MILFORD - Former Milford Town Marshal Derek Kreider was given a Distinguished Medal of Honor by his replacement — current Town Marshal Thomas Waikel Jr.
Waikel said he was recognizing Kreider for two major milestones — his 30-year career in law enforcement and his retirement, which will take effect May 20.
Waikel shared Kreider’s record of service. He was on the Milford Police Reserves from 1995-98 and then moved to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department from 1998-2010 as a sheriff’s deputy patrol division and, while with the sheriff’s department, he was on the SWAT team, defensive tactics instructor, patrol rifle instructor and DARE instructor. He returned to the Milford Police Department in 2010 as a deputy marshal, sergeant and then town marshal until he stepped down from that role but stayed on at the department as a deputy marshal.
Council members thanked Kreider for his many years of service to the town and the county.
Construction Agreement
Ryan LaReau was present at the meeting for approval of the construction agreement for the Water Project Divisions A — the water treatment plant and Division B — the water mains and lead service line replacement. The agreement will cover Commonwealth’s services through the construction project, including construction engineering, resident project representative on site five days a week, labor standards monitoring, creating an operations and maintenance manual for the water treatment plant and much more. The cost of the agreement is $608,000.
Councilman Ken Long asked, “Why wasn’t this included in the original agreement if you knew you have to do this?”
LaReau explained that Commonwealth always does its agreements in two phases and they hold the construction agreement until after they close with the State Revolving Fund. He said the initial agreement was the design and bidding phase and now it’s time for the construction phase. He said it was all included in the original utility study and SRF agreement.
Councilman James Smiley asked if these were set amounts and LaReau responded they were all “hourly, not to exceed and maximum amounts” and when asked if it could be less, he said it could be and on the lead line replacement often does come in less than the engineer’s estimate. The council approved the agreement 2-1, with Long abstaining.
Last Friday a special meeting was held to award the project. R Yoder Construction was the low, responsive bidder for Division A, including all 3 alternates — an asphalt drive, the demolition of the wall in the existing well building and a diesel backup generator in the amount of $3,709,035. Division B of the project was awarded to Selge Construction in the amount of $1,994,226.20.
USI Consulting
Beth Johnson, USI Consulting, was there to report on projects. She said the COVID 19 Economic Plan, also known as the Downtown Master Plan, was moving along with funding expected in June. The Waubee Trail project has had the environmental documentation approved so now it’s time to get the process in acquiring of rights-of-way, which she said would be happening through July-September. Bids would likely be let for the project in late 2026. The council approved the right-of-way acquisition agreement with USI Consulting not to exceed $90,000.
Child Care Proposal
The town sent out requests for proposals for childcare service to continue in Milford after hearing that New Beginnings would be closing its services at 706 W. Syracuse St. Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall reported they received one proposal from Wee Warrior Academy. They would lease the building at $500 a month and via standard commercial leases, they’d be responsible for property taxes and maintenance, and they have to use the building to provide childcare. The agreement is for one year and town attorney Jay Rigdon said it is automatically renewed unless one of the parties wants to change it by giving 90 days’ notice.
Wee Warrior Academy owners Rex and M. Leticia Howell were present and said they agreed to the conditions. Long pointed out that the town needs to carry insurance on the structure, and they currently do not.
Downtown Master Plan 4th St. Crossing
Ron Baumgartner brought another rendering of landscaping of the crossing on Fourth Street as part of the downtown master plan beautification project. Long said he contacted Norfolk-Southern Railroad to determine the size of the right-of-way and was told there is no standard, that it varies, and they wouldn’t tell him what it was unless they paid for the information. He said the cost was $500 and it was unrefundable.
Council President Doug Ruch said he discovered it was 38½ from the center. Long said that if it were true, it would cut off access to the homeowner.
Long proposed that if the railroad could give them information on rights-of-way for all their crossings from Waubee Lake to the junction, it would be money well spent. The council agreed and approved spending the $500. They also asked Johnson with USI if she had that information for the trails and she said she didn’t know off-hand, but she did know she wouldn’t have it for the Fourth Street crossing.

    Wee Warrior Academy owner M. Leticia Howell signs the lease agreement to continue childcare in Milford at Monday’s council meeting. Seated (L to R) are Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall and Renda Loetz. Photo by Denise Fedorow
  

Quit Claim to Land
Rigdon brought a request from attorney Steve Snyder on behalf of his client J&T Properties, who owns a few lots and also owns a land-locked parcel, because the only access to Higbee Street is not a street or road owned by anyone. Their attorney went back to 1869 and couldn’t find any record of any ownership. Snyder said they were requesting the town sign a quit-claim deed, which would be a way for J&T Properties in 10 years to get the adverse possession clock ticking.
“So, in 10 years they can file a lawsuit against the world saying we’ve got a deed giving us some ownership rights to this strip of land and they want legal determination that the property is theirs,” he said.
Long wanted to know where the “no man’s land” was located so Rigdon showed him. Long looked it up online and said the land was not truly land-locked and he was concerned about an adverse effect for the town’s ability to access the water and sewer lines along Higbee Street. He said he was against it because it was based on a falsehood. Gall said she couldn’t vote, but she was against it because they didn’t have to notify neighbors for 10 years. Smiley said he didn’t care either way but thought it would be best to approve it and start getting tax money from it in 10 years. In the end, no motion was made, and the matter didn’t go forward.
Utilities Report
Utilities Superintendent Steve Marquart got several quotes to repair or replace the lift pump on Old 15 and the council approved replacing it from American Pump with a five-year warranty at a cost of $8,513. They also approved paying Siteworks $6,600 for additional work to remove concrete.
For stormwater they approved having Anderson Earthworks clean out the ditch by Old 15 by the new overpass and at Section Street, at a cost of $4,400.
Marquart reported that for the Spring Clean Days they had 152 visitors, filling eight 30-foot dumpsters with rubbish and two 40-foot dumpsters with metal scrap.
He also reported for the Parks Department they still needed more lifeguards. He heard they are going to other town’s parks — like Syracuse — because they’re getting paid $20 an hour. So, the council approved increasing the pay up to $20.
In other business, the council:
• Approved street closings for Milford Fest.
• Approved Waubee Lake Association’s Kayak Poker Run’s request for live music.
• Approved CTB’s tax abatements — year three of the abatements.
• Approved Meet Milford’s street closings for Food Truck Fridays from 2 to 9 p.m. and also to pay for a portable restroom.
• Approved having Gall apply for a grant jointly with Wawasee School Corp. for a park.
• Heard the clerk’s office will be closed May 26 for Memorial Day holiday.