip and fall that occurred here in Town in April of this year. There was a very short Police Report taken when the incident occurred. K. Bachman is aware of this since the notice was also sent to the County. We just received this notice today.
- Shanahan reported that he had a Lease Agreement regarding the Car Museum that involves the Town of Shipshewana Redevelopment Commission. Now that all the cars have been sold and should be out of the Museum we don’t see why we should have to pay $2,500.00 per month for utilities until February of 2019. If the Town of Shipshewana Redevelopment Commission is in favor we should terminate that lease, the hope is to have the lease terminated by the first of October. We would save $10,000.00 by the termination of this lease. We have cleared everything out of the museum that is ours and we are not occupying the space any longer. I think that there are still six cars sitting at the museum, but they are not our obligation they are the buyer’s obligation, they were purchased and will go overseas. The Blue Gate is aware that there are still cars there and agree with the Termination. I am letting you know because we are going to give the Termination Agreement to Blue Gate with the understanding that it will be signed by the Redevelopment Commission in hopes that we will not have to set aside the money for the October payment. E. Mast expressed concern regarding the electric in the garage. B. Shanahan responded that this agreement will not affect the garage electric. We are working on an agreement to have use of about 6’ at the end of the garage for the equipment for the South Water Tower . The garage will be partitioned off and we will enter into a 99-year lease agreement. Discussion followed.
- Shanahan reported that November 10th is the Light Parade and parking spaces are at a premium. This year I am proposing that we dedicate the Wolfe Building and Town Hall parking lots for handicapped parking. The parade route comes right past this building and the Police Department will be coordinating their efforts down at the Event Center this year. It can be advertised as handicapped parking for the Light Parade. Advertising will not be at the cost of the Town. Discussion followed.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to designate the Wolfe Community Building and the Town Hall parking lots as handicapped only parking for the Light Parade to be held on November 10th. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
- Shanahan reported that last year there was a shortage of restrooms due to the number of people attending the light parade. I don’t have a cost for this yet, but I am recommending that the Town rent four port-a-pots. One will be handicapped accessible and all will be placed by the Public Restrooms for an estimated cost of $800.00. Last year there were lines of people everywhere waiting to use restrooms. E. Mast pointed out that the Town does have a Community Promotion line item in the budget that the money could be taken from. L. Bontrager asked if the Ball Diamond restrooms would be opened. B. Shanahan reported that it may be a possibility. We are going to open up the Ball Diamond and Soccer Field Parking areas and put lights on them, so people may be walking in the area of the Ball Diamond Restrooms. Parking areas will be advertised, but not by the Town. A couple of buses have been offered by the Auction to help provide a shuttle service to and from the parking areas. Others have also said that a trolley and tractor will be provided to shuttle people from parking areas. Discussion followed.
MOTION: L. Bontrager made a motion to approve the rental of four port-a-pots, with one being handicapped assessible to be placed by the Public Restrooms for the Light Parade on November 10th at a not to exceed cost of $800.00. T. Hite seconded the motion. Motion carried.
- Mast asked if there was any further business to come before the Council. There being no further business E. Mast asked for a motion to adjourn.
MOTION: T. Hite made a motion to adjourn. L. Bontrager seconded the motion. Motion carried.
______________________________________ _______________________________________
Elmer J. Mast, Council President Lynn M. Bontrager, Council Vice-President
______________________________________
Tad T. Hite, Council Member