Cathy May, Contributing Writer

The Osgood Town Board held an organizational meeting on January 8. Jeff Volz was re-elected as president of the board. All current superintendents and Interim Marshal Grover Powers will be retained for another year. The board appointed itself to be the Board of Finance and the Board of Public Works and Safety.

Resolution 2008-1, Resolution 2008-2 and contracts were presented. These are resolutions and contracts for fire protection between the Town of Osgood, Osgood Fire Department and the Center Township trustee. These all remained the same as last year.

The town board retained the service of Jeanne DeBurger for cleaning the town hall and community center at a rate of $125 per week. Resolution 2008-4 and contract for legal services was presented. The town board retained Mary Ann Gay’s services at a rate of $150 per hour and retainer fees.

Tammy Wilhoit will serve as voting member of the Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission until December 31, 2008. The clerk-treasurer signed Conflict of Interest statements that will be sent to the State Board of Accounts and the clerk of Ripley Circuit Court.

The state and county rate for mileage is 40 cents per mile. The town’s mileage rate will reflect the same. Hazen Paper is in compliance with the Real Estate and Personal Property tax abatements. Hazen Paper’s Statement of Benefits was approved. Ordinance 2008-1 was approved, which combines all of the town’s gas utility ordinances into one ordinance.

Jeff Volz was appointed to the Ripley County Economic Development Board as Osgood’s representative on a temporary basis until someone else can take that position.

Steve Wilhoit, gas superintendent, gave a year-end review of the gas utility. He addressed council about a utility conflict behind the Damm Theatre. The board agreed with the superintendent’s decision on not letting the electric service cross the town’s utilities. The area is already congested with other utility lines.

Employees will be allowed to carry over a maximum of three PTO (paid time off) days to the next year if they are unused by December 31 (this includes the PTO that may have been left over from 2007).
Resolution 2008-5 was presented. It is a resolution adopting a policy regarding the Town of Osgood Gas Utility Department Operations. (The Gas Utility Superintendent has the authority to purchase gas utility equipment, the gas and to “hedge” purchases of gas if the majority of the members of the gas purchasing coalition agree to the “hedge” prices, and to establish the monthly “gas tracker” and “gas cost adjustment” factors to be applied to the current Gas Utility Rates and Charges in order to ensure the customer the lowest possible gas utility rates while maintaining the necessary cash reserves for gas utility line extensions, repairs and maintenance.) At any time if the superintendent does not feel comfortable with this resolution, it will be changed.

All three town board members were in attendance: Jeff Volz, Linda Krinop and Gary Norman. Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Wilhoit and Attorney Mary Ann Gay were present to advise the board.