In a meeting that lasted just over 10 minutes, the Mentone town council approved the ordinance petitioned by Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation during its January meeting (see related). The board opted during January’s meeting to table the signing of the ordinance until the February’s meeting in order to give Josh Shepard, of the street department, and his crew time to go out and inspect the area for underground utility wires. The inspection was successful and the ordinance was approved.
Council President Tim Croy thanked Shepard for his work plowing the streets, and noted that though some residents have voiced displeasure that their parking spaces had not been plowed, roadways come first, “People need to understand that the guys’ main thing when we have snow is to open the driving lanes. Parking on the side of the road comes after that. They are not required to do those. If people are patient, they will get to those.” In response, Shepard selflessly stated, “I’ve got some good helpers.”
The council also approved a request by Shepard to trade in his current 66-inch grapple bucket for a new 72-inch replacement at a cost of $1,200. Shepard noted that the current grapple bucket is nearly 10 years old. The council also approved a request by Town Marshal Jim Eads to send a couple members of his department to an instructor development course put on by the Shipshewana Police Department at a cost of $70 per person.
The council approved a request for Deputy Terry Engstrand to travel to Virginia Beach, Va., from March 9-13 for national interdiction training. The trip will be fully funded by the prosecutor’s office at no cost to the town of Mentone.