After the approval of July’s regular meeting and an additional special meeting, the Jasper City Council met for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting, which takes place in the City Hall Chambers on the third Wednesday of the month, commencing at 5:30PM EST.
Tim Doersam, the Water and Gas Utility Manager, who recently just celebrated 30 years with the City, provided progress updates on various ongoing projects and provided reminders on upcoming developments this Utility is set to work on. Water lines are currently being placed along Portersville Road, to eventually provide Wastewater Treatment Service to those Northwest of Jasper. Doersam’s department is also planning for the eventual removal of an underground gas line in the vicinity of the “Y” intersection of Jasper, near 6th and Bartley Streets. There will also be plans to start looking at utility lines underneath Mill Street before the proposed repaving and widening project beginning next year.
Ashley Keifer, the Utilities Office Manager, who has been with the City for 18 years now, gave a more numerical breakdown of progress that the department has seen over the past few years. Most notably, the department is celebrating the push to online utility payments using credit/debit cards. They have reported that 20% of all utility customers who pay their bills have made the switch to pay their bills completely online, providing the Utility Office Staff more time to work on other projects in lieu of processing payments in person. Keifer is hopeful for a 2025 launch of a city-wide smart meter portal system for all utility customers to monitor their utility usage and make payments with.
A reminder was issued that the Jasper Utility Office is always willing to work with city residents on establishing a payment plan if they ever fall behind on making payments to the department. Those who may need assistance or access to other resources are urged to contact the Utility Office for further information.
Also on the agenda:
Ordinance No. 2024-10 was read and approved for its second and third/final readings, to which this ordinance annexes and declares the property listed as TRS Subdivision, (near University Drive at VUJ’s campus) as part of the City of Jasper, IN, and assigns it to Jasper Common Council District 4N.
Ordinance No. 2024-11 was read and approved on the first reading, to which this ordinance calls for the rezoning of the parcel commonly known as 520 S 400 W, Jasper, Indiana from RR (Rural Residential) to A1(Agriculture General). Property listed under Daryl and Jennifer Kluemper.
Mayor Vonderheide shared with the Council the great success of the Buffalo Trace Driving Range, and that over 6,000 baskets of varying sizes have been purchased for the public to use at the facility. Mayor Vonderheide then shared his disappointment with the misuse of the said purchasing feature, as some residents are purchasing products meant to be recycled at the facility, and instead leaving the facility with the golf balls in tow. The Mayor also relayed the acts of vandalism that have taken place at the Buffalo Trace Driving Range, and that to remedy all of these frustrations, The City is working on installing security measures for around-the-clock surveillance.
The Jasper Common Council convenes again on September 18th, 2024.
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