All the news for the Town of Lapel.
Limb pick up for the 2021 season has ended, we ask that you do not deliver piles of limbs to the utility barn or water tower.
In the event of a storm or wind event we will provide service for limb removal please call the office to schedule a time. Leaf pick up for the season will begin in November.
Read moreJUNE 9th
THE BOIL WATER ADVISORY FOR THE TOWN OF LAPEL HAS BEEN LIFTED. YOU NO LONGER NEED TO BOIL WATER BEFORE COOKING/DRINKING.
JUNE 4th/5th
Due to a water main break at 7th Street & Brookside Road the Town of Lapel is currently under a boil water advisory until further notice. - Lifted on June 9th.
Read moreThe Town of Lapel Utility Department is a full-service department that integrates traditional operational services, infrastructure maintenance, capital projects, engineering, community development and planning services. Employees work within the operational services divisions of the Lapel Utility Department, including street and sidewalk maintenance, gas, water and sewer utility maintenance, and grounds maintenance.
Job Responsibilities
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
Salary
Full-time utility labor position is $15.00 - $15.15 per hour, 40 hours per week. Operating hours are Monday thru Friday 7:00am – 3:30pm, occasional weekends & holidays.
Part-time seasonal labor position is $11 per hour. Operating hours are Monday thru Friday 7:00am – 3:30pm June 1, 2021 thru August 31, 2021.
How to Apply
Applications can be picked up at the Lapel Town Hall Monday thru Friday 8am to 4pm. The position will remain open until filled; resumes will be reviewed as received. Persons requiring reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act are asked to contact the Town Hall Office at (765) 534-3157. The Town of Lapel is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Read more
Lapel will retain its small-town character, strengthen its core business district, and create an affordable community for families by managing growth and planning to enrich its quality of place.
Please read the Town of Lapel Comprehensive Plan below.
Download Comprehensive Plan (50mb)
Read moreCouncil Meeting 3/18/21
Thu, Mar 18, 2021 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM (EDT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (669) 224-3412
Access Code: 808-743-045
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.
The Town of Lapel Gas Utility is one of 32 (thirty-two) small gas utilities in the State of Indiana. On February 13, 2021 the Town asked its residents to do their part to help conserve gas by reducing temperatures in their homes and businesses. This request was based on increased demand across the country due to a far-reaching polar vortex. This cold was devastating to much of the southern states, Including Texas. This cold caused power outages that not only disrupted millions of lives in Texas but also caused shutdowns at oil refineries and natural gas wells across the state.
Many gas utilities, including the Town of Lapel, work with suppliers to purchase gas in advance at a discounted rate. This rate averages somewhere in the $2-$3 per unit (Dekatherm) range. Once this pre purchased amount is used, then incremental purchases are made at the current market rate.
During this event natural gas pricing spiked as high as $1,100 per unit. This was the first time in history that an event like this has produced a spike of this magnitude in the price of natural gas. We and several other communities across the country feel the actions taken during this weather emergency by the gas suppliers equates to nothing less than price gouging during an emergency. We have shared this concern with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) and the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC). In addition, we have been in contact with the State Attorney General’s office to investigate potential price gouging by the gas suppliers. Nationally this is being investigated by Congress and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
As a result of this predatory pricing the bill the town receives from the gas supplier for the month of February alone was nearly $500,000. This is nearly $200,000 more than was projected for all of 2021. The town is currently working with several different agencies to secure funding to cover this unexpected expense.
What does all this mean for the town of Lapel and its residents? Unfortunately, this means if you are a Lapel Gas Customer, you will see some uncomfortable numbers when you open your newest bill. We understand that many of our residents and businesses will not have the means to pay this bill on the due date. As a result, we will allow any resident or business the opportunity to arrange a payment plan for this month’s gas bill. This payment plan is for the Gas Portion of your bill ONLY. All other utilities will need to be paid on time as well as all future billings. Gas customers utilizing automatic withdrawal will need to contact town hall and set up a payment plan and manually make their payment. All gas customers will receive in the mail a copy of the information I have shared with you tonight along with specific information for of the steps necessary to make payment arrangements for your account.
Ultimately our goal is that the state and federal agencies, along with our legal team, will be successful and a settlement will be reached that allows us to issue refunds to all customers affected. While this is our goal, there is no guarantee that this will happen.
We have been working diligently to determine the best course of action for this situation. This decision was not made lightly. After consulting with several advisors, we chose what we feel is in the best interest of all residents. This plan allows you to have control over how you will pay your bill and adjust your personal budgets. Everyone’s financial situation is not the same and it would be wrong for us to make this choice for you.
Again, all gas customers must contact town hall to set up your payment plan. If you do not make arrangements for your account, then we do expect the balance due in full on he due date.
We welcome your comments. We expect them to be both good, and bad.
There are financial aid options available if you qualify. Please contact Town Hall for more details.
We would like to thank the following for all their assistance in this matter up to this point and going forward:
We want to thank all of you as well. Please work with us and together we can all get through this.
Thank You.
Chad Blake
President, Lapel Town Council
Many of you will notice a big increase in your gas utility amount. We understand this may cause a hardship on some. We are offering a payment plan of up to 9 months for the GAS portion of your MARCH bill only. You are still required to make your monthly payment for water, wastewater, gas, trash, and stormwater on time for each bill.
We will not setup this payment plan automatically. You MUST contact Lapel Town Hall no later than 3/29/2021 to setup your plan.
(765)534-3157 or info@lapelindiana.org
Financial Assistance may be available for those that qualify:
Budget Customers
It is crucial that you look at your actual total of your gas utility. The polar vortex caused a spike in gas prices, which could impact your budget. We can NOT change your budget amount, but you CAN pay more towards your budget every month. Paying more towards your budget will help prevent a heavy settle up in July.
Example: If your gas budget is normally $50/month but you notice you are behind in your budget, you can start paying $100/month towards gas if that fits into your financial situation.
ACH Customers
DUE TO THE POLAR VORTEX CAUSING AN INCREASE IN GAS PRICES, AND DELAYING THE PROCESS OF SENDING OUR UTILITY BILLS ON TIME, WE HAVE SUSPENDED AUTOPAY FOR THIS MONTH ONLY! YOU WILL NEED TO MANUALLY MAKE YOUR PAYMENT FOR THE MARCH BILL DUE ON 3/25/2021.
AGENDA
Call to order
Abor Homes/Hallmark Homes housing addition
New business/old business
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
YOU ARE HEREBY notified there will be a Special Meeting of the Lapel Planning Commission held at the Lapel Eagles, 110 E 9th Street, Lapel, Indiana on the 25th day of February, 2021 at 6:30pm. Due to COVID-19 restrictions this meeting will be held virtually, and in person.
It is the policy of the Town of Lapel that all public meetings and events comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and are accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities, as defined under the ADA, who may need auxiliary aids, services or special modifications to participate in a public meeting or event should contact the office of the Clerk/Treasurer of the Town of Lapel, Indiana as soon as possible, but no less than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
/s/ Gary Shuck
Gary Shuck, Planning Commission President
Read moreINDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 17, 2020) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced 12 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $8 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure.
“These grants are vital to Indiana’s economic success as these projects should improve the quality of life in these rural communities,” Crouch said. “Collaborations between federal, state and local partners as they invest in the state’s water infrastructure is a win for Hoosiers as we work toward a stronger Indiana.”
The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities which assist units of local government with various community projects such as: infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
“Ensuring rural communities have the necessary infrastructure in place has never been more crucial as we continue to cope with COVID-19,” said Denny Spinner, Executive Director of OCRA. "Indiana's rural communities must have a foundation to build on to enable them to be on the road to recovery, and water projects such as these are essential as leaders focus on the health and safety needs of their residents. This is another example of state and local leadership coming together to improve the quality of life for Hoosiers across the state.”
For this round’s grantees, OCRA will delay the start of the administration process until after the holidays. The first round of the 2021 CDBG program will open March 29, 2020. Additionally, the suspension of Main Street Revitalization Program and Public Facilities Program will continue. All eligible programs for 2021 were included in the OCRA calendar and additional information will be provided in March.
Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more program information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg.htm.
The Stormwater Improvement Program strives to reduce flooding, to cut stormwater treatment and energy costs, to protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape and generate jobs to spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for this grant funding include stormwater improvements, as well as demolition and/or clearance. The following communities are the beneficiaries of this program:
The City of Lawrenceburg is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will rehabilitate storm drainage infrastructure in a high-flood prone area adjacent to Doughty Road. By replacing the sluice gate, backflow valve, and pump to the current systems and rehabilitating ditches in the area, it will prevent future flooding to the Doughty Road area.
The City of Sullivan is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will install new storm sewers along Price Street starting at State Street and extending across Section Street. Inlets will be added to each intersection along this route and as needed along the existing shallow ditches. Once complete, this project will help to reduce flooding during and after rain events.
The Town of Edinburgh is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will replace dry wells and install a new storm sewer system along High School Drive with an outlet that will be treated and then feeds out to the Big Blue River.
The goals of the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements. The following communities are the beneficiaries of this program:
The City of Beech Grove is awarded $600,000 for wastewater system improvements. This project will reline approximately 15,652 linear feet of wastewater mains that continue to fail. These wastewater lines are collapsing and causing sinkholes and poor sewer service to residents.
The Town of Carbon is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will rehabilitate the town’s original water infrastructure and components by elevating the water tank, complete a booster station rehabilitation and install water main upgrades.
The Town of Dana is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project is a system-wide comprehensive rehabilitation of system components upgrades/improvements: wellfield, water treatment plant, storage facility and distribution system. This project will allow the Town to provide necessary emergency back-up power at the Town’s wellfield and water treatment plant, improve water supply, transmission and treatment, increase water storage capacity and provide accurate water metering to cut down water loss/unbilled water usage.
The Town of Lapel is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. Project components include installing 10,550 linear feet of water main, complete well improvements, and water treatment and storage improvements.
The Town of Leavenworth is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will deliver improvements to the Leavenworth Water Utility, including a new, 60,000-gallon elevated storage tank with a tank mixing system. It will also demolish of the existing tank, install a new security fence around the tank site and build a new control building.
The Town of New Market is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will install more than 1,100 linear feet of water main replacing 1930s cast iron water mains. Along with these water main improvements, the town will add a media filter to the water treatment plant to a help alleviate residential water issues.
The Town of Spurgeon is awarded $700,000 to construct a wastewater system. This project will construct a new wastewater collection system, since no system currently exists. The town will install 71 grinder pump stations to serve one or more households, and the connect more than 19,000 linear feet of force main lines throughout the town. The collection system will then connect to a main owned by the Town of Lynnville, which will then provide treatment.
The Town of Thorntown is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will install a new wastewater lagoon adjacent to the current lagoon to increase capacity by 33 percent. Additional project elements include installing 2,400 linear feet of piping to connect the lagoons, six control valves, two blowers and diffusers, as well as a building a new lagoon.
Putnam County is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements to the Van Bibber Lake conservancy district. This project is a full-system rehabilitation and upgrade of all original, 1970s water distribution system components and the construction of a new water treatment plant. This project will also increase water main sizes to improve system-wide pressure, flow and flushing capabilities, and enhance isolation capabilities during future leaks.
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Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as the Secretary of Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit ocra.in.gov.
Read moreYesterday Town Council President Chad Blake received a call from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs informing him that the Town of Lapel has been awarded a $700,000.00 grant for our water project. Many thanks to Mike Kleinpeter of Kleinpeter Consulting, Jeremy Van Erman, Robert Bellucci and the staff of Commonwealth Engineering for their hard work, faith, and perseverance, in our journey to capture this grant. The OCRA grant is only one part of the funding for this project, the remaining three million plus dollars in funding will be procured from the Indiana Bond Bank. A BIG thank you to the community of Lapel who have supported our cause through your letters, phone calls and emails regarding our water. With the grant and the funding from the Indiana Bond Bank we will begin a project to revamp our water mains, improve our Ford Street Well and State Road 13 Well, and make enhancements to our treatment facility and tower. One final thank you to the Office of Community and Rural Affairs for awarding us the grant, we are excited about the project and the upcoming improvements to our water system.
https://events.in.gov/event/lt_gov_crouch_announces_12_communities_to_receive_more_than_8_million
Read more
Date: November 20, 2020
Lapel Town Hall to Remain Closed to Public
LAPEL, IN – As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, Lapel Town Council has extended the closure of Town Hall until further notice. In Madison County, during the past 60 days, there have been 43 COVID-related deaths. People are strongly encouraged to adjust their holiday plans and take precautions to avoid exposures.
State and county officials may elect to close the businesses and limit streets to essential travel only if infections continue to spiral upward, however, the Lapel Town Council hopes that drastic restrictions won’t become necessary.
The Lapel Town Council will continue to closely monitor the situation and determine if Town Hall can safely be reopened to the public in the coming weeks. In the meantime, all town services will continue and meetings will be held virtually unless specifically noted otherwise. Business can be done at the Town Hall by utilizing the drop box, the drive thru, by phone, or by appointment.
Read moreTOWN OF LAPEL
RESIDENTIAL HEAVY TRASH SERVICE
WEDNESDAY – OCTOBER 7, 2020
• See BELOW for acceptable household heavy/bulk items (list A)
• All items to be placed at curb in a neat orderly fashion by 6:00 A.M.
(Small loose material must be in trash bags or containers for service).
• See attached of material/items that cannot be taken at any time (list B)
LIST A: Example of Typical Household HEAVY/BULK Items:
• Lamps, Fans, Blinds
• Lawn Furniture, Gardening Tools
• Children’s toys
• Hot water heaters, microwaves
• Household furniture – No sofa over 80” and NO hide-a-bed/sleeper sofas
• Mattresses (MUST BE WRAPPED IN PLASTIC & DUCT TAPED), Queen size or smaller and box springs, bed frames
• Rugs (MUST be rolled and tied – no larger than 8’ x 10’)
• Bikes
• Extra bagged trash
• Other acceptable items that will not require more than one person to lift due to weight or size of the item
“Please contact CGS Services to make arrangements for any item
which requires special handling”
Appliances – Refrigerators/freezers will no longer be picked up by CGS, as well as any item that cannot be lifted by one individual due to weight and/or size of the item
LIST B: ITEMS THAT WILL NOT BE TAKEN:
• No construction debris
• NO REMODELING MATERIAL
(such as carpet, roofing material, wood, insulation, plumbing materials, concrete, bricks, drywall, etc.)
• No liquid material
• No hazardous materials
• No tires
• No hide a beds/sleeper sofas/King Size Matresses
• No tenant household move outs
• No small loose trash that could be bagged for service
• No small business operating out of home with additional trash from other sources such as scrap metal collecting, remodeling services etc.
