At the Mentone Town Council meeting on Wednesday, April 5, are from left: Council Member Tim Croy, Town Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak, Council President Jill Gross, Council Member Shelly Krueger and Town Attorney Andrew Grossnickle.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

MENTONE — Mentone has opted to not allow chickens in town.

At its meeting on Wednesday, April 5, the Mentone Town Council voted 2-1 to keep its ban on chickens and other farm animals in town.

Town Council President Jill Gross and Member Tim Croy voted to keep the ban in place with Member Shelly Krueger being against.

Both Gross and Croy cited hearing from residents they don’t want the birds in town. Croy also cited concerns disease could spread if someone wasn’t caring for the fowl properly, getting to large egg producers nearby.

CASA Declaration

Gross also read a proclamation brought by Court Appointed Special Advocates of Kosciusko County declaring April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Mentone.

“We urge all citizens to recognize this month by dedicating ourselves to the task of improving the quality of life for all of our children and families,” she read from it.

CASA Executive Director Erin Rowland Jones was present. Last year, the organization, which works to assist abused and neglected children in the court system, visited towns and cities throughout the county to mark the month, which is each April.

Rowland Jones said this year the organization was focusing on the three places in the county who had the most children that CASA is currently serving. Mentone is in the top three, having 11%.

CASA is hosting several events in April, include its march around the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s square and planting of pinwheels, set for noon Wednesday, April 12. Culver’s on U.S. 30 in Warsaw is giving a portion of proceeds from sales from 5-8 p.m. Monday, April 17, to the organization, with the Warsaw Hacienda doing the same all day on Tuesday, April 25.

In other business, the council:

• Watched Town Engineer James Emans open bids for work relining a pipe on Washington Street. The pipe’s become damaged in part due to a tree in the area’s roots. One bid was from G&G Hauling & Excavating for $190,407; the other was from LI Excavating for $138,283.72. The council didn’t make a decision on which company they wanted to go with Wednesday.
• Heard a reminder from Croy the Mentone Chamber of Commerce’s Easter egg hunt starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 8, rain or shine, at Mentzer Park. The Mentone Fire Department is also having a dine-in or carryout pancake and sausage breakfast that day at the station from 7-10 a.m.
• Heard from Croy that Mission for Mentone has been rescheduled to Thursday, April 20, through Saturday, April 22. It was postponed from March due to weather. Through it, a number of Mentone churches are working on repairing a person’s roof at 112 W. Maple St. People from the community are welcome to stop by on those dates to help, with work starting in the early morning. Croy also said the town’s trash pickup service Apex has donated a dumpster to help with cleanup.
• Heard from Krueger that the first Mentone Community Farmers Market of 2023 is on Saturday, May 20. There will also be a craft and antique fair. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There’s no setup fee, and people only need to fill out forms to sell if they’ve never filled out one before, she said. People may contact Krueger at [email protected] or reach out the farmers market Facebook page if they need a form. The Mentone Fire Department will also have a pancake and sausage breakfast that day from 7-10 a.m. at the fire station.
• Heard that the town clerk’s office was to be closed the week of April 10 due to a personal issue. It may be opened up later on that week.

The council’s next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at Mentone Town Hall.

Council President Jill Gross read a proclamation brought by Court Appointed Special Advocates of Kosciusko County declaring April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Mentone. From left: Council Member Tim Croy, Gross, Council Member Shelly Krueger holding the proclamation and CASA Executive Director Erin Rowland Jones.