Not wanting to be ineligible for thousands of dollars in grants, Centerville’s town council has approved a 1% food and beverage tax.
At its March 31 workshop, council voted 5-0 to implement the cent-per-dollar tax on prepared food and beverages. It could start May 1, pending Indiana Department of Revenue processing.
Councilor Josh Tudor acknowledged struggling with increasing taxes, but was more concerned about exclusion from grant opportunities without the enacted tax. He said that decision could cost the community much more than the tax.
Council President Dan Wandersee noted some revenue would come from travelers or other Wayne County residents, and Centerville residents who eat in Richmond are already contributing to its new food/beverage tax.
Wandersee noted a potential significant grant opportunity he’ll learn about later this month that would require the town to collect the food/beverage tax.
It’s unclear how much revenue Centerville might collect from approximately 10 brick-and-mortar eateries plus festival vendors.
State lawmakers’ property tax reform will soon result in less revenue for town expenses. Wandersee said food/beverage taxes would be used to “keep the same quality of life and maybe make it better.”
The new tax must be spent on Centerville’s projects in Wayne County’s strategic plan: downtown beautification, maintaining current or developing new parks, and very narrow uses linked to housing expansion.
Trash
Council supported asking residents their preferences for trash totes ranging from 16 to 96 gallons. It noted single seniors might want smaller containers than large families. The survey will be sent in future utility bills.
All residential customers now pay the same trash rate, but monthly cost might vary based on tote size.
When buying Centerville’s last trash truck, council favored workers lifting residents’ cans, but after learning the town could reduce workers’ compensation claims through a truck that lifts totes, they’re seriously exploring that vehicle style.
Electrical
Centerville will pay Indiana Municipal Power Agency $143,500 to replace two existing three-phase transformer banks feeding Warm Glow Candle Company’s factory. IMPA officials say current transformer connections are exposed and pose serious safety and security risks. Underground facilities will be installed.
In other business
- Council agreed to $18,835.67 in repairs to a storm-damaged bucket truck while awaiting insurance assistance. Otherwise, Centerville would hire IMPA for repairs, resulting in longer outages and higher costs. A new truck would cost more than 10 times the repair.
- Town Manager Kevin Slick submitted a federal grant request for Centerville Youth League lights for $86,202. Slick said LED lights would save Centerville about $7,000 per year in energy costs.
- Council voted to renew insurance for property, cyberliability, crime and other needs. Some premiums will increase about 20%. Council agreed to raise its cyberliability deductible from $2,500 to $10,000, nearly $5,000 in premiums. Council might adjust some deductibles later for more savings. Town officials will take advantage of free services to reduce cyber vulnerabilities.
- Council approved a $2,150 sidewalk repair in the 200 block of School Street.
- Council’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at 220 E. Main St. The public is invited.
A version of this article appeared in the April 8 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.