Mooresville Council won’t pursue water purchase

MOORESVILLE – The Mooresville Town Council voted Tuesday not to pursue the water company purchase and discussed the reasons why. The jury trial between the council members and Indiana American Water ended with a value and selling price of $20.3 million. This was more than twice what the town had estimated its value to be. The council had a year to decide if they wanted to accept the price. But council president Mark Mathis said he felt the best course of action would be to end the acquisition process.

Councilman Tony Langley, who had made a presentation to the public on why the town should purchase its water system, said he agreed. He said the original concern the council members had was that IAWC intended to put Mooresville into a higher rate tier to help pay for infrastructure improvements in other towns and cities. This followed a significant rate increase – especially for industries that were heavy water users.

But Langley and Mathis said after a lot of consideration by the council, members thought the price was too high to be advantageous to ratepayers in Mooresville. Their goal, after all, was to keep rates as low as possible.

“I don’t mind paying for water if the improvements are made here in Mooresville,” Langley said. “But IAWC officials have made a commitment to leave us in the lower tier until they make bigger investments in our water system.”

Council members approved two resolutions for additional appropriations. One is $19,000 for the police department’s general/miscellaneous budget. The second is for $4,339.50 to the motor vehicle highway fund, Clerk-treasurer Sandra Perry said the funds will probably be moved to capital outlays.

A waste water appropriation was approved by town council members for $13,750 and is targeted for the TOA USA expansion project and waste water permit application.

Two bids were heard for a forced main sewer line under White Lick Creek and east of Ind. 67. One was from J.P. Excavating for $46,965, and the other was from JDH Contractors for $62,448.20. Since the bids were so far apart in value, street superintendent Dave Moore asked that the issue be tabled until he corrected some things and had both plans rebid by the companies. The council approved the extra time Moore needed for this.

A resolution to adopt the fees for document copies was approved, and the councilmen also accepted the claims of $258,180.72.

Council member Virginia Perry had questions for the councilmen on the 911 dispatch center and wondered if talks were still continuing after the town council voted to keep their own 911 dispatch.

“The conversations are continuing, but there’s been little to no resolution,” Mathis said. “We’ve discussed this with three people, and I hope that the 911 commission will leave most of our equipment in Mooresville. I’m just one person in five.”

Perry said she would like the council to study policies in allowing certain groups to use the Mooresville Town Government Center. She was particularly concerned about a non-denominational church meeting there and wondered if councilmen thought this would be an infringement of religion on local government. Mathis said groups don’t rent the government center – it is made available to them with reservations to civic organizations and clubs. Early voting is taking place in the Lions Den. That is the name for the meeting hall, kitchen and dining area where the Lions Club meets.

Mathis said that from now on, residents could make comments and ask questions of councilmen toward the end of the meeting so they would know what to speak on and what answers they wanted.

The government center is at 4 E. Harrison St., Mooresville. You can call for assistance at 317-831-1608.

by Amy Hillenburg | Reporter | Published October, 23rd 2014 in The Reporter Times