Pictured, from left, Robinson Construction Project Manager Randy Fletcher, Robinson Construction Owner Dan Robinson, Leesburg Town Council Vice-President Tom Moore, Leesburg Town Council President Christina Archer, Leesburg Town Council Member Doug Jones, Leesburg Clerk-Treasurer Mike Searfoss, Leesburg Street Commissioner Craig Charlton.

LEESBURG — On Monday, July 8, the regular monthly Town Council meeting returned to the town hall building — something that hasn’t happened since 2016.

Due to issues with the American Disability Act, town meetings were not held at that location for the past three years, but renovations to make the town hall ADA compliant are now complete.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house took place at 6 p.m., prior to the regular meeting, to give residents a chance to view the changes and enjoy refreshments.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Council President Christina Archer. “A lot of people worked really hard to make this happen and now that this wonderful day is here, I hope we’ll all be able to enjoy it for many, many years to come.”

In the regular meeting that followed, Street Commissioner Craig Charlton reported a second notice has been sent out to address an issue with an abandoned vehicle. 

“At this point, it’s been sitting for 45 days after receiving a second notice,” said Charlton. “There’s also a $450 parking fine on it, per our ordinance.”

Charlton sought direction from council members as to the next step. Clerk-Treasurer Mike Searfoss said the resident who owns the abandoned vehicle stopped by his office today and informed him that the title for the vehicle was just received and the resident is ready to dispose of the vehicle. 

“It does little good to have ordinances if you don’t enforce them,” said Council Vice-President Tom Moore.

Attorney Vern Landis will be sending the resident a letter, and council members agreed that the fine needs to be paid.

Derek Beggs, a representative from USIC Locating Services, Warsaw, attended the meeting to discuss issues that started a year ago when Derek Tenney of Tenney & Sons, Warsaw, informed council members that USIC failed to properly mark utilities at two properties in Leesburg, resulting in two sewer lines and power lines being cut.

Beggs confirmed that USIC no longer marks NIPSCO lines. 

“Those lines that are not being marked do not belong to NIPSCO,” Moore said. “They belong to the town of Leesburg.”

Moore went on to explain that since 2007 or 2008, unmetered electricity is provided, but it is the town of Leesburg’s responsibility to install the wire up the pole. 

“Those wires belong to the town of Leesburg,” Moore stressed.

Beggs told council members he reviewed the contract between Leesburg and USIC.

“We are to mark the sanitary sewer. There’s nothing to do with the electric that’s in there,” said Beggs. “If the town of Leesburg owns that line, we need to readdress with USIC’s account because what it says right now does not cover the town of Leesburg electric.”

Beggs agreed to forward the information on to business development at USIC to work toward resolving the situation. 

In December 2018, Jason Bradley, a representative from Covalen, Indianapolis, attended the Leesburg council meeting to address the frequency of sanitary sewer issues the town has been experiencing. Moore said they would like to have Bradley attend the August meeting to see if he has been able to come up with a solution. Tenney agreed to contact Bradley to arrange this.

Although the issue of golf carts in town was not listed on the agenda, council members agreed that the issue needs to be discussed further. They plan to address this at the August meeting.

Other News:

• Autistic Child at Play warning signs were ordered and received. Charlton will be installing those this week.
• Flagpoles were put on eight lamp posts in the downtown area. Robin and Connie Watters provided five armed service flags for council members to use as they wish. Charlton and all council members expressed gratitude for this gesture.
• No parking on any street between 3-5 a.m. and no burning anything anytime in Leesburg.
• A budget meeting will be at 6 p.m. Monday, July 15.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12, at Leesburg Town Hall.

Pictured, from left, Council Member Doug Jones, President Christina Archer and Vice-President Tom Moore.