From left, are Claypool Town Council Member Gene Warner and Council President Benny Stage Jr. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — The town of Claypool will have a trunk or treat event on Halloween.

During a Sept. 20 meeting, Claypool’s town council approved the event, which will take place from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31. There are no scheduled door-to-door trick-or-treat hours for Claypool.

Town Marshal Ben Sanders said he was in favor of just having the trunk or treat event for safety reasons.

“It allows us to keep all the kids in one general area where we don’t have to worry about traffic,” said Sanders. “(The trunk or treat has) grown over the years. I see it as a safer event for the kids and parents.”

Sanders said those interested in trick-or-treating could spend time at Claypool’s trunk or treat, then go to Silver Lake for trick-or-treating.

Council also held a public hearing for the town’s 2023 budget, which totals $376,456. The budget is structured as follows: general, $169,690; local roads and streets, $17,300; motor vehicle highway, $28,000; cemetery, $6,000; cumulative capital, $1,000; economic development income tax credit, $63,045; and American Rescue Plan coronavirus local fiscal recovery fund, $91,421.

Tyler Coffel, a senior consultant with Baker Tilly, attended the meeting to answer council’s questions about the budget.

Council also approved an additional appropriation resolution for the general budget totaling $49,805, which will cover the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for the town. The grant is 100% reimbursable. A reduction appropriation resolution for the ARP fund was also approved.

The budget will be adopted during the council’s October meeting.

Claypool Town Council will also hold an executive session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Sanders requested the meeting to look into establishing an asset forfeiture fund and a donation account for the Claypool Police Department.

“I have a couple cases out right now that I filed for forfeiture on for seizure money in (drug) dealing cases,” said Sanders on the asset forfeiture fund. “The town cannot accept that money (without an asset forfeiture fund.) A percentage of that goes to the prosecutor’s office, another percentage goes to Warsaw Community Schools. If we don’t have that fund established, that all goes back to the prosecutor’s office.”

Council agreed to the executive session and will also hold a town employee review during that meeting.

Council also:

• Approved the town being a $500 sponsor for the second annual Payton Slaymaker 5K Color Run/Walk in Winona Lake. Slaymaker was a 10-year-old from Claypool who passed away in April 2021 from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a type of cancer.
• Learned that hydrant flushing in the town will take place from Sept. 26 to 30.
• Learned that Claypool Police Department responded to 193 calls for service in August, with reserve officers working a total of 156 hours.

The council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Claypool Lions Club building.