The North Judson Town Board is looking to the future as they approved a resolution to encumber some money from their paving funds over into the 2013 budget.
Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that in order to save money from a 2012 fund to be used in 2013, the board must encumber the funds, which requires the board to have a proposal and a contract with the vendor. The vendor must guarantee that the price will be the same when the time comes to perform the service, usually in the spring.
The North Judson Town Board approved a number of purchase orders for new equipment for the utility department. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained the board approved purchases to replace worn-out tools and other equipment, and they approved the purchase of a set of heavy-duty backhoe forks. Henry said the forks can be mounted on the front bucket of the backhoe to allow it to lift items, making it easy to unload pipes, fire hydrants, or other heavy items that may need hauled.
The North Judson Town Board will soon grow in size from three members to five, and Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said the board yesterday announced the two people who will fill those new seats.
Henry explained Josh Brown and Justin Davis, both younger members of the community, will represent the town on the board.
During an executive session held earlier this week by the North Judson Town Board, the board members reviewed eight qualified candidates for the two soon-to-be-open seats on the board. Since the public question on the General Election ballot as to whether or not the town board should expand to five members passed overwhelmingly, Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said the board must now choose two candidates to fill the two new seats on the board.
The town of North Judson is working on a number of projects, but Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said they have just wrapped up the leaf pickup for the town. She said the crew made several sweeps of the town in November to make sure they picked up all loose leaves, and now they’re moving on to other items.
Henry explained the town is now working on fire contracts as they currently have bi-annual agreements with two other townships for fire run coverage. She said the fire department has an annual agreement with Wayne Township to send firetrucks out in response to calls, and they also have contracts with Jackson Township in Starke County and Rich Grove Township in Pulaski County.
The North Judson Town Board this week adopted their new salary ordinance upon its third reading, and the ordinance will soon go to the local newspaper for publication. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained the board also held the third reading of the zoning variance request by Osborne Realty, a business wishing to move their real estate office into a single-family residential building.
The Board of Zoning Appeals during their October meeting approved the business’s request, and the town board is now passing an ordinance to confirm the variance. The building will soon be rezoned to general business.
The town of North Judson has met the ever-nearing deadline for the drafting of an ADA compliance plan. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that ADA Coordinator Doug Vessely presented the final draft of the ADA plan that he had developed, with details about what improvements have been made and what work must still be done.
Henry explained that the plan is basically finalized, and just in time – the deadline of Dec. 31 was getting a little too close for comfort.
The North Judson Town Board this week discussed a number of ordinances, including the cemetery rules and regulations ordinance that had previously been reviewed by Town Attorney Cassandra Hein.
Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that the board had approved a number of small changes to the ordinance as per Hein’s recommendations, and added a section to the ordinance as well. The first and second readings will be held at their next meeting on Dec. 3.
The North Judson Town Board is continuing their efforts to enact a number of ordinances relating to the town. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that they read the first and second readings of several ordinances, and they are planning to hold the first and second readings of another ordinance at their next meeting.
The North Judson Town Council is reviewing their redistricting ordinance. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said they are required to review their voting districts after each 10-year census, and if the census indicates that the town’s population changed by a significant percent, they are required to perform redistricting of district boundaries.
Fortunately, Henry said their population changed only minimally, so they weren’t required to do the actual redistricting. However, the council still has to enact an ordinance stating that they are not performing the redistricting, so that ordinance has been passed to Town Attorney Cassandra Hine for review.
After sifting through 40 applications and narrowing it down step by step, North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said the town board has filled the vacant part-time clerical position.
Henry explained that Cheryl Tellman will split her time between the two offices, but will spend the majority of her time in the clerk-treasurer’s office. The employee will be trained in both departments, and will be cross-trained on the billing side to allow the Tellman to substitute for the billing clerk during vacations. Henry says this employee will be similar to a floating employee between the two departments, but will concentrate on the clerk-treasurer’s side.
The town of North Judson will soon be reading a number of new ordinances, including those regulating the town’s cemeteries and animals.
Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that they will be performing the third reading of the cemetery rules and regulations ordinance, which had previously been passed along to Town Attorney Cassandra Hine for review. Henry said that Hine will make a number of minor revisions to the language and return it at the next meeting, when it will be read for the third and likely put into place.
The public question presented to voters in North Judson was approved by more than 78 percent. Only 129 voters said no to the question of whether or not the town board should be increased to five members, while 480 voters voted in favor of the change.
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely is staying on top of efforts to bring the town up to ADA-compliance codes, and he said he just has a few intersections to look at as far as handicapped accessibility, but besides that, Vessely said everything else is just about up to snuff.
He said he has plans to install a few more handicapped ramps at a number of intersections, as well as permanent handicapped parking spaces at the civic center and community building. On top of that, he said there are plans to improve handicapped access to the parks for those in wheelchairs. Vessely said he has also already added some braille signage to restrooms in the community building.
The town of North Judson is continuing their efforts to update the rules and regulations for town cemeteries, having passed the first and second readings of an ordinance updating those policies. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained the board will hold the third reading of the ordinance at their next meeting on Nov. 5, and the policy changes will take effect around Nov. 15.
A new position has opened up for the town of North Judson. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that they held the third reading of an amendment to the town’s salary ordinance, authorizing the addition of a part-time clerical employee for the clerk’s and billing offices. The board adopted the amendment, and Henry said they will soon be taking applications.
Henry explained that the part-time employee would split his or her time between the two offices, but will spend the majority of his or her time in the clerk-treasurer’s office. The employee will be trained in both departments, and will be cross-trained on the billing side to allow the employee to substitute for the billing clerk during vacations. Henry says this employee will be similar to a floating employee between the two departments, but will concentrate on the clerk-treasurer’s side.
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely was recently appointed as the town’s coordinator for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that the town must now review their municipal buildings and sidewalks to ensure they are ADA-compliant, because if they aren’t, the town will be unable to receive federal grants.
Henry explained that the town will be required to draft a plan to become compliant with ADA requirements, and then they will have to implement that plan as soon as possible. The deadline for a plan to be developed and submitted is Dec. 31, and any municipality that does not have their ADA plan implemented soon thereafter will be disqualified from receiving federal funds. As ADA coordinator, Vessely will work closely with Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann to ensure they meet the requirements.
Horstmann is also staying busy, having scheduled a water tower inspection for both towers this month. Both the tower on the west side of North Judson and the tower downtown will be inspected Sept. 19.
The North Judson Town Board last week held their first and second readings of an amendment to the 2012 salary ordinance. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry says the amendment allows for the addition of a part-time clerical position in both the clerk-treasurer’s office and the billing office.
Henry explained that the part-time employee would split his or her time between the two offices, but will spend the majority of his or her time in the clerk-treasurer’s office. The employee will be trained in both departments, and will be cross-trained on the billing side to allow the employee to substitute for the billing clerk during vacations. Henry says this employee will be similar to a floating employee between the two departments, but will concentrate on the clerk-treasurer’s side.
Rules and regulations may soon be changed at cemeteries in North Judson, as the town council is reviewing a proposed ordinance from the Cemetery Regulations Committee.
Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry says the committee was appointed a few months ago and charged with the task of reviewing the current cemetery ordinance and its rules and regulations to determine if any changes are needed to the policies. The committee looked at the current ordinance and compared it to templates of cemetery rules and regulations, and have made a number of changes that they feel would best suit the cemetery and the town.
The Starke County Commissioners this week corrected a mix-up from years past, as North Judson Town Board President Wendy Hoppe requested their assistance in transferring two parcels of land back to the town.
Hoppe explained that several years ago a building on Lane Street had been demolished, and the county assisted the town in clearing the debris; however, the property which had been split into two parcels was supposed to be deeded to the town, but instead, was deeded to the county. She says that issue was supposed to be straightened out long ago, but it was never corrected.
