Winona Approves Wooster Pumping Station Improvements, Reviews 2012 Budget Proposals
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The council reviewed five bids and approved a $272,919 contract with Haskins Underground Inc., Plymouth.
Larry Long, town engineer, recommended the town choose the company that had the lowest bid.
He said the pumping station services wastewater for Grace College, Lakeland Christian Academy, and Grace Village.
The council also approved a $119,900 contract for a wastewater collection system supervisory control and date acquisition system with Haskins Underground Inc.
The council also heard a request from Aaron Wilcoxson, tree commission member, for funds to purchase trees to be planted this fall in the town.
The council approved designating $1,260 out of the town’s donation fund to plant 20 trees in the town as part of the town’s tree planting program.
The council approved the town purchasing an $8,000 lift truck from Westville Logging for the street department.
The council reviewed insurance quotes for the town from Hall & Marose Insurance and Clevenger Insurance.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach will speak with the insurance representatives regarding what they will offer, and the council will make a decision on selecting an insurance company at a future meeting.
In other business, Sue Gooding, council president, informed the council that the town received funds in the amount of $140 from an anonymous donor in the wastewater collection payment drop box.
Gooding said a note attached to the funds requested for the funds to be designated for the Winona Lake Fire Department.
Gooding said Jim Walmer, town attorney, said the council could either accept or reject the anonymous donations. Walmer was absent during Tuesday’s meeting.
Council member Joy Lohse made the motion for the town to accept the donation designated for the fire department, and councilman Terry Howie seconded the motion.
Also during the meeting, Carolyn Shanklin, Winona Lake resident, shared a response letter from Jeff Hoage, public access counselor.
Gooding submitted a formal complaint on July 26 to the Indiana public access counselor alleging town clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks violated the Access to Public Records Act.
In her complaint Gooding alleges that she repeatedly requested an accounting of the town’s donation fund, including a list of individual donors she said she did not receive.
In response to the complaint, the town advised that a complete accounting of the town’s donation fund was provided to all members of the council, including Gooding two weeks prior to the date she filed the complaint.
Joe Hoage, public access counselor, writes in his response that the Access to Public Records Act permits public agencies to withhold the identity of a donor of a gift made to the public agency if a donor requires nondisclosure of the donor’s identity as a condition of making the gift, or after the gift is made the donor or a member of the donor’s family requests nondisclosure.
The response also states if a public agency has no records responsive to a public records request, the agency does not violate the public records act by denying the request.
The access to public records act governs access to the public records of a public agency that exist, the failure to produce public records that do not exist or are not maintained by the public agency is not a denial under the access to the access to public records act, according to the public access counselor.
The council also reviewed 2012 budget proposals for the police, parks, and fire departments.
The 2011 general fund budget is $1,290,672, and the 2012 budget proposal is $1,314,810.
The council will look at the remaining departments in the general fund budget Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at town hall.
The police department budget for 2011 is $298,645, and the 2012 proposal is $274,155. The parks department budget for 2011 is $38,950, and the 2012 proposal is $53,950. The increase is attributed to a request for the parks department to hire two weekend lifeguards, and an increase in utilities, and money to resurface basketball and tennis courts.
The fire department budget for 2011 is $88,165, and the 2012 proposal is $95,950. The increase is attributed to the department requesting to purchase breathing apparatus and bunker gear.
In other business, Kevin Bell, Winona Lake assistant fire chief, informed the council the department raised more than $2,400 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Saturday. He also said the department used the 301 Fifth St. property that has been donated to the town for fire training.
Upcoming events in the town include a Village At Winona Arts Walk Sept. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m.; American Heart Association Walk in Winona Lake Park Sept. 17 at 9 a.m.; and Day of Generosity Bicycle Tour at the Trailhouse Sept. 24 at 8 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]
The council reviewed five bids and approved a $272,919 contract with Haskins Underground Inc., Plymouth.
Larry Long, town engineer, recommended the town choose the company that had the lowest bid.
He said the pumping station services wastewater for Grace College, Lakeland Christian Academy, and Grace Village.
The council also approved a $119,900 contract for a wastewater collection system supervisory control and date acquisition system with Haskins Underground Inc.
The council also heard a request from Aaron Wilcoxson, tree commission member, for funds to purchase trees to be planted this fall in the town.
The council approved designating $1,260 out of the town’s donation fund to plant 20 trees in the town as part of the town’s tree planting program.
The council approved the town purchasing an $8,000 lift truck from Westville Logging for the street department.
The council reviewed insurance quotes for the town from Hall & Marose Insurance and Clevenger Insurance.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach will speak with the insurance representatives regarding what they will offer, and the council will make a decision on selecting an insurance company at a future meeting.
In other business, Sue Gooding, council president, informed the council that the town received funds in the amount of $140 from an anonymous donor in the wastewater collection payment drop box.
Gooding said a note attached to the funds requested for the funds to be designated for the Winona Lake Fire Department.
Gooding said Jim Walmer, town attorney, said the council could either accept or reject the anonymous donations. Walmer was absent during Tuesday’s meeting.
Council member Joy Lohse made the motion for the town to accept the donation designated for the fire department, and councilman Terry Howie seconded the motion.
Also during the meeting, Carolyn Shanklin, Winona Lake resident, shared a response letter from Jeff Hoage, public access counselor.
Gooding submitted a formal complaint on July 26 to the Indiana public access counselor alleging town clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks violated the Access to Public Records Act.
In her complaint Gooding alleges that she repeatedly requested an accounting of the town’s donation fund, including a list of individual donors she said she did not receive.
In response to the complaint, the town advised that a complete accounting of the town’s donation fund was provided to all members of the council, including Gooding two weeks prior to the date she filed the complaint.
Joe Hoage, public access counselor, writes in his response that the Access to Public Records Act permits public agencies to withhold the identity of a donor of a gift made to the public agency if a donor requires nondisclosure of the donor’s identity as a condition of making the gift, or after the gift is made the donor or a member of the donor’s family requests nondisclosure.
The response also states if a public agency has no records responsive to a public records request, the agency does not violate the public records act by denying the request.
The access to public records act governs access to the public records of a public agency that exist, the failure to produce public records that do not exist or are not maintained by the public agency is not a denial under the access to the access to public records act, according to the public access counselor.
The council also reviewed 2012 budget proposals for the police, parks, and fire departments.
The 2011 general fund budget is $1,290,672, and the 2012 budget proposal is $1,314,810.
The council will look at the remaining departments in the general fund budget Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at town hall.
The police department budget for 2011 is $298,645, and the 2012 proposal is $274,155. The parks department budget for 2011 is $38,950, and the 2012 proposal is $53,950. The increase is attributed to a request for the parks department to hire two weekend lifeguards, and an increase in utilities, and money to resurface basketball and tennis courts.
The fire department budget for 2011 is $88,165, and the 2012 proposal is $95,950. The increase is attributed to the department requesting to purchase breathing apparatus and bunker gear.
In other business, Kevin Bell, Winona Lake assistant fire chief, informed the council the department raised more than $2,400 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Saturday. He also said the department used the 301 Fifth St. property that has been donated to the town for fire training.
Upcoming events in the town include a Village At Winona Arts Walk Sept. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m.; American Heart Association Walk in Winona Lake Park Sept. 17 at 9 a.m.; and Day of Generosity Bicycle Tour at the Trailhouse Sept. 24 at 8 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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