New Troy City Administrator Eyes Sewer Issue

By Charlie Feldman

cfeldman@timestribunenews.com

The Troy City Council promoted three police officers and passed a resolution concerning who can sign papers on behalf of the city that deal with banks and funds at its Monday, July 19 meeting.

Promoted to new positions in the Troy Police Department were Officer Dan Lipe as sergeant, Sergeant James Newcombe as lieutenant and Lieutenant Chris Wasser as assistant chief of police. The three were sworn in at the meeting. Family members and friends were there to cheer them on.

When former assistant chief of police Brent Shownes was promoted to police chief after Brad Parsons retired, he himself needed a replacement. Those three officers moved up in the ranks. 

The council passed a resolution designating who is authorized to sign papers related to banks and funds on behalf of the city. These are the current city administrator, treasurer, the city administrator’s clerk and the city administrator’s assistant. The mayor will certify these names to the bank when needed. This procedure is followed by other local communities when there are new people in those positions.

In his first report to the board, new city administrator Jay Keeven said he was gathering information for the board on costs and rates for an upgrade to Troy’s sewer system.

“Rate increases are going to have to occur over a period of time to get to the point where we repair our sewer plant, upsize our sewer plant and repair the collection lines that need to be repaired,” he said. That will be coming, he continued, but that’s probably the biggest expense they would face in the very near future, he said.

“Obviously, some of you have been through this before with the water plant and bonding that out and how that process goes,” Keeven said. “I know there are other options on the table as well beyond bonding, if you decide to sell the plant and collection lines. But again, before you make that decision I think you need to have all the information to decide which way to go with that.”

The new license plate reading system will be active on Wednesday, July 21, said Chief Shownes. These will assist with finding amber alerts, silver alerts, stolen cars, wanted suspects and BOLO plates (“Be On the Look Out for …”)

The next village board meeting will be held on Monday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the City Administration Building.