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While guests to the Downtown Jasper Square were enjoying another edition of Shop n’ Sip, the Jasper City Council met upstairs in the Jasper City Hall for their normally scheduled monthly meeting last night.

Stan Seifert, the Manager of the Jasper Electric Utility, gave a Departmental update to the Council. He stated the Department has a current total of 18 workers who do various jobs, including overhead linework for the City. Seifert is currently looking to cross-train more of his staff, as they prepare for more life-long retirees to leave them as soon as next year. The Electric Department is happy to report that the current Country Club Estates project is nearing completion, as they prepare to begin work on North and South Main Street coming in August. They are expecting to soon be moving poles on Northwood Avenue, and because of common disturbances to their overhead lines – such as squirrels and trees – the department is continuing their efforts to install underground electrical lines when able. When checking the already-installed underground lines, the Electric Department has been utilizing new mapping and locator tools to better help them manage their resources. They hope to compile their information into detailed digital maps, and list them online for ease of access to the public. The Jasper Electric Department plans to run fiber internet cable underground to all of the Electric Substations in city limits, and to all existing water towers to act as security for their multiple facilities. Seifert concluded his Electric Department report with plans to eventually move out of the current location of 8th and Anderson Street, as the Department – and its equipment – continue to grow.

Ed Hollinden, Manager of the Jasper Wastewater Department, also was invited to present his Departmental update to the Council. Hollinden delivered the news that the plans for a Northside Wastewater Treatment Plant were not ranked with a high enough score to qualify for Indiana State Funding at this time. The project is still being developed, and other arrangements for financing will be reviewed. Jasper Wastewater has been replacing multiple pieces of equipment over the past year, while also removing unused underground gas storage tanks that they aged to be close to 30 years old. They plan to replace roofs on three of their buildings in the next year, and are continuing to fill three previously vacant positions on their staff. They currently have 20 employees on staff. The Wastewater Department is looking into adding more automation to their current operations, and when asked about the recent flooding on the Northside of Jasper, Hollinden did not report any issues, only that the kind of circumstances are “not normal” for that portion of Jasper. 

Other business from the July 2024 Jasper City Council meeting included:

  • Whitney Lubbers’ update on Dubois County Tourism, to which she provided the Council with the 2022 Visit Dubois County Report Card of yearly successes for the organization. 
  • An ordinance to transfer appropriations for the fiscal year of 2024 was passed and adopted. This then developed into a resolution that would allow the use of the allocated Community Crossings Grants received by Jasper to be put toward milling and paving projects, as well as street rehabilitation projects, to which the City passed and adopted this as well.
  • An ordinance to expand the corporate limits of the City of Jasper into a subdivision – called Timber Ridge Estates IV Subdivision – was approved by the Council. This would territory would be added to the current District of “4N” to which Councilmember Vince Helming currently represents. 
  • The second and final reading of the ordinance to add the Northridge Subdivision into the corporate limits of the City of Jasper was approved.
  • An ordinance approving a financial loan between the Gas and Water Department was passed and adopted, that which authorizes a loan for the Backup Water Supply Project and the Mill Street Water Main Replacement.
  • The Jasper Council opted to take part in a state-wide Opioid Litigation Trial related to the retail giant: The Kroger Company. If the case is won, the City of Jasper stands to gain financial compensation.

The next scheduled meeting of the Jasper City Council is set for Wednesday, August 21st, 2024, at 5:30 PM EST. Each meeting is open for the public to attend.