Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MILFORD - Changes with the park department and Waubee Lake Park were again debated by the Milford Town Council Monday as part of their budget process.
As part of the park department's budget, the park advisory board wants a $15,000 increase to install a fence around Waubee Lake Park.
"So we can receive some remuneration from people who are not part of the Milford community," said park advisory board president Marion Acton. Last weekend, Acton said, approximately 90 percent of the people using the park and beach were not from the Milford community.
"Most people don't realize the town of Milford owns the park," said Acton, along with the dock system and the two ramps.
"We want the park to be for everyone, there's no question about that," he said. Milford residents are paying for the park and he said the park advisory board believes those who live outside of Milford also need to help pay for the park maintenance.
The fence also will allow the town to close Waubee Lake Park.
Councilman Douglas Ruch said if funding were available for a fence, how would money be collected?
Acton said there could be three electronically controlled entrances to the park: one for emergency vehicles, one for walkers and the third for the boat ramp. Temporary help could be hired during set hours to monitor who comes in and out and to collect the money. He said the logistics could be worked out. Town residents would get their passes into the park free.
The council discussed if it may be possible if a local organization or business would donate a fence.
Clerk treasurer Charlotte Siegfried said the money could come out of the cumulative capital fund and this would probably be the best year because the town has "extra" money.
The 2001 park department budget was $21,000 and the 2002 budget, including the $15,000 request for a fence, is $38,589.50.
Town council president John Lehman asked utilities and street departments commissioner Dallas Winchester if he would be willing to run the park department.
Winchester said he was concerned about operating three departments especially during the summer when the other departments are working on their projects.
Currently, Winchester said he helps the park advisory board out when he can.
If a monetary figure was agreed upon, Ruch asked, and with the staff Winchester has now, would Winchester be able to handle the park department with additional employees?
Winchester said it would be "hard to tell."
Acton said, "We are an advisory board and that's our capacity. All we're interested in is the park. ... Dallas has been very helpful."
He said Winchester has a certain number of people he supervises. If they could find someone to work May through October, perhaps someone retired, that would help.
Pam Lehman, park advisory board, said it would be nice if they could go to someone like Winchester with their park concerns more often than to the town council once a month.
"Our community," said Acton, "is fortunate to have Dallas."
For the utilities department budget, Winchester said, the 2002 budget will increase 3.1 percent from the 2001 budget without wage increases, and 4.77 percent with the wage increases. The 2002 budget totals $205,224.
Siegfried presented other amounts for the 2002 budget: cumulative sewer, $10,000; local roads and streets, $60,000; cumulative capital development fund, $30,000; police education fund, $1,900; cumulative capital improvement cigarette tax fund, $10,000; economic development income tax fund, $120,000; and cumulative capital improvement tax fund, $30,000.
"They're set rates. We don't change the rates," said Siegfried.
The town council will have an executive session at 6 p.m. July 5 in the town hall to discuss personnel matters, with a regular meeting regarding the budget at 7 p.m. The next regular town council meeting is 7 p.m. July 9 in the town hall.
Members of the town council are president John Lehman, Douglas Ruch and Robert Phillips.
