NORTH WEBSTER - The North Webster Town Council held a special meeting Tuesday with members of the chamber as well as a representative of the Webster Lake Conservation Association.
The town board met with four members of the North Webster Tippecanoe-Township Chamber of Commerce to discuss town signage, possibly on town property. One property in question is south of town near Backwater Road. The property, however, is owned by a Fort Wayne man, said Dave Waliczek, board member. On the property are buildings and Waliczek said he “does not want to give those up.”
The chamber members asked about the property as they would like to put a welcome sign with electricity on it, making it more attractive to visitors coming into town.
“He said we can do anything we want to it,” said Waliczek, adding just to the property itself.
A new welcome sign, along with landscaping, would help improve the property and make the town more inviting, stressed Chamber President Emily Shipley.
“It will be an investment. Our job is to make North Webster more welcoming,” she said.
The chamber would also like to put a new pole and welcome sign on the north end of town, too.
The chamber members also asked about other beautification projects. A new trail is proposed for the town and, along with it, new sidewalks. More lighting in town, along with the new sidewalks, would make North Webster more inviting, stressed chamber members.
Board President Dan Thystup agreed, adding, “lighting makes sense.” He said the trail project is still moving along, although the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is slow. He also said lighting is “expensive” and the town would have to pay for lights or work together with the chamber on the cost.
Clerk-Treasurer Leigh Anne Jessop said she works with Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) and Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) on things like grants but the town resources are “stretched.”
The sidewalks will be maintained by the town.
“We made a promise to maintain them,” said Thystup.
He said he has been working to obtain grants for the sidewalk improvement project with agencies like The K21 Health Foundation, Shoop Foundation and The Dekko Foundation, to name a few.
“MACOG has been very helpful,” said Thystup.
The chamber said they are willing to help in any way they can, whether it be financially or otherwise. Shipley said the chamber does clean-up projects yearly with one being May 10, which is also the town’s clean up day.
The chamber is also partnering with the Lions Club to offer a farmers market the second Saturday of the month from May to October on the Mermaid Festival grounds. It will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In other news, the board reviewed and signed a letter of intent for the Webster Lake Conservation Association for a LARE grant. The grant will be used for dredging parts of Webster Lake.
The grant, if awarded, will pay for 80% of the cost to restore certain portions of the town’s lakefront near the park. Under the grant, 20% of the cost is paid for by WLCA.
Mike Wyrick, president of WLCA, said the key will be to get filters for storm drains, and have regular street sweeping to prevent debris from getting into the lake, thus the reason for the dredging.
Pollutants entering Webster Lake from the drainage system have contributed to the need for project and other dredging projects as evidenced by diagnostic studies.
The next regular meeting is at 6 p.m. March 18.