Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 104, Number 32, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 7 January 1981 — Page 1

On* section

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Dog on guard

It figured that the Walnut Grove Kennels on US 6 East wouldn’t have just an ordinary run-of-the-mill snowman. Instead, this six-foot “snowdog” was created following lait week's snowfall to stand guard over the home of Paul and Becky Garl. (AN photo)

Grant application filed

An application was filed Monday for a grant for the city under the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program of the Department of Housing and Urban Developmerrt (HUD). The filing was made through the city planner, Hughes and Associates of Mishawaka. The grant application asks for $289,000 for housing improvements in the southwest section of the city with the emphasis on energy conservation needs. . Recently a committee of volunteers

Wage scales set for Wa-Nee

Wage scales for Wa-Nee school custodians and cafeteria workers were approved by the Board of School Trustees m its last meetinc of 1980 held last week. - < A 50 cent per hour, or 10 percent, increase was recommended for custodial employees. A 35 cent per hour increase was proposed for cafeteria employees. Assistant Superintendent Jerry Lelle explained that the wage proposal for custodial workers contained some adjustments where experience increments were due in addition to the 50 cent per hour increase. Proposed changes in employment policies for cafeteria workers were also outlined by Lelle. Differences in responsibilities and fringe benefits between the cafeteria manager and the regular cafeteria employee were clarified. . Fringe benefit allowances included

f Council discusses park rules

Proposed amendments to the city’s' park rules ordinance were considered by the Common Council Monday. The council passed on second reading an ordinance setting such regulations as an 11 p.m. park curfew, prohibition of alcoholic beverages in parks, and defining disorderly conduct. ■ An amendment approved by the council was addition of a clause calling for a fine of not more than SIOO for any violations of the ordinance. The penalty clause was omitted from the ordinance upon its introduction for first reading at the Dec. 15 council meeting. An amendment to reduce the maximum speed limit in parks from 20 mph to 10 mph, proposed by Councilman Bill Dawson’died for lack of a second. Bill Fales, 608 E. Marion, expressed agreement with Dawson’s concerns over speed, saying that he felt the speed limit should be lowered to 5 mph. Mayor Robert Callander noted that the ordinance ..defines only a maximum speed limit and that the park board can, if' desired, post lower speeds'. Fales asked City Attorney Joseph Kindig why 20 mph was set. Kindig replied that 20 mph would not be an unreasonable speed on the stretch of road at the east end of Stauffer Park. Bob Gessingef, 602 E. Marion, expressed concern over “what could happen" if the penalty clause was arbitrarily enforced by park department officers. . . . . The ordinance is expected to be considered for third reading and final

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consisting of the mayor, Common Council members, senior citizen volunteers and other interested citizens contacted the 124 households in the project area. Completed survey forms were obtained from 104 of the residents. Eight structures were vacant. , Results showed that 98 dwellings were owner-occupied and six renteroccupied. Os the 104, 73, or 70 percent, qualified as having low to moderate incomes when compared with income

in the proposal were a $25 uniform allowance and a provision to subsidize a maximum of three snow days for fulltime cafeteria employees. In other business, Superintendent William Dorsey reported on facility expansion and improvement project progress. Construction activities slowed during the holiday season but full activity resumed Mondav. Exterior doors had been installed at Union School. Contractors have completed installation of ceramic tile in the dressing rooms of the North Wood Activities Center. Also at the Activities Center subflooring had been installed in the racquetball court. Workmen will soon complete the painting of the court and the wood floor will then be installed. Workmen are preparing for the installation of the synthetic floor of the activity area. Permanent heat had been turned on

passage at the Jan. 19 council meeting. An ordinance fixing new water rates and charges passed first reading by the council. The new rates reflect a 38 percent increase recently approved by the state Publio Service Commission. Metered rates per month increase to 38 cents per hundred cubic feet for the first 333 cubic feet used. The rate for the next 667 cubic feet is 72 cents and 58 cents is charged per 100 cubic feet for the next 2,333 cubic feet. The minimum charge per month increases from $2.10 per month to $2.90 per month for a % and % meter. The minimum rate for a one-inch meter is $5.80 while $8.69 is the minimum monthly charge for a I*6 inch meter. Tap charge is $173 for a % and % meter and is set at the cost of labor and material for a one-inch meter. Also passing first reading was an ordinance rezoning property on. Miriam Avenue from residential to business (seerelatedstory). Passing second reading was an ordinance establishing a Park Equipment Fund to receive receipts from the city’s newspaper and aluminum recycling program. The receipts will be used to purchase playground equipment for city parks. Also passing second reading was an amendment to the 1981 salary ordinance setting an hourly wage for a receptionist at the Elder-haus older adult center. The salary will be paid through the Comprehensive Employ-

Wednesday, 'January 7, 1981 Nappanee, Indiana 46550

averages for households in Elkhart County. Mayor Callander stated, “Last year about one out of every four applications were funded. By keeping the amount pf our project as low as possible and.by trying to do a good job on the paperwork, I believe that we have increased our chances of getting a grant." Nappanee will be competing with other cities for $2.8 million of HUD grant money which has been allocated to the Metropolitan Single Purpose section of the program.

to the Activities Center and the heating system was working well. The Activities Center is heated by a boiler in the swimming pool addition. Superintendent Dorsey stated that the mechanical and electrical contractors are busy in the swimming pool area completing necessary work prior to the pouring of the concrete deck area surrounding the pool, r The board received copies of the architect’s progress meeting minutes outlining projected work to be completed by the various contractors. In other action, the board authorized employment of Sheldon Blosser as a school bus driver to assume the route left vacant following the tragic death of Lester Yoder. The board was also advised that the National School Boards Association’s 1981 convention will be held April 11-14 in Dallas. Local board members have been invited to attend. o

ment Training Act (CETA). Also approved on second reading was an ordinance appropriating $30,878 in the Park and Recreation Fund for monies received from a grant for construction of the municipal golf course, and $8,766 in the Police Pension Fund to pay pension to retired police officer Tom Rohr. 1 / In other action: —Police Chief Bruce Thornton received council approval to use $1,200 remaining from anew car allocation to purchase new sirens for both cars. The new sirens would allow officers to switch tones gs the siren as recommended by authorities to better alert traffic. Thornton was also instructed to seek the cooperation of First Brethren Church officials in keeping Walnut Street clear on Sunday mornings. It was noted that emergency vehicles cannot pass through the street with traffic parked on both sides. —Street Superintendent Bill Mishler reported that the newspaper recycling collection Monday was the best since the program began in November although exact data was not available —Fire Chief Frank Hartman, in presenting his department’s report for December, noted that the largenumber of fires involving wood burning stoves is the reason for the department’s seminar on safe installation and use of such stoves. The seminar is planned for later this month. - (Monthly reports of city departments may be found elsewhere in this week’s Advance News.)

Residents concerned

Rezoning opposed

A proposed ordinance to rezone property on Miriam Avenue passed first reacung by the Common Council Monday but not until after the council had reconsidered an initial vote to defeat the ordinance. The council voted to pass the ordinance on first reading with the stipulation that plans for a buffer between the property and adjoining residences be presented prior to second reading at the Jan. 19 council meeting. On the first vote the ordinance was defeated 3-1 with only Bill Dawson voting in favor. Wendell Metzler was absent. However, after being informed by City Attorney Joseph Kindig that the council’s action made the proposed rezoning a dead issue, Peg Beer asked to retract her vote. The council voted again and the measure passed 3-1 with only Rick Jenkins voting no. The vote came after 11 residents of Marion and Walnut streets voiced concern over the proposed building of a supermarket on the Miriam Avenue site. Concerns expressed centered on increased traffic hazards and reduction of residential property values. Another concern was that residents on Marion Street were not officially notified of a Dec. 16 hearing at which the citv plan commission recommended approval of the rezoning to the Common Council. The property in question is north of the residence of Kenneth and Miriam Stump. The zoning would be changed from single family residential to business and wholesale. Zoning Administrator John Kuhns explained that official letters of notification were sent only to adjoining properties on US 6 including Pizza Hut, McDonald’s Restaurant and Big N Foods. The newly-appointed administrator added that according to the maps he was using to determine who would receive notices, there were no houses at the east end of Marion Street Randy Yoder, 1213 E. Marion, stated

Wa-Nee does year-end work

Year-end business was transacted by the Wa-Nee Board of School Trustees in its final meeting of 1980 held last week. The board authorized repayment of two temporary loans and transfers of appropriations. It also heafd Superintendent William Dorsey report on bond and lease rental paymentsand 1980 investment earnings. A $300,000 loan -from the St. Joseph Valley Bank was authorized to be repaid. The loan was made Sept. 30 to meet cash flow requirements within the general fund. The loan was to be .repaid by Dec . 31. The balance of a $150,000 loan from the cumulative building fund to the transportation fund was also ordered repaid. The loan was authorized last

'A snowman is two-faced' This snowman wasn’t sure which way he wanted to face so he decided to face both ways at once. The two-faced creation was made by Craig Middaugh, 252 N. Clark St. Middaugh took advantage of last week’s heavy snowfall to build the snowman for his young daughter who was confined to the house by illness and was unable to enjoy the wintry delights. (AN photo)

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that he and other property owners bought their homes with the understanding that the entire area, including the Stump property east of Miriam Avenue, would remain residential. “Where in Nappanee is it going to be safe to live . without having to worry about a business or an industry moving in your back yard” he said. Yoder also noted that traffic to the proposed new supermarket would come down both Marion and Walnut streets. He said that because of the two schools on Marion Street, “kids are everywhere” when school is out. In winter, he added, there is no place for those children to walk Reduction of residential property values was another concern voiced by Yoder. “When they put the golf course in, I was sent a letter saying that my property value would increase because I was so close to a golf course,” he said. “Will 1 be getting a letter now saying my property will be devalued?” Faye Welch, 1209 E. Marion, echoed Yoder’s comments that the area was intended to remain residential. “It isn’t right,” he said in regard to the proposed rezoning, “and nobody on the council can make it right.” Wendy Gochenour, 1212 E. Marion, expressed the concern that the entire Stump property north to Berlincourt Ditch, presently planned to be residential, would also be rezoned for business. Marilyn Strakowski, 1202 E. Marion, asked for assurance that the proposed extension of Marion Street to CR 7 be a residential area. > Melvern Casey of Market Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Spartan Stores which will assist in the building of the proposed Family Fare supermarket, explained the project Casey commented that a similar supermarket in Flint, Michigan is adjacent to SIOO,OOO with a barrier between the homes and the store He explained that Family Fare had outgrown its present store at the Town

January to meet cash flow requirements in the newly-established transportation fund. A total of SIOO,OOO was repaid to the cumulative building fund in September leaving a balance of $50,000 which the board authorized to be repaid. Superintendent Dorsey advised the board that a total of $336,605 was due from the debt service fund as of Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 to meet lease rental and bond issue obligations Included in these payments were lease rental obligations involving North Wood High School, the additions to Central and South schools, and the Nappanee Middle School. In addition, bond principal and interest payments were due relating to

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and Country Shopping Plaza and plans to build a 17,000-square-foot store on the Miriam Avenue site. Councilman Dave Lemler asked Kenneth Stump if he had other plans for his land if the rezoning was denied. Stump stressed the important of “using the means at hand” to retain a taxing unit in the community rather than forcing it outside. Dean Middaugh, 1208 E. Marion, a former chief of police, noted that many times the council sits with no citizens present. He asked the council to consider the concerns which brought the Marion Street residents to the meeting. “We are here because we an & concerned,” he said. “We ask you to do whatever is right for all concerned. We’ll live with whatever you do.” Ron Kunnen of Family Fare explained that the company has negotiated with Kenneth Stump a year ago to purchase the property for a proposed new supermarket. “It is by no means our intent to mess up a residential area. Rather, we think that we can be an asset to the area,” he said “Any suggestions from the residents for a greenbelt would be negotiable. We will do anything we can to enhance the beauty of the land ” wait before resubmission, rather than allowing for amendment before the initial reading. Councilman Rick Jenkins said that he shared the concerns of residents but that he also would like to see Family Fare expand, * ip. . “I think that the people who showed up have to have consideration on our part,” he said “I hate to see a neighborhood drastically change. My vote will not change ' ’ Jenkins became the only councilman to vote against the ordinance on the second vote. He abstained when the council voted to reconsider its original vote.

remodeling projects at Central and Wakarusa schools Superintendent Dorsey also reported that a total of $46,119.73 was received by the local school corporation in investment earnings during 1980 The $46,119.73 compares with $44,577.35 earned in 1979 and-$19,649.47 earned in 1978. The school corporation invests funds as permitted by state statute when fund balances permit. In other year-end action, the board adopted a resolution approving transfer of appropriations in major function accounts. The board also approved transfer of accounts within accounts.

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