WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake Town Council Tuesday approved a request to reduce wastewater fees for New Horizon Community Church.
Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks said she received a letter from officials at the church, 1300 Wooster Road, that stated the church's water pipe in its basement had broken. Hicks said the church had to open the basement door to let the water filter out of the basement.She said the church is typically billed $138 per month for wastewater, and they were billed $634.40 in June after the water pipe broke. Hicks said $205 was the highest the church had paid in a month's period for its wastewater fees.
"I think this is a unique and rare situation, and helps that they documented the basement's flooding," said Joy Lohse, council president.
The council approved reducing the $634.40 bill to $205 for the June wastewater bill.
Also during the meeting, Hicks said there have been 30 Winona Lake residents who have not returned wastewater fee cards.
The cards state the status of a home, such as if the property is a single-family or two-family unit, and are required to be returned to the town office.
She said some people live in California and Pennsylvania and own property in Winona Lake.
Councilman Jim Lancaster recommended Hicks send a final notice and card to the residents who have not returned the cards.
In other business, Town Coordinator Craig Allebach said there are four asphalt projects in the town he will seek quotes on.
The proposed projects include asphalting the alley from Administration Boulevard to 12th Street; the Boys City Drive alley from Park Avenue to Oakwood Street; the Wooster Road alley from Kings Highway to a private drive; and Eastwood Road from Southfield Road to a private drive.
Hicks informed the council she has been working on 2009 budgets and is waiting to receive the Winona Lake Fire Department budget before the council will hold a budget meeting.
Allebach said he attended a training seminar over the weekend on safety measures for towns in instances of town events, festivals and natural disasters.
He said he is interested in looking at writing an updated plan of who is in charge during the town's events.
Upcoming events in Winona Lake include Cardinal Services Duck Race Saturday at noon at the Winona Lake Canal; Billy Sunday Day and Ice Cream Social Aug. 2 in the Village at Winona; and an Antique Car Festival Aug. 16.
