Issues resurface regarding Flora School
By Susan Scholl

Tom Weirick, who resides close to the old Flora School on East Main Street, wants to get discussions started again about tearing that structure down. He made that request at Monday night's meeting of the Flora Town Council.

He said it has become very dangerous and is structurally unsound. The bricks are coming off at the east end. Two of the big window units have fallen out, the town removed another, while five remain.

"We would like nothing better than to do something about this, but we've run into problems," said Josh Ayres, council president.

Weirick stated that it was his understanding that the town had Rainy Day funds available for this project.

Current Rainy Day funds ($75,000) will not cover the expense of removing the building, said councilman Roger Daugherty.

Previous removal estimates were estimated at a quarter of a million dollars. It is the town's understanding that they will need to hire an engineer at an additional expense to oversee demolition and clean-up to protect the condos in the back that are attached to the school.

Clerk-Treasurer Joretta Tinsman said the town may qualify for a Brownsfield Grant to remove the aspestos, but "that's minor compared to what needs to be done."

Daugherty reminded everyone that the town does not own the property. The previous owner deeded it to his sister, who has since died. It is now in her estate.

Tinsman said that there are back taxes to be paid on the property and the county has indicated that it would take the property for back taxes and then deed it to the town.

The condo owners (in the back) have not been willing to take over the atrium that is between two of the units, said Ayres. "There has been a lack of cooperation" between the town and condo owners which in the past has stymied decision making on the property.

Jack Cohee who owns Cohee Excavating at Camden expressed interest in helping the town through the process of tearing the building down. He said that he tore down two old schools in Frankfort and that there was not an engineer for either project. He believes the estimated costs are high.

All three council members expressed that they want to see the building torn down. They indicated that they will look into the matter again and talk to Frankfort officials about the need for an engineer and their costs.

In the meantime, the council approved Weirick's request that the area be treated as a safety zone. Town employees will put up construction fence at the east end of the school. Mold forces police department to relocate

Town Marshal Paul Redmon told officials that the time has come that something must be done with the police station.

"We have a mold problem and it's creating a bad, unhealthy environment," he said.

According to Redmon the problem was created because the air conditioning duct work was not installed properly.

"We have two options - repair the building or move," he said.

The question then becomes, "do we want to put money into that building?" It's going to take a lot to fix it."

The council instructed Redmon to move his department to the Fireside Room so that the building can be evaluated.

Redmon said he expects his department to be moved by the end of the week. The department will still utilize the garage area on Walnut Street.

Police phone numbers will remain the same.

Redmon's activity report for August included: seven arrests/misdemeanors, seven felonies, 13 citations, 26 warnings, two field investigations, 120 calls for service, three accidents, two consents, and two warrants served.

Other business

A hearing for the 2007 budget was held with no questions being asked from the public. The budget was adopted.

Resolution 2006-02 was adopted so that four funds with undesignated balances for 2006 be available for use in 2007.

Rules were suspended and two ordinances were passed on third reading. Ordinance 2006-06, Stopping, Standing and Parking, and Ordinance 2006-07, Regulating Dogs, Cats, Venomous and Non-Venomous Reptiles, will be advertised in the Comet and go into effect after that. Ayres suggested that residents, especially those with animals, read the ordinance that is also available at the town office.

Rules were also suspended and Ordinance 2006-08, regarding the salary ordinance, was passed on third reading. Following a recent audit by the State Board of Accounts, auditors determined that the Carroll Communities Recycling Cooperative employee was classified wrong. He should be a town employee. This does not affect his compensation. Auditors also requested that for conformity, the wastewater superintendent's title be changed to wastewater foreman.

The request by GPM Properties LLC (Greg and Pam Michael) to remove the $1,606 sewage lien on the old Van's County Breeze Inn property at the west edge of Flora was approved. GPM Properties is trying to purchase the property. The request was approved contingent on their purchase.

AMA Inc.'s bid of 2.5-cents per gallon for land application to empty the wastewater lagoons was approved. Cost will be approximately $25,000 for one million gallons. The other bidder was Merrell Brothers. The request for pond clean-up was from wastewater foreman Bill McCarty.

Flora Plan Commission issued permits in August to Lisa Kissinger for a new addition, to Jackson-Lee-Pearson for an alteration, and to Matthew Kennedy for fence.

Dove Flight 1 Helicopter will conduct night vision training at Flora Municipal Airport from sunset to 1 a.m. Sept. 13-20. The lights at the airport, including security lights and runway lights, will be off during this time so that the helicopter can practice landing with no lights. Airport president George Capitanio is securing verification from the FAA.

Flora Community Club's request to hang scarecrow decorations on light poles and other visible areas downtown was approved. The scarecrows will be put up in mid-September and taken down by Oct. 28.

The Scout Cabin at Flora Community Park is being painted by a community service worker.

Ayres reminded residents that if they wish to present matters of concern at a town council meeting, they need to call the town office and be put on the agenda.

Ayres also said that the town is considering a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol in the town's personnel policy. He said council members welcome community input and suggested alternatives.

Tinsman and Albaugh will be attending the Indiana Association of Cities & Towns Conference the end of the month in Indianapolis. Utilities manager Chuck Everett will attend the Indiana Municipal Electric Association Fall Conference Oct. 3-5 in Indianapolis.

The next regular meeting will be Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.