Silver Lake Discusses Unsafe Building Ordinance -- Haney Out Of Senate Race
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Silver Lake Discusses Unsafe Building Ordinance
SILVER LAKE - Unsafe buildings in Silver Lake beware.
At its regular meeting, the Silver Lake Town Council discussed a 2009 ordinance about unsafe buildings.
Town Marshal Craig Hollopeter asked what needed to be done to begin enforcing the ordinance.According to Town Attorney Vern Landis, the town first needs to appoint a building commissioner and a housing authority board.
Landis said the building commissioner should be someone who is familiar with building codes and contruction. Ideally, the person would be an engineer, but thet is not a requirement.
The building commissioner will inspect suspect buildings and then report findings to the board, which would then decide how to proceed with the property.
According to Hollopeter, there are at least four houses in town that need to be looked at.
The council also announced bids for the town's trash pickup and approved a motion to accept Stafford Solid Waste's bid of $32,208 for trash pickup in 2010.
In other business, the council:
n Gave permission for Town Clerk Angie Glass to talk with Bob Murphy about applying for the second round of government grants for the town's storm water system.
n Gave permission for Town Superintendent Jasun Blocher to call Weed Sewer and Drain Cleaning to help the town clean out some of the bigger lines in the downtown area to help with some of the town's flooding issues.
n Heard that Glass needs letters from as many businesses and residents with flooding problems as possible to send in with the grant applications. Glass needs the letters as soon as possible, no later than April 1.
n Signed an application to the state to close Ind. 14 for Silver Lake Days June 17-19.
n Approved a motion to change the town's vacation policy. Previously each town employee's vacation time reset on the anniversary of his or her hire. Now all town employees' vacation time will run from January through December.
Silver Lake Town Council members are Linda Baker, president; Ronald Jones and Gale Owens.
Haney Out Of Senate Race
Local surgeon Dr. Tom Haney has dropped out of the U.S. Senate race.
Haney, 43, a Republican, Leesburg, is a general surgeon at Kosciusko Community Hospital.
The primary is May 4 and the general election is Nov. 2.
He announced during a Michiana 912 tea party event in January that he would run for the seat.
He told the Times-Union Tuesday that he is no longer seeking the seat because he did not get enough signatures to qualify to get his name on the primary ballot.
"I had to have 4,500 signatures to get my name on the May primary ballot, but only got 2,000 signatures," Haney said.
The deadline to get signatures was Feb. 16. Haney dropped out of the race Feb. 15.
Haney said it was a disappointment to not have been able to obtain the required number of signatures, but he looks forward to continuing to serve Kosciusko County in his surgeon role and appreciates the support he has received.
He said it is not in his interest to seek the seat as an independent, and said he wishes the senate candidates luck.
"I think we have a good slate of individuals running for the office and I support the tea party candidates," Haney said.
U.S. Senate candidates include Republicans Don Bates Jr. Kokomo, Richard Behney, Fishers, Marlin Stutzman, Howe, John Hostettler, Blairsville, and Dan Coats, Fort Wayne.
