The Mail-Journal, Volume 27, Number 47, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 January 1989 — Page 1

Milford 658-4111 & Syracuse 457-3666

VOLUME 27

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MILFORD EYESORE CODING DOWN — The remains of the Levernier Body Shop building at the corner of Emeiine and James streets in Milford stand with a thin covering of snow as they await the final demolition step. The need to get the property cleaned up has been discussed at

Syracuse-Wawasee C of C opposes food and beverage tax

I ByDEBPATTERSOX St/iff Writer The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce has decided, as a group, to oppose the proposed food and beverage tax. however, if the tax is implemented, the grbup would favor home rule. The issue was the subject of a lengthy discussion during this morning’s < board of directors meeting. Jeanne Gardiner, board member, noted that if the tax is implemented which is possible, the tax would have potential implementation at the state level with the state controlling where funds would be distributed There would be no local input Mrs Gar • diner noted there was a second way the tax could be im. plemerrted through home rule The home rule would allow each county to decide the distribution of the funds It was noted Warsaw Mayor *" Jeff Plank in instigating the tax

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for-’his proposed City/County Recreational Facility in Warsaw. Noted’also was the fact that most of the tax funds would come from the Syracuse-Wawasee area If the home rule is implemented, the governing body of the funds would be through a group designated by the Kosciusko .County Commissioners. _ In other business a call to the

Extend sewer line —

North Webster Town Board says no

| By MITCHELL STINSON Staff Writer During a short year-end meeting held last Wednesday, Dec 28. members of the North Webster Town Board annpunced they had no in- • a

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

several Milford Town Board meetings and the town board determined at its December meeting that legal steps will be taken to force owner ' Tim Levernier to clear the debris from the property, which has been a dangerous eyesore since the building burned on June 20.1987. Levernier could not be reached for comment. (Photo by Scott Davidson)

Indiana Secretary of State’s office will be made to determine if the chamber is incorporated and has a non-profit status. This information is needed to apply for a state grant tofund the music in the park program being started thisyear. ' Mrs. Gardiner noted that Cotton and Cotton Insurance will be the sponsor of the first music in

terest in extending the sewer line for the Church of the Brethren However, board members said they would recommend the church be allowed.to arrange for a con-nection-on its own if the board s engineer approved of the plan

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4,1989

the park program and that at least 12 other sponsors are being sought for the six events this year. . . . The topic of the February quarterly luncheon will be the results of the beautification survey of chamber members. They will be tabulated and discussed No date has been set for the luncheon.

Representatives of the Church of the Brethren had sent a letter to the board members asking that they accept the church's plan to join into the town sewer line *"''x The church is located off SR 13 but there are\>lans for a relocation to CR 600, w e fourth mile west of Blaine Street The letter stated that the church would in-

Syracuse sewer project is slated for July completion

I By GLEN LONG Staff Writer The major project to improve the Syracuse sewage treatment plant and lines which began in May, 1988, and is scheduled for completion July 31,1989, continues to progress well, according to Ron Helman, waste water department superintendent. Helman reported that the concrete work at the new sewage treatment facility is 97 percent complete and underground piping stands at 75 percent- completed. He said the whole project is now about two months ahead of schedule. Main Street, which has been closed since mid-September for installation of sanitary sewer lines will continue to be closed for several weeks as work on the new main line sanitary sewer and storm sewer, which will go under the railroad and out to Wawasee High School, will be starting soon. Helman stated, “We appreciate the patience of the people of Syracuse at having Main Street closed. It seems everyone is aware that some disruption is necessary to get the sewer

Foyle's well bid approved by Milford Town Board

In its end of the year meeting, the Milford Town Board approved a bid for a new well for Waubee Lake Park and also transferred and encumbered funds for next year. Funds that were transferred came from the general fund, the motor vehicle highway fund, the cumulative capital improvement/tax rate fund and the cumulative capital improvement/cigarette tax fund The total amount of funds transferred was $55,378.81.

Funds that were encumbered totalled $21,188.10 and came from the general, motor vehicle highway and the local road and street funds.. Board members Dennis Wuthrich and John Lehman also voted to accept a bid of $2,166.35 from the Leonard Foyle Plumbing and Well Drilling Company, r 5 box 317, Syracuse, to dig a new well for the town park. They also approved the minutes of the last Milford Park Advisory Counsel

The board voted to allocate $1,500 towards the purchase of brackets for the hanging of banners in town. The brackets will be used to hold the Christmas banners as well as banners forother events and occasions.. The next meeting of the board of directors will-be February 1 at 7:45 a m. in the State Bank of Syracuse.

stall its own adjoiningline or connect with the town line if it was extended In other board matters, a letter S. from the Indiana Water Pollution ''Control Association was read reg. ding the awarding of an honorable mention to North Webster’s waste water treatment plant. - ■

system upgraded.” The project consists of projects totalling $4,499,950.40, contracts for which were signed on May 18, 1988. The largest contract was with Adams Robinson Construction Company, Dayton, Ohio, in the amount of $3,441,000 for upgrading the treatment plant. Dye Plumbing and Heating Inc of LaPorte is making im-

Papakeechie Lake issue moved to Whitley County

The battle if Papakeechie Lake is a “public freshwater lake, ’ has been moved from Kosciusko Circuit Court to Whitley County, following a change of venue request by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, defendants in the case. No gourt date has been set. A petition for review was filed on September 2 by the Papakeechie Protective Association after the DNR issued a nonfinal order declaring the lake a public freshwater lake. Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Richard W. Sand issued a stay, a statutory remedy in which a judge makes the determination that it is probable that an order

A salary ordinance for the year 1989 was voted on and passed, providing payment for the members of the town board of trustees, the clerk-treasurer and er ployees of the town. q. In other action, members were informed of the Indiana Government Finance Officers Association Conference in Indianapolis on' Jan. 18. Clerk-Treasurer Monica Bice stated that there would be discussion on the lottery at the conference. Board members tabled any action concerning snow removal

Syracuse equipment acquisition plan legal

r — 7- ~~ v . $25,000 or more the process of By GLEN LONG advertising for and considering SfafMlrder^I bids must be followed. He said that if the equipment will be used by the sewer and water departThe decision of the ments it can be legally acquired Syracuse Town Board at its asthetownboard.intends. year-end meeting to accept a Campbell pointed out that the sewer vacuum machine and hardware acquisition should acbackhoe as partial payment tually be done im two transacon a $230,000 waste water tlo ™ f The Dana bill should be , i K u paid to the town and the town can hook-up bill due from Dana hasc equipment as it Corporation raised the ques- sees fj y tion of legality in the minds of when asked what the advansome citizens. tage to Syracuse will be by securBy Friday, Dec. 30, the ques- j n g equipment in this manner, tion of whether the board could town attorney Bob Reed said, acquire equipment in this man- - "The only advantage to the town ner and thus circumvent the need j g g et equipment quicker " to advertise for bids had been He added that he knO ws of no presented by telephone to Don benefit to Dana Corp Campbell. State Board of Accounts supervisor in the area of The value of the “Vac-All utilities; by two area citizens sewer cleaner the town plans to ■ In answer to one of these buy is $120,800 and the backhoe callers. Campbell stated that cost, with trade-in, will be utilities are exempt from the $25,300. The balance of the bill public purchase statute which Dana Corp., will owe the town is specifies that for all purchases of $74,000.

The board passed a salary ordinance giving five percent raises to town employees Police Chief Jerry Craig an nounced that North Webster s Craig Bale graduated fifth in his class from the Police Academy in Plainfield on Dec 23 y — A $350 donation was presented

provements to the existing wastewater collection system for $914,830.40. Other contracts are with Best Equipment Company. Indianapolis, to supply sludge applicator equipment for $93,850 and Rudd Equipment Corp., Ft. Wayne, to supply needed sludge loader equipment for $50,270. The Syracuse Town board continues to monitor the project with

issued by an agency is improper and has no effect, on the same day the petition for review was filed. This has kept' the lake private, until a ruling on the issue is made. A motion to intervene, on

Judge Burner sets liberty case review for Jan. 9

I By GLEN LONG Staff Writer Kosciusko Superior Court Judge Robert Burner has stated that he has set the target date of

from Ulrich Drive, for insurance reasons, .pending advisement from Milford Town Attorney Jay Rigdon. A motion was made and passed to accept Barbara Richardson for the Milford Park Advisory Board and Robert M. Rassi fpr the Area Planning Commission, as members. Board member Bob Phillips and attorney Rigdon were not in attendance. In final action, the register of claims from Dec. 12-31 was voted on and accepted. The next meeting will be on Jan. 9.

to the town > decoration fund by the North Webster Chamber of Commerce 1 Another donation was made at the meeting when a representative of Eastlund Harris Funeral Home presented $75 to the Police Donation Fund The board will hold its first meeting of 1989 on Jan 18at7pm

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interest It was member Bill Hess, now resigned, who commented at the groundbreaking cereipony on May 25, 1988, that the project actually began in April, 1981. The project is being partially funded by the town’s federal grant of $2,818,847 and a state community improvement project (CIP) grant of $404,080 Dana Corporation also contributed $112,000.

behalf of approximately 40 residents of Papakeechie Lake, was filed on September 2 by Paul Refior, Warsaw attorney for the group. This motion was granted, making the group a third party.

January 9 or before to reach his decision on the judicial review sought by Liberty Bank and Northwest Indiana Bank Shares. The review is relative to the taking control of Liberty Bank by the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions on October 3, after which $31,500,000 in Liberty Bank deposits were transferred to Trustcorp Bank by the-Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. After an attempt to block the sale to Trustcorp by some shareholders a preliminary hearing was held on October 12 and a pre-trial hearing was conducted just before Christmas. Judge Burner stated that when attorneys file a petition for judicial review, they then have 30 days in which to furnish a transcript of the record they are asking to have reviewed. “As of this date I have not received the transcript,” he said. “I think Liberty has a real problem.” The judge said he hopes to begin studying the case this week. He explained that in a judicial review he is charged with looking at the record of the case to see if data was either considered or not considered in error' and make a judgement on its valid use. "I cannot submit my judgement,” Burner said, "merely review the records, which I do not as yet have available to me.” Library Board elects Those elected to serve as officers on ■ the Milford Public Library Board for next year are: President, Terry Beatty; vice president. Julie Myers; secretary, Lynne Beer; and treasurer, Robert Hoerr. The library's board of trustees held their Wednesday, Dec. 28, meeting at 4:30 pm. in the library. Following the reading of the minutes of the December 6 meeting and the treasurer’s report, the election of officers was held. The 1989 salary schedule was accepted and LIRF and excess levy transfers were approved Non-residency fee to check out books at the library will be S6O ' ■ The board accepted, with regret, the resignation of Mrs Delia Baumgartner from the board of trustees Robert Hoerr. a Jefferson Township resident. Was appointed by the Wawasee High School Board to fill out her remaining term which will continue until July 31. 1990. Board members present were Della Baumgartner. Bob Brown. Dr W J. Zehr, Julie MyNs/ Librarian Mary Jurss. and nA member Robert J. Hoerr. i r * . L - T I