NORTH WEBSTER — While admonishing the town’s engineering firm Triad Associates to keep the costs of the sewage redo down, North Webster Town Council approved a change order for contractor R.E. Crosby & Son, Fort Wayne, for an additional $12,863 at the January meeting Tuesday evening, Jan. 19, in the North Webster Community Center.

Triad representative Rick L. Pharis responded approximately $130,000 had already been reduced from the project with more being negotiated. Former North Webster Utilities Manager Jeremy Sponseller will now be working with Triad on the North Webster waste treatment plant and sewer undertaking mandated by the state.

North Webster resident Brian Sand was appointed to the park board to replace David Waliczek who is now a town council member.

Citizen Gene DeRolf shared comments with the council during the open to the floor portion of the meeting, praising the police department and the utility department picking up leaves. He asked, “Is it possible to allow leaf burning in town?” Council President Jon Sroufe explained when the state provided money for the leaf vacuum several years ago one of the requirements was to pass a no burn ordinance.

DeRolf also asked about the water that gathered on his property. Severn Trent Utilities Manager Mike Noe was directed to look at the situation.

Questioning the use of the wheel tax and how much it brought into the town coffers, DeRolf was invited by Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce to come to town hall and she would go through the books so he could see how much it was and how it had been budgeted given the state’s provisions for the use of those funds.

During the utilities department report, Noe noted the town needs more salt for the streets. A letter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources was read regarding the sewer project.

Police Chief Greg Church gave the 2015 year end totals as well as the December monthly update. During 2015, 2,441 calls of service were answered by the department with the most being traffic related, followed by citizen assists, accidents and agency assists. Officers drove 41,582 miles using 3,313.9 gallons of fuel and working 6,947.75 hours.

During December officer hours were 572.25 with 3,198 miles driven and 301.8 gallons of fuel consumed.

The next regular meeting of the North Webster Town Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the party room in the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St.