Pictured, from left, are Claypool Town Council President Benny Stage Jr. and Council Member Don Miller. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Adkins.

By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — A public hearing was held regarding a grant application process through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs during a Sept. 17 Claypool Town Council meeting.

Mike Kleinpeter and Greg Beumer with Kleinpeter Consulting Group LLC attended the hearing. A second public hearing will take place during the council’s November meeting. Both Kleinpeter and Beumer told the council OCRA increased the amount of funding communities can receive for projects from $700,000 to $750,000.

Kleinpeter, Beumer and Council President Benny Stage Jr. emphasized the importance of residents providing input on the project, especially if they’ve experienced any wastewater issues. Residents can write letters and drop them off at the town barn. Photographs of any experienced issues will help as well.

The proposal for the project will be turned in to OCRA on Oct. 18, with the full application due on Dec. 20.

“The source of your matching funds is $200,000 is coming from the K21 Health Foundation grant, and then $2,159,000 from the State Revolving Fund Loan Program, and that could be a loan and grant combination,” said Beumer. “These OCRA grants are extremely competitive, and the one thing that we think puts a lot of our applications over the top is that we work hard to try to get public input … letters of support, comments at public hearings like this.”

Beumer said letters can also be submitted via e-mail and that they can also assist residents with transcribing comments.

Ben Adams, project manager at Commonwealth Engineers Inc., said the project is in three facets: work at the wastewater treatment facility to get it in compliance; infiltration and inflow reduction actions; and targeted stormwater improvements. Adams also noted the town is in an agreed order with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to get this project completed as soon as possible.

Chris Harrison, business development manager at Commonwealth, said he and Council Member Don Miller walked through the town together. They identified several issues within the community for both the sewer and stormwater systems.

During the regular council meeting, Kleinpeter and Beumer also discussed the importance of citizens filling out an income survey. This is one of the next steps necessary in the OCRA grant funding process. They told council the survey can be mailed out, or that they can go door-to-door if need be. Both Kleinpeter Consulting Group and Commonwealth said a previous income survey completed for the town may not work for OCRA’s needs.

Council approved moving forward with the completion of an income survey and encouraged residents to fill it out when they receive it.

In other business, council heard an update from Baker Tilly about a preliminary rate study for the town’s sewer project. With two different scenarios that were presented, Baker Tilly estimated there would be a 5% to 10% rate increase.

The council approved proceeding with available funding from the State Revolving Fund Loan Program for the project. Baker Tilly said a rate increase did not need to be approved at this point in time.

Council also:

• Approved trunk-or-treat from 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 31, along Main Street. Stage said several residents requested regular trick-or-treat hours alongside the trunk-or-treat event. He recommended trick-or-treat hours from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Both the aforementioned times were approved by council.
• Approved having Warsaw Community Schools’ Board Member Brad Johnson continue serving as a non-voting member on the Kosciusko Redevelopment Commission.
• Held a public hearing on the town’s 2025 budget, which will be approved in October.
• Approved a trash bin ordinance, with a $25 fine for the first offense and a $50 fine for any subsequent violations. The fines relate to residents removing their bins from the side of the roadway in a timely manner.

Claypool Council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15.