April 29, 2008

Ossian council sees Melching stormwater project taking shape

One of the major municipal projects planned for Ossian this summer is really starting to take shape, members of the Ossian Town Council learned Monday night.

Sixteen contractors have expressed an interest in the Melching Addition stormwater project. Bids are slated to be opened Wednesday at the Ossian Stormwater Management Board meeting.

Slated to open the bids are Council president Dick Witte, stormwater vice president Rose Ann Barrick and Town Manager Luann Martin.

Witte and council members Brad Pursley, Terri Hughes-Lazzell and Josh Barkley Monday night also delayed action on awarding a contract for an engineer to inspect the project.

In the past, the council has had project engineers oversee their own work, but Witte observed, “Our past experience with that has not been good.”

So, the council plans to hire another engineering firm to oversee the work of Bonar & Associates, the stormwater engineer.

The town’s current engineering firm, Fleis & Vandenbrink (F&V), Construction Support Services Inc., Fort Wayne, and Bonar all submitted bids in the $38-$39,000 range. Bonar was ruled out for obvious reasons mentioned above.

However, the council wanted more information on F&V’s quote before making a decision. The decision to wait was also made because the council was seeing the figures for the first time Monday night.

In other sewage related matters, the council learned from town manager Luann Martin that a representative of the owners of Kozy Kourt will meet with her, the town engineer and the sewage superintendent Tuesday, May 13, to discuss storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer extension from the town to the mobile home park.

The council also agreed to save a bundle on mowing town property this summer by keeping it in house.

Martin estimated the cost of hiring a part-time employee, the use of a current employee, fuel and wear and tear on equipment at $9,937.38.

The council also sought quotes to contract out the service and received two—one from Doug’s Lawn & Landscaping, rural Markle, for $17,618 and the other from MRB-Michael R. Bordner-Bluffton for $17,825.

The savings to the town of keeping it in-house was very clear.

Martin said she has already received a lot of interest from local residents—especially retired people—who would like to do the job.

The council also:

—Discussed the town employees’ 457 retirement plan. Historically the town has made a payment to the plan once a month. The employees would like to see the payment every pay period. Right now, five employees are contributing and a sixth is expected to come on board. The council agreed by a 4-0 vote to make the payments every pay period.

—Agreed to look into the cost of sealing cracks in the asphalt in Brook Ridge.

—Learned that street superintendent Kevin Steele is assessing the streets that will need to be paved this year and plans to return to the council with a list in May.

—Agreed to pay Bob Murphy of R.L. Murphy Associates $1,500 to perform a townwide median income survey to be used for grant application purposes for the proposed drinking water project.

The council was to address the police commissioner appointment, however, the council’s attorney was unable to appear at Monday night’s meeting. The wish by the council and the commissioners is to have both the council attorney and the commissioner’s attorney present to settle the dispute between the council and the commissioners regarding whether or not town insurance agent Tom Neuenschwander can legally be appointed as a commissioner.

In a related matter, the council tabled any action on the disposition of the town’s Impala police cruiser.

The council will meet again Monday, May 12, at 7 p.m.

glenw@news-banner.com

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