At the Mentone Town Council meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Mentone Town Hall are from left: Town Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak, Town Council President Jill Gross, Town Council Member Shelly Krueger and Town Attorney Andrew Grossnickle. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

MENTONE — Mentone is planning to have $1,115,870 in its 2023 budget.

At its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 5, the Mentone Town Council adopted the budget, which is an increase of $267,031 over the 2022 budget of $848,839.

The planned 2023 budget breaks down to: $6,500 in casino/riverboat; $625,270 in the general fund; $17,200 in the local road and street fund; $156,700 in the motor vehicle highway fund; $12,700 in the cemetery fund; $2,500 in the cumulative capital improvement fund from cigarette tax; $20,000 in the cumulative capital development fund; and $275,000 in the economic development fund.

ARPA funds

The council also discussed creating an ordinance related to using the town’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Town Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak brought it up.

“Since 99% of those funds will be used for the park or may be allocated towards the park project, then that should be relatively easy,” she said, referring to renovating Mentzer Park, with the council agreeing at its meeting last month to use ARPA funds for that purpose.

The town got an initial quote of $555,500 for completing the work, which would include new playground equipment, a disc golf course, repairing the basketball court, a new pavilion, paved walkways and improving the park’s parking lot.

Mentone initially has planned to use $218,500 of its ARPA money for the project, along with the $200,000 it has received from the K21 Health Foundation via a grant. It also hopes to get other grant funding to cover the remainder.

Yaprak and Town Attorney Andrew Grossnickle will work on creating the ordinance.

In other business, the council:

• Heard a reminder from Town Council President Jill Gross that trick-or-treating is set for 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, in town. Judging for the Mentone Chamber of Commerce’s costume contest will start at 7 p.m. at Mentone Elementary School.
• Heard from Town Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd that workers are done repairing 35 feet of storm tile near the hardware store on Main Street.
• Heard from Shepherd that “leaf pickup will probably begin in another week or so and run through Thanksgiving, I’m guessing.” People should keep sticks out of their leaves to be picked up.

The council’s next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Mentone Town Hall.