Winona Hears About Possible Greenway Delay
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - The greenway project may be delayed another six months, according to information town coordinator Craig Allebach supplied to the town council Tuesday.
Allebach said he, councilman Jerry Clevenger, Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins and greenway committeeman Jeff Noffsinger visited with Indiana Department of Transportation officials Thursday.
"They said the funding was there, but we will have to reapply for the grant," Allebach said. "So will Warsaw. Awards will be announced in July.
"It's funny, though, because we signed and executed a contract for $760,000 to begin the project that INDOT sent us."
The town also has a letter from INDOT officials indicating that funding for construction would be $648,000 and that the figure of $550,000 also was approved.
"I think there's a lot of confusion. Their filing system seems to consist of moving around cardboard boxes that are stacked from the floor to the ceiling," Allebach said.
Allebach said the INDOT official the town had been talking with died and his replacement has not been as cordial.
Plans to establish a Lake City Greenway, a marked, asphalted path from the Chinworth Bridge west of Warsaw through Winona Lake, began several years ago. Funding for the project, thought to be secure, has come from INDOT grants and donations. Upon completion, the 8-foot-wide path will be 11 miles long.
Clevenger said he appreciated Warsaw representatives being at the meeting. "They view it as we do, as a whole project," he said.
Town clerk Retha Hicks said the present tax increment financing district could be extended to the Gatke dump site, making cleanup of the area more feasible for the town.
Located north of Wooster Road, Grace College has expressed an interest in the property as a place to construct a parking lot for a new convention center. The land is under the county's jurisdiction due to nonpayment of property taxes.
Kurt McCutcheon, of GAI Associates, Engineers, said talks are continuing with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management regarding specifications at the site.
Jan Nelson asked why a reference to something she said in September was included in the Jan. 11 meeting minutes. "I said at the Jan. 11 meeting that parking is bad along the canal. In September, I said there wasn't a problem with parking on the island. The Jan. 11 minutes seem to say I'm conflicting what I'm saying.
"First of all, it's not a conflict, there are problems with parking along the canal. There aren't problems on the island. And why would you refer to something I said in the past when the comments I made Sept. 28 weren't even in the minutes for that meeting?"
The board unanimously approved reference to the Sept. 28 meeting be struck from the record.
The board also:
• Heard costs for a seawall along the canal will cost $68 per foot and measures about 375 feet on both sides.
• Agreed to pay probationary police officer Paul Heaton 90 percent of his salary instead of 80 percent because of his previous service as a reserve officer.
• Approved Mike Albert as a reserve police officer.
• Appointed Chris Schumacher to the Winona Lake Housing Authority board.
• Reviewed events (all in Rodeheaver Auditorium) as: a Lakeland Community Concert Association concert featuring the Konevets Quartet, Saturday, at 7:30 p.m.; Suzuki Violin Concert, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.; Art for the Heart art fair Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and MasterWorks Second Sunday Series Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Town council members are: Carroll, Jerry Clevenger, David Delp, Joy Lohse and Rolly Ortega. [[In-content Ad]]
WINONA LAKE - The greenway project may be delayed another six months, according to information town coordinator Craig Allebach supplied to the town council Tuesday.
Allebach said he, councilman Jerry Clevenger, Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins and greenway committeeman Jeff Noffsinger visited with Indiana Department of Transportation officials Thursday.
"They said the funding was there, but we will have to reapply for the grant," Allebach said. "So will Warsaw. Awards will be announced in July.
"It's funny, though, because we signed and executed a contract for $760,000 to begin the project that INDOT sent us."
The town also has a letter from INDOT officials indicating that funding for construction would be $648,000 and that the figure of $550,000 also was approved.
"I think there's a lot of confusion. Their filing system seems to consist of moving around cardboard boxes that are stacked from the floor to the ceiling," Allebach said.
Allebach said the INDOT official the town had been talking with died and his replacement has not been as cordial.
Plans to establish a Lake City Greenway, a marked, asphalted path from the Chinworth Bridge west of Warsaw through Winona Lake, began several years ago. Funding for the project, thought to be secure, has come from INDOT grants and donations. Upon completion, the 8-foot-wide path will be 11 miles long.
Clevenger said he appreciated Warsaw representatives being at the meeting. "They view it as we do, as a whole project," he said.
Town clerk Retha Hicks said the present tax increment financing district could be extended to the Gatke dump site, making cleanup of the area more feasible for the town.
Located north of Wooster Road, Grace College has expressed an interest in the property as a place to construct a parking lot for a new convention center. The land is under the county's jurisdiction due to nonpayment of property taxes.
Kurt McCutcheon, of GAI Associates, Engineers, said talks are continuing with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management regarding specifications at the site.
Jan Nelson asked why a reference to something she said in September was included in the Jan. 11 meeting minutes. "I said at the Jan. 11 meeting that parking is bad along the canal. In September, I said there wasn't a problem with parking on the island. The Jan. 11 minutes seem to say I'm conflicting what I'm saying.
"First of all, it's not a conflict, there are problems with parking along the canal. There aren't problems on the island. And why would you refer to something I said in the past when the comments I made Sept. 28 weren't even in the minutes for that meeting?"
The board unanimously approved reference to the Sept. 28 meeting be struck from the record.
The board also:
• Heard costs for a seawall along the canal will cost $68 per foot and measures about 375 feet on both sides.
• Agreed to pay probationary police officer Paul Heaton 90 percent of his salary instead of 80 percent because of his previous service as a reserve officer.
• Approved Mike Albert as a reserve police officer.
• Appointed Chris Schumacher to the Winona Lake Housing Authority board.
• Reviewed events (all in Rodeheaver Auditorium) as: a Lakeland Community Concert Association concert featuring the Konevets Quartet, Saturday, at 7:30 p.m.; Suzuki Violin Concert, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.; Art for the Heart art fair Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and MasterWorks Second Sunday Series Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Town council members are: Carroll, Jerry Clevenger, David Delp, Joy Lohse and Rolly Ortega. [[In-content Ad]]