Town news 5/5/10

Here's the latest from the town council.

The police report that they have apprehended a couple of criminals who had pawned some stuff they stole from break ins. The police department is going to be getting a new, quicker reporting system that monitors what pawn shops take in by the serial number of the item. Be sure to make a list of everything valuable in your homes with make, model and serial number and put the list somewhere hidden.
Two Cumberland officers received special victim rights awards. Roger Wagoner won from the police dept itself and Officer Jimmy Laws won from the US District ATTY's office.
The Pennsy trail in moving along quickly. it had been almost completely cleared from the town to 600w. They will be installing a bring over Carroll rd and over buck creek and we will have a ground breaking ceremony at 10am on June 19Th at the trail head at Carroll and Warehouse st. I looked at the project last week and I think it is going to be a very nice trail for the citizens of Cumberland.
We will be looking at the contract with United water (they operate our sewer plant) as it will be up at the end of 2010. I am hoping for a reduction as it is, and has been, the largest single budget item for the utility. We are hoping that with GEM coming into the town that their employees can be cross trained to run our plant reducing the need for outside services.
If you received your tax bill a few of you may have noticed that it went up a bit. I am told that even though the town decreased our budget and the tax cap went down to its next level that we were hit with school debt issues and that the buck creek Twp portion of the town actually had a net assessed valuation decrease. I have not heard from anyone who had theirs go up but some might have. We will be working on next years budget soon and I have asked for more cuts with the exception of the police department. The towns main function should be safety then roads and infrastructure then on and on down the line.
The storm sewer board is having a meeting next Tues at 7pm at the town if you have any issues to bring up. The town council president is also the chair of this board.
No new news from the us 40 project. If you pass along there you can see the changes daily. Also please be aware that the speed limit is 30 on us40 in town and I think INDOT is planning to leave it at that or maybe 35 but not likely back up to 40 or 45.
The farmers market is now open on Sat mornings so if you have a chance stop by and pick up some fresh items. And don't forget the open house for the comprehensive plan on Sat May 15Th from 8-12. I will be there working it so stop by.
Joe Siefker
Cumberland town council.
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