Pictured, from left, are Claypool Town Council Member Don Miller and Council President Benny Stage Jr. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — The Claypool Town Council approved an on-call contract renewal with Commonwealth Engineers Inc. during a Feb. 20 meeting.

Commonwealth has assisted the town with multiple projects, including the conversion of Claypool’s retention pond from a wet to dry area. Chris Harrison, Commonwealth’s business development manager, attended the meeting and said the contract would be increased from $5,000 a year to $10,000.

In other business, Council Member Don Miller asked the council to consider doing away with Claypool’s districts for voting purposes. Currently, the town is split into northern, middle, and southern districts, with one council member seated per district.

“It’s always a problem and I’m not sure that I understand the significance of it for our small town,” said Miller. “We’re the only small town, as far as I know, in Kosciusko County that has districts. The dilemma that we had with our last resignation…it doesn’t leave a very big pool of people.”

Council approved having Town Attorney Andrew Grossnickle collect more information on the matter for its March meeting.

The council also:

• Approved a maintenance contract with M&D Electrical Solutions for a generator at the town building. It is a two-year contract, with a cost of $400.
• Approved renewing a liability agreement with McGowan Insurance Group in the amount of $19,775.
• Learned from Town Marshal Paul Mullins that Claypool Police Department received a grant for Narcan.
• Informed the community they would get more information by their March meeting about a large trash pick-up day in the spring.

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