Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Remington Town Hall/13 E. South Railroad Street/Remington, Indiana 47977
Members Present
Susan Flickner, President; Dana Pampel, Vice President; James Stewart, Robert Braaksma, Alan Schambach
Others Present
Mark Jones, Dale Budde, John Schuetzenhofer, Mike Martin, Jon Borgers (Wessler Engineering), Amalee Scheitlin, Alista Taulman, Jonathan Cripe, and Terri Budde.
The meeting was opened at 6:30 p.m. by Susan Flickner with the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance
Council Elections:
Council Member Braaksma made a motion to keep the President (Susan Flickner) and Vice President (Dana Pampel) positions the same for 2024. Council Member Stewart seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Citizen Comments:
Quentin Overbeck and Kory Arvin appeared before the Council requesting an exception be made to the car wash ordinance. Discussion heard. Jon Borgers stated three (3) issues with installing a car wash in Town limits (stormwater, petroleum, and soaps used) and making sure these issues don’t upset the wastewater plant. Council directed Town Manager Cripe to have Attorney Goddard prepare an amendment or exception to the car wash ordinance for the February Council meeting.
Council Committee Appointments
Vice President Pampel moved to approve the following Council Committee appointments:
Trees – Alan Schambach
Streets – Susan Flickner
Police – James Stewart
Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Employee Appointments
Council Member Stewart moved to approve the following employee appointments for 2024: Jonathan Cripe, Town Manager; Mark Jones, Utility Superintendent; Joshua Longest, Assistant Utility Technician and Building Inspector; Don Schuh, Streets Laborer; John Schuetzenhofer, Town Marshal; Mike Powell, Deputy Marshal; Dale Budde, Park Laborer, and Miranda Hathaway, Utility Billing Clerk. Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
KIRPC Appointment
Jonathan Cripe was appointed as the KIRPC representative for the Town of Remington.
Park Board Appointment
Vice President Pampel moved to appoint Natalie Hammer to the Remington Park Board for a term of four (4) years. Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Redevelopment Committee
Council Member Schambach moved to appoint Stephen Kinsell, Brad Ulyat, Ronald Wilken, Betty Vaughan, Kathryn O’Neall, and Rachel Cantrell (School board appt.) to the Redevelopment Committee for a period of one year. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Plan Commission
Council Member Braaksma moved to appoint Carol Brown, Barb Harper, Brian Melchi, and Jon Schwab to the Plan Commission for 2024. Vice President Pampel seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Cemetery Board
Council Member Stewart moved to appoint Dale Budde, Mark Jones, and Luke Neidlinger to the Cemetery Board for 2024. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Tree Board
Council Member Stewart moved to appoint Dale Budde, Alan Schambach, and Bryan Overstreet to the Tree Board for 2024. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Town Attorneys
Council Member Braaksma moved to appoint the Law Firm of Patrick Ryan (Patrick Ryan and Rebecca Goddard) as town attorneys for 2024. Vice President Pampel seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Remington Economic Development Commission
Council Member Braaksma moved to appoint Mark Jones to the Remington Economic Development Commission for 2024. Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Council Member Stewart moved to approve the Council minutes from December 18, 2023. Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
CITIZEN COMMENTS – None
TOWN MANAGER – Jonathan Cripe reported:
•Presented an estimate from Voglund Nursery for 11 shade trees 1/5 to 2/0” diameter in the sum of Three Thousand One Hundred Sixty-eight Dollars ($3,168.00). Council Member Braaksma moved to approve the estimate from Voglund Nursery for 11 shade trees 1/5 to 2/0” diameter in the sum of Three Thousand One Hundred Sixty-eight Dollars ($3,168.00). Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•Presented a quote for the purchase of a new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab to replace the wastewater pick-up in the sum of Fifty-nine Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-eight Dollars Ninety Cents ($59,758.90). Vice President Pampel made a motion to approve the purchase of a new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab to replace the wastewater pick-up in the sum of Fifty-nine Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-eight Dollars Ninety Cents ($59,758.90). Council Member Stewart seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•Presented a quote from The Shade Experts USA to place an 18’ by 29’ 6” quad multi-vent umbrella over the outside seating at the Depot. Discussion heard. The quote is in the sum of Fourteen Thousand Fifty-five Dollars ($14,055.00), and will be paid with TIF funds. Council Member Stewart moved to approve the quote from The Shade Experts USA to place an 18’ by 29’ 6” quad multi-vent umbrella over the outside seating at the Depot in the sum of Fourteen Thousand Fifty-five Dollars ($14,055.00), and will be paid with TIF funds. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•HWC continues to work on the Park master plan.
•The security cameras will be installed by Mulhaupt’s at the end of the month.
•The Service Building doors will be installed by Mulhaupt’s next week.
•Discussions heard regarding a rental agreement/sale of the Service Building. No action taken by Council at this time.
•Town Manager Cripe requested to table the bids on the roof for the Service Building until February 2024.
•Reported land has been found to build a new Street Department building. Town Manager Cripe requested permission to contact the landowner and begin negotiations for the purchase of the land.
•The Aquifer survey has been completed. It’s anticipated the land sale will be accomplished fall 2024.
•He is halfway through the process of applying for a Community Crossing Match Grant and is hoping to submit the grant this week.
•The exterior sign on new Town Hall was installed today. Lighting will need to be installed. Town Manager Cripe will work on a quote for the lighting.
•Senior Café in Wolcott will be held January 17, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
•We will work on updating the downtown Christmas lights.
•Remington Main Street will be applying to the Jasper County Tourism grant for the mural that will be painted in town this year.
TOWN ATTORNEY – None
DEPARTMENTS:
UTILITIES – Mark Jones
Mark Jones reported:
•Two water leaks were repaired in December
•The 3-phase unit went down at the water plant, but nothing was found to be wrong with it. They’re taking a wait-and-see approach.
PARK – Dale Budde reported:
•The bathroom partitions have been completed.
•He’s been cleaning/sweeping/painting the well houses.
POLICE – John Schuetzenhofer reported:
•Monthly reports for December 2023 and the year 2023 presented to Council. Copies of said reports are on file with the Office of Clerk-Treasurer.
•It was decided to start advertising for the new full-time deputy in February and hire in March.
FIRE – Mike Martin reported:
•Monthly report for December 2023 presented to Council. A copy of said report is on file with the Office of Clerk-Treasurer.
•The physicals for the police and fire department have been set: Blood draws will be February 6, 2024. Physicals will be conducted on March 4 and 5, 2024.
•One fireman has been hired and they are interviewing another fireman next week.
OLD BUSINESS – None
•Town Manager Cripe presented a quote to replace the vandalized security cameras at the park in the sum of Four Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-one Dollars ($4,421.00). It was noted that the current camera system is obsolete and cannot be repaired. Clerk-Treasurer Budde informed Council the park board has applied for a Jasper County REMC grant. Council Member Schambach moved to approve the quote to replace the vandalized security cameras at the park in the sum of Four Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-one Dollars ($4,421.00). Council Member Stewart seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•Clerk-Treasurer Budde requested to table the issue of the Food Pantry lease to the February Council meeting.
NEW BUSINESS - None
CLERK-TREASURER
•Declaratory Resolution 2024-01-08-001 was presented setting the dates and times of Council meetings and authorizing the Clerk-Treasurer to make timely payments and invest Town monies. No discussion heard. Council Member Braaksma moved to approve Declaratory Resolution 2024-01-08-001. Vice President Pampel seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•Resolution 2024-01-08-002 establishing the mileage rate to be paid by the Town was presented. No discussion heard. It was noted that the federal mileage rate for 2024 is .67 per mile. Council Member Schambach made a motion to approve Resolution 2024-01-08-002 establishing the 2024 mileage rate for the Town. Vice President Pampel seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•December 2023 Employee Distribution Summary Report presented to Council. No discussion heard. Council Member Stewart moved to approve the December 2023 Employee Distribution Summary. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•December 2023 Combine Appropriation/Revenue Detail History by Fund Report presented to Council. No discussion heard. Vice President Pampel moved to approve the December 2023 Combine Appropriation/Revenue Detail History by Fund Report. Council Member Schambach seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
•December 2023 Fund Analysis, Reconcilement and Fund Report presented. No discussion heard. Council Member Braaksma moved to approve the December 2023 Fund Analysis, Reconcilement, and Fund Report. Council Member Stewart seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
Council Member Stewart moved to approve the claims as presented for January. Council Member Braaksma seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: February 5, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at Remington Town Hall