Cloverdale council has involved dump truck convo

CLOVERDALE — While it was made to be a serious consideration, whether to replace a broken-down dump truck was an involved one in Cloverdale on Tuesday.

The lengthy discussion had by the Cloverdale Town Council at its regular meeting began as Town Manager Jason Hartman reported that said dump truck has been at a repair shop for three weeks. He as such brought quotes for a repair as well as one for a potential replacement.

Hartman commenting that it is a “needed piece of equipment,” as it is used to haul dirt and stone, as well as a snowplow, was the crux.

But then it came to Council Vice President Brice Howell initially for the repair, while Councilman Larry Fidler, noting that the dump truck is 17 years old, was for replacing it. “Deleting” the truck and fixing it, Fidler argued, was more than what it is worth.

Hartman related that comparable functional trucks sell in the market for $15,000-$17,000. He otherwise provided one replacement option being gas and the other diesel, the latter of which would cost $81,300.

“If there’s funds available where the town can move it, absolutely, it’s gonna cost money to fix it,” Howell said. “But you’re gonna have to fix it right to make it worth what it’s worth.”

With councilmen Greg Jay and Scott Stierwalt agreeing with a replacement also, there was agreement that the diesel was the necessary option.

Clerk-Treasurer Kelly Maners reported that almost all of the town’s water depreciation fund is spoken for with its water projects. Meanwhile, potential supplemental LIT income could cover one-fourth of the truck. Meanwhile, a bank lease would mean payments with interest.

“A dealer is gonna, maybe, give you $7,500 for it,” Howell said as to selling or trading in the truck.

Council President Brandon Tancak went to line up the discussion, though Howell characterized the current truck as a “boat anchor” without the repair. Said repair, though, was set at maybe $10,000, so it went out of the question.

“Knowing that we didn’t wanna have to buy an $80,000 payment in this year,” Tancak asked, “can we go without the truck until next year, so that we can budget appropriately for this?”

Hartman responded as to it being a regularly used vehicle, saying that it is “a necessary piece” and just take the risk.

Though he stipulated that the diesel truck was “about as fair as you can get,” Howell and company agreed for Hartman to find additional quotes.

“Give us the entire kitchen,” Tancak said ultimately but humorously, with the council agreeing that it revisit the issue next month.

In other business:

• HWC Engineering’s Eric Smith provided brief updates on the town’s ongoing water projects.

As to the water extension crossing Interstate 70, Smith reported that two of six easements have been acquired, while a permit from the state should come in a month. Bids for the project can then go out.

Having gone back out to bid, Smith also relayed a new reduced scope for the town’s stormwater improvements being determined, with a new quote that came under budget but hit the priorities.

Those priorities include Stardust Hills, Market Street the market block and the downstream portion of Doe Creek, as well as full-depth patching on Stardust Way. The bid came in at $745,000, below the $750,000 threshold.

“Basically, the areas that we took out are still gonna have service, because they drain to areas that are still in the project,” Smith said.

As to the town’s receiving wastewater from Lieber State Recreation Area, Smith said that the force main from there to the town is three-quarters installed. Meanwhile, the state is looking to add additional manholes at the park, as the sewer lining is being determined.

• The council approved a request by Town Marshal Adam Hull to purchase ammunition. More of it is being bought than usual, owing to three Cloverdale officers going through the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.

• With the town not having one since at least 2020, the council approved a quote for a service agreement to maintain the town’s generators. Relatedly, the council also approved a quote for $9,200 to repair one with a bad automatic transfer switch.

• With two received, Tancak, Howell and Jay volunteered to score letters of intent from consultants regarding the town’s purchasing and installing new regulatory signs (stop signs, speed limit signs, etc.).

The town was awarded $550,000 from the Indiana Department of Transportation toward the project, which is to not take place until next year.

• Waiving the second reading, the council passed Ordinance 2024-5 to establish a fund to hold police asset forfeiture which the town is to receive. Maners explained that as a Cloverdale officer assisted on a drug incident, the Indiana State Police is sharing a cut.

“In my 20 years, I’ve never seen another department share forfeiture money,” Hull said about the $10,500 to go into the fund. “So we applaud them as well.”

• The council approved giving the easement to a water building for a mural to be painted on. The mural will be under the purview of the Putnam County Mural Project, while the building is adjacent to Cloverdale Elementary School.

To an insistent query from Town Attorney Richard Shagley, Tancak said the town will have no say-so with the mural’s content. However, Howell provided that artists must follow criteria as to murals not being political or otherwise controversial.

“Everything they’ve done, it looks good,” Tancak commented about the murals which have been painted before now.

• The council approved a renewal of the town’s annual contract with EAS Technology Consultants for IT services. Maners noted that the cost went from $13,900 to $15,600.

• The council approved a three-year renewal of the town’s Meraki firewall license for its server.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale Town Council is set for Tuesday, June 11 at 7 p.m. at the Cloverdale Town Hall.