Tim Miller, right, a lieutenant with the Milford Police Department, received the Law Enforcement Purple Heart for injuries received during the apprehension of a felony suspect in August 2017. He also received admittance to the American Police Hall of Fame. Also pictured are Milford Police Chief Travis Marsh, left, and Jane Miller, wife, center. (Photo by David Hazledine)

MILFORD — Milford Town Council chose not to eliminate fluoride from the town water supply during a busy monthly meeting Monday, March 12.

Two members of the public in attendance expressed support for fluoridation’s benefits for children’s teeth. Rebecca Alles, Van Buren Township Trustee, cited the “enormous number of children who are not seeing the dentist regularly.” This is due in part, she said, to the lack of dentists in Kosciusko County accepting Medicaid.

Council President Doug Ruch called fluoridation a “value-added service” Milford offered its residents.

Also during utilities reports, the council voted to approve the purchase of a monitoring system from MicroByte Enterprise, Leesburg, to warn employees of water pressure drops such as the one that led to a boil water order in January. The system will cost $1,250.19, plus $99 per hour for the two to six hour installation.

Another motion passed approving the expenditure of $25,000 to replace five fire hydrants at the following locations: Maple and Fourth streets, Maple and Catherine streets, Fifth Street and Higbee Street (SR 15), East and First streets, Henry and Fourth streets. The work is to be done by Beer and Slabaugh Inc. The money was budgeted by an ordinance allowing general funds to be transferred to the water department for hydrants.

Water Operator and Street Superintendent Steven Marquart expressed frustration at the number of rags and other inappropriate items being flushed down the toilet and ending up in the wastewater.

“People think toilets are trash cans,” he commented. And the costs for cleaning it out can be high, especially if pumps need to be pulled from main lifts.

The council approved payment of a $67 plumbing bill caused by rags in the sewer.

Marquart also requested the public call the utilities department as soon as possible if there is a problem with the sewer. Instead, plumbers are often called and the town gets stuck with the bill. “Check with the town and save that expense,” he asked.

The council approved $1,250 for the rental of a vacuum trailer from MacAllister Rentals for sewer jetting.

During attorney reports, the town adopted ordinance 2018-1, prohibiting parking on West Emeline Street from South Elm Street to South Higbee Street (SR 15) everyday except Sundays and legal holidays when school is not in session.

During police reports, Lt. Tim Miller received the Law Enforcement Purple Heart and was admitted into the American Policemen’s Hall of Fame for injuries received apprehending a felony suspect in August 2017.

The council also approved the following: $544 for three tires lost on police vehicles; $555 for steering repairs on the 2014 squad car; $8,842 to complete upgrades to mobile computer systems in police vehicles; $425 to pay Police Chief Travis Marsh’s expenses for academy training.

During public input, the council voted to adjust the sewer portion of resident Ashle Engle’s bill to reflect normal usage after she presented a letter from Culligan stating a defective water softener got stuck in recycle mode. The town’s ordinance only allows it to adjust sewer bills, not water.

It was also reported horses located in town are out of compliance and the area planning commission is aware of the violation. They must be removed by the end of March.