NORTH WEBSTER - Town marshal Greg Church asked that residents keep their vehicles locked and not used for storage of valuables because of numerous thefts. Four such incidents occurred in May, according to the marshal's report.

He also asked the council Wednesday to consider placing fines on the curfew ordinance.

"Now we do a report and send it to juvenile probation," he said, adding that the town's curfew is 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday for 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds.

The board agreed to look into the addition of fines.

The council also reviewed a proposed residential and commercial development presented by Jim McCleary.

McCleary said the former Tinkey farm, on the southwest corner of Ind. 13 and Armstrong Road, will have 60 19,000-square-foot lots with three commercial sites. The property is owned and being developed by Rick and Camille Rookstool.

The Rookstools are asking for a sanitary sewer extension to the land, one-half mile outside town limits.

McCleary said the lots are large enough to support individual septic systems, but the developers would prefer the service.

Public works superintendent Dennis Reafsnyder indicated the town could provide the service and offer it to others along the way.

Councilman Ken Wagner objected to a proposed burn ordinance that allows for the burning of leaves twice a year.

"It seems like we're going backward," he said. "Why have leaf pickup when we can burn leaves? We purchased a chipper for branches."

Reafsnyder said it is hard to get to leaf piles in a timely fashion with three employees in the street department. It takes two to run the leaf vacuum.

Town clerk Peg Lawrance said summer people close their residences down on Labor Day weekend and want to clean up their yards when they return. Their return may not be during regularly scheduled leaf pickup times.

Wagoner admitted to having difficulty breathing during leaf burnings and asked that the times, set for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., of the burns be reduced at least.

In other business, the board:

• Reviewed a letter from North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library board president Brenda Rigdon thanking the council for their efforts during the legislative session. A bill was introduced, and defeated, to change the population requirements for Class I libraries, which would allow the local entity to levy a tax.

• Heard that Craig Ostendorf repaired a police car, donating his time and materials.

• Heard the Lake Area Community Band will offer the first concert in the park Friday.

• Heard that six bids were received for the North Webster Community Center rehabilitation project and all came in under the anticipated maximum levels, from $679,900 to $838,000. The bids are being reviewed by architects and will go to the community center board for recommendations.

• Heard that paving and storm drain installation is complete at the park. The public pier is expected to be installed prior to June 20.

• Heard East Street was never recorded as vacated. A school board representative approached the council April 7, 1976, requesting the vacation. April 14, 1976, the council approved the request and should have forwarded the item to the county plan commission. The final step did not occur, and the street is shown as a publically owned.

Lawrance said she would forward the minutes to the auditor, which may be enough to vacate the street.

Town council members are Kay Andrews, Ken Wagner and Jeff Morgan. [[In-content Ad]]