Mentone Water Superintendent Josh Shepherd, left studies specifications and quotes on several street projects while board members Jill Gross and Tim Croy listen to his report.

MENTONE — Mentone’s town council announced several spring and summer-related events at its monthly board meeting Monday, April 2.

According to Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross, the town’s annual spring clean-up will be Wednesday, May 16. According to Council President Jill Gross, a list of items that can not be placed at the curb in the town limits of Mentone will be available at Town Hall. Some of those prohibited items include televisions, tires, paint and concrete. Council member Tim Croy said large furniture items are limited to one per household.

Board member Shelly Krueger told the board that the town’s farmer’s market will begin Saturday, May 12, and will run from 8 a.m. to noon.

In other business:

• Town Water Superintendent Josh Shepherd told the board he had three bids for new cameras to be placed in various town property locations. The board approved the lowest bid of $5,969.78 for the set of surveillance cameras.
• Shepherd announced the resignation of utility worker Chase Jones and said the street department is seeking a replacement and currently taking applications. According to Shepherd, the candidate would need water and wastewater licenses or would need to be willing to obtain those certifications in the future. Applications are available in the Mentone clerk’s office.
• The board learned that Mentone resident Ron Scott is taking reservations from residents who would like a garden plot for 2018. His contact number is (574) 353-7460.
• Heard from Ross about resident utility accounts that are past due and need to be written off, which the town does on an annual or semi-annual basis. Ross and Norris said that most of the accounts are for residents who have moved. The amount of the write-off totals $2,096.74.
• Shepherd told the board he was given a rough estimate of between $37,000 and $40,000 to repair some sewer tile on Morgan Street and said the person who estimated the cost said $5,000 could be discounted if the work was done while that company was doing work in nearby Warsaw. Shepherd said the project includes the installation of two manholes, which was not included in the estimate.“I still believe we’re going to be able to do it with the money that we have set aside for our storm water,” Shepherd said, saying the work would probably not be able to be done until later in the summer.
• Shepherd said drawings were completed for an improvement project on Pearl Street that will boost the size of water line in that area. “If we do that there will end up being a fire hydrant down at the end of Pearl Street, which there isn’t one now,” Shepherd said.