The Ferdinand Town Council met Tuesday and:

• Voted to extend the local emergency declared by executive order last week. See the story here.

• Heard a concern from a citizen about local manufacturers still requiring workers to attend work. She said she struggles to understand how cabinet manufacturing is essential business and said she believes the continued operation is a danger to the community. She said she doesn’t think the community is recognizing how serious COVID-19 is. Sicard explained that the companies must prove to the State of Indiana that they are an essential business to remain open during the stay-at-home order and that the town follows the state on those issues.

• Heard that the electric department redid poles near the senior center to allow for easier access.

• Heard that the consumer confidence report for the water department is ready and will be sent out to customers.

• Heard that there is still a wastewater issue on Fifth Street near Scenic Hills at the Monastery that is being addressed.

• Heard that the April park board meeting has been canceled.

• Heard that playground equipment at the parks is closed because the coronavirus can spread over playground equipment. The rest of the parks remain open.

• Head that Town Manager Chris James sits in on daily COVID-19 conference calls with the Dubois County Health Department and other agencies.

• Heard that the town is still waiting for the three regulators to complete the electric infrastructure upgrades. They made it through manufacture and are undergoing testing at this time.

• Heard that design work for a simple maintenance remodel to the exterior of the Town Office is underway.

• Heard that there were no quotes for a striping project on the town’s south side near McDonald’s. The town can now informally negotiate with contractors to get the work done.

• Opened quotes for an enhanced detention area and placed the quotes under advisement to allow Street Department Superintendent Tom Lueken and Town Attorney Sharon Bohnenkemper to make a final decision after discussion with Sicard.
Approved an additional appropriation of $130,000 for the Old Town Lake trail project. The appropriation moves $75,000 appropriated to the project in 2019 to 2020 and appropriates funds in the account to cover shelter house renovations. The project is still within the budget.

• Approved the annual renewal of real estate tax abatement for KNU LLC.

• Approved the annual renewal of two tax abatements for MasterBrand, one for personal property and one for real estate.

• Heard that the townwide cleanup and the town yard sale have been postponed.

• Heard that German American has canceled its Clean Sweep event in response to COVID-19.