City Council meeting 10-10-2-16

Monday's City Council meeting had a short agenda. The meeting got off to an unusual start as Marcia Smith-Wood, who gave the invocation, decided that audience participation was a good idea.

The Council approved a resolution to adopt software that the Treasurer's office is already using and that the Utility Office is still testing. The gas tracker for October will be a two cents increase per hundred cubic feet. A number of offices had transfers of funds approved, one for the amount of $6.88. The Council ratified a phone vote approving Positive Pay, which is a fraud detection service offered by banks.

There were discussions and votes on benefits offered to employees, and in most cases these were the same as those offered last year. At its previous meeting the Council discussed a planning grant but never determined the amount that they would seek. At this meeting they approved a grant proposal for $44450 of which the City would bear $4000.

Maybe the biggest news of the evening was that Trace Bowles, Manager of Operations for the electric utility, will be leaving before the end of the month. After the meeting I learned that he will be joining the electric utility of Lebanon, IN and will be working in their engineering department.

Mr Larson said that the linemen had removed several trees in downtown Rensselaer and seven in the cemetery. The trees in the cemetery are ash trees that have been attacked by the emerald ash borer.

In roof news, the power plant will have roofing work begin on October 24 and the gas department has had some patching done.

The high rate treatment plant on Lincoln Street is about 40% complete and scheduled for another big concrete pour on Tuesday. Street repairs have begun with some preparatory work. Mainstreet Rensselaer thanked the City for help with the new Welcome sign near I-65 and at OktoberFest. Finally, the Rensselaer Urban Forest Council will be getting some state recognition for their work.