Town Council Minutes 7/20/2026

Meeting of the Town Council of Huntertown, Indiana

Monday, July 20, 2026, 6:00 p.m.

Huntertown Town Hall, 15617 Lima Road

 

A public meeting of the Huntertown Town Council was held on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Huntertown Town Hall, 15617 Lima Road, Huntertown, IN. Present were town council members Michael Aker (P); Patricia Freck; Brad Hite; Tina McDonald; and Brandon Seifert; Town Manager Hannah Walker; Clerk-Treasurer Ryan Schwab; Steven Cardenas, and Derek Frederickson of Engineering Resources Inc.; Mike Hawk of Hawk Haynie Kammeyer & Smith; seven (7) members of the public and zero (0) members of the media. The meeting was streamed on the Town’s YouTube Channel. 

Michael Aker called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. 

COUNCIL ACTION

Patricia Freck made a motion to approve the minutes from July 6, 2026, regular meeting. Brandon Seifert seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Tina McDonald made a motion to approve the general, water, and sewer claims dated July 20, 2026, in the amount of $1,602,458.85. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Patricia Freck made a motion to appoint Tina McDonald to represent the Town Council on Huntertown Main Street board. Tina McDonald seconded. Michael Aker acknowledged that this motion was made at the July 6, 2026, meeting and went without a vote being called. He asked Patricia Freck to make the motion again, which she did. Brandon Seifert asked the Main Street Board for clarification on how it came to know and decide that only one member of the Town Council could serve on the board. Kyle Quandt, representing the Main Street Board, said that after the founding members of the Main Street group had conversations with other Main Street groups and with OCRA, the organization that runs the main street program, which put together the by-laws for their Main Street team as a group and decided on one representative from the council to be appointed. After no further discussion, the motion was carried 5-0. 

Tina McDonald made a motion to approve a professional services agreement with Engineering Resources Inc. for the CCMG 2027 Hedgebrook Drive project in the amount of $105,400.00. Patricia Freck second. Motion carried 5-0. 

Patricia Freck made a motion to approve an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Fort Wayne for traffic signal maintenance as presented. Brad Hite seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Brandon Seifert made a motion to approve the hiring of a new employee starting at the Utility Worker #3 rate for the 60-day probationary period instead of starting at the Utility Worker #4 pay rate. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Brad Hite made a motion to suspend the Huntertown Fireworks ordinance only for the Huntertown Heritage Days Festival Committee for July 31 and August 1, 2026, for the purpose of a festival fireworks display. Brandon Seifert seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Tina McDonald made a motion to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Huntertown and the Friends of Huntertown Parks Inc, adding to the MOU the amount of $100,000 to be spent on a Veterans Memorial at the Huntertown Family Park. Patricia Freck seconded. Greg Krempel, representing Friends of Huntertown Parks Inc., provided the council with a vision of what the memorial will look like, where it will be placed and how the park plans to allow the public to access it. The goal is to have the memorial complete and ready to unveil on Veterans Day. After no further discussion, the motion was carried 5-0. 

Tina McDonald made a motion to approve Huntertown Resolution 2026-015, a Resolution adopting the fiscal plan regarding the annexation of certain territory to the Town of Huntertown to be commonly known as the 603 E. Cedar Canyons Road Voluntary Annexation. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Patricia Freck made a motion to consider Huntertown Ordinance 2026-017, an Ordinance annexing certain territory to the Town of Huntertown to be commonly known as the 603 E. Cedar Canyons Road Voluntary Annexation. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Brad Hite made a motion to adopt Huntertown Ordinance 2026-017, an Ordinance annexing certain territory to the Town of Huntertown to be commonly known as the 603 E. Cedar Canyons Road Voluntary Annexation. Tina McDonald seconded. Motion carried 5-0. 

Patricia Freck made a motion to donate $300 to the Huntertown Main Street program for prizes for a decorating contest. Brad Hite seconded. Ryan Schwab asked Kyle Quandt of the Main Street Board where to send the money. Quandt said that the Main Street Board does not have an official designation yet, and is coordinating things through Friends of Huntertown Parks Inc. After no further discussion, the motion was carried 5-0. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Outside of items listed under Council Action, no other Unfinished Business was brought forth.

NEW BUSINESS

Outside of items listed under Council Action, no other New Business was brought forth.

REPORTS

Tina McDonald had the following report:

  • ·         She requested getting meeting materials earlier than the Friday before a meeting. She said that it does not give council members enough time to review the packet and ask any questions prior to the meeting. Ryan Schwab asked for a timeline the council would like to see their packets in advance of a meeting, and he would notify the various parties who want to get items on an agenda of the new deadline for submittals. Council members said they would research what other communities do and decide in August. No action was taken. 

Brandon Seifert had the following report:

  • ·         On Friday, July 11, 2026, a resident called in a fireworks complaint in the Willow Run subdivision. The representative of Allen County dispatch said they did not have the town’s updated fireworks ordinance. 

Michael Aker had the following report:

  • ·         He appointed Brandon Seifert as the Chair of the town’s Engineering Committee. Other committee members include Brad Hite of the Town Council and Anthony Ramey of the Utility Service Board.
  • ·         He asked Hannah Walker for an update on the removal of a tree in the public right of way. She said she received other estimates and forwarded them to the council.

Clerk-Treasurer Ryan Schwab had the following report:

  • ·         Fiscal years 2024 and 2025 were recently audited by Indiana State Board of Accounts. He noted that 2024 had zero findings. He noted and described the three findings that were listed for fiscal year 2025

Town Manager Hannah Walker had the following report:

  • ·         The town conducted a successful overnight shutdown of the wastewater treatment plant and a successful filling up of the new water tower.
  • ·         Close out documents have been submitted to INDOT for the CCMG 2025 project for Mercury Lane and Gemini Drive. Patricia Freck asked when the CCMG 2026 project for Apollo Drive will begin. Walker said the close out of the 2025 project needed to be completed before the 2026 work can begin. The goal is to start construction in 2026.
  • ·         She will be meeting with NIRCC about the beginning of the pedestrian bridge project, as they are ready to begin the request for Preliminary Engineering. Patricia Freck questioned the need for the project compared to improvements along Hathaway Road. Walker said the town switched funding for Hathaway Road with the Carroll Road Roundabout project, but the pedestrian bridge project has always been planned for 2027.
  • ·         She and Ryan Schwab met with other municipalities in Allen County to begin discussions on the Municipal Unit Strategic Taskforce (MUST) to discussion Local Income Tax options in Allen County

Representative of Engineering Resources Inc. had the following report:

  • ·         Steven Cardenas provided the council with an updated summary of the capacity at the Huntertown Water and Wastewater plants. He noted that the town took on thirty-five new customers in June.

Mike Hawk of Hawk Haynie Kammeyer & Smith had no report. 

PUBLIC COMMENT 

Outside of items listed under Council Action, no other Public Comment was brought forth.

Tina McDonald made a motion to adjourn. Patricia Freck seconded. The motion passed with a voice vote and the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. 

 

Attest: Approved 8/3/2026
           Michael Aker                          
           President