NORTH WEBSTER - The school-full of student desks in the old elementary school have found a new home a continent away in Vurpar, Transylvania, Romania.

Lions Club member Chuck Hapner introduced Jim Sack and Simon Dragan to town council members Wednesday.

Sack, of Fort Wayne, and Dragan, of South Whitley, formerly of Romania, operate the Vurpar Project, an organization designed to bring the Eastern European country into modern times.

Hapner said local Lions traveled to Romania bringing eyeglasses, and found no medical facilities for the people.

Sacks and Dragan want any equipment not being used by the town in the community center.

"Anything they can get in Romania will help," he said.

After 50 years under a communist government, Sack said, Romanian citizens aren't sure how to move forward in a democracy after being told what to do for so long.

Dragan buys equipment and ships it back to his former country.

Council president Kay Andrews asked when the desks could be removed, and Dragan said within a month.

Andrews said the Vurpar Project is welcome to the desks.

The deadline for the first round of Department of Commerce grants passed without the town being able to show committed matching funds to transform the old elementary building into a community center.

North Webster Community Center Inc. took ownership of the facility Feb. 18 and IDOC representatives met with the council and citizens March 4.

At that time the commerce department representatives asked for a budget outlining funding from the community.

This was unavailable at the March 29 deadline.

The next round of applications is due Sept. 6. However, a rules change allows IDOC four months to review information. A public hearing will be set in May regarding the next grant application.

The board heard that a no-interest loan of $100,000 has been secured to refurbish the old elementary school's heating system beginning this fall.

Scott Seniff, president of Lakeland Youth Center, expressed concern about the fall start date.

"We expect to be rockin' with activities this fall," he said. "Are you saying we won't have any heat?"

Marshall Minnick, public works consultant, said the boiler system was shut down but works and there would be heat one way or another in the facility.

The council also:

• Heard an income survey mailing will be sent to town and township residents. If a low- to moderate-income level is calculated, North Webster Community Center Inc. would be eligible for other types of grants and could include more than the community center's senior center in IDOC grant applications.

• Awarded the town's mowing contract to Guy's Lawn Service for $450 per week. CJ's submitted a bid of $515 and held the contract last year.

• Heard from Lynn Stevens, executive director of the Tippecanoe Environmental Lake and Watershed Foundation, regarding a survey of storm drains. The study, Stevens said, revealed many of the drains are plugged and need maintenance.

Town council members are Kay Andrews and Jeff Morgan. Ken Wagoner was absent. [[In-content Ad]]