The North Judson Town Board members formally awarded the trash bid to Richard’s Disposal at their meeting this week. The Board is now accepting bids for cemetery mowing and those bids are due into the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office by Noon on April 2nd.
The Building Inspector is working with the Unsafe Building Authority to make a list of all of the deteriorated properties in town. Two properties that qualify as unsafe have been identified so far and certified letters will be sent to those property owners as a notice to clean up their property. If the properties are not cleaned up within a certain amount of time, the town will step in and get it done. A lien will be placed against the property for payment of services rendered.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Ralph T. Cummins, Wendy Hoppe, and Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac
Bad news for the Starke County Fireworks: the town of North Judson will be unable to provide monetary support for the event. According to Henry, the board contacted the State Board of Accounts and were told there are a significant number of conditions that must be met, including the adoption of a town ordinance indicating what any fundraisers would support. Ultimately, the board decided that they will be unable to provide the support.
A new banner will fly above the Highland Cemetery in North Judson, informing passersby that the cleanup of decorations should be completed by April 15 in order for the mowing crew to mow the cemetery without the risk of damaging any decorations. Previously, the town would only put advertisements in local media such as newspapers and radio, but the banner will help inform the public of the deadline to remove decorations.
The individual to handle the mowing of the cemetery is still unknown, as the man who previously handled the mowing has told the board that he will be unable to keep the same cost as last year to handle the mowing due to rising fuel costs. As a result, the town board must receive sealed bids for the mowing and decide to whom to award the bid.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Ralph T. Cummins, Wendy Hoppe, and Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac
North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry told WKVI that three sealed bids to handle the town’s trash service were opened at the recent town board meeting. Key Waste – Indiana Partnership, Veoloia, and Richard’s Disposal submitted bids, with Key Waste’s bid being the lowest at $77,310 for the year. Henry says the town attorney will review the bids, and upon her approval, the bid will be awarded at the next town meeting on March 19th.
The North Judson Town Board will accept trash bids for town refuse pick-up until March 5th at Noon. The bids will be opened that evening during the Board’s regular meeting and taken under advisement. If all of the paperwork is in order, the Board will award the trash bid during their regular meeting on March 19th.
Four new policies were approved by the North Judson Town Board at their recent meeting. The Board approved a key control policy, a tobacco policy, safety policy and vehicle use policy. They will be dissected by the Department Heads and communicated with all employees. The policies will be filed with the Employee Handbook.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Tim Cummins, Wendy Hoppe and Jane Ellen Felchuk, and Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac
The North Judson Town Board discussed increasing the number of members on the Board to five.
Town Board member, Tim Cummins, recently met with a representative from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and he has agreed to meet with the Board to explore the option. A public meeting will be held to discuss the procedure which includes meeting with the Starke County Election Board to include a referendum in an election year to give the voters a chance to determine the future of the Board.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Tim Cummins, Wendy Hoppe and Jane Ellen Felchuk, and Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by North Judson Photographer Peggy Bohac
North Judson Town Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said she received notification that the Town’s budget has been approved and no cuts were ordered.
The Town Board this week discussed the terms of members on the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission and the Unsafe Hearing Authority. The members discussed staggering the terms so members with knowledge can help new ones entering into a term. Currently, all terms are up at once and when new members are elected to a board, there is a learning curve and the Town Board feels that if the terms were staggered, some experienced members could help the inductees and have smoother transition.
No decisions were made during the meeting and the information was taken under advisement.
North Judson Park Board President Bob Kolanowski told the Town Board this week that a new park caretaker has been hired. Jon Harrison was hired after six applicants were interviewed. Jon Harrison takes over the position from James Harrison, his father, who passed away last year. He worked with his father at the Park before and has the experience necessary to fulfill the caretaker’s duties.
The Board also held a discussion about increasing the Board to five members. The board, which numbers three, talked about what is required for that increase to take place. No decision was made during Monday night’s meeting.
The Board also approved a special event permit form.
The North Judson Town Board reviewed the paperwork that will be published concerning the trash bids. The Board will be accepting bids in the next couple of months.
The Board tabled a resolution from the U.S. Bicycle Route #35 organization. The resolution asks that the town maintain a route for bicycles that will be connected to the Erie Trail in North Judson. The resolution was tabled because the Board thought the proposed route was unclear. The project would not cost the Town of North Judson anything.
The North Judson Town Board commended the officers with the Police Department and the firemen with the North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department for their coordinated efforts in the events surrounding Spc. Robert Tauteris Jr.’s funeral at the Braman and Bailey Funeral Home in North Judson on Sunday.
The North Judson Town Board made several appointments at their meeting this week.
The Board appointed Marshall Horstmann as the Town Superintendent. Horstmann replaces Dan Anderson who had been the Town Superintendent for the past several years. The Board also appointed Anthony Benson as the Building Inspector, a position that had been held by Steve Ransom for a number of years.
The North Judson Town Board discussed trash bids at their meeting last week. The Board has not yet appointed a Town Attorney so the legal information regarding the trash bids can not be processed until an Attorney is appointed. The Board will make that appointment at their January 16th meeting.
The North Judson Town Board reorganized during the Board’s regular meeting on Monday night. Wendy Hoppe was elected Board President.
The Board appointed Wendy Hoppe to the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board and Rich Akers was reappointed to the Park Board. The Board has many other appointments and re-appointments to make including the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission, Town Superintendent, Town Attorney, Building Inspector, Solid Waste Board, Emergency Board, and the Railroad Board.
North Judson Town Marshal, Doug Vessely, presented the North Judson Town Board with a Use and Mandatory Wear Policy, regarding the use of body armor.
The policy outlines the need for officers to wear protective vests during their time on duty and in times of high-risk and/or tactical situations. Tactical situations may include search warrant executions, drug raids, initial crime scene response and serving felony warrants. All officers working in police-related secondary positions must also wear protective vests.
The North Judson Town Board members approved the release of the third and final payment for the State Road 39 sewer separation project in the amount of $25,017. The Board also approved the release of the retainer money for $30,541. The retainer will be paid in full once the project has been cleared by the state.
The North Judson Town Board approved the fire protection contract with Wayne Township at a price of $23,000, which is the same price paid in 2011. Two installments of $11,500 are paid to the Township a year for the service.
Mark Knebel from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum told the Board that 6,280 people rode the trains this year. Since 2006, 22,452 have traveled on the Museum’s tourist trains. He said they were sold out on all Santa trains this year and had riders from Michigan and from the western part of Chicago.
The North Judson Town Board decided to reject all trash bids they received for the 2012 contract proposal and will rebid the contract.
Attorney Cassie Hine told the Board that financial statements, equipment lists, and a notice of general liability insurance of at least $3 million were not included in the two bids that were received. The bidding process will be re-advertised with a clarification of what paperwork will need to be completed in the complete bid packet. The bid deadline will be at Noon CT on Monday, February 6th.
Park caretaker Jim Harrison passed away recently, and the North Judson Town Board took a portion of their meeting to express condolences to his family. North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller described Harrison as a very dedicated and dependable employee to the county who will be sorely missed.
Walter Block presented the North Judson Town Board with information from a contractor’s union representative regarding procedures, violations and training for confined spaces.
Garland Rose had provided him with this information in regards to the recent incident in which a utility employee hung by his feet off a backhoe to remove a root ball that clogged a sewer line at American Oak. The employee of the department volunteered to be strapped to a strap by his feet suspended by a backhoe and he was lowered approximately 16 inches into a four-and-a-half foot manhole to retrieve the root ball. The employee successfully retrieved the obstruction within a matter of seconds and no injuries were reported.
North Judson Town Board President Dan Anderson, a Democrat, is running against Republican Tim Cummins for a seat on the Board in the November 8th election.
Anderson lives in North Judson, where he is also the Town Superintendent. He has been involved with waste water utilities for 23 years and law enforcement for 10 years. He is a father of four, and grandfather of three.
