Burlington wants van to transport seniors
By Susan Scholl Editor

Local resident Alice Pelfrey requested the Town of Burlington's support if a grant can be secured to purchase a van to provide transportation services to the town's senior citizens. She made the request at last week's meeting of the town council.

She explained that the town did have a van that was provided through the Carroll County Council on Aging but lost the van because the CCCA said there were not enough calls for transportation to warrant keeping a van in Burlington.

Pelfrey said the CCCA must still provide county-wide transportation service, but it is difficult to schedule the van now."

"It would be much simpler if we had a van in Burlington to help out with our seniors," she said.

Pelfrey explained that Area IV Agency on Aging and Community Action Programs and Midland Meals are both willing to help the town secure a grant to purchase a van.

Council president Stan Moore said he had talked to CCCA director Jeff Sieber and that Sieber assured him that transportation service is available to Burlington, but it takes planning because all the vans are being used.

"This is something we can look into," said Moore. He indicated the town is willing to discuss funding, insurance and liability issues with the van proponents.

Pelfrey said she has already secured 17 volunteer drivers.

A town-wide community forum will be held April 28 at 7 p.m. in the park community building. Burlington Township Trustee Al Jackson said the purpose of the forum is to get all the organizations in the town and township to come together to express their goals and concerns.

"We need to try to get into a supporting mode for each other and work together to make the community stronger," he said.

The April 28 forum will be an organizational meeting to set ground rules and expectations and assign "homework" to each group. The entire process should take three meetings, explained Jackson.

Ruth Johnson said that she is interested in forming a Burlington Business Association and wants to know what merchants' needs are.

"Burlington has to support Burlington," she said.

Moore agreed. "I'm begging people to buy what they can in town before shopping out-oftown," he said. "We have to think about shopping Burlington first."

Town Marshal Jill Hammond asked the council to implement a $5 fee for title checks. She said the county sheriffs department is charging a $5 fee and other departments throughout the county are considering doing the same. The money collected for the title checks will go into a continuing education fund for local police.

Park superintendent Mike Mann reported that the park board has decided to eliminate all woodcutting in the park woods. The new policy is due to live trees being cut without permission.

Mann also complimented the Junior League for all they accomplished at their recent park clean-up day.

Community Club representative Steve Michael said that the club is working to have decorations up throughout the town this Christmas season. The club also wants to put Christmas lights in the park. Fundraisers will be held to help with expenses.

Moore said the log jam west of the bridge on SR 29 could cause problems at the sewage plant with anticipate spring rains. Town officials have discussed the problem with the Department of Natural Resources, Emergency Management, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and State Senator Brandt Hershman.

Town officials want to hold town-wide spring and fall clean-up days where community members volunteer their time to clean-up the town and help the elderly. Any individual or group interested in heading the project should contact the town office.

Another workday at the sewage treatment plant will be held in early to mid-May.

The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 13,