LAPEL — To help its chances of receiving an Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) matching grant, Lapel will raise its contribution from $160,000 to $250,000, using an additional $90,000 loan from a sewer fund.
“We put more money in so we could get more points (in the OCRA scoring system),” town council president Deb Wainscott said.
The town is hoping to receive a $600,000 grant to rehabilitate the Ford Street well, make improvements to an elevated water tank and replace asbestos water lines.
The town has twice failed to receive the OCRA grant.
Town leaders met in a required second public hearing prior to last week’s Lapel Town Council meeting and voted to increase the amount of contribution from the town.
In a separate sewer- related issue that will not be covered in the OCRA grant, the town discussed continued problems occurring at the 300 South lift station.
Pumps have been clogged by strange items in the system, including string mop heads and painter’s rags.
Wainscott said the town has paid $13,000 for pump repairs.
Wainscott and town council members said they believe the lift station’s pumps might be getting damaged by an employee.
A camera set up to record anyone who might be putting items into the pump didn’t work because it was covered up.
Councilman Tom Marvel said he was informed by utility workers that they believe a member of the utility department, or someone with access to the keys, is putting the objects in.
“They said the likelihood of how the materials are getting in there just doesn’t make sense,” Marvel said. “They said it is almost like someone that has keys to it is causing the damage. This is the fourth time I have voted on a pump since I’ve been on the board, and I’ve been on the board for 16 months.
“I would like to come up with some key-lock box to come check out the keys.”
The council voted unanimously to now require a key, which must be signed out, in a secured lock box at the town hall.
INDOT reimbursement
The town will bid out repairs for County Road 650 South. The town initially will pay for the cost of repairs but will be reimbursed by Indiana Department of Transportation.
The road was damaged because it was part of a detour for another INDOT project.
Getting a head start
Chad Blake is getting an earlier start than expected as a member of the Lapel town council.
Elected to one of three at-large seats earlier this month for a term that will start in January, Blake was appointed and sworn in to fill out the term councilman Tony Pearson, who recently resigned.
Thursday’s meeting was Blake’s first as a town council member.
Pearson was the town council vice-president. Town council president Deb Wainscott nominated council member Tom Marvel to act as vice-president for the remainder of 2019 until the new council can pick officers at the start of the year.
Ambulance to be ordered
Lapel Stony Creek Township Fire Territory plans to order a new ambulance the next few weeks.
Marvel, a member of the department, said the hope is to take delivery of the vehicle by March.
In July, the council approved a request from attorney John Reeder, representing the fire department, seeking a loan of up to $300,000 to purchase a new ambulance.
