Sewer, Water Hookup Debated At S. Whitley Council
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SOUTH WHITLEY - Pastor Connie Payne of the United Methodist Church and church member Jim Bolinger appeared at the town council meeting Tuesday night regarding hooking on to the water and sewer lines which are serving the The Park Lake Estates subdivison owned and being developed by Jeff Spear.
Bolinger said Spear indicated the church, which operates a day care center, could hook onto the system but on one else could. Bolinger said Spear's reasoning was the developer wants to expand across Spring Creek, to the east, and any more add ons would tax the pumping system.
The Spear property is slated for voluntary annexation to be complete next spring according to town attorney Greg Hockemeyer. The water and sanitary sewer lines then become the responsibility of the town.
"At that point (annexation), said board president Glee Eberly, "the system is ours to do with as we wish."
Payne said the church is anxious to hook on to the system as the day care center is subject to state water tests and possible expansion plans are being contemplated.
"Can he (Spear) keep us from hooking on?" Payne asked.
"No," Eberly said.
A plan to stop the erosion along the bank of the Eel River bordering the town park was outlined by Amy Lybarger a representative of the Natural Resource Conservation Service. She is also a member of WATER, Watershed Alliance of the Upper Eel River.
Lybarger told board members Eberly, Tom Rudd and Tony Starkey she would like to put the project off for another year after consulting with NRCS soil bioengineering engineer David Burgdorf, who would like to use the project as a training site.
The bank, which has been severely cut away by the swiftness of the stream, has been loosing ground for years.
Lybarger was 300-feet of the bank could be reestablished using natural plant materials such as cuttings from scrub willows, silky dogwood and elderberry bushes.
Burgdorf would pursue grants for the project and use it to train personnel.
The state has funds for the bank erosion control project, Lybarger said.
"WATER has completed river projects locally," Lybarger said. She named the bank erosion control project on the Blue River in Whitley County, another at Shriner Lake in Tri Lakes, WHitley County and one along the Eel River in North Manchester.
Lybarger said the Department of Natural Resources plans to establish to canoe launch.
Chamber of Commerce members Linda and Randy Striggle, who own the Uptown Marathon;l Gary Hicks, who owns Hicks and Deaton Hardware, and Judy Earnhart, who owns Trimmers Styling Salon, discussed the future of the town's annual festival.
Originally known as Tomahawk Days, then as the South Whitley Fall Festival, the three day event was called SummerFest 1999, this year in anticipation of the sanitary sewer line project which was slated to begin this fall.
Linda Striggle asked about the street closings and the goals for the fall festival.
"State Street was closed from 4 p.m. on Friday through noon on Sunday. For what? A 10-minute big wheel race?" Striggle said.
"I thought the festival was supposed to help downtown businesses, not close the main streets to them," she said.
Council members and South Whitley Tribune owner Dave Tranter searched their memories regarding the festival.
"Unfortunately, Tranter said, two groups have emerged to run the festival and it has grown away from the Chamber's jurisdiction."
He also noted the by-laws regarding the Chamber-festival connection seem to have vanished.
"No one seems to be sure of the festival's direction," said Starkey. He recommended everyone involved meet and has things out, with the town's assistance. It was recalled a representative from the electric department and the street department, the town clerk and three representatives from the Chamber originally made up the governing committee of the festival.
Earnhart asked that the town help hang Christmas lights again this year which was approved. The town also approved a $250 traditional donation toward purchase of new lights.
A Christmas lighting contest was also discussed and approved with the town giving $150 in matching funds toward the event.
It was noted that the election will be in one place this year, at town hall in the community room. Absentee voting will be Friday, Saturday morning and Monday. [[In-content Ad]]
SOUTH WHITLEY - Pastor Connie Payne of the United Methodist Church and church member Jim Bolinger appeared at the town council meeting Tuesday night regarding hooking on to the water and sewer lines which are serving the The Park Lake Estates subdivison owned and being developed by Jeff Spear.
Bolinger said Spear indicated the church, which operates a day care center, could hook onto the system but on one else could. Bolinger said Spear's reasoning was the developer wants to expand across Spring Creek, to the east, and any more add ons would tax the pumping system.
The Spear property is slated for voluntary annexation to be complete next spring according to town attorney Greg Hockemeyer. The water and sanitary sewer lines then become the responsibility of the town.
"At that point (annexation), said board president Glee Eberly, "the system is ours to do with as we wish."
Payne said the church is anxious to hook on to the system as the day care center is subject to state water tests and possible expansion plans are being contemplated.
"Can he (Spear) keep us from hooking on?" Payne asked.
"No," Eberly said.
A plan to stop the erosion along the bank of the Eel River bordering the town park was outlined by Amy Lybarger a representative of the Natural Resource Conservation Service. She is also a member of WATER, Watershed Alliance of the Upper Eel River.
Lybarger told board members Eberly, Tom Rudd and Tony Starkey she would like to put the project off for another year after consulting with NRCS soil bioengineering engineer David Burgdorf, who would like to use the project as a training site.
The bank, which has been severely cut away by the swiftness of the stream, has been loosing ground for years.
Lybarger was 300-feet of the bank could be reestablished using natural plant materials such as cuttings from scrub willows, silky dogwood and elderberry bushes.
Burgdorf would pursue grants for the project and use it to train personnel.
The state has funds for the bank erosion control project, Lybarger said.
"WATER has completed river projects locally," Lybarger said. She named the bank erosion control project on the Blue River in Whitley County, another at Shriner Lake in Tri Lakes, WHitley County and one along the Eel River in North Manchester.
Lybarger said the Department of Natural Resources plans to establish to canoe launch.
Chamber of Commerce members Linda and Randy Striggle, who own the Uptown Marathon;l Gary Hicks, who owns Hicks and Deaton Hardware, and Judy Earnhart, who owns Trimmers Styling Salon, discussed the future of the town's annual festival.
Originally known as Tomahawk Days, then as the South Whitley Fall Festival, the three day event was called SummerFest 1999, this year in anticipation of the sanitary sewer line project which was slated to begin this fall.
Linda Striggle asked about the street closings and the goals for the fall festival.
"State Street was closed from 4 p.m. on Friday through noon on Sunday. For what? A 10-minute big wheel race?" Striggle said.
"I thought the festival was supposed to help downtown businesses, not close the main streets to them," she said.
Council members and South Whitley Tribune owner Dave Tranter searched their memories regarding the festival.
"Unfortunately, Tranter said, two groups have emerged to run the festival and it has grown away from the Chamber's jurisdiction."
He also noted the by-laws regarding the Chamber-festival connection seem to have vanished.
"No one seems to be sure of the festival's direction," said Starkey. He recommended everyone involved meet and has things out, with the town's assistance. It was recalled a representative from the electric department and the street department, the town clerk and three representatives from the Chamber originally made up the governing committee of the festival.
Earnhart asked that the town help hang Christmas lights again this year which was approved. The town also approved a $250 traditional donation toward purchase of new lights.
A Christmas lighting contest was also discussed and approved with the town giving $150 in matching funds toward the event.
It was noted that the election will be in one place this year, at town hall in the community room. Absentee voting will be Friday, Saturday morning and Monday. [[In-content Ad]]