Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - The sewer rate for Joyland Mobile Mobile Home Park was discussed at length Tuesday.
Jay Clutter, owner of the park, asked the council in January to study his situation.
In January, Clutter's attorney, Rick Helm, told the council the campground's rate is excessive. He said the rate structure assumes each lot is equivalent to a residence.
There are 41 lots at the park. The single family residence rate is $31.22.
Since that time, the council has extensively studied the rate issue as it relates to Joyland.
Council president Jon Sroufe said there is a classification in the North Webster sewer ordinance for a recreational park. By definition, Joyland fits in that classification. A recreational park is defined as having 10 or more spaces that are not inhabited year-round.
Tuesday, the council proposed an amendment to the sewer ordinance to establish a rate of $15.61 per lot for a campground - half the residential rate.
Sroufe and council member Jane Shepherd are in favor of establishing a campgroup rate. Council member Travis Marsh opposes the campground rate.
Marsh said Tuesday that while there is no disputing the fact that Joyland is defined as a campground by state statute, "nowhere in the entire code does it state that a campground shall be charged at a separate rate than that of any other customer."
Marsh also said he is concened about setting a precedent: "Because we are a resort community and there are customers around the town and the lake who use the same amount or less of the system as Joyland uses, why should those seasonal customers pay any less of a fee?"
Several townspeople also spoke out against changing the rate.
Most said that if Clutter received a rate cut, they wanted a rate cut, too.
Sroufe explained that anyone fitting into the recreational park classification would be charged the same rate as Clutter.
Dave Vaught spoke on behalf of his fater, Herbert, who owns Marsh Landing, a campground on the sewer system.
Vaught said Marsh Landing has 17 sites. He wanted to know if Marsh Landing would get the same rate as Joyland.
Sroufe said that if Marsh Landing fits in the recreational park classification, it would receive the reduced rate proposed in the ordinance.
A public hearing on the proposed rate change is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
The council also:
• Heard that a grant request for five storm sewers around town was denied.
• Heard that resurfacing on Ind. 13 will begin next week and continue through the end of September.
• Approved closing one block of Dixie Drive for approximately one hour Aug. 28 for a wedding at the request of Deb Long.
• Approved a reduction of $15,000 in appropriations for the 2004 budget. The money, unused in 2004, will be placed in the 2005 budget.
• Decided to wait for plan commission approval before making a recommendation on a rezoning of a lot adjacent to Lake Tippecanoe Siding and Window Co., 329 S. Main St. Robert Phillippe, owner of the siding company, is seeking a rezoning of the lot from residential to commercial. If rezoning is successful, he plans to purchase the lot, tear down an existing barn, grade it and use the lot for parking.
• Approved advertising bids for wastewater treatment plant additions and modifications, including installation of a new microscreen, changing airlift pumps and installing a new effluent flume.
• Approved the bid of Hartley Construction for $5,650 for siding on the town hall.
Public Works Superintendent Dennis Reafsnyder announced that his department has the following for sale:
• A 1978 Ford F800 dump truck with snow plow.
• A 1978 International Loadstar 1600 with snow plow.
• A 3- to 4-yard manure spreader.
• A power takeoff driven 750-gallon "honey wagon."
Anyone interested should call Reafsnyder at 574-834-7241.
