From: Ronald Ackman <rmackman@hotmail.com>
To: John Stanczak <jrstanczak@yahoo.com>
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I attended Mondays city council meeting and since there were no reporters there am furnishing a report for this website as I viewed the meeting. The Water Dept made a request for about a dozen new check valves to install on the house side of the meters. Seems it is state code and several have already been installed over the years. They prevent water from back flowing through the meter and possibly damaging a house by draining a water heater in case water service is cut off during repair to lines. They are about $700 apiece. This was requested in the BOW meeting. I missed the first part of the Boad Of Works meeting.

The council meeting saw bids reviewed and approved on 2 rehab jobs financed by the rehab grant somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 to 38k per house. The Lankford Drive Street was discussed as to who owns it and who is responsible for maintenance. Although not in the City’s name yet the city can claim it and maintain it according to Dick Vermillion, County Surveyor. Franklin Avenue north of Hwy 67 was discussed about being too narrow and too much parking on both sides including the highway due to the existing HR Block business being there and Councilman Carie requested parking be eliminated on the west side of the street and along the highway. The council seemed to agree and the City Attorney will prepare an ordinance. The Councilman said the street was muddy and with large chuck holes. I asked if it could be fixed with more gravel but was told it couldn’t since it would all wash down the hill.

I had an interesting discussion not part of the meeting with Matt Brough of the sewer department and was told the new treatment plant is working well and an open house will be scheduled when the sidewalks are done and there is some grass. The high volume recently was just a little over 1 million gallons and even though the designed capacity is right at 1 million it can actually handle up to 6 million gallons during an event; likely one or two days. It does this by releasing cleaned water at the same time new comes in, supposed to be all proper operation. They are not using the bacteria killing ultra violet lamps yet but will when the weather warms up.
He said the plant practically runs itself and other than some lab work daily leaves them free to do other sewage type work like on the lines.
Sludge will be collected and dried and spread on farmland.
They want to get a permit to allow it to be picked up and used by a permitted farmer. I asked if the extra dirt could be used as a levee to protect the city’s water wells. He liked the idea of protecting the wells with a 'berm' as he called it but said the dirt will be hauled by the city to a farmland filling project by an already made agreement.

There was no mention of the possibility of any 'stimulus' money benefiting the city. I noticed on the news later that the Elkhart Mayor made an unabashed statement on network news that he wanted some of the 'stimulus' money to come to his town. I know they lost a lot of jobs but I'll bet that Bicknell’s unemployment rate is as high as theirs and we have a much lower median income than they do.
My personal hope is that some money can come to at least pay down the 4.75 million for the sewage plant and possibly reduce the sewage bills giving Bicknell citizens more money to spend and create jobs that way. Washington Indiana is also making plans to use 'stimulus' money to help finance their planned sewage project.

The SIDC representative (grants) was at the meeting and if she shows up at the next meeting she should be asked about grants.
Ron Ackman

Monday, February 16, 2009
To: Bruce Borders; Tracy Woolbright
Subject: Bicknell
Dear Senator Hume and Representative Borders, I have made requests to both of you about financial aid to Bicknell for our just completed sewage treatment plant and the 4.75 million dollar loan the city took out to pay for it.
Thank you Tracy for your response, I do hope there may be some money for us as the high sewage and water costs are hurting our town a lot. The news this morning said there will be 200 million in the stimulus package that the states can do with as they please. I hope you will put us on the list.
Thank you,
Ron Ackman
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Ron,
I apologize for the delay; I was waiting for details on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that was signed into law this past Tuesday, the 17th. I have attached a fact sheet that will better explain what is available and what the process is for grants. Please let me know if you need any letters of support and I will do what I can. The Federal law will provide Indiana $94 million for fund wastewater infrastructure projects. I am not sure what will apply since the Bicknell project has already been completed. It seems like the grants are for planned projects. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Bruce Borders
State Representative – District 45