Rensselaer Adventures

This blog reports events and interesting tidbits from Rensselaer, Indiana and the surrounding area.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Second June City Council meeting

The Rensselaer City Council met Monday night. Its first item on the agenda was signing a contract with KIRPSE to administer a downtown planning grant that the City recently received. The KIRPSE portion is $4000; another $40450 will go to the architect and the Council authorized the Mayor to sign that. The reason for this grant is explained here.

John Julien from Umbaugh, the City's financial advisor, updated the Council on what is happening with the project to connect the new well with the water treatment plant. I did not understand some of what he was saying, but he did say that he thought the project might be ready to be bid out this fall. He also mentioned that when the bonds for the Watt substation are sold, the City could refinance the bonds of 2010 that were used for the 69K line. The refinancing should save the City about $150K; interest rates are lower now than when the bonds were issued. It was noted that dirt is being moved for the substation. (I need to get out there an take a picture.)

A representative from IMPA then explained that the City had signed a contract earlier in which it agreed that IMPA would own the metering equipment of the Watt substation. Because this substation does not add any new territory and does not increase the load but only insures reliability, neither NIPSCO or IMPA will contribute funds to it. The part of the bid that was tabled at the last meeting was then approved.

The Project Coordinator, Jerry Lockridge, requested permission to get a quote for a new street sweeper. He noted that the current machine is a 1999 model and it has issues. The money needed is available in various funds. The estimated cost will be $200K.

Kevin Cochran, the Cemetery Superintendent, asked the Council to approve resealing the road and parking lot in the newest part of Weston Cemetery, that is north of Bunkum Road. The cost will be $6100. He also asked for permission to get quotes on a small excavator. He said that digging graves with the backhoe almost always requires that they move stones. A small excavator would be able to move among the markers more easily. It was also noted that other departments could on occasion use this equipment. Council approved both.

The Gas Department Superintendent, Carol Lockridge, announced that the department had received a new tractor and it was working out well. She also said that the department had ordered a new welding unit.

Stace Pickering, who is on the Park Board, informed the Council that they would soon see fundraising for park improvements.

I do not have a picture that fits any of the above, but I did notice on Wednesday that more barricades are shutting roads and parking lots at SJC.
I do not know why there is still a car in this lot west of Halleck Center. Both entrances are barricaded.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That Jeep Liberty has been there since may of 2016. The parking pass in the front window and the plates expired then as well.


I used to work there and we had to plow snow around it last winter. From what I had been told, the college has in in contact with the owners, but they do not wish to respond or move it so I guess it will become a fixture.