The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 11, Milford, Kosciusko County, 12 March 1986 — Page 1

Phones: Milford 658-4111 & Syracuse 457-3666

VOLUME 23

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BZA HEARS ALTERNATIVES — Ron Baumgartner, Milford resident, shown standing in the center of the photo, points out to the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals a site just south of Milford which might be a better location for the mobile home park which Harlan Beer planned to build west of Milford.

BZA nixes Milford mobile home pork

By GLEN LONG Staff Writer It was close to standing room only in the old court room of the Kosciusko County Courthouse Monday morning as the- Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals began its March meeting. The majority of the audience was present relative to the petition of Harlan Beer for a zon- ■ ft' D ■ ■I /a DON H. ARNOLD Don Arnold is elected Lt. Governor $ Milford Kiwanis Club member Don H. Arnold was elected Lieutenant Governor of the local region at the District Kiwanis meeting held Saturday, March 1, at Goshen High School. “This is quite an honor, Don will need our help and support,” commented Dan Brown, president of the Milford Kiwanis. Arnold will take office in the near future. In other news it was announced that the Milford club will sponsor the division prayer meeting, May 9, while the Kiwanis board of directors chose to contribute the Cause Pot money to Brown each week. Brown is running for Milford Mayor as part of the sesquicentennial celebration, slated for June 1-7, and is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. Guests for Saturday’s meeting included Stanley Hoopingarner and Kirk Dewart, while Theo Thomas presented slides of his trip to Jordan to the group. Thomas has been traveling for Brock Manufacturing Inc. for the last 10 years. After the presentation, most members of the group agreed that living in the U.S. was much better than Jordan, as Thomas pointed out that many problems occur while traveling to a foreign country. He mentioned that as one visits a country they often find that there is a holiday on that particular day, limiting travel. “You just get a motel and wait,” Thomas said.

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ing exception to allow building a mobile home park on the south side of CRI2SON, west of Milford. This was evident when over 40 people stood as Rick Helm, attorney for remonstrators in the case, asked those against the mobile home park being approved to stand. The case had been continued from the February 18 meeting when the BZA requested opposing parties to get together to try to come to some agreeable solution on the petition. In response to the BZA request the Milford Town Board met on February 25 and voted two to one to submit to the BZA a statement of its disapproval of the mobile home park location being planned. After hearing arguments and rebuttals from attorneys for both sides and a presentation by Ron Baumgartner of viable alternatives for the good of Milford and all concerned, the public portion of the meeting was closed as board member Jerry Grady commented, “It comes down to the location.” The room was very quiet for about 10 minutes while the four BZA members considered and discussed the case quietly. When chairman Bob Hartzell asked the second time for a motion, Grady responded by reviewing the ordinance points the petition was in accord with and stating the fact that it appeared to be only at odds with the need to be in harmony with neighboring properties. He then moved to deny the petition based on that ordinance point. The motion was seconded by Arden Warner and passed unanimously. Just before the vote, Grady commented again that the proposed location was the sole problem and said he was convinced that Harlan Beer, being an honorable man, would put in a quality facility as he said he would, if allowed to proceed. Hartzell also commended Beer for the high quality of the proposal which had been submitted. The meeting recessed for a few minutes during which most of the audience departed. Harlan Beer willingly commented prior to his departure, “I’ve lived in and near Milford all my life and I wouldn’t want to do anything to hilrt the town.” He added that it could happen that houses will be built on the site instead of a mobile home park. Virgil Zimmerman, who owns the land Beer had planned to build the mobile home park on, expressed his frustration at the BZA denial by saying the petitioner was “railroaded.” Discussion Os Case The petition discussion was opened by Mike Armey, attorney representing Beer, who presented a list of rules and regulations the mobile home park would use. He said the only change in this list since the last BZA hearing was that an existing mobile home could be sold while in the park, but park management still would have to approve the purchaser as a continuing renter. Armey stated that Beer had met all requirements of the coun-

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL |Est. 1907)

Beer’s petition for a variance was denied based on incompatibility with neighboring properties. Flanking Baumgartner are attorneys Michael Armey, left; and Rick Helm, right. BZA members are at the left and Dan Richards, Area Plan Commission director, is seated at the end of the table. (Photo by Glen Long)

ty zoning ordinance and that approval of the petition was therefore required. Rick Helm commented that since he had just received the rules and regulation submitted by Armey he had not had adequate time to study/them. He noted that under /the rules entered, a mobile home could in essence stay there forever. Helm entered into evidence a\partial copy of the minutes of the Milford Town Board meeting which included its vote on the subject. Member of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission and Milford resident, Ron Baumgartner, rose to speak when Hartzell asked for comments from the floor. He read a letter written by Milford Town Board President Jean Treesh in which she discussed the town board’s vote. Baumgartner presented a large aerial map of Milford on which he pointed out an area just south of Milford and east of Barth Inc. which he said could be an appropriate place for a mobile Home park. He noted its closer proximity to other mobile home parks and the near availability of water and sewer lines. The APC member stated his understanding that the owner of that acreage, Don Wolferman, Barbara Boerger new Syracuse library clerk Barbara Boerger, who lives on the south shore of Lake Wawasee, has been employed by the Syracuse Public Library Board to fill the new position of clerk at the library. Her job will include filing, reference work, and assistant to the librarians, Rosalyn Jones and Bonnie Bjella. The Boergers were summer residents for many years before becoming permanent residents. Her husband, Richard, is semiretired from the insurance field and she is active in the Enchanted Hills Playhouse, bridgerama, bowling and the Grace Lutheran Church. Board members studied a prospectus prepared by Mrs. Jones in preparation for filing an application for an Indiana Heritage Research Grant. If granted, the money will be used to make oral history interviews concerning the period from 1920 to 1935. The project time-table would be from June 1966 to June 1987 making the material available for use in the Syracuse Sesquicentennial Celebration the summer of 1987. The secretary reported the library presentation of slides and narration has been presented for two women’s elute and three men’s service clubs. Any groups wishing to use this resource for a program may contact the library. Present at the March board of trustees meeting were Charles Koser, chairing the meeting; John Naab; Rev. Ken Robinson; Karen Tranter; Virginia E. Ditmer; and the librarians Absent were Bob Knudsen and Billie Rigdon. The next meeting will be April 14, in the library.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12,1986

had expressed some interest in such a project. He agreed with previous comments by Helm that the original planned location for the park west of Milford could very logically be used for residential houses which are of a more permanent improvable nature than mobile homes. In summary, Baumgartner asked the BZA to deny the mobile home park petition for the proposed location and encourage the developer (Beer) to work toward the building of homes in that area. He also suggested that Beer might contact Don Wolferman about locating a mobile home park on his land south of town. The meeting was the first for John Lehman, Milford, who joined the BZA to replace George Hoppus, recently deceased. He had studied the previous information and exhibits in this case and had been deemed by County Attorney Max Reed to be qualified to vote even though he had not been on the board at the initial hearing of the case.

Syracuse Main Street landmark to come down

In the year 1901 young Teddy Roosevelt ascended to the White House. It was also a year of building in rural America. One building that went up that year was the Syracuse uptown building that has most recently housed the Pilcher Shoes Warehouse, located on the south side of East Main Street. The double building, owned by the State Bank of Syracuse for a number of years, is being torn down to make room for a parking lot for approximately 20 vehicles.

Senator Lugar to be commencement speaker

Indiana’s Senior United States Senator, Richard G. Lugar, has consented to be the speaker at the Sunday, May 18th, graduation exercises at Wawasee High School, it was learned early this week. The office of Superintendent Kenneth E. Webster confirmed the fact of the Lugar appearance here, stating he had a letter dated March 7th agreeing to make the appearance. The letter arrived at the superintendent’s office on Monday of this week. Dr. Webster corresponded with Senator Lugar a year go in this matter. 18th Graduating Class The commencement exercises are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, with 201 students scheduled to receive their high school diplomas. It is the 18th class to graduate from the consolidated Wawasee High School which comprises the communities of Milford, North Webster and Syracuse, and their respective townships, and the east half of Jefferson Township. Dr. Webster said he has known Senator Lugar for some time, first becoming acquainted with him when he (Dr. Webster) served as an assistant school superintendent in the state of Florida. A native of Indianapolis where

Milford to be a part of revitalization program

By MARK HUFFMAN Staff Writer Operating in the absence of Milford Town Board president Jean Treesh, board members Darrell Om and Dennis Wuthrich formally signed a resolution Monday, allowing for the town’s submission to the Indiana Main Street program.

On Monday Don McCulloch of Don’s Excavating, and several of his workmen, began the razing project that should take approximately three weeks. Over the years a number of businesses were located in the two rooms, and the late Mrs. Mabie Louise Connolly operated a successful dress shop, the LaPetite Shop, on the second floor of the building and also lived there. Leila Connolly of 207 West Main Street, said her father, the late William George Connolly, began the Star Store in one room and

B B jO 111 RICHARD G. LUGAR he served two terms as mayor, Sehator Lugar was a Rhodes Scholar studying at Oxford University in England. He is chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, and serves on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and on the Select Committee on Intelligence. He recently won world-wide attention when he headed a group to oversee the Philippine elections that eventually were the undoing of President Ferdinand Marcos.

The organization affords Milford the opportunity to receive technical assistance. “They (Main Street personnel) examine the town’s condition and tell you how to improve it,” Monica Bice, clerk-treasurer, said of the program designed to help revitalize Indiana cities and towns. (Continued on page 2)

when he married Mrs. Connolly in 1904 they expanded the operation into a large, full line department store, named The Royal Store, employing at one time three full time seamstresses. Later one downstairs room, next to the alley, became a 5 and 10 cent store. It closed several years ago. Some time ago bank officials adjudged the building too costly to repair, plus the fact that demand for uptown buildings had lessened, and that it seemed proper to put the ground to a better use.

'Who'll be mayor?'

Eight candidates are vying to become Milford’s first mayor, through monetary donations given by the public, in an effort to raise money for the town’s sesquicentennial celebration June 1-7. Following is The Mail-Journal’s second installment of “Who’ll be mayor?’’ — giving the public a view of the candidates and his or her background. The section also provides a forum for candidates’ race platforms and goals they wish to attain if elected. Milford will be afforded it’s first mayor on the strength of donations given to individual candidates. The position is honorary, with the candidate raising the most money becoming mayor for a year. Three runners-up will serve as honorary town council members. Having kicked-off Feb. 26. the race will run until April 26 — at which time the winner will be announced at a banquet staged at the community building. All candidates have savings accounts set-up in their names at two area banks, where donations can be made, for more information on the race one may contact mayor committee chairmen John Replogle, at Chore-Time Equipment Inc., SR 15, or Elmer Sorensen, at 658-4807. \ Andy Brown and Dan Brown are profiled below. Other candidates include: Margi Brooks, Arch Baumgartner. Elsie Free, Rich Miller, Vera Schell and Jean Treesh. Baumgartner, Andy Brown, Free and Schell have savings accounts set up at First National Bank, Milford, where contributions can be made, while Brooks, Dan Brown, Miller and Treesh have accounts at Lake City Bank, Milford.

** ■ x / ■ ■■ ? * DAN BROWN Hoping to help make the sesquicentennial a “successful celebration that will be remembered for many years,” Dan Brown entered the mayor’s race under the tutelage of the Milford Kiwanis. With two titles of president. Kiwanis and the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana, Brown hopes to bring leadership to the position as the Kiwanis distribute cans, in his name, throughout town. One may also contribute to his “election fund” by depositing money in a special savings account at Lake City Bank, Milford. Brown and his wife, Nilah, live at 407 S. Main St., Milford. They have two daughters, Amber and Tami. “Milford is a good place to live and raise children — because of our excellent schools. My parents grew-up here and I have lived in the area all my life,” the 1968 graduate of Milford High School said, adding, “This is just ‘home’!” While Brown took another “temporary” home in the late 1960 s and early ‘7os as a student at Purdue University, Lafayette, he returned to Milford after graduating in 1972. Working at Phend and Brown Inc. has helped the northeastern Indiana native keep in contact with several area residents — something he hopes will afford him that extra push toward the mayor’s Seat. “Milford has good, friendly people and there is a strong sense of community pride among citizens,” he concluded.

School board approves 'Saturday School Suspension'

Ned Speicher, Wawasee High School principal, introduced what he called a “two fold” discipline proposalduring last night’s Wawasee School Board meeting, held at Milford Junior High.

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NUMBER 11

ANDY BROWN Attempting to topple his older brother, Dan, and six other area residents in their bid to become Milford’s first mayor, Andy Brown contends that his reasons for entering the race Feb. 26 are not personal. “I think it is a clever way for organizations and businesses in Milford to raise money for the sesquicentennial,” he commented. Sponsored by the Milford Jaycees, Brown hopes the majority of that money is raised in his name as he vies for the top honorary position. Brown, r 2 box 184, a construction estimator and field engineer for Phend and Brown Inc., lives in Milford with his wj/e, Kathy. A member of the Milford United Methodist Church, he enjoys living in a town of Milford’s size, pointing towards the benefits it provides. “While some may say living in a small community like Milford is boring, I like it because of the uncomplicated lifestyle it allows,” Brown said, adding, “The residents and merchants show a great sense of pride in their community as they support community projects'— such as the sesquicentennial celebration.” Brown, who enjoys snowmobiling and sailing, will attempt to. sail into the mayor’s seat with the help of local Jaycee members and other citizens who are setting up cans, for donations, throughout town. One may also vote for Brown unanimously, with a contribution to his savings account at the Milford First National Bank.

Termed “Saturday School Suspension,” board members and administrators listened to Speicher’s brief, yet thorough explanation of the proposal. He said that present disciplinary measures such as detentions, inschool and out-of-school suspen (Continued on page 2)