From left, are Claypool Town Council President Benny Stage Jr. and Council Member Liz Heiman. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — Claypool Town Council heard updates from financial and engineering advisors on funding opportunities and the town’s water/sewer utilities during an April 19 meeting.

Chris Harrison, business development manager with Commonwealth Engineers Inc., provided council with information about various funding opportunities the town could consider for stormwater or wastewater projects. Harrison said a state-revolving fund (SRF) loan program from the state of Indiana could be a matching portion for an Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) grant Claypool has applied for.

“This gives you a whole new window to look at,” said Harrison about the SRF program.

Harrison proposed a master utility plan for the town’s stormwater and wastewater utilities.

“Identify those projects and then reach out to OCRA and through the SRF program over the next five years and identify solutions for the community,” said Harrison.

Harrison said Commonwealth will look into the cost for a master utility study and will stay in contact with town employees for more information.

“The whole intent is to identify those projects and look at long-term solutions,” said Harrison.

Tyler Coffel, senior consultant at Baker Tilly, gave council year-end reports for 2021 on the town’s sewer and water utilities. Coffel recommended rate increases and cost reductions overall for the utilities.

At the town’s current rates, Claypool will possibly experience negative cash balances in both its sewer and water utilities over the next five years due to increased costs.

“The cost of materials and things like that are astronomical right now,” said Coffel.

Council Member Liz Heiman asked Coffel if there is more of a benefit to increase their rates with the water utility instead of selling it. The council has been discussing the potential sale of Claypool’s water utility to Indiana American Water since February 2020.

IAW has offered to purchase the utility at $700,000. A final decision on the potential sale has not been made by council.

Coffel told Heiman that Baker Tilly would have to look at IAW’s proposal to determine what the best solution would be.

In other business, Council President Benny Stage Jr. said a town website is being created by Doug Jones. The cost for establishing the site is $500. Stage said Jones will train up to two people on running the town’s site. Council agreed to pay Jones $500 for the website work.

Information on a scrap metal day and community cleanup will be sent out in a letter included with residents’ water bills. A dumpster will be available at the town barn for residents to throw away items.

Town Marshal Ben Sanders informed the community that the person who allegedly caused damage to personal property in town with a BB gun has been identified. The suspect caused about $7,000 worth of damage to multiple vehicles, houses and windows in Claypool.

Sanders said Claypool and Silver Lake Police Departments executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home and paperwork has been filed with the county prosecutor’s office.

Council also held an administrative meeting on March 22 regarding voluntary annexation into town limits. Town Attorney Travis Neff said people who live on the town’s borders and want to be annexed into town limits can fill out forms with Clerk-Treasurer Pat Warner at the town barn.

Claypool’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, in the Claypool Lions Club building.