WINONA LAKE – Winona Lake Town Council held a public hearing on its budget during Tuesday’s meeting. The council’s official certification adoption of the budget is Oct. 21 and the last possible day for adoption of the budget, tax levy and tax rate is Nov. 3. The proposed 2015 budget is $2,464,775, a 2.19 percent or $55,150 reduction from the 2014 budget. The budget was advertised in the newspaper Sept. 4 and 11. The council also approved a resolution Tuesday accepting the deed for Robson Road, part of the Greenway improvement project, from the Kosciusko County Commissioners. The council also approved a fee schedule for weed and rank vegetation charges for unkept properties when the town must provide upkeep to the properties such as mowing. Fees assessed to property owners to cover town employee clean-up of dilapidated properties are: town truck usage at $50 an hour; truck mileage at 56 cents per mile; riding mowers, $30 per hour; push mowers, $15 per hour; weed eater, $20 per hour; trailer usage at $20 per hour and $30 an hour for personnel. The council approved a contract with A & Z Engineering for engineering services for the Greenway improvement project. The council approved an information technology services agreement for Redwood Information Technologies, Winona Lake, to provide IT maintenance services to the town and street department offices at $550 per month. Starting in January the cost will be $6,000 annually. The town also will consider the fire department receiving the IT services. The services will provide fiber optic capabilities for the Internet. Craig Allebach, town coordinator, said the Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission is working to get fiber optics available to businesses in the town. Larry Long, town attorney, provided a 7th Street project update and said there are sidewalks that are being removed on the north side of the street. There was an issue with the contractor putting sidewalks in that were not according to specifications. Pete O’Connell, street superintendent, informed the council that residents and contractors will no longer be allowed to dump concrete or brush in the gravel pit at the street department. Residents will be required to get a trash bin from the street department or leave brush piles at their residence for pick up. “The pit is full and it costs too much money to get rid of the gravel,” O’Connell said. Mitch Titus, Winona Lake fire chief, said there will be a pancake breakfast Oct. 4 from 7 to 11 a.m. at the fire station. The cost is $5 for those over 5 years old, and kids 5 and under eat for free. Upcoming events include Grace College’s Healthier You “Rock ‘N Run 5K” at Miller Athletic Complex off Pierceton Road Saturday at 9:30 a.m.; Legacy of Life Banquet Monday from 6 to 8:45 p.m. at the Orthopaedic Capital Center; Kosciusko 4-H Council 5K at the fairgrounds Sept. 27 at 9:30 a.m.; Village At Winona British Car Festival and Fall Festival Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Taste and Trade Expo at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center Oct. 10 and 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
