Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - The town is again pursuing grant money to renovate the community building in Winona Lake Park for use as a senior citizens' center.
The council held a public hearing regarding the grant application during this morning's meeting. There were no public comments.
Town coordinator Craig Allebach said the price for the project has been scaled down. Allebach is a certified grant administrator and no third party consultant will be hired.
"The $30,000 or more we would have spent in administrative fees is going into construction costs," he said.
The board approved the Community Focus Fund Request in the amount of $200,000. The town will provide $50,000 from the general fund and Kosciusko County Foundation has allocated $12,000 for a total project cost of $262,000.
More than 53 seniors filled out surveys supporting the need for the center. Informational and educational programs were thought to be the greatest need, according to the proposal.
Senior citizens also indicated they would like opportunities for entertainment, exercise, crafts and computer classes.
After rehabilitation the community building would meet these needs.
Councilman Jerry Clevenger said Jim Gunn of Goshen contacted him again regarding the monthly invoice he receives from 200 Sixth St., where his late sister used to live.
The water was shut off in January 2000 and Gunn has received charges of $31 per month plus a 10-percent interest penalty for more than a year.
In November 2000 he approached the board regarding the bills and was told then the council would review the ordinance and make a decision.
Gunn's sister, Dolores Gunn, died in 1999.
Clevenger said Gunn maintains the council is not giving the issue proper consideration and asked the council to bring the matter back for discussion.
"Mr. Gunn said it wasn't so much an issue of money but principal," Clevenger said.
Allebach said State Rep. David Wolkins called him about the bills.
Allebach said he wanted clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks to present a historical perspective on the ordinance and the reasons why charges are rendered even after the water is shut off.
In November the reason reported was infrastructure maintenance fees.
Liaisons between various town departments apparently were decided during Monday's executive session.
President Jeff Carroll gave the board's and Allebach's assignments as follows: Carroll - building inspector and supervisors; Rolly Ortega - fire department, solid waste district, publicity and the County Road 250E project; Craig Snow - park department; David Delp - housing, police department and CR 250E project; Jerry Clevenger - street department, redevelopment commission and supervisors; and Allebach - supervisors and Kosciusko Development Inc.
In other business the board:
• Heard the Michael Cord Concert is set for Rodeheaver Auditorium Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. Cord's appearance is part of the Staley Lecture Series sponsored by Grace College. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Concert also will be given in Rodeheaver Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., presented by the Lakeland Community Concert Assoc.
• Renewed its contract with the Winona Lake Fire Department, changing some of the wording to exclude a given number for assistant fire chiefs.
The town pays $18,200 for fire protection.
Roger Gelbaugh was approved as fire chief and Mike Cox, Ed Brown and Kip Shuter as assistant fire chiefs.
• Accepted checks of $1,000 each from CE National and Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church for services from the town. The money will go into the general fund. Hicks said they were presented as a way to help recoup losses from Sofamor Danek's relocation to the city of Warsaw in November 2000.
The industry provided more than 18 percent of the town's tax base, or $157,000 per year.
