Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - The town council approved the sale today of the town lot at 1312 Sunset Drive.
Two bids were received on the approximate one-third acre parcel. Jack Hicks, 105 Third St., submitted the high bid of $10,500. James Tague, 1308 Sunset Drive submitted a bid of $6,000.
The council approved two resolutions in connection with the sale. Resolution 98-8-1 authorized the sale and Resolution 98-8-2 authorized the transfer of the deed.
In other business, the council approved on first reading the increase in the town's sewer rates to $31 per month. The town has a public hearing on the matter scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 8 at the regularly scheduled council meeting.
"I'm going to reluctantly support this (increase), but we need to do something about it, so we don't have this rate continue to climb in the future," said councilman Harold Dunn before the measure was approved on a 4-1 vote. Councilman Dick Taylor opposed the increase.
After receiving a report from council president Brent Wilcoxson on a proposed town hall at the location of the Winona Lake Fire Department, the board voted to investigate the changing to the alternative site of the Quonset hut building on Park Avenue. That building is currently being used for storage of city equipment.
"I move that we put the police and the clerk's office there (in the Quonset hut) and use the council meeting room for senior activities when we aren't using it," Dunn said.
At the request of councilwoman Edna Gamble, Dunn's motion was amended to call for bids to be taken on renovating the Quonset hut to accommodate the change. Gamble abstained from the vote.
Wilcoxson also told the council they will need to consider charging town residents who exceed a predetermined limit on solid waste. The additional fee would be used as an incentive to encourage greater use of the town's recently adopted curb-side recycling program.
"We're instituting a recycling program next year as a part of our solid waste contract, and not everyone will participate. So we need to look at charging for any trash collected over the limit we decide to set," he said.
Wilcoxson suggested that such a limit could be two cans per week.
Clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks announced that building commissioner Dick Leaf will on vacation in September and in his absence Terry Harvey will serve in that capacity. Appointments for inspections can be made by calling the town office at 267-7581.
