The Roanoke Town Council opened its meeting on Monday, July 2, just hours after power to the town - which had been out since Friday's thunderstorm - was restored.
Many thanks were expressed to the fire, street and police departments for their work during and after the storm that caused a blackout from Friday until about 3 p.m. Monday.
Karl Schulz, a resident of Seminary Street in Roanoke, expressed disappointment with the council's handling of the storm situation and communicating with townspeople.
"I would have thought that the elected board for the citizens of Roanoke should have been giving them information - letting them know what to plan for," Schulz said,
Schulz requested that lines of communication be developed between the town council and resource provider contacts for times of emergency. Council members discussed how that might be done, and Council President Troy Karshner said he would pursue the issue.
Councilman Dave Tucker recommended that Schulz and other concerned citizens include notes with their monthly bills to Indiana Michigan Power, saying that small-town elected officials have minimal sway in emergency situations.
"You're the bread and butter - everyone who pays for electricity," Tucker told Schulz.
Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chad Taylor said that town response to the outage went as well as he could expect, although he felt undermanned.
"We can't staff people at every downed line," he said. "We just can't."
Town Marshal Jim Wood said the police and fire departments were called on to participate in a search on Saturday evening. A 14-year-old was found by members of the fire department.
Despite finding their target, Wood said the department response in the future will be better.
"I've taken steps and it will never go down the way it did Saturday night," he said. "It'll be much more organized."
Decisions were made for the dispersal of funds totaling around $150,000 left to the town by the late Ervin Jerome "E.J." Richards, a long-time Roanoke resident. Council set aside $23,000 for the light project on 1st Street and agreed to distribute $53,500 to both the Roanoke Public Library and the Roanoke Park. The fund will retain $20,000 past Jan. 1, 2013 for tax purposes.
In other news, the council:
• Affirmed the cancellation of the Fourth of July 2012 fireworks. The fireworks have been rescheduled for Sunday, Sept. 9, in conjunction with the Roanoke Fall Festival.
• Appointed John Stoeckley, Troy Karshner and John Klingenberger to the TIFF district board. Two more appointees will be named in the coming weeks.
• Announced that Dave Tucker is now chairman of the Fall Festival.
• Scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, July 10, at 7 p.m. in the Roanoke Town Hall to discuss the 2013 budget.
