Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - Due to incorrect advertising, Robert P. Murphy of R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, told the town council that the meeting to take planning grant proposals for the North Webster Elementary School will have to be readvertised and will be Feb. 14.
Last year, the town applied for an Indiana Department of Commerce planning study grant on the North Webster Elementary School building. The Wawasee School Corp. is building a new elementary, set to open in 2003.
Murphy told the council Wednesday there is usually a 30-day turnaround for grant applications. After 30 days, he had received no reply. Finally, he said, he got an answer from the DOC Friday. They told Murphy the reason for the delay was because of the way the meeting was advertised.
After the Feb. 14 meeting, the town council will decide which consultants to hire and proposals will be sent to the DOC to review. The DOC will make the decision on the planning study in March.
Another grant Murphy is working on for the town is from the Department of Natural Resources for a fishing pier and parking lot by Webster Lake.
The town council applied for the grant and had an environmental study done to show that a pier and parking lot would have no adverse effect on the environment or on any historical sites.
Councilman Ken Wagner signed the environmental study and it will be sent to the DNR.
The cost is approximately $150,000. However, the grant will cover the entire cost except for the town's share of $15,000.
Town Marshal Jerry Craig was recognized by his deputies at the council meeting.
Craig, a native of Parke County, has served the North Webster Police Department for more than 15 years, beginning with part-time employment in November 1985. His full-time status began January 1986, and he became acting marshal in 1987.
In other business, the council:
• Approved having their monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the town hall.
• Chose the Times-Union as the newspaper for legal advertising.
• Approved the 2001 appointments as follows: Mike Armey, town attorney; Jerry Craig, town marshal; Greg Church, Candy Smythe and Darrell Sopher, deputy marshals; Marshall Minnick, public works supervisor; Christine France, sewage lab technician; Chet Los, Allan Bagot, Brian Scott, Kent Renner, Paul Ernst, street and sewage employees; Cathy Craig, town hall secretary; Rene Skaggs, street crossing guard; and town fire chief as civil defense director.
• Minnick told the council complaints regarding pot holes in the roads were taken care of this week.
He said he will meet with an unknown individual Monday regarding composting sludge from the wastewater treatment plant.
Lastly, he told the council the gears on the backhoe had to be fixed. Minnick said it normally doesn't happen unless there is excessive wear.
While the backhoe was being fixed, another was rented for approximately $600 per week. The old one will be fixed and returned by Monday, he said, or a few days later.
The cost to buy a new backhoe would be approximately $40,000 to $50,000. A used backhoe would cost less.
"This is a good time to buy if we decide to go that route," Minnick said.
Wagner told Minnick to look around and get some prices.
• Tabled mileage reimbursement for town employees until February's meeting. The current reimbursement is 32.5 cents per mile. Park board appointments also were tabled.
• Adopted ordinance 2001-1 which allows the town to join associations and promote the town.
• Tabled the Mediacom Cable franchise renewal.
"There are a few things we need to get back to them on, so I don't think we'll be doing this tonight," said Wagner.
He said after Armey reviewed the renewal, there were several questions.
Wagner said, according to the cable company, they are going to upgrade their services and there will be more choices of stations, music stations and pay-per-view channels.
• To earn citizenship merit badges, Boy Scouts from Troop 776, Warsaw, were at the North Webster Town Council meeting.
Members of the North Webster Town Council are Ken Wagner, Jeff Morgan and Kay Andrews. Andrews was absent Wednesday.
