The Independent-News, Volume 119, Number 43, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 10 March 1994 — Page 8

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - MARCH 10, IW4

NORTH LIBERTY TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES (continued from Page 1) street also discussed. Town Marshal to check on this. It was reported that there is still burning going on in Town and Police was advised to enforce burning ordinance that was passed last fall. Thomas Daugherty read a copy of a letter received by John Harbaugh from Lt. Governor Frank O'Banion, CEO 6 the IDEC, in regards to a discussion on Investing in Indiana to be held in the Council Chamber on the 4th floor of the County-City Building Tuesday. March IS, 1994 from 1:30 to 3:00 p m. Daugherty will try to attend. Attorney Deborah SullivanBrown, representing Timothy and Joan Piech, Paul and Christine Applegate and James and Marsha Mlekodaj. presented a petition to vacate 14’ alley immediately north of lots 3,4, 5 and 6 in Lanning's Addition to the Town of North Liberty, running east and west for a distance of approximately three hundred ninety feet (390'). After discussion, motion to be advertised for the Council to hear petition at the next regular meeting on April 6, 1994. Certified notice also to be sent to Robert D. and Helen Reed in Camarillo, CA. Cindy Holtz questioned status on Park Board and was advised no one had been appointed yet. Thomas Daugherty advised that he hoped to have people for the Park Board by the next Council meeting. She also stated that some big limbs had come down from the wind. Thomas Daugherty reported the Planning Grant Committee had met with Corky Neal and a survey form should be finalized in the next two weeks to mail to all the residents. David Sheaks reported he had a request for a used car lot on the property behind 302 W. Elm St. Stated property was zoned LI. After discussion, attorney Peddycord stated he felt the zoning ordinance would not allow the business be* cause of only having alley access. Attorney Peddycord to. research this and advise Council. Clerk-Treasurer Paul Williams, Jr., presented Ordinance 1994-01 to re-establish the Cumulative Cap-

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ital Development Fund for the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 at $.12 per SIOO.OO in assessed valuation. Council was advised that the legal advertising had been done in The Independent-News and South Bend Tribune for hearing tonight. After discussion, Richard Warner made the motion to adopt Ordinance 1994-01 to re-establish the Cumulative Capital Development Fund, seconded by Ronald Kinas with a unanimous aye. Gaims presented for approval: NLPH — 94-02-01.02.03 Town - 17192 to 17231 Water — 10715 to 10746 Sewer — 5696 to 5716 Richard Warner made the motion to pay the claims as listed, Dennis Fisher seconded with a unanimous aye. Meeting adjourned at 8:48 p.m. by a motion from Ronald Kinas, second by Dennis Fisher with a unanimous aye. Paul F. Williams, Jr. Gerk-Treasurer NORTH LIBERTY TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES (Continued from Page 1) on the Council has seen the letter, and president Rizek said that better communication is the number one thing that she wants to stress to the Park Board. She said that the Park Board needs to submit minutes so that the Council is aware of what is going on and what's being discussed. She said that any future grants need to come through the Council before they are sent out, especially if they expect the town to come up with any money for a project. Potts read the letter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources which said that they have approved the Park Board’s grant application for $75,000.00. The letter went on to say that they will have to apply for federal approval for funds. Potts didn't have any new information on whether or not the property, for the proposed park, is for sale. Reese said that he would love to have a new park, although he is concerned about the monies. Potts said that there is no point for them to mail the application on for federal approval in the Council isn’t in favor of the project. He added that the Park Board is feeling a sense of frustration because they don’t

know if the Council is in favor of the project. Reese said that, for his part, the sense of frustration probably comes from the lack of communication. He added that some of the frustration comes from not having the information come in an orderly fashion, and therefore not being given the time to study the information. Rizek said that most of the information the Council has gotten has been after the fact. Len Jaske said that he is looking for a way to make this happen, and asked if the school has budgeted any money toward this project. Potts answered that it's hard to put those budget projections together when they just found out that their application has been approved on the state level. There was further discussion of whether or not the land will be available for purchase, and the projected costs of a new park. Rizek said that we need better communication, and to be able to sit down and talk it out when there is a problem. Potts said that he was in agreement about having better communications, and asked if the Park Board could get some kind of an idea of when they could get an endorsement of the project by the Council. Rizek anawered that as long as it's moving along and it's not going to be a big cost to the taxpayer, there shouldn’t be any problem with an endorsement. She added that the Council is concerned that it should not be a big cost to the taxpayer. Potts said that they recognize those concerns also, and they are not projecting big budget increases. He said they plan to use grants, public and private donations to develop the park. Rizek said that the Council is trying to reassure themselves and the taxpayers that there will be now large amounts of money expected from the Town of the taxpayer. Len Jaske said that he thinks it’s going to be a fantastic project, especially since they do have some private donations and there will be community involvement. Jaske added that he just wants to make sure that the Town can afford the park. Gene Reese told Potts that his coming to the meeting tonight has helped him make a decision, and feels that there would have been a lot less friction if someone from the Park Board had come in every couple of months to keep the Council informed of any new developments. Potts answered that there really hasn’t been a lot of activity and as things develop now he will see to it that the Council is aware of what is going on. MONTHLY REPORTS: Jeff Zehner reported that he is still getting the easements for the sewer project signed. Zehner also reported that we should hear about the yard waste reduction grant sometime in March. A review of a report of accumulated time for January showed an increase in hours. This was mainly due to the fact that the weather has been so bad and the men were called out for a lot of weather related problems. CITIZEN’S INPUT: Roman Brehm recommended to the Council that they set up an Industrial Rotating Fund and determine a policy to go along with it. The fund would be a revolving fund that would receive any money that we have loaned out for industrial proposes. As the loans are repaid to us, the money could be loaned out again. Brehm said that this would help improve the industrial base of the Town. Brehm, Gene Reese and a member of the Industrial Fund are to get together to discuss such a fund and then make a recommendation to the Council. A letter had been sent to Roger Holston letting him know that the Town intends to bill him for trash pickup at all his units on Harrison Street, Woodcreek Drive and Underwood Road, as the office has had trouble keeping track of the tenants moving in and out. Holston said that he can’t increase the tenant’s rent to include trash pickup fees until their leases are due

for renewal. He asked that he be allowed to let the office know when thenew leases are signed, and begin billing him at that time. The Council agreed te let Hoslton phase in the billing to him, as the leases come up for renewal. OLD BUSINESS: Len Jaske made the motion to do the second and third readings of Ordinance No. 1994-02, An Ordinance Amending the Electric Rate Ordinance to Include Direct Readout of the Power Factor, in short form. Seconded by Gordon Hartsell. Carried. The second reading was accepted on a motion by Gene Reese. Seconded by Walt Heil. Carried. The third reading was accepted on a motion by Walt Heil. Seconded by Len Jaske. Carried. Roman Brehm asked about the wording of “all customers". Attorney Holmes advised that the word "all" is applicable to just those customers who have power factor meters. NEW BUSINESS: Accordia, our group health insurance carrier, has given us an experience refund of $1,652.82. When lACT has an underwriting gain, they share it with all of their members. Gene Reese asked how the Council would feel about applying that money to the health insurance premiums. The clerk explained that she had applied the check, on a percentage basis, back to those funds that make the premium payments. Attorney Holmes advised that it would take an additional appropriation to spend any money that would be applicable to tax based funds. It was decided to leave it as is. The town’s $600,000.00 C.D. matures on March 3, 1994. Len Jaske made the motion to allow the clerk to call Ist Source Bank and Teachers Credit Union to find what rate of Interest they are paying, and to purchase a new $600,000.00 C.D. at the highest rate. Seconded by Gordon Hartsell. Carried. The clerk reported that she had been trying to do a history

KLEANRITE (Formerly Duraclean) Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Service WE GIVE FREE ESTIMATES PHIL GROVES (219) 586*7968 72501 S .R. 23 Walkerton, IN 46574 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE IMPACT TO AN IMPORTANT LAND RESOURCE The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) is considering an application for financial assistance sponsored by the Town of Walkerton. The proposed project is an extension of sanitary sewer to the north of the B&O Railroad and Pine Creek to the Walkerton Industrial Park northeast. If implemented, the proposed action would impact important farmland, floodplain, and wetland. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of this possible result and to request comments concerning (I) the impacts of the proposed location on important farmland, floodplain, and wetland. (2) alternative sites or actions that would avoid these impacts, and (3) methods that could be used to reduce these impacts. FmHA has considered a variety of alternatives, including "no action", and has concluded that there is no practicable alternative which will avoid locating elements of the project within floodplain and (he wetland area. Design and construction of the projects will conform to all Federal and Slate floodplain and wetland protectin standards. In order to mitigate the impact of the construction of these projects in the floodplain and wetland areas, FmHA proposes to limit development within the floodplain and wetland areas. A variety of alternatives, including "no action" have been considered, and the determination has been made that there is no practicable alterna lives which would avoid development of important farmland. There would be relatively few acres of soils of important farmland that could be impacted. Any development that would be encouraged by the project would be contiguous with the existing settlement patterns. This would be consistent with FmHA land use policies. For these reasons, it has been determined that no mitigation meaures are necessary for important farmland. The proposed action is available for review at the following Farmers Home Administration office: Farmers Home Administration, USDA District Office P.O. Box 699 Columbia City, IN 46725 Any person interested in commenting on the proposed action may do so by sending such comments, within 30 days following the date ol this publication, to this address.

purge of old utility accounts when the job stopped in the middle. According to our software company a new library had been issued that we did not get a copy of, and that is why the purge was not completed. Normally this library would cost $2,400.00, but MHI will sell it to us , at a maximum cost of $736.00. Len r Jaske made the motion to accept the price of $736.00 and complete the purge. Seconded by Gene Reese. Carried. Each year old outstanding checks are to be written off if they are at least two years old. Gene Reese made the motion to write off two checks, which we issued, totalling $21.32 and two insufficient funds checks totalling $70.10. Seconded by Walt Heil. Carried. Gaims 158 through 199 for $169,902.56 and Payroll Docket . dated 2-16-94 for $18,596.79 were accepted on a motion by Gene Reese. Seconded by Len Jaske Carried. Walt Heil made the motion to adjourn. Seconded by Len Jaske Carried. BUSINESS WOMEN ENJOY FEBRUARY MEETING The Walkerton Business and Professional Women's Gub met on a cold and snowy evening February 24, at the Dockside Inn. After a chicken dinner, Bev Fraine, presi- ; dent, started the meeting with Marty Malstaff reading the min utes. The all other reports were 1 given. Since there was no meeting in r January due to the weather, the > birthday bank was done for Janu i ary with Norine Divine winning and for February with Barb Burket winning. The winner for the Ways 1 and Means project was Darlene Pontius. I A skit of the Lord’s Prayer was t put on by Vi Masterman and Sue Shields. Winners of the door prize I was Marty Malstaff. Jean Cole agreed to be chairman for the March meeting. The meet ing was closed with wishing every r one to have a safe trip home.