LAPEL — Lapel has agreed to pay several thousand dollars to clean a well, and town leaders plan to look into another water issue — complaints of discolored water.
Water department issues, the hiring of a new law firm to represent the town and golf cart use were some of the topics discussed at a recent town council meeting.
The council agreed to spend $16,000 for the first phase of a well-cleaning project on the Ford Street well, with work to be done by Peerless Midwest Inc.
The work includes cleaning the well casing and the pump, town officials said.
The council then agreed to approve spending up to an additional $12,610 for parts to repair the pump, but those costs will depend on the outcome of the cleaning work.
In an unrelated water issue, there appears to be a problem with the look of the town’s water.
Town leaders said complaints of discolored water have come in from residents throughout Lapel, which has its own water utility.
They said the water is regularly tested and is safe to use and drink, but they also said they plan to find out what’s at the root of the complaints.
Clerk-Treasurer Dennis Molina said he would contact the water department to ask staff to investigate the issue and report back to council.
Since the meeting, an outside company has verified the water quality is good but said there seems to be an issue with the filtration system, which the town is looking into.
In other town business:
• Voted hire the firm of Graham, Regnier, Farrer & Wilson, RC out of Elwood to represent Lapel in legal matters.
Current attorney Bill Byer, who has worked for the town since 1990, is moving on to a Madison County position and is no longer able to represent Lapel.
The new firm has agreed to charge the same rate as Byer did this year, and then re-negotiated pay for 2019.
The town paid Byer & Byer, $4,600 per year plus $200 per hour for any additional work.
Council officials interviewed two firms for the job, but felt Graham, Regnier, Farrer & Wilson would best meet the town’s growing needs.
• Discussed the use of golf carts.
With the warm weather, more and more people are riding in golf carts and taking chances with their safety.
The town council instructed Lapel Police Chief Kelly Naselroad to enforce the golf cart laws and make sure seat belt laws are being followed by people in golf carts.
• Reminded residents about plans by a railroad company to bring four rail passenger cars and a locomotive into town this month to be unloaded and trucked to Atlanta in Hamilton County.
Part of the work includes closing some area streets to get the cars and locomotive unloaded.
Council approved the request to close Ninth Street between John to Woodward streets during the project, which could last a few weeks.
As part of the work, the contractor working on the project was expected to trim low hanging limbs on trees along Ninth Street and will take down the four-way flasher at Ninth and Main streets to allow the nearly 18-foot tall cargo to leave town once it is unloaded.