Dr. Steven Hollar of Hollar Dental Group and a Warsaw dentist for 30 years and former president of the Indiana Dental Association, came with The Papers Inc. owner Ron Baumgartner to ask the Milford Town Council to reconsider their decision to remove fluoride from the town’s drinking water. Photo by Lilli Dwyer.

By Lilli Dwyer
InkFree News

MILFORD — The Milford Town Council’s Monday, March 11 meeting began with a discussion of upcoming water projects.

Ryan Lareau of Commonwealth Engineers listed four projects that could be submitted to the State Revolving Fund: looping of dead end water mains, replacement of lead lines, adding filtration at existing wells, and installing a generator and mixer at the water tower. The council is planning to pay for the highest priority project, the replacement of town water meters, with money from the H.E.L.P grant.

According to Lareau, the iron and manganese levels in Milford’s water are very elevated. Manganese is listed as an emerging contaminant by the Environmental Protection Agency. This should help the water projects score well with the SRF.

The full total cost of all four projects was estimated around $5.4 million. Lareau noted the SRF has implemented Build America By America requirements, or BABA, that mandate materials and equipment used in these projects be American made. “We have seen roughly a 40% increase in equipment,” he said, and recommended adding a 40% increase to the filtration project estimate.

Along with adding a contingency plan, the new estimated total comes to about $6.8 million. Lareau mentioned that submitting the projects to SRF and receiving an offer from them has no cost to the town, and the council may choose how to proceed with the projects from there.

Vice president Ken Long explained that the SRF provides loans, which must be paid back.

“More than likely, to pay them back, we’re looking at increased rates,” Long said. “I don’t want people to be blindsided. It’s necessary, but there’s a cost.

Lareau stressed that no decision had to be made yet. “The SRF may very well come back and offer an 80 or 90% grant. I don’t want to be overly optimistic, but I will say in municipalities with very similar means and median household income, that’s what we’ve seen. We are serious when we say SRF is the best place to seek financing,” he said.

The council authorized submitting all four project ideas to the SRF.

At the last meeting, the council decided to remove fluoride form Milford’s drinking water. Ron Baumgartner, owner of The Papers, Inc. and former longtime Milford resident, came to ask the council to reconsider their decision. With him was Dr. Steven Hollar, a practicing Warsaw dentist for 30 years and former president of the Indiana Dental Association.

“I would strongly advise you to reconsider,” Hollar said. He presented the council with a packet of information from the American Dental Association. “About 75% of the communities around the United States are fluoridated. Even today, with other sources of fluoride in our society … we see a 25% decrease in cavities, which is great. From a public policy standpoint … it’s a pretty easy way to serve the public. I look at it this way, not everyone can make it to my dental office, so fluoride is a great way to strengthen their enamel.”

In response, council member Jim Smiley argued that more people may be drinking bottled water over city water nowadays. He also cited concerns over the safety of employees handling undiluted fluoride and issues with needing more space in the wellhouse.

Water superintendent Steven Marquart explained that there is not enough space in the wellhouse to move the chlorine injection equipment into the chemical room if they keep housing fluoride, meaning the wellhouse would have to be expanded. He also noted he tested three different bottled water brands, finding an average 0.42% fluoride content. The fluoride content of Milford’s water was 0.80%.

Long stressed that the decision had not been made lightly. “In my five years on the board, it’s come up every year,” he said.

Ultimately, the council is not reconsidering their decision at this time. Marquart informed the council that fluoride and the ejection equipment has already been removed from the wellhouse.

For the water department, Marquart requested and received approval for renewal of Verizon service for $1,200 and updates to PLCs, addresses and replacement of battery packs at the wellhouse and water tower for $1,331.12, all through B.L. Anderson. The council also approved the purchase of a Fisher locator to replace the current failing unit for $5,362.20 from Batco, Inc. and the purchase of five Motorola handheld radios from Emergency Radio Services for $2,033.07.

Marquart reported that a recent IDEM sanitary survey recommended a plan to exercise the town’s valves, which have never been exercised to his knowledge. He presented two courses of action proposed by M.E. Simpson: Exercise all 150 valves for $18,750 plus $125 for any additional valves found, or exercise 75 valves for $9,375 and 75 more valves in 2025 for $9,750, plus $130 for each additional valve. Marquart stated the decision does not have to be made now, but leaving the valves unexercised may affect the town’s ability to get water grants in the future.

The fire department did not send a representative to the meeting, but did send in some information. There were nine fire department runs in February.

The department also sent two quotes for annual preventative maintenance on the two recently installed tornado sirens; Federal Field Services for $1,000 and J&K Communications for $1,870. The council decided to table the decision until someone from the fire department was present.

Police Marshall Derek Kreider asked the council’s approval for the purchase of four new Bridgestone tires for their 2017 Dodge patrol truck. A quote from Warsaw’s Smith Tires was approved for $1,017. Kreider also received approval for Jake’s Service to repair oil leaks in the 2012 patrol vehicle for $1,650 (paid from the police reserve fund) and renewal of Midwest Safety cloud service in police body cams for $4,380.

Wastewater superintendent Mark Brubaker is looking at quotes to transition a lift station at Turkey Creek into a gravity system, eliminating long-term electrical costs. The council agreed to replace a chart recorder for $3,966 from B.L. Anderson and to pay Beer & Slabaugh $1,700 for the repair of a sinking manhole.

About 170 feet of the sewer line near Northpark subdivision has been camera inspected, but the bend that waste and stormwater are looking for has not been located.

The council also approved:

• Providing port-a-potties for the Milford Lions Festival.

• A property resolution amendment for the Milford Redevelopment Commission, allowing them to purchase utility easement area and right of way in the Eastfield subdivision from Miller Brothers Construction.

• A three month extension of the town’s contract with Sweetheimer Trash Removal while quotes from other companies are sought.

• Annual payment to Boyce for utility billing and monitoring services for $5,727, a 20% increase over last year.

• Payment of utility credits for a total of $208.81.

The next Milford Town Council meeting will be Monday, April 8.