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Town agrees to strategic planning effort for business growth downtown
by Julie Scher
Avilla’s town council agreed to pursue a planning grant from the state for a strategic plan for the downtown, at its meeting in May. The planning grant would be used to apply for a construction grant later. Up to $50,000 is available to the town.
Avilla’s Chamber of Commerce is also looking in to having a preliminary study done of the town and its business environment by Ball State University graduate students, for about $5-7,000.
The difference in the two studies is that the BSU study involves members of the community more, and tries to get input from everyone who cares to participate. The broad-based ideas are then matched with data to come up with a plan for improving the business environment of the town.
The strategic plan that the town wants to pursue, is done by a professional company for $50,000 and doesn’t involve much community input by citizens.
Avilla’s Economic Development Corp. asked the town to apply for the state planning grant as part of its efforts to attract new businesses.
“It’s time to move forward and get a plan for the town. When the strategic plan is done, we can apply for a construction grant to fix up the downtown with new sidewalks, lights and building fronts,” said Ley.
Bill Krock Jr. made the motion to apply for the grant, and the vote was 3-0 in favor.
Avilla town council learned that there was about $300,000 left over from bonds that built the new sanitary sewer in town, and that that money may be used to fix streets torn up during the project, including Main Street and Ley Street.
“Residents have been patient during the sewer project, and we need to fix the streets,” said Paul Shepherd, council president.
The town’s street fund has $125,000 in it this year, but the budget is not yet approved by the state because there is no assessed valuation.
The town will purchase a new police car for $14,350 to replace an old one.
Bill Ley, town manager, reported that the new power line for the town should be operational in May. There will be no loss of power in town when the new Miner Rd. substation goes online.
Ley also reported that the first new housing permit of the year was issued in April.
Some of the town’s factories have asked if the town can test their sewer water and give the results to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Town attorney Steve Hagen worried that if the results were wrong, would the state and the factories hold the town accountable for the wrong results.
Ley said the town is finding “things in our (sewer) plant that’s not good” and when they checked with factories about testing, the request was made.
The town will check into the idea more and report at the next meeting.
The town’s streets have a lot of sand on them this spring because the town ran out of salt last year for snow and ice and had to use sand.
The town’s street sweeper can’t sweep it up. So the town hired a company for $70 to sweep the salt and other winter debris off town streets this spring. The sweeping was done this week.
Ley reported that since the sanitary sewer system was rebuilt it was hoped that storm water entering the sanitary sewer system would decrease significantly. But there’s still too much storm water entering the system, and Ley’s not sure why. He suggested smoking the system again to try and find leaks. Cost is $1500 per day.
“I thought all of our sewers were separated now,” Ley said.
Water leaks on Main and Lillian Streets have been hard to locate, and Ley suggested the town buy a new leak detector for $2-3,000. The old detector appears to be faulty.
Someone left an outdoor water spigot open on a home on Fischer St. and the homeowner asked that his sewer bill be adjusted, since that water didn’t go down his sanitary sewer. About 5,000 gallons were lost.
Council agreed to prorate his sewer bill.
Nancy Fischer, clerk-treasurer, wants to host a meeting in the community building for local towns to come and ask questions about state funding from state officials. By having state officials come here, it will save town employees travel time.
Phil Puckett, council member, said he will be at the Avilla park pavillion on Monday, May 5, from 7-7:30 p.m. to answer resident’s questions and concerns, or to just talk. He’d like to meet people there monthly, if people will come.
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