Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Times-Union Staff Writer
MILFORD - Milford resident Della Baumgartner wants the Milford Town Council to ban smoking in the town hall.
She told the council Monday there are three reasons why the council should ban smoking in the building: it makes walls yellow, the building is too small to allow smoking and other government buildings don't allow smoking.
Council President Robert Beer II said, "There are designated areas. We had (town attorney) Jay (Rigdon) research it and there's no specific law which says you have to have no smoking."
He said as long as the town has a percentage of the building designated as "no smoking," they are OK.
Councilman Donald Wolferman said he quit smoking about eight weeks ago, but "I'm still going to stick up for the smokers. I think we have to have a place here for the smokers."
Beer said, "I guess I don't like (smoking) but I think we have to tailor to two types of people."
Baumgartner said, "I was just thinking of the upkeep of the building and it's a small building."
Utilities Superintendent Dallas Winchester said he respects people who don't care for smoking, but the respect should be mutual.
Baumgartner read an ordinance that stated as of Oct. 1, the Kosciusko County Courthouse and Justice Building were supposed to be smoke-free.
"Most government buildings are smoke- free," she said. "This is a government building and it should be smoke-free."
Rigdon said the county courthouse and Justice Building have designated smoking areas.
Councilman Douglas Ruch said he would favor having the town hall smoke-free and Beer said he would be opposed.
In other business, government partnership specialist Michael Holly, with the U.S. Census Bureau, asked the town council to make a proclamation supporting the census.
Holly represents northeast Indiana and is a liaison between communities like Milford and the Census Bureau. His prime goal, he said, is to work with local governments to get a good census count in 2000.
He said an Indiana University study discovered that for each person not counted on the census, it costs a town $3,600.
"Being a Hoosier, what I also fear of not getting a good census count is losing a seat in Congress," he said.
He said Indiana stands to lose another representative during this next census.
Holly also asked the council to form a committee to help the Census Bureau get a complete count. He said the Bureau is looking for people to help with the census count. The jobs would be temporary and applicants would be tested.
The council unanimously approved a proclamation to support the Census. Anyone interested in helping the Census Bureau or being on a committee may contact Milford clerk-treasurer Charlene Siegfried.
The council passed an ordinance prohibiting parking on the north side of West Emeline Street during regular school hours. Currently, there is no parking on the south side, but that still doesn't allow room for buses, Town Marshal David Hobbs said.
"Most of the problems are with the first block going west," Hobbs said.
Hobbs also asked the town to consider an ordinance that may ticket children who cross at the intersection of Catherine Street and Higby. Hobbs said the intersection is a dangerous place for children to cross, especially since they can cross one block north at the West Emeline stoplight.
He said Milford principal Cindy Kaiser has told students not to cross at the dangerous intersection and to cross at West Emeline, but students continue to cross at the Catherine-Higby intersection.
"I think what we need to do is have some enforcement," Hobbs said.
Beer said, "Probably one of the reasons they do that is that there is no sidewalk on Everetts Street."
Rigdon said he would have to research to see what the board can do legally.
"If we have to go to an ordinance, we go to an ordinance," Hobbs said. "I'd like to see fines on that."
Winchester said, "To ban that as a crossing ... I think you're getting a little bit (out of hand)."
Siegfried said she received the tax rates back from the State Tax Board. She said the final rate for Milford for 1999 is $2.1054. It was advertised in September as $2.36. Last year's rate was $2.1559 and was based on a total property assessment of $14,659,544. Milford's property assessment for 1999 is $15,703,365.
