Milford Town Council Updated On Trail FeasibilityMILFORD – Milford Council members received an update on the trail feasibility study at Monday’s meeting from Ben Beer with USI Consultants.
Beer told the council, “It’s very humbling to come back and do the study for the Town of Milford.”
Beer also commended Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall and called her an “excellent resource” for the town, citing her quick response to needed documentation during the study. Beer said they looked at several possibilities for a trail from the south side of town to Waubee Lake Beach and he shared those options with the council.
He said they settled on First Street to CR 1100 to Camp Mack Road. “We feel where we landed is best with respect to right of ways and avoiding wetlands but still providing a nice trail,” he said.
The cost estimate is $1,095,200. USI and the clerk submitted a federal grant application to Rural LPA (Local Public Agency) at the end of last year and said it was an 80/20 matching grant administered through Indiana Department of Transportation.
As part of the application, Beer said the town could possibly use K21 Health Foundation grant money for part of the local match. Beer said they rushed to get the town in a position for that grant and the award determination is generally at the end of February, beginning of March.
“The town will know very soon if they were successful in receiving the grant,” Beer said.
He mentioned that the grant was very competitive. He heard there were over 400 million in requests for $100 million in available funds. He told them if they were unsuccessful they could try again.
Another option for the town might be Indiana’s Next Level Trails grant program or local funds.
He said if they are successful, they’ll need to put in a request for proposals for engineering. Beer also said the grant is for fiscal year 2026 so construction wouldn’t start until then.
The council thanked him for his presentation.
Dan Killinger, owner of Intelligent Living, gave a presentation on his plans to turn the former Trilogy Nursing Home, 505 W. 4th St., into 20 to 23 apartment units he’s calling The Village on 4th.
“I’ll take the existing building and revamp the exterior,” he said, adding that he’s not adding on to the facility but is taking patient rooms and common areas and turning them into studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom or three-bedroom apartments.
Killinger said there’ll be common laundry area and a dog park. All utilities will be included in the rent. He said the rent will be determined by the property management company, Assurance Realty. He’s also using a local construction company, O A Construction Services.
The apartments will have stainless steel appliances, custom cabinets, luxurious vinyl flooring and carpeting in the bedrooms. He told the council this will be the third such property he’s converted.
Killinger was asking the council for approval to change the zoning from agricultural to residential-multi family. He was asked if he spoke to the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission and Killinger said he was on their March 3 agenda. Gall said because that’s before the next council meeting, she would send a letter stating that the council had no objection to the rezoning.
The council agreed to send the letter stating they wouldn’t object.
Indiana Public Employer Plan Inc. (IPEP) awarded the town of Milford the 2021 Safety Grant award for $3,937.92.
The news release from IPEP stated it was a pleasure to work with Gall, along with Eric Merley of WR Hall Insurance and others, to maximize opportunity to promote a safe work environment and assist with stretching their risk management resources. The grant fund will be used to purchase safety equipment or safety training programs that reduce or limit worker’s compensation exposure.
Merley presented the check to Council President Doug Ruch.
IPEP was created in 1989 as a risk sharing pool for public entities as a response to the need for public employees to find affordable workmen’s compensation coverage.
The council approved hiring RJ Plummer to fill the vacancy as a police reserve. Plummer previously worked for the department so he wouldn’t require training and was familiar with the community. Police Chief Derek Kreider said there was one more available position but he wanted to wait until summer to fill it.
They also approved the purchase of two laptop computers at a cost not to exceed $5,400. The council also approved sending the whole department to the Indiana SWAT conference at the end of April at a cost of $4,455 for 13 officers. Kreider said the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office would cover the town.
For the wastewater department, the Council approved having Wealing Brothers clean out and remove sludge from the former settling pond and have Beer & Slabaugh fill it back in at a total cost of almost $200,000.
They received and opened bids for the street improvement project for the Community Crossing Grant. Three bids were received but Gall said the bid from Niblock Excavating was not received in time so could not be opened. Pulver Asphalt Paving Company, Albion, bid $220,473.35 and Phend & Brown, Milford, bid $249,368.
The bids were accepted and will be reviewed and awarded at the next council meeting.
The council also approved having M E Simpson test large water meters at a cost of $1,050 so they’ll get better results on the next water audit.
Utilities Manager Steve Marquart told council members they received more registers, which will enable them to change out water meters. Marquart wanted to remind residents that if they receive a tag to please call the town to set up an appointment to have the meter changed.
