News Release

The North Manchester Town Council heard a Preliminary Engineering Report about improvements needed for the town’s wastewater system at its Wednesday, Sept. 6 meeting.

The North Manchester Town Council’s Wednesday, Sept. 6 meeting began with two public hearings.

The first was a Preliminary Engineering Report about the condition and future needs of the town’s wastewater collection and treatment utility, presented by Jeremy Hardy of Commonwealth Engineers.

The PER reviews the existing conditions, need for improvements, alternatives for improvements to facilities to provide final recommendations, and a course of action that will help the town ensure its wastewater collection and treatment will remain reliable.

To remain in compliance with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, according to the report, the town must address certain issues by 2028.

According to Hardy, the ony realistic option for the collection improvement is a new interceptor on Mill Street and a new lift station on Sycamore Street, which will cost between $3-4 million. The project timeline is to begin construction in March 2027 and end December 2028.

In the second public hearing, the council unanimously approved the budget for 2024.
In other business, the council unanimously approved the Community Foundation of Wabash County’s request for $30,000, to be paid in $10,000 per year for three years. The money will be used for the Early Childhood program and the Early Award Scholarship program, two innovative education programs aimed at educational attainment.

Council vice president Laura Rager read a Proclamation stating that Sept. 17, 2023 is the 230th anniversary of the drafting of the Untied States Constitution by the Constitutional Convention. Barbara Amiss, a representative from the Wabash County Frances Slocum Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, posed for a photo with Rager after the meeting.

In the police department report, police chief Jim Kirk noted that NMPD officers participated in Operation Pull Over, in which officers were given state grant money in overtime pay for traffic enforcements. Kirk said the officers worked the program while off of their regular work hours.
Kirk also noted that office Ray House went to training to become the department’s defensive tactics instructor.

In fire department news, department chief Cam Kissinger responded to one fire, a vehicle fire on Ninth and Market streets, 55 medical assists, three hazardous conditions incidents, two “good intent” calls, eight false alarms and one severe weather incident in August.

Additionally, Kissinger reported that J&K Communications has finished installing the station’s repaired informer alerting system. On Aug, 19, Ryan Niccum and Chris Haupert attended firework shooter’s training in Bedford. Southwood Jr./Sr. High student Casey Boardman began an internship for the department that will run through December.

The NMFD is hosting its annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 23, free will donation.

North Manchester Parks & Recreation Direction shared that fall session of swim lessons for kids age 4 and up begin Tuesday, Sept. 26 and continue every Tuesday and Thursday for six weeks. Intermediate and advanced classes are also offered.

The next meeting of the North Manchester Town Council will be Wednesday, Oct. 4.