Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
winona lake - Town council president Brent Wilcoxson said Tuesday he would like to see more cooperation between the town and the city of Warsaw on several issues, including a sewer agreement.
Wilcoxson said he and Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins have discussed the idea of having a joint meeting, possibly with county officials, to discuss common problems and needs, such as planning and infrastructure.
A good start would be the tentative sewer treatment agreement between Warsaw and Winona Lake.
Wilcoxson is holding out hope the city will rethink the town's request for a cheaper treatment rate. Even though Warsaw has already cast a vote, he said he may contact officials individually in an attempt to sway their opinions.
Warsaw wants a new agreement with the town of Winona Lake that would continue treating its sewage at the same rate.
Warsaw charges the town the same rate it charges industry and wants to extend that agreement for 10 more years.
Winona Lake is seeking a discounted rate after unexpectedly learning they were being under-charged.
That came after Winona Lake last year suggested the town was being overbilled and requested a new meter be installed. The new meter, though, showed the town was being under charged. The town is now paying nearly twice as much.
Winona Lake officials believe they deserve the same rate residents pay.
Industry and Winona Lake are subsidizing the city, which in turn provides cheaper rates for its residential customers, Wilcoxson said.
The city has agreed to maintain the new meter, but expects the town to pay the meter's $7,300 purchase price.
With the city already having taken action, Wiggins is now awaiting action by the town.
"From my perspective, the board of works has signed it. We're continuing what we have for the last 20 years as far as what we have billed them. The only difference is we're maintaining the meter in the future," Wiggins said.
"That's pretty much the city's position. That's not just me, quite honestly, it's the board of works and the city council," Wiggins said.
As for working together on other projects, Wiggins said he looks forward to addressing other issues.
Meanwhile, the town won't be proposing any type of Economic Development Income Tax.
Town council voted Tuesday not to propose an EDIT resolution to establish the tax this year because of strong doubts that it would be approved by Kosciusko County leaders who have historically opposed the measure.
With county elections looming, the chances of passage appear even bleaker than in the past, said town council member Dick Taylor. Kosciusko County council, which has a majority of votes on the county income tax council, has four incumbents running for re-election.
Wilcoxson was the only member in a 4-1 vote to support the idea of the town passing a resolution.
Efforts to establish EDIT have failed in recent years and it wasn't even considered last year.
Support in the past has come from the city of Warsaw and several towns including Syracuse and Winona Lake. Nobody has offered a resolution and Kosciusko Development Inc., which lobbied for the tax two years ago, has already indicated it would not raise the issue this year.
Towns have sought the tax to help finance needed sewer and infrastructure projects. County officials have shown little interest in using the tax.
"There seems to be rampant tunnel vision on the issue by the county," said council member Randy Ruppel.
Wilcoxson said he was confident Warsaw would support EDIT. But Warsaw and most other towns aren't even discussing the tax this year. Deadline for submitting a proposal to the tax council is just a few weeks away.
