Etna Green Town Council Member Susan Klinefelter signs paperwork during the council meeting on Tuesday, June 9.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

ETNA GREEN — The Etna Green Town Council discussed language within the proposed Etna Township fire contract during a meeting on Tuesday, June 9.

Etna Township Trustee Rita Anglin and Etna Township Clerk Julie Goon were both present at the meeting and expressed concern about wording in the contract.

“The township has to have a contract in place,” said Goon. “And here it is June and there’s still no contract in place. You want the contract with the fire department, and the township wants the contract to be with Etna Township. We want the contract to be with the town of Etna Green and Etna Township. Etna Township owns all of the fire trucks, all of the equipment. We contract with the fire department to run our fire department.”

Town Attorney Jay Rigdon said that traditionally in Etna Green, the fire department has been treated as a separate legal entity.

“The township had traditionally contracted with the fire department to do service, and the town had contracted with the fire department to do service,” said Rigdon.

Rigdon and Goon then discussed liability and insurance specifics within the contract.

“The township is paying all of the insurance, which in the past, the town of Etna Green was paying the workers’ compensation insurance,” said Goon. “I’ve contacted the Indiana Township Association and they don’t think that’s right at all because they’re the firemen for Etna Township. The township needs to be paying the insurance, plus the liability insurance, all of the firemen’s insurance.”

“The town’s concern is ‘Who is liable under this contract if there is a violation?'” said Rigdon.

Council members asked Rigdon to rewrite the contract with Goon’s presented corrections.

“Either we have to plan a special meeting to sign this paperwork or wait until the July board meeting to sign it off,” said Council Member Jason Hanes.

The contract was not signed due to the requested changes.

Before the end of the meeting, council member Susan Klinefelter presented a letter from Fasttimes Fabrication owner Heath Roberts regarding concerns about the town potentially replacing a power pole and installing three-phase transformers on the pole.

Hanes asked Electric/Water Superintendent Barry Baker to get a quote to see how much the proposed project would cost.

In other business, council also:

• Asked that Clerk-Treasurer Patti Cook look into quotes for shingle work at the band stand in Remembrance Park and the villa at Heritage Park.
• Approved $253.65 in utility adjustments for water leaks.
• Approved waiving a septic sewer line fee for Jed Snow, who recently purchased two houses within town limits.
• Heard an update from Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio on projects he and his staff are working on, including entrepreneurship and housing initiatives.

The council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 14.