Guidelines for brush pick-up were reviewed with the North Webster Town Council at its Tuesday evening meeting by Utilities Manager Mike Noe, Severn Trent Services.

Noe presented a potential door hanger that outlined town policy and told the board, “I want us to be sure we are all on the same page and you will back me up.”

Some of the points touched on were piles should not be huge, but a reasonable size for pick up. If necessary, more than one pile of brush should be made. A single cutting from bushes and trees should be no more than 6 inches in diameter and no longer than 10 feet in length.

Harvesting of vast amounts of plant material will not be picked up. Landscape maintenance contractors should remove the brush and lawn clippings they create as part of their services. This does not necessarily apply to neighborhood kids cutting grass.

No dimensional lumber will be picked up. An example of this is two by fours. Only town residents brush will be picked up. People who do not live in town cannot add to piles of town residents. Council members agreed the guidelines are reasonable.

Other utility department issues dominated the meeting. Council approved the low bid from Burnworth-Zollars Ford, Ligonier, for a new pickup truck. It will be fitted with a new snowplow from W.A. Jones & Son, Columbia City.

The bid for a 2015 four-wheel drive was $33,7555. Other, higher bids were submitted by Rice Ford, Warsaw, and Kerlin Ford, Silver Lake. “I tried to get the bids to be apples to apples,” Noe explained. Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce confirmed to the council funds had been allocated in three years of budgets to purchase the truck. The plow will bring the total cost to $40,607.35 and have a quick connect feature.

Council also gave the go ahead for $1,100 be spent on a new air valve system for station A in the wastewater plant. It has needed replacement for several years. Noe was given permission to price trench boxes for hole digging. The town received an 100 percent rating from the Indiana Wastewater Association inspection happening the same day as the meeting.

Amy M. Miller, Cornerstone Grants Management, Indianapolis, was brought in by Rick Pharis, Triad Engineering Associates, to explain to the council about the need for continued gathering of information to apply for the grant to help finance the state required revamp of the town’s wastewater system.

A mandatory income survey was undertaken between March 10 and April 16. There are currently 1,186 households in the North Webster town limits. Of these, 290 households responded. Because of the 5 percent margin of error calculated in the responses by the grantor, it is necessary to receive 108 additional surveys back. Approximately 400 will be mailed to those who have not answered. It will cost $531 to the town. Luce agreed to work with Cornerstone to complete this project and the council approved.

Police Chief Greg Church reported the police car involved in an accident with a small dog was quickly and well repaired by Carriage Shoppe, North Webster. The dog owner’s insurance covered the $5,400 cost. “And, the dog is fine. We’re not sure why, but it is,” added Church.

North Webster Police Department answered 239 calls of service in July. They included 31 being traffic related, 20 citizen assists, 14 agency assists and 13 alcohol related. Officers served 650 hours, drove 4,091 miles and used 334.8 gallons of fuel.

Budget hearings have been set for 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21. The hearings will take place during regular council meetings at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St.