Winona Lake Tax Rate Falls
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - The 2001 tax rate for Winona Lake will be 9 cents lower than this year's tax rate.
The rate went from $2.71 in 2000 to $2.62 in 2001, town council president Jerry Clevenger said at the council meeting Tuesday. Clevenger said the tax rate went down because of subdivision expansion, property values going up and "Winona Lake being an attractive place for people to live."
In other business:
• Jim Gunn of Goshen attended the meeting to request a waiver on the sewage charges of his late sister's property.
Gunn is the executor of his sister's estate at 200 Sixth St. Gunn's sister died a year ago and Gunn has been receiving sewage charges for her home. According to Gunn, the water was shut off Jan. 1, but he has been receiving bills for $31 a month plus a 10 percent penalty from the Winona Lake utility office. Gunn said he wrote several letters to the utility office, but received only a copy of the town ordinance in return. A lien was put on the property in July because more than a year's worth of bills weren't paid.
Clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks said the town sent Gunn three letters and talked to him three times in the office. The fee of $31 is a flat fee to be paid every month. The fee will not be charged only if the property is completely disconnected from the sewage line. Hicks told Gunn to bring the matter to the town council .
Town attorney Jim Walmer explained the bill is not just for treatment of wastewater, but also for maintaining the sewage line.
The council agreed to table the issue, review the ordinance and decide what to do at a later date.
• The council opened bids for the College Avenue road project. The first bid was from Niblock for $82,871.23. The second bid was from Phend and Brown for $84,314.95. Clevenger said Walmer will review the bids, discuss each bid with town engineer Larry Long and get back to the council with a recommendation.
• The council approved changes to the 2001 salary ordinance and 2001 wage resolution.
The salary ordinance includes a 5 percent increase for the clerk-treasurer, town marshal and the appointed member of the Winona Lake Park Board.
The wage resolution is based on a 5 percent increase. These increases already have been figured into the 2001 budget.
• The council approved an agreement with Long for his professional services in surveying the CR 250E project. The fee for this is $26,000.Carroll. [[In-content Ad]]
WINONA LAKE - The 2001 tax rate for Winona Lake will be 9 cents lower than this year's tax rate.
The rate went from $2.71 in 2000 to $2.62 in 2001, town council president Jerry Clevenger said at the council meeting Tuesday. Clevenger said the tax rate went down because of subdivision expansion, property values going up and "Winona Lake being an attractive place for people to live."
In other business:
• Jim Gunn of Goshen attended the meeting to request a waiver on the sewage charges of his late sister's property.
Gunn is the executor of his sister's estate at 200 Sixth St. Gunn's sister died a year ago and Gunn has been receiving sewage charges for her home. According to Gunn, the water was shut off Jan. 1, but he has been receiving bills for $31 a month plus a 10 percent penalty from the Winona Lake utility office. Gunn said he wrote several letters to the utility office, but received only a copy of the town ordinance in return. A lien was put on the property in July because more than a year's worth of bills weren't paid.
Clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks said the town sent Gunn three letters and talked to him three times in the office. The fee of $31 is a flat fee to be paid every month. The fee will not be charged only if the property is completely disconnected from the sewage line. Hicks told Gunn to bring the matter to the town council .
Town attorney Jim Walmer explained the bill is not just for treatment of wastewater, but also for maintaining the sewage line.
The council agreed to table the issue, review the ordinance and decide what to do at a later date.
• The council opened bids for the College Avenue road project. The first bid was from Niblock for $82,871.23. The second bid was from Phend and Brown for $84,314.95. Clevenger said Walmer will review the bids, discuss each bid with town engineer Larry Long and get back to the council with a recommendation.
• The council approved changes to the 2001 salary ordinance and 2001 wage resolution.
The salary ordinance includes a 5 percent increase for the clerk-treasurer, town marshal and the appointed member of the Winona Lake Park Board.
The wage resolution is based on a 5 percent increase. These increases already have been figured into the 2001 budget.
• The council approved an agreement with Long for his professional services in surveying the CR 250E project. The fee for this is $26,000.Carroll. [[In-content Ad]]