Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
CLAYPOOL - The Claypool Town Council Tuesday discussed a reserve officer with Claypool Police who has been put on leave and is facing further disciplinary action after totaling a police vehicle.
On Friday, Feb. 27, a Claypool reserve officer was exceeding the posted speed limit and hit a deer. In the resulting accident “significant damage” was done to both the vehicle and private property. The officer was not in Claypool jurisdiction and did not handle himself in a manner appropriate for a law enforcement officer.
Claypool Town Marshal Trevor Long explained his subordinate is currently being disciplined and has been placed on suspension. The officer is not permitted to perform any law enforcement duties. He is permitted to continue his reserve officer training but not permitted to drive department vehicles unless it is specifically required by his training.
The Claypool Town Council held an executive session prior to the March town council meeting to discuss the issue. The council seconded the reserve officer’s suspension.
There will be an additional executive meeting for town council members and an interview with the officer in question. A final decision regarding whether to keep this reserve officer on staff will be decided at the Tuesday, April 21 Claypool Town Council meeting.
The police car was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The gross payout was $8,079. After the $2,000 deductible, the town will receive $6,094 from insurance, as well as the cost to add appropriate law enforcement decals and the value of the police equipment that had to be decommissioned after the accident.
Long shared that he has been doing research into buying a used police car to save money.
Siren Maintenance
A tornado siren did not go off during the countywide test on Tuesday, March 10. The town contacted J & K Communications to check it out and provide annual maintenance. The technician from J & K was able to set the alarm off manually and during a one-minute test that occurred while the technician was present.
Last week during the intense weather, the Claypool tornado siren also did not go off. After speaking with dispatch, they confirmed they did not set the Claypool siren off, despite setting off Pierceton, Warsaw and many other surrounding tornado sirens.
After discussion, dispatch will be setting off the Claypool Siren at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 19.
J & K advised that if the siren does not go off at this time, there could be an issue with the signal between dispatch and Claypool’s tornado siren.
In other business:
• Town clean-up day will be Saturday, April 11. Borden Waste Management Service will be picking up large trash curbside on this day. A flyer with more information will be sent out to residents alongside the monthly sewer bills.
• Long reminded residents to be wary of correspondence they receive that claims to be from law enforcement. Law enforcement will never send citations by text or by e-mail. If anyone is unsure regarding the validity of what they receive, Long stated that he will review it for them.
• Discussion occurred regarding the home at 201 Graceland Ave., Claypool. The home is on a corner lot and built with the front door facing Graceland Avenue. However, decades ago, there was a fire and the home was rebuilt with the front door facing Calhoun Street without the address being changed. With the new ordinance about house numbers, this home is out of compliance. The council is unsure whether it would be more appropriate for the address to be changed in Geographic Information System and with the state or to change the wording to allow this home to keep its current address. Based on the placement of the front door, the address should be 204 Calhoun St.
• Baker Tilly recommended the town transfer $26,072 from their water budget to their sewer budget. There have been recent, unforeseen costs in connection to the sewer system, which has taken the budget out of compliance.
• Ordinance 2026-3-1 was passed, revising Ordinance 2025-12-4 and raising town marshal pay from $25,000 to $27,500 annually.
• Indiana American Water representative Shelby Bonner was present to discuss the planned water treatment plant. The design for this plant should be finalized by the end of quarter three and groundbreaking should start by the end of quarter four. The building should be finished by 2027.
• The town has an opening for a part-time lawn service worker. Currently, the town is paying LC Lawn Service $440 monthly and would like to hire someone to save money.
• There will be a fish and tenderloin fundraiser Saturday, March 21 at the Claypool Lions Club.
• The next meeting of the Claypool Town Council will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.
