Council discusses sewer‑fund strain, capital needs and a county offer to buy wastewater plant

Town of Clayton councilors reviewed the condition of the town’s sewer fund and discussed long‑term options for the wastewater treatment plant during the budget workshop.

Members cited recent receipts to the sewer fund of roughly $188,000 and an available balance they described in the workshop as about $14,348 after payouts; councilors cautioned these numbers are approximate and depend on pending expenses. Councilors identified major upcoming capital needs, including repair and recoating of the east tank, which one speaker estimated was in the “$200,000 range.”

A council member said the county sent a letter asking to discuss buying the wastewater treatment plant. “They sent us a letter ... they want to talk about buying our wastewater treatment plant from us. Then it would be their headache, not ours,” the Town Council President said, and other members noted that a sale would shift staff responsibilities and likely require approvals such as from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Members expressed a preference for retaining local control where possible but acknowledged that selling could reduce local liabilities; they also noted that any sale or transfer would involve regulatory processes and is not guaranteed. No formal motion or vote occurred on the matter at the workshop; councilors asked staff to continue evaluating options and to report back with more precise fiscal figures and estimates for capital projects.

Next steps: staff were directed to produce clearer sewer‑fund accounting, refine cost estimates for capital repairs, and report options for continuing operation versus potential sale to the county at a future meeting.