Webster Awards Bid To Study Uses For Old Elementary School

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer-

NORTH WEBSTER - Only R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, submitted a bid proposal to the North Webster Town Council Wednesday.

The council awarded Murphy the bid.

The firm will administer a planning grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce for the North Webster Elementary School. As part of the bid, MSKTD & Associates Inc., Fort Wayne, will do an engineering study of the property.

Last month, Robert P. Murphy of R.P. Murphy told the town council the meeting to take proposals for the school would have to be readvertised and the bid opening would be Feb. 14 due to incorrect advertising.

Last year, the town applied for a grant to do a planning study from the Indiana Department of Commerce on the school building. The Wawasee School Corp. is building a new North Webster Elementary school in a different location.

The town is exploring options for use of the existing elementary school once it is vacated. The planning grant is the first step in that process.

The proposal will be sent to the DOC, which will make a decision on the planning study in March.

Murphy said he hopes they can start planning in March and they will invite Ivy Tech State College to the meeting.

Ivy Tech is looking for a place to relocate its Warsaw campus.

"They would be a perfect fit if they're willing to move," said clerk-treasurer Peg Lawrance.

Murphy said Ivy Tech is a possibility but it would have to be a long-term committment.

Lawrance said, "I'm thinking they may want to split things up" between Warsaw and North Webster. There may be many people in the North Webster area who would like to take classes at Ivy Tech but don't because of the drive to Ivy Tech's current location in Warsaw, she said.

The council also presented a draft of the ordinance regarding their use of the income from the Economic Development Income Tax.

The council took no action on the proposed ordinance and may alter or amend the ordinance.

The ordinance states North Webster will use their share of the money for a sidewalk and curb project, a leaf vacuum acquisition project, a real estate acquisition project, the North Webster Elementary School project and the creation of a town water utility providing water services in North Webster.

In other business, the council:

• Approved mileage reimbursement for town employees at 34.5 cents. The reimbursement was 32.5 cents.

• Approved Billie Lavin and Maryann Ziegler to serve on the park board for second terms.

• Tabled the Mediacom Cable franchise renewal again.

"Mediacom never got with us," said councilman Ken Wagner.

Last month, Wagner said there are a few items in the franchise contract the council had questions about that need answers.

Wagner said that, according to the cable company, they are going to upgrade their services and there will be more choices of stations, music stations and pay per view.

Members of the North Webster Town Council are Ken Wagner, Jeff Morgan and Kay Andrews. The next meeting is March 14 at 7 p.m. in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]

NORTH WEBSTER - Only R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, submitted a bid proposal to the North Webster Town Council Wednesday.

The council awarded Murphy the bid.

The firm will administer a planning grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce for the North Webster Elementary School. As part of the bid, MSKTD & Associates Inc., Fort Wayne, will do an engineering study of the property.

Last month, Robert P. Murphy of R.P. Murphy told the town council the meeting to take proposals for the school would have to be readvertised and the bid opening would be Feb. 14 due to incorrect advertising.

Last year, the town applied for a grant to do a planning study from the Indiana Department of Commerce on the school building. The Wawasee School Corp. is building a new North Webster Elementary school in a different location.

The town is exploring options for use of the existing elementary school once it is vacated. The planning grant is the first step in that process.

The proposal will be sent to the DOC, which will make a decision on the planning study in March.

Murphy said he hopes they can start planning in March and they will invite Ivy Tech State College to the meeting.

Ivy Tech is looking for a place to relocate its Warsaw campus.

"They would be a perfect fit if they're willing to move," said clerk-treasurer Peg Lawrance.

Murphy said Ivy Tech is a possibility but it would have to be a long-term committment.

Lawrance said, "I'm thinking they may want to split things up" between Warsaw and North Webster. There may be many people in the North Webster area who would like to take classes at Ivy Tech but don't because of the drive to Ivy Tech's current location in Warsaw, she said.

The council also presented a draft of the ordinance regarding their use of the income from the Economic Development Income Tax.

The council took no action on the proposed ordinance and may alter or amend the ordinance.

The ordinance states North Webster will use their share of the money for a sidewalk and curb project, a leaf vacuum acquisition project, a real estate acquisition project, the North Webster Elementary School project and the creation of a town water utility providing water services in North Webster.

In other business, the council:

• Approved mileage reimbursement for town employees at 34.5 cents. The reimbursement was 32.5 cents.

• Approved Billie Lavin and Maryann Ziegler to serve on the park board for second terms.

• Tabled the Mediacom Cable franchise renewal again.

"Mediacom never got with us," said councilman Ken Wagner.

Last month, Wagner said there are a few items in the franchise contract the council had questions about that need answers.

Wagner said that, according to the cable company, they are going to upgrade their services and there will be more choices of stations, music stations and pay per view.

Members of the North Webster Town Council are Ken Wagner, Jeff Morgan and Kay Andrews. The next meeting is March 14 at 7 p.m. in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]

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