City Hears Feedback About Curb Project On Lilac, Brubaker
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Residents of Lilac Lane and Brubaker Street filled the Warsaw city council chambers Monday, some questioning and complaining about changes to the streets, others making complimentary remarks.
Don Kollman asked who put the curbs and gutters in along the street and whether or not the project was planned.
Public works superintendent Lacy Francis Jr. replied that the street department did the work and it had been planned for years.
"It was promised by the former mayor in 1990 and '92 to put curbs and gutters in where there was none at all," Francis said.
Kollman said he called Jeff Plank, who was the mayor 14 years ago, "and that's untrue. He never promised anything like that."
Kollman asked why the city didn't talk to the neighbors.
Francis said there were fliers about the project placed on everyone's door.
Someone in the audience said those fliers were rescinded a couple of days later.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said he didn't know what promises were made.
"The city is trying to upgrade the streets with gutters. It's done now," he said.
Kermit Collins said he'd called councilman Bill Rhoades and asked about seeing plans for the work, which includes making Brubaker and Lilac one-way streets going north.
Rhoades said the idea of making the streets one-way was discussed when Pike Lake Pointe Apartments were constructed. He added that he talked to Wiggins about the street.
"I asked about plans and you said you'd check them and you never called me back," Collins said again, this time more forcefully.
Rhoades, apparently not liking Collins' tone, shot back that he lost his daughter the past weekend and he didn't need to be yelled at by Collins.
"There were a lot of errors made. There were no plans at all," Kollman said. "I said I wanted a drive-through and was asked why. What difference does it make why I want a drive-through. It's my property."
One resident said he was surprised by the project and that an improvement is an improvement. He said if there were any errors, the street crews were quick to fix them.
Residents complained about shortened driveways, that some now back out directly onto the street. Others wondered where the mailboxes are supposed to go now.
Ed Nordstrom said he thought Lilac Lane was an unusual street when he moved in five years ago. He said the street department did an excellent job.
"There used to be a big puddle right in front of my house after it rained and sometimes it didn't go away for days. Now it drains right off. The workers were tremendously accurate at getting this done," he said.
A resident said the street is definitely a one-way drive now and echoed Nordstrom's compliments for the department and to Phend and Brown on the driveways.
The height of the curbs was questioned and Francis said the height is standard for the city.
Ray Meyer said the curb installation makes the streets very narrow.
"They're alleys anyway, it's a lake area with few driveways. When we had company, we parked in our yards. Now we can't even do that. (Traffic commissioner) Kip Shuter came by and asked which way to run the one-way.
"The only place you go out there is home. I just got my fall tax bill ... how much did this project cost? If you spent a dollar out there it was too much. Now we can't even pull out of our driveways. Now we can't even pass each other. We all got by for 30-some years.
"Have any of you been out there?" he asked the council.
Excepting George Clemens, the councilmen indicated they had visited the area.
Paul Quillen said the one-ways will force him to drive an extra four blocks to get home.
The council approved an ordinance making Brubaker and Lilac one-way streets going north. The ordinance establishes no parking during school hours on the east side of Lincoln Street between Main and Colfax streets and on both sides of Fort Wayne Street between Lincoln and Lindberg streets.
The no-parking adoption is in response to requests from the Lincoln Elementary School administration. Parents have not been following the school pick-up and drop-off procedures by parking across the street, which causes the children to cross the street.
The board also:
• Approved $22,100 in transfers as requested by the fire department.
Funds shifted included $2,000 for a laptop computer for the training officer; $6,600 to the FICA account to cover the retirement of three firefighters in 2004; $8,500 for the repair of heaters in Station 2's equipment bay; and $5,000 for a new office copier.
• Reviewed the Fire Truck Book Mobile schedule. The little vehicle is used to promote safety for children with reading materials on fire safety and related topics. The truck will be housed at elementary school libraries on a monthly basis. Children can choose a book to read during library time and teachers can use the fire truck in their classrooms. The schedule is: October, Jefferson Elementary; November, Washington Elementary; January, Madison Elementary; February, Harrison Elementary; March, Leesburg Elementary; and April, Lincoln Elementary.
We-Fab, Lakeside Chevrolet and D Signs sponsor the bookmobile.
• Denied a request by Heritage Financial Group Inc. to modify sewer bills for Forest Park Mobile Home Community, which Heritage recently purchased. A letter to the mayor indicates there are 100 sites with 51 vacancies. The former owners were paying for full occupancy. Heritage wants to be billed for the 49 homes in the park.
Wiggins said the owners are billed for the number of lots available, not the occupancy rate; nor does the city wish to monitor the occupancy rate.
"It would be a nightmare for the billing department and we'd have to do it for everybody," Wiggins said.
• Approved a transfer of $9,700 to the Warsaw Police Department's pension budget to cover the unforeseen retirement of an employee (Paul Schmitt) earlier this year.
• Approved a 3 percent increase for elected officials: $56,767 for the mayor; $47,996 for the clerk-treasurer; and $4,780 for each council member; with councilmen Jeff Grose and Bob Morrison voting nay. This ordinance will be heard again at the Nov. 1 meeting.
• Heard Shadow Lake, an 89-lot residential subdivision under development by Dale Custer north of Old 30E, will be requesting a voluntary annexation.
• Approved an ordinance establishing a nonsufficient check fee of $27.50 or 5 percent of the amount of the nonsufficient check (not to exceed $250).
City councilmen are: Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and Joe Thallemer. Smith was absent. [[In-content Ad]]
Residents of Lilac Lane and Brubaker Street filled the Warsaw city council chambers Monday, some questioning and complaining about changes to the streets, others making complimentary remarks.
Don Kollman asked who put the curbs and gutters in along the street and whether or not the project was planned.
Public works superintendent Lacy Francis Jr. replied that the street department did the work and it had been planned for years.
"It was promised by the former mayor in 1990 and '92 to put curbs and gutters in where there was none at all," Francis said.
Kollman said he called Jeff Plank, who was the mayor 14 years ago, "and that's untrue. He never promised anything like that."
Kollman asked why the city didn't talk to the neighbors.
Francis said there were fliers about the project placed on everyone's door.
Someone in the audience said those fliers were rescinded a couple of days later.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said he didn't know what promises were made.
"The city is trying to upgrade the streets with gutters. It's done now," he said.
Kermit Collins said he'd called councilman Bill Rhoades and asked about seeing plans for the work, which includes making Brubaker and Lilac one-way streets going north.
Rhoades said the idea of making the streets one-way was discussed when Pike Lake Pointe Apartments were constructed. He added that he talked to Wiggins about the street.
"I asked about plans and you said you'd check them and you never called me back," Collins said again, this time more forcefully.
Rhoades, apparently not liking Collins' tone, shot back that he lost his daughter the past weekend and he didn't need to be yelled at by Collins.
"There were a lot of errors made. There were no plans at all," Kollman said. "I said I wanted a drive-through and was asked why. What difference does it make why I want a drive-through. It's my property."
One resident said he was surprised by the project and that an improvement is an improvement. He said if there were any errors, the street crews were quick to fix them.
Residents complained about shortened driveways, that some now back out directly onto the street. Others wondered where the mailboxes are supposed to go now.
Ed Nordstrom said he thought Lilac Lane was an unusual street when he moved in five years ago. He said the street department did an excellent job.
"There used to be a big puddle right in front of my house after it rained and sometimes it didn't go away for days. Now it drains right off. The workers were tremendously accurate at getting this done," he said.
A resident said the street is definitely a one-way drive now and echoed Nordstrom's compliments for the department and to Phend and Brown on the driveways.
The height of the curbs was questioned and Francis said the height is standard for the city.
Ray Meyer said the curb installation makes the streets very narrow.
"They're alleys anyway, it's a lake area with few driveways. When we had company, we parked in our yards. Now we can't even do that. (Traffic commissioner) Kip Shuter came by and asked which way to run the one-way.
"The only place you go out there is home. I just got my fall tax bill ... how much did this project cost? If you spent a dollar out there it was too much. Now we can't even pull out of our driveways. Now we can't even pass each other. We all got by for 30-some years.
"Have any of you been out there?" he asked the council.
Excepting George Clemens, the councilmen indicated they had visited the area.
Paul Quillen said the one-ways will force him to drive an extra four blocks to get home.
The council approved an ordinance making Brubaker and Lilac one-way streets going north. The ordinance establishes no parking during school hours on the east side of Lincoln Street between Main and Colfax streets and on both sides of Fort Wayne Street between Lincoln and Lindberg streets.
The no-parking adoption is in response to requests from the Lincoln Elementary School administration. Parents have not been following the school pick-up and drop-off procedures by parking across the street, which causes the children to cross the street.
The board also:
• Approved $22,100 in transfers as requested by the fire department.
Funds shifted included $2,000 for a laptop computer for the training officer; $6,600 to the FICA account to cover the retirement of three firefighters in 2004; $8,500 for the repair of heaters in Station 2's equipment bay; and $5,000 for a new office copier.
• Reviewed the Fire Truck Book Mobile schedule. The little vehicle is used to promote safety for children with reading materials on fire safety and related topics. The truck will be housed at elementary school libraries on a monthly basis. Children can choose a book to read during library time and teachers can use the fire truck in their classrooms. The schedule is: October, Jefferson Elementary; November, Washington Elementary; January, Madison Elementary; February, Harrison Elementary; March, Leesburg Elementary; and April, Lincoln Elementary.
We-Fab, Lakeside Chevrolet and D Signs sponsor the bookmobile.
• Denied a request by Heritage Financial Group Inc. to modify sewer bills for Forest Park Mobile Home Community, which Heritage recently purchased. A letter to the mayor indicates there are 100 sites with 51 vacancies. The former owners were paying for full occupancy. Heritage wants to be billed for the 49 homes in the park.
Wiggins said the owners are billed for the number of lots available, not the occupancy rate; nor does the city wish to monitor the occupancy rate.
"It would be a nightmare for the billing department and we'd have to do it for everybody," Wiggins said.
• Approved a transfer of $9,700 to the Warsaw Police Department's pension budget to cover the unforeseen retirement of an employee (Paul Schmitt) earlier this year.
• Approved a 3 percent increase for elected officials: $56,767 for the mayor; $47,996 for the clerk-treasurer; and $4,780 for each council member; with councilmen Jeff Grose and Bob Morrison voting nay. This ordinance will be heard again at the Nov. 1 meeting.
• Heard Shadow Lake, an 89-lot residential subdivision under development by Dale Custer north of Old 30E, will be requesting a voluntary annexation.
• Approved an ordinance establishing a nonsufficient check fee of $27.50 or 5 percent of the amount of the nonsufficient check (not to exceed $250).
City councilmen are: Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and Joe Thallemer. Smith was absent. [[In-content Ad]]