Pierceton To Ban Wheeled Devices On Downtown Sidewalks
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
PIERCETON - An ordinance banning wheeled devices - skateboards, bicycles and rollerblades - in the downtown business district was approved after a second reading by the town council Monday.
A $25 fine will be charged to anyone violating the ordinance. The downtown business district is Ind. 13 from Elm Street to Columbia Street and from Washington Street to Second Street on Market and Catholic streets.
Signs will be posted when the ordinance is in effect, board president Jerry Kreger said.
Paragon Medical Inc. employee Lori Adams appeared at the meeting requesting a tax abatement for personal and real property for the company, which the board approved.
According to the abatement documents, Paragon will add another 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space, add $16 million in equipment over the next three years and add 192 employees by 2007. Currently, the company employs 307 people.
Pam Kennedy, Housing Opportunities of Warsaw executive director, attended the meeting with a request to begin construction on another house "with no plumbing, they use hoses for water." She said work on this house will exceed $15,000 and additional money is available through Rural Development in Plymouth.
A 504 grant allows any senior citizen funds up to $6,500, one time, for home improvements.
HOW affiliates will place door hangers Wednesday encouraging people to participate in the housing program. Kennedy said they should be finished by noon. She also said National City Bank wants an information display. Lake City Bank already has packets of information for interested property owners.
One property benefiting from a HOW grant recently sold and $13,000 was repaid to HOW. Kennedy said the money is in a separate account and can be used to fix up another house.
David Taylor approached the board representing the Pierceton Community Association with three requests: directional signs for parking lots, more trash cans in the downtown area and funding to promote the town in general with a brochure detailing all the services and businesses available.
The board indicated they had no problem with the signs and additional trash cans. Kreger asked Taylor to return to the association and be specific about the brochure and funding for it.
"We support Kosciusko Development Inc. and they brought us SPX and Midwest Roll Forming," Kreger said. "How do we take the town to the next level? That is something we want to discuss."
The council also:
• Heard from town marshal Tim Sammons the bulletproof vests have arrived and were fitted on officers. The equipment was purchased through a K21 Foundation grant.
Sammons said traffic violation tickets can be written for handicapped parking space violations on private property. He was responding to a question posed by a local business.
Six applications for reserve officer have been received, Sammons said.
He also reported the safety talks given at the senior center have gone well and that they are well attended.
"Home security is this month's topic," he said. "We've got a good turnout, good feedback and the food is excellent."
• Approved a quote from Signature in Michigan for a squad car to cost $19,016 plus $1,103 in options. In addition to a $2,500 trade-in of the 1996 squad car, the town will apply $5,000 from Paragon toward purchase of the vehicle.
• Heard from fire chief Gordon Baker that the next fish fry is April 23 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Baker said the first responder program is running very well and the second class was recently started. Of the 16 volunteers in the department, 75 percent are certified first responders.
The year-to-date run volume is up 50 percent from 2004 with 18 calls in the town and 50 in the township.
Baker said the storm sirens were tested March 9 and the siren at the station failed to operate. A contractor said there was a problem with power reaching the unit and an electrician will be called to make corrections.
Town council members are: Jerry Kreger, Robert Tenney and Mandy Espinoza. [[In-content Ad]]
PIERCETON - An ordinance banning wheeled devices - skateboards, bicycles and rollerblades - in the downtown business district was approved after a second reading by the town council Monday.
A $25 fine will be charged to anyone violating the ordinance. The downtown business district is Ind. 13 from Elm Street to Columbia Street and from Washington Street to Second Street on Market and Catholic streets.
Signs will be posted when the ordinance is in effect, board president Jerry Kreger said.
Paragon Medical Inc. employee Lori Adams appeared at the meeting requesting a tax abatement for personal and real property for the company, which the board approved.
According to the abatement documents, Paragon will add another 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space, add $16 million in equipment over the next three years and add 192 employees by 2007. Currently, the company employs 307 people.
Pam Kennedy, Housing Opportunities of Warsaw executive director, attended the meeting with a request to begin construction on another house "with no plumbing, they use hoses for water." She said work on this house will exceed $15,000 and additional money is available through Rural Development in Plymouth.
A 504 grant allows any senior citizen funds up to $6,500, one time, for home improvements.
HOW affiliates will place door hangers Wednesday encouraging people to participate in the housing program. Kennedy said they should be finished by noon. She also said National City Bank wants an information display. Lake City Bank already has packets of information for interested property owners.
One property benefiting from a HOW grant recently sold and $13,000 was repaid to HOW. Kennedy said the money is in a separate account and can be used to fix up another house.
David Taylor approached the board representing the Pierceton Community Association with three requests: directional signs for parking lots, more trash cans in the downtown area and funding to promote the town in general with a brochure detailing all the services and businesses available.
The board indicated they had no problem with the signs and additional trash cans. Kreger asked Taylor to return to the association and be specific about the brochure and funding for it.
"We support Kosciusko Development Inc. and they brought us SPX and Midwest Roll Forming," Kreger said. "How do we take the town to the next level? That is something we want to discuss."
The council also:
• Heard from town marshal Tim Sammons the bulletproof vests have arrived and were fitted on officers. The equipment was purchased through a K21 Foundation grant.
Sammons said traffic violation tickets can be written for handicapped parking space violations on private property. He was responding to a question posed by a local business.
Six applications for reserve officer have been received, Sammons said.
He also reported the safety talks given at the senior center have gone well and that they are well attended.
"Home security is this month's topic," he said. "We've got a good turnout, good feedback and the food is excellent."
• Approved a quote from Signature in Michigan for a squad car to cost $19,016 plus $1,103 in options. In addition to a $2,500 trade-in of the 1996 squad car, the town will apply $5,000 from Paragon toward purchase of the vehicle.
• Heard from fire chief Gordon Baker that the next fish fry is April 23 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Baker said the first responder program is running very well and the second class was recently started. Of the 16 volunteers in the department, 75 percent are certified first responders.
The year-to-date run volume is up 50 percent from 2004 with 18 calls in the town and 50 in the township.
Baker said the storm sirens were tested March 9 and the siren at the station failed to operate. A contractor said there was a problem with power reaching the unit and an electrician will be called to make corrections.
Town council members are: Jerry Kreger, Robert Tenney and Mandy Espinoza. [[In-content Ad]]