Crothersville Town Council agrees to lower VFW utility bill for a year

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CROTHERSVILLE

Membership at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1083 in Crothersville isn’t what it used to be.

Commander Kevin Bedel said there are now less than 55 active members. There are actually more auxiliary members than active members, he said.

The dwindling membership, less people coming to the facility at 105 W. Main St. to eat or play bingo and having to spend money on unexpected issues resulted in Bedel reaching out for help.

During a Crothersville Town Council meeting earlier this month, Bedel asked for the VFW’s utility bill to be reduced until issues are resolved.

“If we could get a reduction on our utility bills by about $50 a month, that would help us,” Bedel told the council. “We have put measures in place to correct the problems we’ve run into since December, and those haven’t come through yet, but we’re in the process of it. We’ve got people in place to do it.

“The bank is looking at our finances, and we’re just asking for a little help since we are a nonprofit organization,” he said. “What little bit we can get would help the veterans out and the community. We’re dwindling members, and we’re trying to keep it open for the people that we do have.”

The VFW’s monthly bill for water, sewer and stormwater averages between $130 and $140.

Councilman Lenvel “Butch” Robinson asked Bedel how long he wanted the bill reduction.

“If things are going the way that we’re projecting it to go, we should be able to turn this around in a year’s time,” Bedel said. “That’s all I’m asking for is it to be for one year.”

Robinson said he didn’t have a problem with that, and then he made a motion to make the VFW’s monthly bill $75 for the next year. That seconded and was unanimously approved.

“We need to do something for our veterans because they did something for us, so I don’t see a problem with deducting $50 from their water and sewer bill personally,” Robinson said.

“Everything we do, they’ve given us the right to do it,” Councilman Bob Lyttle said of veterans.

Bedel said some expenses involved fixing issues in the building.

“We’ve gotten hit with a lot of things that have never been dropped, we’ve never been hit on before,” he said. “We’ve taken necessary steps to correct those problems. Now that we’re aware of these things, we’re doing everything we can to fix them.”

In the summer months, Bedel said bingo revenue dropped because less people were coming into the VFW.

“We’re starting to see that business pick back up, and we’re starting to see our lunch crowds pick back up,” he said, noting there are daily lunch specials offered every day but Sunday. “Hopefully in six months to a year, our patronage will come back to where it should be.”

In terms of increasing membership, Bedel said it would be good to have younger veterans join the VFW. Historically, the organization draws older veterans.

The VFW waives the membership fee for the first year, and then a member pays $25 for the second year.

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