The following is from Alaister McFarren, Times-Union Correspondent
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Claypool Town Council, council members approved a new ordinance regarding fireworks.
According to Council President Liz Heiman, the town had received several complaints about the noise. Per Claypool resident Niki Miller, the fireworks had been ongoing every night since the Fourth of July.
The new ordinance prohibits the use of firecrackers or any other type of firework in Claypool town limits except for June 29 through July 9 from 5 p.m. until two hours after sunset. On July 4, fireworks will be permitted from 10 a.m. to midnight, and they will be allowed from 10 a.m. on Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. Jan. 1.
Fines for violating the new ordinance will be no less than $100 and no more than $500, the council added.
Alan Tio, chief executive officer of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, spoke to the council about some of KEDCO’s initiatives and how Claypool could partner with them going forward.
Tio mentioned three initiatives: housing, talent retainment and entrepreneurship. Of particular interest to the council was the housing.
“We’ve been assessing potential for housing development in local Kosciusko towns,” stated Tio. “A lot of the workforce in Kosciusko right now is working remotely, which means they’re not coming into our places of business and restaurants and spending their money. We want to develop attractive affordable housing in these smaller communities that encourages both business and further job retention.”
After Tio’s comments, council member Gene Warner mentioned 25 acres within Claypool town limits that, although had been picked as prime spots for development, had never gotten past initial talks.
Tio agreed to talk with the property’s owner so that they, KEDCO and the town could begin working on an arrangement.
The council also agreed that, after an administrative meeting, they would put in a request to the K21 Health Foundation for several items, including three bus shelters, a new tornado siren, blinkers before stop signs and a new pavilion top.
Last year, K21 committed $200,000 each to nine small towns in Kosciusko county. These funds were to be used toward projects that would assist with the health and wellness of the towns’ residents.
In other council business:
• Town Marshal Ben Sanders reported that 192 calls for service had been received during the month of July, using 231 reserve hours.
Sanders also reported that one of his reserve officers had resigned.
• The council will discuss the future of their contract with the fire department, which expires at the end of the year.
