Mitch Hansel of Fleis & Vandenbrink presented a proposal regarding a Community Crossings grant at the June 10 town council meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

SILVER LAKE — Silver Lake Town Council approved a proposal at the June 10 town council meeting in order to be eligible for a grant that could be used to improve streets and sidewalks.

The proposal, presented by Mitch Hansel, of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering, involves a Community Crossing matching grant program.

Hansel explained that the State of Indiana put a 10 cent gas tax increase on gasoline in 2017, which generates $200 million dollars a year in annual revenues. The state uses this money to assist local communities with improvements to their infrastructure, Hansel said.

“Communities that are less than 10,000 in population can get a 75/25 matching grant,” Hansel said. “So whatever match a town like Silver Lake can come up with will get quadruple.”

In order to qualify for the grant, Hansel said, the town is required to have a transportation asset management plan. 

The next call for grant applications opens up July 6, Hansel said, and in order to be eligible, the town would have to have the asset management plan done and approved by the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) prior to that time.

The cost for having Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering prepare the asset management plan is $4,300 and would involve the company reviewing every road in town and generating a cost estimate.

The grant would pay for resurfacing and reconstructing roads, as well as drainage improvement and sidewalk repairs or improvements. 

Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio gave an update on projects he and his staff are working on.

The town would be qualified to apply for the grant in both 2020 and 2021. 

Council approved accepting the proposal from Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering.

Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley announced that Summer Cleanup Days will be July 17-20. Due to COVID-19, they will not be going door to door, Conley said. Instead, trash dumpsters will be set up at the town hall. 

The same rules for summer cleanup apply as in the past, including no paints, oils, tires, large appliances, extra-large furniture, TVs or microwaves.

Council approved a preliminary quote for cleanup at a property located at 704 Pleasant St. Town Marshal Jason McGlennen said the property has been an eyesore for some time. 

McGlennen checked with the contractor who was hired to mow the property to see what the cost would be to clean up the property. This would include removal of old tires and scrap.

The initial quote is $1,950, McGlennen said. He told council the cost may go up because there is a commercial freezer in the back yard of the property and additional cost may be involved in order to dispose of the freezer properly.

Last month, Conley asked council members if they would be interested in using the Tax Refund Exchange and Compliance System to collect unpaid water utility bills and ordinance violation fines.

TRECS allows government agencies to collect unpaid bills or fines through pending state personal income tax refunds. Council approved using the TRECS system.

In other news:

• Silver Lake Fire Chief John Conley announced that the Kosciusko County Fire Association received a grant from K21 for every fire station in the county to have an auto pulse CPR machine. Conley said five or six SL firefighters have been trained on how to use the auto pulse at this time. 
• Council approved a $500 donation to the Silver Lake Volunteer Fire department annual golf outing fundraiser.
• Council approved a quote from Graycraft Signs for $6,050 to refresh four town signs and the sign at Memory Park.
• A $3,200 quote from Rose Hill to re-mulch the playground area behind the school building was approved. 
• Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio gave an update on projects he and his staff are working on, including entrepreneurship and housing initiatives.
• The next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 8, at the town hall building.