Town of Clayton approves claim docket, pond-treatment contract and two manhole repairs; council debates fire station lease and annexation plans

The Town of Clayton Town Council on Monday approved its January minutes and claims docket and voted to award seasonal pond treatments and immediate manhole repairs, while discussing a written lease response from Liberty Township and updates on annexation and wastewater-system projects.

The council began by approving the minutes and claims docket by voice vote. Later in the meeting councilors voted to accept a seasonal pond-treatment proposal from Waterboy for April–September at a total cost of $1,207.67, and to accept a bid to line and grout two leaking manholes identified in the collection system. Those votes were recorded as voice votes during the meeting; exact tallies were not specified on the record.

The council spent substantial time discussing a written response from Bridal Butler, identified in the meeting materials as a Liberty Township trustee, regarding the town’s proposed lease of a portion of the municipal building for fire-department use. The email, read aloud by a council member, said in part: "I will not agree to this," referring to proposed rent terms; it also stated that the township had spent about $30,000 on station remodels and that the township expects to provide quarterly reports and to continue paying utilities and maintaining equipment inside the station. Councilors split over who should pay for repairs and routine maintenance: some said the township’s willingness to pay for upkeep and the recent $30,000 remodel argue for waiving rent, while others said the town should retain responsibility for building repairs…