Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - About one-third of the residences along the shores of Webster Lake remain on their own septic systems - those on the easternmost side.
Since 1988 it has been the intention of the town council to provide sanitary sewer service around the lake. When the first phase of expansion was complete and the board prepared to apply for further loans, they discovered the funds had dried up at the state level.
Now board members seek to complete the project in an application for $1 million through the Build Indiana Fund.
The project is expected to cost more than $2 million.
State Sen. Robert Meeks, who represents two townships in Kosciusko County, attended the meeting to hear the particulars of the proposed project.
Also on hand, in addition to board members Kay Andrews and Jeff Morgan and town clerk Peg Lawrance, was Jim Lower of Schnelker Engineering Inc., Fort Wayne. Lower's firm conducted a feasibility study and surveyed the area six years ago, when construction would have cost a total of $1.7 million.
Meeks said the state funding board will look at the cost to the individual and average household income.
Lawrance said 1,200 residences are served now and the expansion will incorporate 250 more. Costs to each customer will be between $45 to $55 per month.
According to the 1990 census, the median household income in North Webster is $27,206 and $31,615 in Tippecanoe Township.
Many of the houses along the lake's shore on the east side are second or summer homes.
The North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library was discussed at the special meeting, too.
Unique in the state, the library, tucked in a portion of the trustee's building, is not on the tax rolls. The town and the township provide $30,000 each year to the library, splitting the costs.
The library is also generally awarded grants from the Dekko Foundation and the Kosciusko County Foundation.
With the library out of space for all practical purposes, the town board, pending the results of a feasibility study, plans to develop the North Webster Elementary School building when it is abandoned by the Wawasee School Corp. in December 2002.
The board would like have the library as part of the community-oriented facility, Andrews said, and have it supported through tax levies.
The next town council meeting will be Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in the town hall. Board members are Kay Andrews, Jeff Morgan and Ken Wagoner.
