Milton town council met Tuesday, Jan. 9, with members Dwight Smith, Hugh Payne, council president Phillip Edwards and clerk Amy Smith present, along with several guests.
Old business
- Whitewater Canal sign has been installed on the old Milton school property.
- Stop signs have not yet been installed at Seminary and River due to location of gas lines.
- Two electronic speed signs have been ordered, but have not yet arrived
New business
Another update from Whitney Weidenbenner of RQAW regarding the current water project noted that recent addition of 40 feet had been reduced by 20 feet in another location, and the additional anticipated cost had been reduced by half as well.
Council approved the purchase of a new light that had been damaged during the removal of the two sycamore trees on the old school property.
Updated security system and installation was approved for the municipal building.
Extended office hours
Clerk-treasurer Amy Smith will offer extended hours at the municipal building monthly for the next three months on a trial basis.
Daily hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Extended hours* begin in February to coincide with the date utility bills are due.
Open until 6 p.m. as follows: Feb. 12-14; March 13-14; and April 10-12.
*This is a trial and is subject to stop if not sufficiently working.
Police report
Town marshal Tom Geiselman provided a metric report for the month of December.
He would like to put a standard operating procedure in place for reserves and begin providing a uniform allowance in 2025.
He has requested assistance for emergency and first responder supplies from area businesses.
He received a $250 quote to remove the old graphics from the Charger and replace them with graphics to match the Explorer.
He is still searching for updated car radios.
He would like to sell the Crown Vic and use the funds toward ammo and other supplies.
December report for the town of Milton only: Calls for service –16; Traffic stops – 40; Traffic citations — 5; Traffic Warnings — 35; Town ordinance violations — 5; Town ordinance violation warnings — 5.
Fire report
Scott ZeBelle of the Milton Volunteer Fire Dept. presented a run report for the month of December.
Broken glass, large rocks and a slingshot were found on the concrete apron at the fire station.
Township must file for a title before the unused fire truck can be sold.
Estimate for repairing/replacing the windows at the fire station has not yet been obtained.
The department needs a tarp for engine #4 plus a gated valve and hose, as well as newer AEDs, and the tanker truck has an air leak.
December fire runs were all medical: 12/19 – Indiana 1 & Lindsey Road 10:41 p.m.; 12/20 — Central Avenue 9:41 p.m.; 12/21 — Interstate Road 3:39 p.m.; 12/28 — Boyd Road 1:51 p.m.; 12/28 Hiser Station Road 8:52 p.m.
Total 2023 runs: 140
Parks committee
Parks committee was formed to include clerk’s assistant Heather Reese, former clerk Terry Craig, former council member Robert Simon and current council member Dwight Smith.
Committee will oversee planning of improvements at the school property (as part of the CreatINg Placces project) as well as a celebration of Milton’s 200th birthday, which is thought to be this year or next. Further research is needed to verify conflicting data.
Committee was formed to help coordinate multiple efforts. Fire dept. is also interested in helping with the town’s birthday celebration.
Dwight Smith has been in touch with a local printing company to see about purchasing commemorative T-shirts and/or souvenir cups directly through the printer, at no cost to the town.
Other
Newly elected council member Larry Harris resigned at the end of 2023 and the Democratic party chair has 30 days to appoint a replacement.
Muralist Pamela Bliss drove through town looking for a suitable building for the mural festival. It seems the texture of the post office exterior is unsuitable. Residents suggested a freestanding sign or wall instead of an actual building as an alternative.
Next heavy trash pickup is Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Next council workshop is Thursday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m.
Next regular council meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m.
Public is invited and welcome to attend both meetings. Contact the clerk to add your name to the agenda.
Sewer issues revisited
Dwight Smith suggested a bulk mailing of the sewer flyer in order to warn every resident regarding the importance of only flushing toilet paper and nothing else.
So-called flushable wipes and other such products cause damage to the pumps and sewer system.
Such products are engineered to be stronger than toilet paper and are therefore tougher on sewer systems.
That debris builds up in the pump and the buildup reduces the pump’s efficiency to chop up particles to a smaller size and then pump it all 4+ miles and up a 95-foot hill to Connersville.
Dwight Smith noted that Connersville recently announced a $23 million dollar project to upgrade their own sewer system and recommended the town contact Connersville for more information on how that will impact customers in Milton.
Dwight Smith said the sewer line should be inspected every six months and it would be a good time to clean the vent valves and pull the pumps for inspection as well.
Council will likely schedule an executive session with town employee(s) to set up a maintenance schedule and accountability system with follow-up reports.
Bills for repairing the sewer line between Milton and Connersville and pumping out the sewer during the repair process have not yet been received, but the cost may reach six figures.
The cost for failure to discontinue flushing these types of products could be passed on to every Milton homeowner.
A version of this article appeared in the January 17 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.