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Markle town employees get raise in new $2.5 million budget

Along with a new $2.5 million budget, employees of the Town of Markle are getting a raise, approved by councilmen during the Town Council meeting held Wednesday, Sept. 18.

No one came forward during a public hearing on the budget. The budget estimated total for 2020 is $2,471,466, with three funds that had changes this year;

• The General Fund will decrease 15.34 percent to $984,300, with maximum estimated funds to be raised at $358,242 and a current tax levy of $423,142.

• The Park Board Fund’s budget estimate will increase 66.02 percent to $40,000, with maximum estimated funds to be raised at $39,834 and a current tax levy of $23,994.

• The Cumulative Capital Development Fund will increase 20.28 percent to $26,000, maximum estimated funds to be raised at $10,351 and a current tax levy of $8,606.

The vote to adopt the new budget is set for the council’s next regular meeting, on Oct. 16.

In a special meeting held July 9, Councilman Matthew Doss recommended giving some town employees a salary increase to bring them up to par with those in surrounding communities.

Ordinance 2019-3, whi-ch will increase police department salaries by 4 percent, and 3 percent for the remainder of town employees, was adopted unanimously. Doss said the increase didn’t necessarily reward those on the payroll, but acknowledges their competence and pays them at “market standard.”

“We have some really great employees that work for the Town of Markle. They do a really great job,” Doss said. “We have a large number of certified people that work for this town … I don’t think we’re in fear of losing them, but we also don’t want them looking elsewhere. I think this helps. I think this acknowledges what they give us but still provides stewardship for the people of Markle.”

No one came forward on another public hearing on Ordinance 2019-5, held on the voluntary annexation ordinance of three Novae parcels. All of the parcels are less than 3 acres each and are contiguous to the town.

Along with the ordinance, Resolution 2019-8, a resolution concerning the fiscal plan in support of the annexation, was also read. The resolution states the town will provide police protection, fire protection, trash collection and recycling as well as street lighting, road maintenance, water, sanitary sewer and stormwater drainage services to the properties, once they are annexed into the town.

The ordinance and resolution will come up for a vote of adoption at the town’s Oct. 16 meeting.
Superintendent Rick Asher said the town is in need of a dumpsite, especially now that the Huntington Landfill has closed.

Asher said the town has some property on Scott Street, totaling about 1.7 acres, that is located on the east side of the Brethren church. The property is approximately 70 feet wide and could potentially be used as a dumpsite.

“We’re not sure where the property line is, but it shows the town owns it. It goes from Scott Street down to (U.S.) 224,” he said, adding the church is using part of the property as a parking lot.

He recommended the town get a survey to find out the exact boundary lines. That request was approved by consensus.

The dumpsite would be used for material that has been excavated, such as rock, dirt and underground pipe work, Town Council President Mark Hamilton said.

“We need to get rid of all that rubble somehow,” he said. “After the Huntington Landfill closed, now we have to truck it a lot farther to get rid of it and it costs a lot of money, like a thousand dollars a load.”

The site would be closed to public use and reserved for the town’s use only, said Town Assistant Mike Grant.

On another matter, Asher said the town will be flushing out about 85 fire hydrants throughout the town during the week of Sept. 30.

The town council also confirmed upcoming trick-or-treat hours. They will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.