By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — The Claypool Town Council heard updates on the town’s retention pond and sanitary sewer rehabilitation projects during a Jan. 16 meeting.

Natalie Schelling of Commonwealth Engineers Inc. attended the meeting to provide those updates. Analysis has started on determining how to convert the retention pond from a wet to dry area. There have also been preliminary designs and progress on the town’s sanitary sewer rehabilitation, and storm sewer and wastewater treatment plan improvements.

Schelling said she gave preliminary plans for the storm sewer improvements to Street and Wastewater Superintendent Danny Warner to review. Commonwealth also contacted the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to see if UV disinfecting would be an option instead of chlorine disinfection for the town’s wastewater treatment system.

Tied into that, the council approved a grant agreement with the K21 Health Foundation in the amount of $200,000, with the grant to be used for wastewater treatment improvements in town.

In other business, Council President Benny Stage Jr. said he will contact Kosciusko County Republican Chairman Mike Ragan about possibly holding a caucus for the council seat currently occupied by Nate Morton.

Morton, who won the council’s center district seat in the November 2023 general election, did not attend the council’s January meeting and did not inform anyone he would not be present. Morton beat former Council Member Liz Heiman in the general election by five votes.

Council also:

• Approved having Stage continue serving as council president for 2024.
• Scheduled an admin meeting for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, to talk with Town Marshal Paul Mullins about police work and to set goals for the town over the next four years.
• Witnessed Mullins swear in Andrew Miller as a reserve deputy marshal for the Claypool Police Department.
• Gave Clerk-Treasurer Pat Warner permission to advertise for part-time help to assist Danny.

The council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the Claypool Lions Club building.