Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 120, Number 35, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 27 August 1997 — Page 1

Vol. 120 Issue 35

ffl TOWN ~ 1 I lIdI

SCHOOL BOARD The Wa-Nee Board of Sch ->1 Trustees will meet Monday, September 8, 7:30p.m., in the administration building, 1300 N. Main Street, Nappanee. Meetings are open to the public. BOARD OF WORKS The City of Nappanee Board of Public Works and Safety will meet Monday, September 8, 3:30p.m., in the council chambers at the Nappanee Municipal Center, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. COMMON COUNCIL The City of Nappanee Common Council will meet in regular session Wednesday, September 3 (note date change), 7p.m., in the council chambers at the Nappanee Municipal Center, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. PARK BOARD The Nappanee Board of Parks and Recreation will meet in regular session, Wednesday, September 10, 4:30p.m., in the Emergency Services Building, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. APPLE DUMPLINGS Entries are now being accepted for the 1997 Nappanee Apple Festival “Apple Dumpling” contest. Forms are available at the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce office. Any child, ages si* months to three years, from the Wa-Nee School District, is eligible for entry. FREE SHOTS The Elkhart County Health Department will offer free immunizations at the First Church of God, 72036 CR7, Nappanee (please use northeast entrance), Tuesday, September 9, from 10a.m.-2p.m. BRANCHES CLOSED Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Gary Gibson reminds motorists that all license branches will be closed Saturday, August 30 through Monday, September 1, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. BMV offices will resume normal operating hours Tuesday, September 6. The ' Nappanee License Branch is open Tuesday, 12-sp.m. and Thursday, 126:30p.m. RETAIL COMMITTEE The Retail Division of the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce will meet Thursday, September 4, at the chamber office, 215 W. Market St. Breakfast is shared at 7a.m., with the business meeting set to begin at 7:30a.m. All interested persons are encouraged to attend. TORNADO SHELTERS The following sites have been designated as tornado shelters in the Nappanee area: First Mennonite Church—9oo W. Market St. Church of the Brethren —Mack Drive. St. John’s Lutheran Church — 651 S. Main St. Society Bank—l6l E. Market St. NBD Bank—3sl W. Market St. Nappanee Municipal Center — 300 W. Lincoln St. OFFICE HOURS The office of the Nappanee Advance-News and Farm & Home News, 158 W. Market St, is open Monday through Friday, 9a.m.4:30p.m. The. mailing address is P.O. Box 230, Nappanee, IN. 46550. The display advertising deadline is Friday noon (Wednesday 2p.m. for Farm & Home), with new* and photos accepted. for the Advance-News until Monday noon, for that week’s edition. AU classified ads are due by noon on Thursday. The telephone number is 219-773-3127. FAX 773-3512.

NAPPANEEJ^ CONTINUOUS PUBLICATION SINCE 1879 1^

■w* I ■ 1 1 I PBBES K ♦ | M B bpßi^JfcpM mv P '&&?/%• z ■ ■*®4|f ’^^tk xflCT

REUNION COMlNG—Members of the Nappanee High School Alumni Association are busy finalizing plans for the first-ever NHS Alumni Reunion, to be held Saturday, October 11, at the Nappanee Elementary School (former Nappanee High School), 755 E. Van Buren St. From left, Marge Jensen, Mary Clouse, Chet McCuen, Peg Hunsberger and Donnabelle Unger, check NHS yearbooks for information on graduates. An attempt has been made to contact all grads and teachers regarding the event, but if you have been missed, and desire to attend, contact Marge Jensen, 751 W. Locke St., Nappanee, IN. 46550, by September 19,

Approve budget figures

By Colleen Graybill The Monday night, August 25, Wa-Nee Community School Board meeting included the adoption of several budget plans. The three-year Capital Projects Plan was approved with an official 1998 budget of $834,262. Budgets for 1999 and 2000 are estimated to be slightly higher than the 1998 budget, based on an estimated increase in students. The 1999 and 2000 budgets are estimates and can be changed in the event of incorrect projections. In the ‘9B budget $250,000 is set aside for work at Northwood Middle School. The amount of $200,000 was set aside for that purpose in the 1999 and 2000 budgets. The plan was also approved for advertisement. No comment was made during the public hearing of the Capital Projects Plan. A ten-year bus replacement plan was adopted, with $182,000 being allocated for the purchase of three new buses and one van in 1998. The tax levy for that plan will be $169,308 with a $l9O million estimated value. The bus portion of the Transportation Fund was increased by 19.03% to allow for the purchase of the three new buses and van. The operational portion of the Transportation Fund budget was increased by 2.57%. The levy can only be increased by 5.0% Again no comment was made during the public hearing of the bus replacement plan. A public hearing was also held on the 1998 advertised school budget. No public comment was made. The total 1998 budget was set at $19,139,976, a 5.41% increase over that of last year. Five funds supported by local taxpayers money make up the budget. The General Fund of $13,422,652 pays for most salaries, utility costs and office and classroom supplies. Fees, state grants and the excise tax cover most of that fund. The Debt Fund of $3, 546,777 pays for long term debts and covers interest on loans. It is supported almost entirely by

City sets tall trash collection

The City of Nappanee will hold its annual autumn city-wide oddsized trash pickup the week of September 8-12. The street department asks that items be placed by the curb by 7a.m., Monday. The collection is expected to take just one week, and each neighborhood will be canvassed just one time. Odd-sized trash may consist of furniture, appliances, carpet, car parts, downspouts, television

Nappanee, Indiana 46550 Wednesday, August 27,1997

the deadline for reservations. Those from Nappanee, who graduated in the first North Wood High School class, which meant that MOST of your high school career was spent at NHS, are, of course, welcome, as are spouses, and other friends of NHS. Tickets are priced at $lO each, for the event which begins with a 4-6p.m. social time and 6p.m. dinner, catered by Dal-Mar, Nappanee. Activities will include displays of high school memorabilia and remarks from representatives of each decade. Several special recognitions are also planned, and Max Bigler will serve as emcee for the evening. (AN photo by Ron Keiser

local tax money. The Transportation Fund pays for bus drivers’ salaries, and bus repairs and purchases. It is set at $1,234, 535 and is made up of grant money as well as local tax money. The Capital Projects Fund of $834,262 is also supported almost entirely by local taxpayers and pays for construction work and technological equipment. The Preschool fund of $101,750 pays for programs for young children with special learning needs and it is almost entirely supported by money from the state. The 1998 budget will be adopted on September 8. TTie 1998 anticipated tax advertised tax levy is $9,991,040. The anticipated levy is only $9,394,566. According to Administrative Assistant Janet Gruwell, the levy is advertised high to protect against incorrect assessments. The resolution to cap the 1997 Elkhart County tax rate at $5 was tabled until the next regular meeting to allow consideration of capping the 1997 Kosciusko County tax rate as well. The 1997 Kosciusko tax rate is currently being considered at $5.12. Board President Jim Hartman said, “We tried hard to keep this rate at a reasonable level. I think we did that with a $57,000 increase. That’s less than 1%.” If the Elkhart tax rate is capped at $5 and enough funds are not provided, Supt. Dr. Jerry Lelle can withdraw funds from the $250,000 set aside for North Wood Middle School improvements, up to the amount necessary to keep the rate at $5. In other business the board approved: •The resignations of Karen Rush as Northwood High School bookkeeper and of Joylyn Patton as part-time high school English instructor. •The employment of H<?pe Martin as part-time Nappanee Elementary kindergarten instructor, Randy Hibbs as Wa-Nee Schools bus driver, Cynthia Pletcher as high school bookkeep-

antennas, garage doors, windows, mattresses and bum barrels. The collection does not include cans, bottles, glass jars, empty cardboard boxes, plaster, roofing, garbage, cement, bricks, brush, lumber, plaster board, or any other remodeling materials, tires, batteries or paint cans. If these items are put out, they will not be picked up. No call is necessary to take advantage of this collection.

er, Brad Duerksen as part-time high school language arts instructor, Nicole Wiggins as high School computer clerk, Kham Keota as high school career resource instructor and Egbert Dykstra as assistant boys’ soccer coach. The next meeting of the Wa-Nee Board of School Trustees will bes held Monday, September 8, 7:30p.m., in the administration building, 1300 N. Main St., Nappanee. Meetings are open to the public.

Have a safe, happy Labor Day holiday! Please drive carefully!

i.^g^H' i MB j w 9£BBbE|S -Sjvjfe’T B 5 * ''•:‘-"IhH WmmS I 'K 4B ji i THITiBIf ■■ - f* / I QL JL/ i Mm ‘ -■ ? ■■ SSSi fSir# 9 I"1 - Jifll \ *•*• 4 "v v JiIiwBBBBBMHF \ : iSkEk, - ' \ / W'USSBmM • . ' • 1., "l* jOr > '* f |mNBHBHpII ■ f Mn'wm Jm \ m -n^ S o£ki< # I k^|V

FESTIVAL APPROACHES—The Nappanee Apple Festival will take place Friday through Sunday, September 19-21, with the Apple Dumpling Contest tagged as one of the most popular events during the three-days of activity. An entry blank for the contest appeared in last week's Issue of The Nappanee Advance-News, with entries also available at the local chamber office, W. Market St. Shown with the ‘Apple of Our Eye,' young Blakley Lengacher, are her parents.

Board discusses housing regulations

By Colleen Graybill The Pleasant Acres housing development was the main topic of discussion at the Monday afternoon, August 25, Nappanee Board of Works meeting. The housing development would provide affordable housing to be purchased for low to moderate income families. Larry Andrews presented an agreement of regulations for the housing development to the board for approval. The board as well as the developer, Rural Housing Assistance, South Bend, and the builder, Garden Homes, South Bend, must sign the agreement. According to the draft agreement Andrews presented, 100% of the buyers of the homes must meet the low to moderate income criteria outlined by the Department of Commerce, based on national census figures. The agreement also states that the city would be responsible for providing up to SIOO,OOO to match grant monies for the project. The match money will come from program income. The agreement also stipulates that if the original owner of a home in Pleasant Acres sells to a high income family within the first five years of ownership, a lien will be placed on the property. The owner will have to reimburse infrastructure costs to the city before the property can be sold to the new owner. Exceptions will be made for families forced to move because of a company transfer or a death in the family. Several minimum housing standards required by the city were also listed by Andrews. No more than 25% of the homes in Pleasant Acres may be identical, and those that are must have at least two homes that are not in between them. Roof lines, front elevation, projections and recesses in the front of the home and garage door placement can be varied to be considered as differences. Several other stipulations were also listed. A neighborhood association will be formed to enforce restricted development covenants, such as the fact that fences may only be placed in the rear of homes. Rural Housing Assistance is responsible for establishing such an association. Mayor Larry Thompson said he wanted it made clear that, “We are not creating welfare housing. Low to moderate income families are not people without money. I think you will be surprised by the types of families who will be living

Jody and Tara Lengacher, front, and proud grandparents, from left in back. Jack and Nadine Lengacher, and Unda and Mayor Larry Thompson. Vbtes accumulate as voters cast their ‘pennies' into contestant ers located at the gazebo during the festival. The winners will be named near the. close of festival activities on Sunday. Blakley is not eligible for the contest. (AN photo by Ron Keiser)

219-773-3127

there.” The board approved the proposed agreement giving the mayor and City Attorney Brian Hoffer power to make changes and approve and sign the finalized agreement. Also at the meeting, County Line Assembly Church attorney Dave Holmes requested approval of his draft of an access agreement between the church and the city. The church wants to build on property located behind the former South School. Hoffer listed sever; al provisions he believes th£ church should agree to before th? city grants access. Among those provisions were that the church would not reject annexation, i( would connect to city water and sewer at its own expense and that the city would not have liability! for the right of way adjacent to the church’s property. In other business the board accepted a bid of $20,195 from McCormick Motors for the purchase of a water utility dump truck. Also a claim of $20,124 for reimbursement for the Oakland Avenue Improvement project was approved. A request for Proposals regardr ing the engineering of the Bike Path Project were approved by the board. The proposals are not to determine bids or costs, but to consider qualifications. The state is responsible for the financial aspects of the project. Street Superintendent Sam Adams was given approval by the board to post street closing signs at least 24 hours in advance notifying residents that a street will be closed for paving. This will allow them to find alternate routes and parking. Police Chief Ray Carich was given the board’s permission to have car two refurbished by Gates Chevrolet in Mishawaka for the cost of $4,782 with a 36 month, 50,000 mile warranty. Car two is used by the canine unit and refurbishing it will forgo the costs of purchasing anew car as well as having anew car equipped for use by police and with a canine. Carich read a letter of resignation from Sgt. Jim Weaver from the Nappanee Police Reserves. The board approved Fire Chief Don Lehman’s request for the hire of Dave Breimon, effective August 20. The board also approved the participation of the fire department in the Muscular Dystrophy Association Boot Drive this Saturday.

50 cents