Versailles Town Council hears requests from Red Cross

Beth Rumsey
Staff Writer

The Versailles Town Council considered a request for space to store a vehicle by the Ripley County Red Cross at their regular meeting on Thursday, December 3. According to local Red Cross Director Delbert Felix, the vehicle will be received in the near future.

Felix also asked the town to consider two handicap parking spaces in front of the Red Cross office, now located in the old Spencer-Tyson Pharmacy building on the square in Versailles.

According to council president John Holzer, the town does not have space available for storage of the vehicle. The motion to approve the handicapped parking spaces was unanimously approved.

The Versailles Fire Department will need new pagers due to changes in FCC bans beginning on January 1, 2011. According to Ben Sieverding, fire chief, he is looking into the possibility of grants to cover the cost of the pagers. In other business, Sieverding reported that the VFD responded to 80 calls for November and December.

Marshal Joe Mann requested the board consider employing a school resource officer. According to Marshal Mann, the officer would remain at the school during the school year and be employed by the town during the summer months with the school and the town sharing the cost of the salary. The council agreed that although it was a good idea, the town could not afford the cost at this time.

The Versailles Police Department received a total of 29 calls in November which included four accident investigations and 21 warnings issued. The department assisted 17 citizens and responded to three fight and battery calls. There were seven theft investigations and eight calls to assist other departments.

Estimates were submitted from Ron Horn, South High Street, for damage to his carpet caused by a sewer back-up. The estimate for replacing the carpet was for $829.43.
The council agreed that the damages would be paid when an invoice for the replacement of the carpet was turned in by Horn. Since the meeting, the council agreed to pay the damages to Horn based on the estimate, according to town clerk/treasurer Kiersten Libby.

Board members attending included John Holzer and Sue Meisberger with Denessa Benkie absent. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 6 beginning at 7 p.m.