Milford Town Council Approves Waubee Lake EventMILFORD - There’ll be music on the beach at Waubee Lake after Milford Town Council members approved a request brought by Tracey Burke, Waubee Lake Association.
Burke came to the Council and explained they’ve held a kayak/poker run the last few years but this year they wanted to have music on the beach at Waubee Lake Park. She said they’ll be renting the Lions pavilion and wanted to have a band for a few hours for this year’s event on June 18.
Burke said the money they raise goes to Eric Bechtel and he does fireworks on the lake for the Fourth of July. She was asked if she contacted anyone on the lake and she said they’ve helped in the past as one of the stops for the kayaks - they stop to get colored wrist bands at the lake home piers.
Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall told the Council there’s a park rule that says no loud music so Gall advised Burke to come to the Council for an exception.
Instead of an exception, the Council authorized having a reserve officer at the event in case there’s a complaint. However, since the hours of the event are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., they didn’t think it’d be much of an issue. Burke was also advised to notify other homeowners on the lake of the event and she said they have a Facebook group where she’ll post the information. She said last year the event raised $2,300.
Alan Tio, CEO of Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation, told the Council he likes to visit a couple of times a year and update them. He reminded the Council of KEDCO’s three initiatives - entrepreneurship, housing and talent recruitment and retention.
He shared there are resources for entrepreneurs and thanked the town for working with him on housing.
“I applaud and thank the town - housing initiative is further along than any other communities,” he said.
Tio said housing initiatives began because employers shared they were having a hard time retaining employees, especially those employees who lived farther away.
Tio was asked what they could do to retain kids and grandkids here. Tio responded there was no one easy answer and said they post job openings on social media. He suggested school corporations and chambers of commerce may be working on that but said they’d be glad to help in any way they could.
Tio then introduced Amy Roe, Hoosiers Enduring Legacy Program Grant community coordinator. Tio said Milford is one of the first three communities statewide to be selected for this program because they were ready for it with all the prior initiatives they’ve done.
Roe told the Council a little about herself and said she was excited to work with Milford.
“I’m excited because I know what small towns struggle with, and I know when communities like Milford are willing to participate with something when they’re not sure what it offers is a good sign,” she said.
She said one of the first parts is what the state calls Art Infusion Planning Event and said Indiana Arts is providing money to hold an event in Milford on June 17, partnering with Made on Main to host the event.
Roe said the purpose is to bring the community together to talk about what it wants as a project.
“It’ll be unique because it’s art based,” she said, adding the end result is to “provide something in Milford that’s cool and maybe people will want to stay in town.”
Gall reported to the Council that she’s joined a group called Meet Milford and they want to plan several community events in town this summer - events like Food Truck Fridays - where they’ll bring in food trucks.
Gall asked for the use of the community building parking lot and electricity on June 17 - the first event, and said there may be times when they’ll need the use of the building, too. Plans are to primarily hold events on the third Fridays of the month June through October. She said they plan to work with the downtown businesses and “the idea is to bring people downtown.”
Gall said the June 17 event is a good way to get people together for the HELP grant event, too.
The Council approved the third Friday of the month events.
Steven Marquart, street, water and parks superintendent, reported four people were interested in the 50/50 sidewalk matching grant program so he solicited three quotes. One from Jason McCorkle quoted $12,010; another quote was from Pulver Asphalt for $16,780 and Thompson Concrete had a quote of $11,990.
Marquart recommended Thompson Concrete and said they’ve done a good job for the town in the past. The town’s cost would be $5,595 and the homeowners would pay the rest. The Council approved his recommendation.
He also received approval to hold Spring Clean Up Days at 600 N. Main St. on April 21-23 with hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. hours on Saturday, 8 to 11:30 a.m.
Marquart told the Council it was time to reseal the town’s parking lots and driveways. He had a quote for $475 for the water treatment plant, $3,196 sewer plant, $5,567 community building, $2,734 for utility driveway and $2,663 for New Beginnings for a total of $14,630 by Super Seal.
The Council approved it and also approved adding a handicapped parking spot on the northeast corner - the first parking space off Main Street.
In other business, the Council:
• Approved an additional cost for police computers for squad cars since the previously approved computers were discontinued.
• Approved paying the annual cost for Cloud service for the police department at a cost of $4,320.
• Approved purchasing flowers for downtown and town hall from Miller’s Greenhouse at a cost not to exceed $1,500.
• Approved renewing GSI service for utilities for $1,100.
• Approved paying the additional cost of $411.25 for road salt - they received 44 tons instead of the 40-ton ordered.
• Approved the formation of a water meter review committee and approved having Councilman Doug Ruch be on the committee representing the council.
• Approved the clerk’s office closure on Good Friday, April 13 and heard there may be additional closures needed.
• Approved renewing Keystone system for utilities and payroll at a cost of $7,875.
• Approved the purchase of fireproof filing cabinet for clerk’s office at a cost of $1,439.
• Approved two customer credits on utility bills, one for $92.76 and the other for $60.40.
• Heard hydrant flushing is scheduled for April 6 and 7, weather permitting, from daybreak until about 4:30 p.m.
