The Mail-Journal, Volume 28, Number 4, Milford, Kosciusko County, 8 March 1989 — Page 1

Milford 658-4111 & Syracuse 457-3666

VOLUME 28

C of C's Beautification Project

(By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer Participation interest from the Syracuse Town Board will be the next step in moving ahead with the SyracuseWawasee Chamber of Commerce Beautification Project. Results of a survey among chamber members and where to go from there were the topics of the chamber’s quarterly luncheon last Wednesday, chaired by Bill Beemer, project chairman. Pat Brown, ASLA with SiteScapes, Mishawaka, gave those present suggestions on what the group needs to do at this point and what needs to be done. Michael Gensic. PE with Gensic and Associates, Fort Wayne, who was instrumental in working with ) Ligonier on a similar plan, gave his input also. Both men stressed the importance of community input and involvement of different agencies. Brown noted working plans on how to implement the ideas from the surveys was needed, not another set of drawings. He suggested taking the survey and conducting a seminar with the members of the community to test the answers. A master plan could then be developed from there ranging from three to 10 years. He mentioned approaching the town board to see if there was interest in participating in a comprehensive master plan of the entire town. “If they are not interested, then the chamber can go ahead,” said Brown. The comprehensive plan would be away of seeing where the town could go in the next 10-20 years. Joe Todd, realtor, commented the chamber should go ahead with the plan or it would never get done. “We don't have a full time city manager, or staff to make it work," he stated about the town. “I know if we go to the town board with another plan it is a waste of needed time. Maybe they will get caught up in the euphoria.”

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Ahead of schedule Construction of the new Syracuse Waste Water Treatment Plant is ahead of schedule by I-P2 months, due to the mild winter, according to Tom Cievidence, resident engineer. He stated the contractor is expecting an early start up of part of the system by mid-April or May 1 so workers can take out part of the old plant. The sewer construction is running along on schedule with a target day of June 1 to reopen Main Street. Cievidence stated there are some items o" the sewer line construction that cannot be completed until accepted to the new sewer system. The construction company's timing on working on the pump stations have worked out well and saved the town some extra expenses Part of the project is revamping the pump stations and as the old pump stations have broken down, the contractor

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Jeanne Gardiner disagreed with Todd's feelings and stated this board is aware of the town's needs and a comprehensive plan would make the project more effective. “We owe it to them to afford the opportunity.” Suggestions from Brown included receiving input from citizens of the community, through a survey based on the one by chamber members. “This way they can support the project." said Brown, adding if people are given the opportunity throughout the project to voice opinions and be included, they will “feel proud of backing the plan.” Explaining the master plan, Brown stated it could be broken down into different areas, stating what needs to be done and the year for accomplishment, cost, and what funding is available. He referred to the Syracuse Park Department's master plan, which he was involved with. Gensic stated he agreed with Brown and noted it was important to work with different agencies. He urged the chamber to get a master plan or wish list putting in different areas of interest then break out specific projects. "It is important to start with a general master plan, then attack specific areas.” During Beemer s announcement of the survey, he added a recommendation that the state highway department be asked to widen SR 13 from Chicago Street to the bowling alley with a middle turn lane. He noted this would fill in part of the ditch area and eliminate the left turn problem. He added there has been at least six known fatalities in that stretch over the"past 10 years. “This is a long range plan and thought.” Beemer said. This would also be in addition to the chamber seeking to have a traffic light installed at Chicago Street and SR 13. Survey Results Beemer noted there was an excellent response from chamber members on the survey. Target areas were uptown, village, and miscellaneous. The results in each of the target areas were announced in priorities, based on the survey.

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has bent over backward to replace those stations. Once part of the system is in operation, the existing clarifier will be a post aeration tank, the existing aeration tank will be a day time sludge tank and the

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

Uptown — Replace sidewalks and curbs, add flowers and benches. upgrade store fronts, . establish handicapped parking spot on one corner of Huntington and Main Streets, and install decorative street lighting. Village — Fill in ditches and • landscape with flowers, shrubs, trees, picnic tables, benches, small decorative lights to create a village parkway, add curbing and sidewalks, install decorative lighting to continue uptown theme, shop signs similar to street signs listing shops/stores in that block, bury electric wires and so forth. Miscellaneous — Encourage

Winner to get SSO bond — Easter Coloring Contest begins

Della Baumgartner, publisher of The Papers Incorporated. has announced that once again The MailJournal will provide a SSO savings bond for the grand prize winner in the Easter coloring contest. The event is sponsored jointly each year by area merchants and The Mail-Journal. Besides the SSO grand prize, merchants will award individual prizes to their store winners The grand prize winner will be selected from the individual store winners. Youngsters in kindergarten through the fourth grade mayenter the contest by coloring the pictures in this issue of The MailJournal and returning them to the respective merchants sponsoring the contest. No entries will be accepted at any office of The Papers Incorporated. The following rules will apply:

primary clarifier adjuster will be used as a sludge holding tank for long term storage. The existing trickling filter will be taken out. making room for an_addition to the existing maintenance building

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8,1989

creation and/or enforcement of town ordinances on old buildings, junk cars, trash, uncut grass/weeds and signs; work with local board of zoning appeals to avoid hodgepodge development; encourage town to repave streets in need, making alleys secondary; actively encourage new business, both industry and retail; and create a posh resort atmosphere through specialty and gift shops. Also listed under miscellaneous were to encourage additional businesses, encourage businesses businesses, encourage business to keep premises neat, encourage town to replace or refurbish street signs, promote the positive

1. The contest is open to all children in grades kindergarten through fourth only. 2 Paint, pencil, crayons or markers may be used to color the pictures. 3. Entries must be received at each sponsor's place of business no later than 6 p.m. on Sunday. March 19. or by the stores regular closing time on Saturday or Sunday, whichever is earlier. 4. Absolutely no entries will be accepted at any office of The Papers Incorporated. 5. Accuracy and neatness of appearance are very important. The judges’ decision will be final in all cases. 6. Entries should be mounted on B>2Xll sheets of paper with the youngster's name, parents' name and address, telephone number, school and grade. Sponsors for this year's contest are; Milford — PK's FamilyRestaurant. downtown; Whet-

Shown in the top photo are the two oxidation ditches, each being one-half the size of a football field and holding a total of 1.1 million gallons. On the right is one of two new clarifiers. (Photos by Deb Patterson 1

influence of a clean, tidy, colorful town, create an Arbor Day to involve the school, encourage planting and maintaining flowers from one end of town to the other, investigate a housing and maintenance program for homeowners along SR 13 who cannot afford to make needed repair or painting, create bicycle and/or walking paths on undeveloped acreage owned by the park board, and create a “Junior Beautification Committee” through the school. Additional comments received were to appoint an experienced group of three people to assist on the dam control committee and street lighting on Pickwick Road.

ten’s Pizza, downtown; Bonnie Gene's Boutique. 105 W Emeline; Bruce’s Marathon. SR 15; Campbell's IGA. SR 15N; Doll’s Decorating Center, downtown; Lakeland Loving Care Center, Inc., corner of 4th and Elm streets North Webster — White s .Amoco. SR 13; Augsburger’s. North Webster and Syracuse locations Syracuse — Big Wheel. SR 13N; Mary Ann Drive-In. Wawasee Village; Marises. Wawasee Village; Bale's Butcher Shop, uptown; Jack’s Village Video. Wawasee Village; Wawasee Bowl, SR 13S; Thornburgs Super Drugs. Syracuse and North Webster locations; Frank's Place, SR 13S; Syracuse Dairy Queen, Wawasee Village; First Federal Savirffes and Loan. Wawasee Village; Three Flags Drive-In, Wawasee Village; Wawasee Service Center, SR 13S; Miller’s Merry Manor, Inc., Pickwick Drive; Gropp's Famous Fish of Stroh, SR 13S.

Drug raid March 3 — Five kilograms of cocaine netted Kosciusko County Police continue to make a dent in the drug traffic in the county. Nicholaus Troy Hicks, 26. Silver Lake, was arrested Friday. March 3. after the seizure of approximately one kilogram of cocaine. More than five kilograms of cocaine were seized in the incident. Sheriff Ron Robinson stated Hicks is the third major drug dealer in the county to be apprehended by police. Hicks arrest and seizure of cocaine was the joint efforts of the county sheriff s department. Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Agents, and countywide Special Operations Section for St. Joseph County. James G. Richmond. United State attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, stated the arrest of Hicks and the seizure of this large quantity of cocaine is expected to have a major impact on drug trafficking in Kosciusko County. Preliminary tests on the cocaine instated that it is of very high (Quality and authorities estimate the street value to be in excess of $1 million. Hicks has been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine in an amount greater .than five kilograms and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in an amount greater than five kilograms. If convicted on both counts, Hicks faces a man datory minimum jail sentence of 10 years and a maximum of double life imprisonment along with fines totalling up to $8 million.

FILL LN DITCH. RANKED TOP — The filling of the ditches along SR 13 in Wawasee Village was ranked tops in the results of a beautification survey to members of the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce. The survey asked members to list areas in the uptown, village and miscellaneous areas in priority to be cons idered for the chamber beautification report. Curbing and sidewalks were the top priority for the uptown area. Results of the survey were announced last Wednesday during the chamber’s quarterly luncheon. The next step will be approaching the Syracuse Town Board for the possibility of their participation in a comprehensive study of the town. Public input will be sought before a master plan is designed on the project. Shown in the photo are Sally Cotton, chamber president, and Bill Beemer, beautification project chairman, looking at one of the ditches. The survey seeks to have the ditches filled and landscaped with flowers, shrubs, trees, picnic tables, benches, small decorative lights, creating a village parkway. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

Tuesdoy, March 14 — Hearing on proposed lease for school

A public hearing on a proposed lease between the Wawasee Community -School Corporation and Wawasee Building Corporation, a not-for-profit company, will be held at 7 p.m.. Tuesday. March 14. in Room 130 in Wawasee High School. The purpose of the lease is to allow the Wawasee Building Corporation to acquire certain real estate, build and equip a new middle school and lease the project to the school corporation. The public is encouraged to attend. The building corporation will be established by financial consultants. Summers and Company, Fort Wayne, in accordance with state law for the purpose of allowing the sale of bonds on the project. However, the board will remain the governing body to ap-

54-45 vote — Boat bill barely passes

I By KATE WOLFORD Staff Writer House Bill 1579, which Representative Dave Wolkins (Winona Lake) believes will strongly affect Kosciusko County, barely passed the House recently with a vote of 54 to 45. The bill would take boat titles and registration to the license branches. The procedure for obtaining the boat license would be the same as auto plates Wolkins stated that the bill is a controversial one and that 'Under this law. there will be an excise tax collected in the same manner as license plate fees are collected at the license bureau.’’ He also stated that with this new bill, there will be counties that win and counties that lose "We re a loser. " he said about Kosciusko County A major point of contention with the bill is the fact that tax Suspended license Israel Isaac Guevara 23. Milford, was booked in Elkhart County Jail by Nappanee police early Friday morning. March 3 He was charged with driving while his operatßr's license was suspended

prove payment of funds on the project. Phil Gutman, financial advisor. will present the financial aspects of the lease and how it operates at this hearing. The proposed lease will be for 20 years, beginning with occupancy of the building or on May 25, 1991. whichever is later. The lease provides for 40 semi-annual payments of rent, an amount that will not exceed $1,006,495. The first rent payment is due on May 25. 1991. and on each May 25 and November 25 thereafter. The payment schedule will remain constant throughout the lease, however, the exact amount of the payment will not be known until closing on May 17. Additionally, the lease calls for the school corporation to maintain insurance on the property.

amounts are based on the length of a boat, not on its value, as it is with automobiles. As Wolkins put it. "All 24-foot boats are not created equal." Boats have been assessed as personal property and taxes are paid on them based on assessment figures. Owners who moor their boats here in Kosciusko County as of March 1. but who live elsewhere, have been having their boats assessed here and money has been staying in the county In fact, a figure of $8,900,000 has been given as the 1988 assessed valuation of boats in this county 4 According to figures provided by Charlene Knispel. Turkey Creek Township Assessor. 1988 tax dollars from boats assessed in Turkes Creek Township came to $238,000 and about $172,000 in Tippecanoe The bill. Wolkins said, was prompted. in part, by the fact that in Lake County, boats that are owned by people who,actually live in Chicago are being sailed home prior to assessment and these boat ow ners are not paying faxes in Indiana Under the new law . if a%oat is in Indiana 60 or more-days total, "those folks will then be subject to the Indiana tax.” he said. He added. "They’re going to all those Chicago boats that are parked there.’.’

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taxes and assessments, costs of alterations and repairs and so on. The lease does contain an option of renewal on the same terms and conditions and an option to purchase on the 20th rental payment date or thereafter. There is also a provision that upon the termination of the lease, the project will become the property of the school corporation. During the hearing, interested persons have the right to voice objections or feelings about the lease. The board will make a decision on signing the lease that evening. Another legal notice will be published announcing the board's action on the lease and that further objections can be heard. The hearing will be held in conjunction with the regular monthly school board of trustees meeting.

Knispel questioned, however, how the boats could actually be monitored and caught. There is also question about how the bill would be disbursed in different counties. Knispel has followed the bill's progress closely. “It’s not going to bring back as much money as they say it's going to,” she said. She also said that everything else in the state is based on value and not length. Knispel added that the bill might not be constitutional, as it is not equal and uniform with the other methods of taxation. Knispel pointed out that many people who boat here may not even know the name of the county. She did state, however, that the bill was not bad in theory. “It could be a real uniform and equal bill," she concluded.

MAD meeting this Saturday The March meeting of MAD (Milford Area De elopment Council. Inc.) will be held this Satdrday beginning at 9 a m. in the Milford Community Building, according to MAD President John Replogle