Hello,
Here is the latest from the town council meeting on 7/7/10.
The IURC approved the purchase of GEM utilities but did not approve the financing. The commission, which consists of a few new persons, made the decision that a private utility owner can not sell a utility for more than what they themselves actually have invested. Meaning that there is no allowance for increased value including any portion donated to the utility by a developer. We are still looking into how they can make that determination. This statement will deter anyone from ever starting a utility in a rural area and put Indiana back about 100 yrs since it will force the state to allow well and septic systems.
We passed a water conservation ordinance that follows Indy water guidelines. This will come into play only during times of drought. The mayor of Indy can call for a water emergency and Indianapolis' water ordinance and ours comes into play restricting water of lawns, washing cars, etc until the emergency is lifted. It has been almost 30 yrs since we had a drought that required this so they are few and far between. Indy had asked all municipalities they serve to adopt some type of rules.
We also adopted a couple of changes to the large vehicle parking ordinance providing for an increasing scale of fines for future violations and the ability for the town to tow a vehicle after the 4Th offense. Large commercial/construction vehicles parked on the town streets become a safety hazard with decreased visibility around them. If residents are aware of vehicles like this being left for more than 24 hrs they should contact the town.
IN DOT has informed the town that the US40/Washington street project is 90 days behind schedule due to the rainy June. (my personal opinion is that it is due equally to the fact that the crews float from project to project day to day).
The Pennsy trail project is moving along and the two bridges are being built in the factory and will hopefully be shipped to us soon.
I have over 50 persons in the email distribution list for the farmers market and one thing I can tell everyone is that if there is something you need at the market get there early. There was a large amount of produce at this past Saturdays market and by 10:30 am it was almost all gone. If you would like to be on the email list for the eNewsletter just reply to this email and I will add you to the list.
That is about all from this past week. More in the future.
Joe Siefker
Cumberland town council.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
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.
Dist5
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.
Dist5
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Aliens
What is it about ILLEGAL that our government does not get. There are laws on the books that make entering this country with out permission ILLEGAL, yet the feds will not enforce it. Enter Arizona, they pass a state law so thay can deal with all of the issues that come with illegal's by trying to cut the problem off before it gets worse and everyone, including someone else's elected leaders, are lambasting them for it. Illegals cost our country A LOT of money every year. Medical, education, food, housing, tax refunds, etc.
I wonder if anyone knows that in Mexico it is Illegal to enter their country, Illegal to work there with out a visa and even if you move there and buy a business you CAN NOT work in your own shop if a native mexican is qualified and available to work there. You go to prison, Mexican prison, no tv's, lounge chairs, computers, steak dinners like our prisons if you break these laws.
WOW, maybe we should all leave, become citizens of mexico then sneak back here. We would have it made.
I wonder if anyone knows that in Mexico it is Illegal to enter their country, Illegal to work there with out a visa and even if you move there and buy a business you CAN NOT work in your own shop if a native mexican is qualified and available to work there. You go to prison, Mexican prison, no tv's, lounge chairs, computers, steak dinners like our prisons if you break these laws.
WOW, maybe we should all leave, become citizens of mexico then sneak back here. We would have it made.
Friday, April 23, 2010
health care underhaul
Soooooo. The great health care overhaul is going to actually cost more money not save it. That must be what the great and powerful Pelosi was talking about when she said vote for it and we will see what is in it. Pay no attention to the idiot behind the curtain. Who would have thought they were lying to us.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tax Freedom Day
The National Tax Freedom day is approaching fast. No I am not talking about the April 15th deadline for filing your personal income tax return. I am not talking about the day that taxes will be abolished (none of us will live long enough to see that day). I am talking about the day that the average taxpayer quits working for the federal, state and local government. The average tax payer will work until April 9th before you have earned enough to pay you annual tax obligations. After the 9th you can finally use your hard earned dollars to pay for your personal expenses and then maybe save a penny or two for the proverbial rainy day. The reality is that we pay more in taxes than we spend on food, clothing and shelter (Per the March 2010 Tax Foundation Special Report).
These calculations do not take into consideration the current year's deficit. If the federal government were to try and collect enough tax revenue to offset the deficit, it would extend Tax Freedom day to May 17 (another 38 days).
The Tax Freedom day takes into consideration all taxes paid at the federal, state and local level. The average American in 2010 works a little over 99 days to pay for taxes:
· 32 days to pay federal, state and local income tax
· 25 days to pay for social insurance taxes
· 15 days for sales and excise taxes
· 12 days to cover property taxes
· 8 days for corporate taxes (taxes passed onto consumers)
· 6 days to cover miscellaneous other taxes
· 12 hours for estate and gift taxes
Happy day for us. Wait until next year when they raise our taxes to pay for the trillions they are short last year and this. Tax freedom day will be later for sure.
These calculations do not take into consideration the current year's deficit. If the federal government were to try and collect enough tax revenue to offset the deficit, it would extend Tax Freedom day to May 17 (another 38 days).
The Tax Freedom day takes into consideration all taxes paid at the federal, state and local level. The average American in 2010 works a little over 99 days to pay for taxes:
· 32 days to pay federal, state and local income tax
· 25 days to pay for social insurance taxes
· 15 days for sales and excise taxes
· 12 days to cover property taxes
· 8 days for corporate taxes (taxes passed onto consumers)
· 6 days to cover miscellaneous other taxes
· 12 hours for estate and gift taxes
Happy day for us. Wait until next year when they raise our taxes to pay for the trillions they are short last year and this. Tax freedom day will be later for sure.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Health bill
here is the crap that the dems have put in the health bill. registered sex offenders get free viagra from the us govt. this tid bit is from the senate on 3/24 where the GOP was trying to get this kind of crap out.
By 57-42, Democrats rejected an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., barring federal purchases of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs for sex offenders. Coburn said it would save millions, while Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., called it "a crass political stunt."
Isn't nice to know that thesocialist regime in this country is willing to help sex offenders get it up so they can attack our children.
By 57-42, Democrats rejected an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., barring federal purchases of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs for sex offenders. Coburn said it would save millions, while Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., called it "a crass political stunt."
Isn't nice to know that thesocialist regime in this country is willing to help sex offenders get it up so they can attack our children.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Town and council news 3/3/10
Hello,
Hope all is well with everyone. Some news from the town and town council meeting last night.
It has been a while but we have introduced an ordinance prohibiting the parking of semi-tractors and or trailers, utility trailers, large commercial vehicles, etc on town streets. This will take effect at the next meeting if it is voted in by the council. It is a safety hazard to have large vehicles like this parked and left on the streets. Private citizen driveways are not covered by the ordinance and allowances are made for construction vehicles parked at a house during work. It basically restrict vehicles with a payload of over 2000lbs. and trailers.
The town is also looking at a water emergency ordinance at the request of Indianapolis water to cover the town in case of a severe drought. We are currently evaluating ordinances from a few other towns surrounding Indy and will be working on our own plan.
We have allowed the town manager to hire a temp assistant who can help manage some of the smaller projects in the town due to the large projects we have going (us40, sewer interceptor, pennsy trail, buck creek trail, etc as well as the other local boards the town requires him to be on). It will likely be for a 2 yr period.
Also the town clerk is interviewing for a billing clerk position. Persons interested can send a resume to the town clerk/treasurers office (Grace Heck) by 3/8/10. The qualification for the position include an accounting background, computer knowledge including excel and be a town resident.
Myself and a few residents are still trying to get the sanitary sewer board to look into changing the rates back to where they were more than a year ago in regards to the usage calculations. Last year the town council president (who is also pres of the sanitary board by town ordinance) asked for a committee to be set up (I felt this was a waste of time) then to work with the financial consultant. It has not yet happened and now with a new council president comes a new sanitary board president it has started over again.
We have passed a ordinance to start working towards a town court. The Judge will have to be elected during the next town elections (2011) and we are working on the whole structure of the court from hours, days, rules, etc. This will enable the town to be more efficient and actually retain more of the fees collected from fines and tickets. As it stands right now most of the money collected from a fine goes to either Marion or Hancock county courts and we see only about 5% and have to pay officers to take time to go to court in Indy or Greenfield.
Ted Brindle was at the meeting to remind everyone of the airshow which will be the 11-13 June at Mt Comfort airport.
Hope all is well with everyone. Some news from the town and town council meeting last night.
It has been a while but we have introduced an ordinance prohibiting the parking of semi-tractors and or trailers, utility trailers, large commercial vehicles, etc on town streets. This will take effect at the next meeting if it is voted in by the council. It is a safety hazard to have large vehicles like this parked and left on the streets. Private citizen driveways are not covered by the ordinance and allowances are made for construction vehicles parked at a house during work. It basically restrict vehicles with a payload of over 2000lbs. and trailers.
The town is also looking at a water emergency ordinance at the request of Indianapolis water to cover the town in case of a severe drought. We are currently evaluating ordinances from a few other towns surrounding Indy and will be working on our own plan.
We have allowed the town manager to hire a temp assistant who can help manage some of the smaller projects in the town due to the large projects we have going (us40, sewer interceptor, pennsy trail, buck creek trail, etc as well as the other local boards the town requires him to be on). It will likely be for a 2 yr period.
Also the town clerk is interviewing for a billing clerk position. Persons interested can send a resume to the town clerk/treasurers office (Grace Heck) by 3/8/10. The qualification for the position include an accounting background, computer knowledge including excel and be a town resident.
Myself and a few residents are still trying to get the sanitary sewer board to look into changing the rates back to where they were more than a year ago in regards to the usage calculations. Last year the town council president (who is also pres of the sanitary board by town ordinance) asked for a committee to be set up (I felt this was a waste of time) then to work with the financial consultant. It has not yet happened and now with a new council president comes a new sanitary board president it has started over again.
We have passed a ordinance to start working towards a town court. The Judge will have to be elected during the next town elections (2011) and we are working on the whole structure of the court from hours, days, rules, etc. This will enable the town to be more efficient and actually retain more of the fees collected from fines and tickets. As it stands right now most of the money collected from a fine goes to either Marion or Hancock county courts and we see only about 5% and have to pay officers to take time to go to court in Indy or Greenfield.
Ted Brindle was at the meeting to remind everyone of the airshow which will be the 11-13 June at Mt Comfort airport.
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