Township Officials Meet To Discuss Fate Of North Webster School
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH WEBSTER - According to Indiana State Code (IC20-4-5-8) ownership of the North Webster Elementary School shall be offered as a gift for park and recreation purposes to the township that owned the property before the school was consolidated. In this case, Tippecanoe Township is first in line to either accept the property and buildings or the first to refuse.
Township trustee Richard Mitchell and board of trustee members Bill Metcalf, president, Louis "Bud" Neibert and Dick Shock held a public meeting Tuesday night to discuss their options with members of the community.
About 20 citizens attended the meeting.
The new owners of the North Webster Elementary school buildings and grounds could very well become Tippecanoe Township, according to township trustee Mitchell, if that is the wish of the public.
However, he cited the burden of maintenance and upkeep to the taxpayers.
"Reluctantly we could accept the property but we want to keep the township debt free," Mitchell said.
The school board must offer the property to the township when the school is abandoned, which won't occur until 2003.
There was a general feeling that the Wawasee School Board is in a hurry to settle the matter of ownership. The board has agreed to purchase two properties totaling 68 acres for a new elementary school at the corner of CRs 750E and 600N.
Jon Shroufe, president of the International Palace of Sports, said his board has discussed ownership of the buildings and grounds.
"We are prepared to put restricted financial backing behind the project," Shroufe said.
Shroufe, who is a business partner of Wawasee School Board president Jeff Wells, said the Palace of Sports board has discussed for a year taking over the facility.
"There are many interested organizations: the American Legion, Kiwanis, the Lion's Club," he said. "It's also a logical place for the library, a museum and police department."
Mitchell said his concern is the restrictive use of the building should the township take ownership.
"There is legislation in the works to expand the required use of the facility beyond parks and recreation," Mitchell said. "We would like to know the exact scope of the word 'recreation.'
"The township could retain use of the property but we want the community to be behind it."
The possibility of razing the old, circa 1917, portion of the building was discussed. The stairwells, remaining asbestos and leaky ceiling were mentioned as reasons for tearing down the original walls.
Most of those assembled said they believe the maintenance prices given by school superintendent Mark Stock during an Oct. 22 public meeting were inflated.
"With a price tag of $118,000 for maintenance," Shock said, "or even half of that, the township doesn't want the taxpayers to take on that responsibility.
"The problem with tearing it down is that the heating system and part of the electrical system is housed in the old part. It will take major financing to reconstruct."
No one wanted to see the buildings torn down and the site become a six-acre tract of grass. Funds for demolition of the facility were given as $250,000, an amount already earmarked by the school board and included in the budget for the new school.
Revenues from the sale of the property would not necessarily be applied to the new school facility.
The communities of Lakeville and Cromwell were mentioned as having successfully rehabilitating their elementary schools.
"We would like to see the formation of an organization to handle the project as a community effort," Mitchell said.
North Webster Chamber of Commerce member Dennis Wagner said the Chamber has been meeting with Ball State University professor Scott Truex to develop a community planning project called Main Street Project.
Kay Andrews, town board and Chamber member and an employee of Lake City Bank, said the Main Street Project encompasses the town as well as the township.
"Ball State was involved with the planning in Nappanee," she said, "and they did a great job."
Mitchell said he will sponsor another public meeting and he would like a group of people to come forward willing to charter a 501(c), non-profit organization and be willing to serve on the board of such an organization.
"This board is definitely ready to get the ball rolling," Mitchell said. "And my door is always open." [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH WEBSTER - According to Indiana State Code (IC20-4-5-8) ownership of the North Webster Elementary School shall be offered as a gift for park and recreation purposes to the township that owned the property before the school was consolidated. In this case, Tippecanoe Township is first in line to either accept the property and buildings or the first to refuse.
Township trustee Richard Mitchell and board of trustee members Bill Metcalf, president, Louis "Bud" Neibert and Dick Shock held a public meeting Tuesday night to discuss their options with members of the community.
About 20 citizens attended the meeting.
The new owners of the North Webster Elementary school buildings and grounds could very well become Tippecanoe Township, according to township trustee Mitchell, if that is the wish of the public.
However, he cited the burden of maintenance and upkeep to the taxpayers.
"Reluctantly we could accept the property but we want to keep the township debt free," Mitchell said.
The school board must offer the property to the township when the school is abandoned, which won't occur until 2003.
There was a general feeling that the Wawasee School Board is in a hurry to settle the matter of ownership. The board has agreed to purchase two properties totaling 68 acres for a new elementary school at the corner of CRs 750E and 600N.
Jon Shroufe, president of the International Palace of Sports, said his board has discussed ownership of the buildings and grounds.
"We are prepared to put restricted financial backing behind the project," Shroufe said.
Shroufe, who is a business partner of Wawasee School Board president Jeff Wells, said the Palace of Sports board has discussed for a year taking over the facility.
"There are many interested organizations: the American Legion, Kiwanis, the Lion's Club," he said. "It's also a logical place for the library, a museum and police department."
Mitchell said his concern is the restrictive use of the building should the township take ownership.
"There is legislation in the works to expand the required use of the facility beyond parks and recreation," Mitchell said. "We would like to know the exact scope of the word 'recreation.'
"The township could retain use of the property but we want the community to be behind it."
The possibility of razing the old, circa 1917, portion of the building was discussed. The stairwells, remaining asbestos and leaky ceiling were mentioned as reasons for tearing down the original walls.
Most of those assembled said they believe the maintenance prices given by school superintendent Mark Stock during an Oct. 22 public meeting were inflated.
"With a price tag of $118,000 for maintenance," Shock said, "or even half of that, the township doesn't want the taxpayers to take on that responsibility.
"The problem with tearing it down is that the heating system and part of the electrical system is housed in the old part. It will take major financing to reconstruct."
No one wanted to see the buildings torn down and the site become a six-acre tract of grass. Funds for demolition of the facility were given as $250,000, an amount already earmarked by the school board and included in the budget for the new school.
Revenues from the sale of the property would not necessarily be applied to the new school facility.
The communities of Lakeville and Cromwell were mentioned as having successfully rehabilitating their elementary schools.
"We would like to see the formation of an organization to handle the project as a community effort," Mitchell said.
North Webster Chamber of Commerce member Dennis Wagner said the Chamber has been meeting with Ball State University professor Scott Truex to develop a community planning project called Main Street Project.
Kay Andrews, town board and Chamber member and an employee of Lake City Bank, said the Main Street Project encompasses the town as well as the township.
"Ball State was involved with the planning in Nappanee," she said, "and they did a great job."
Mitchell said he will sponsor another public meeting and he would like a group of people to come forward willing to charter a 501(c), non-profit organization and be willing to serve on the board of such an organization.
"This board is definitely ready to get the ball rolling," Mitchell said. "And my door is always open." [[In-content Ad]]