Winona Swears In Reserve Officers

WINONA LAKE - Mike Foster and Lonnie Turner, both of Warsaw, were sworn in as reserve officers at the town council meeting Tuesday.

Foster served as a Milford reserve officer for two years and Turner served in the Army National Guard.

The board approved Ordinance 2004-4-1 adopting an event permit and fee schedule. Organizers must fill out an application at least 30 days prior to the event date and pay a $25 application fee. The application will assist the town in scheduling services.

The ordinance does not pertain to transient merchants.

Pam Kennedy, Housing Opportunities of Warsaw director, approached the board regarding application of a $200,000 Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant, which was approved.

Kennedy said the Indiana Housing Finance Authority has new rules allowing no more than $5,000 spent per property. She said that basically means just a roof, furnace or new electrical system.

The town cannot apply for a rural development grant but would be a subrecipient of the funds. The matching fund amount is 20 percent, and HOW can provide 18 percent.

Kennedy said 11 homeowners have applied for assistance.

She suggested the town begin to charge a small interest rate for the forgivable loans.

"The improvements are to encourage people to stay in their homes. Some of them are getting all the work done and then upgrading," Kennedy said. "If you charged some kind of interest, they may stay longer."

The loans are forgivable when the property owners stay in the home for two years if less than $5,000 is spent to improve the house, for five years if less than $15,000 is spent and for 10 years if more than $15,000 is spent.

If the Rural Development grant is awarded in June, the Winona Lake Housing Authority would have about $278,000 for rehabilitation.

Town clerk Retha Hicks said she attended the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns conference in Warsaw recently.

Because the council is partnering with Winona Lake Preservation Society to study lake protection, Hicks talked to IACT's environmental adviser Brian Gould. She said he would be available to speak at a society meeting.

Councilman Rolly Ortega, who is acting as liaison with the society, said an Indiana University student contacted him about the recent spills into the lake.

Brent Wilcoxson, of Winona Restoration, asked about the grading along Winona Beach Drive and was advised it is a county project.

"It looks to me like they've drained off the wetlands," Wilcoxson said. He said he can't remember the area ever being dry before.

Wilcoxson said he has added a storm drain system from Fourth Street through Chestnut Street as the Winona Lake Hotel garages have been constructed. The water captured by the drain is being filtered through sediment traps.

The board also:

• Approved a quit claim deed for property in South Town for a slice of land that was never used as a right of way.

• Approved installation of a new sanitary sewer line between Fort Wayne and 12th Street to replace the clay pipe there.

• Heard Joe Bumbaugh will graduate from the Indiana Police Academy Friday.

He will then take on a full-time police officer post.

• Heard events in town will be: April 22, noon, senior luncheon at the Senior Center, sponsored by the Winona Lake Free Methodist Church; April 24, 6 to 9 p.m., CharARTy Gallery Walk in the Artisan Court; May 1 and 2, Village Bike Festival; and May 15 and 16, Spring Sailboat Regatta.

Board members are: John Boal, Jerry Clevenger, Jeff Carroll, David Delp and Rolly Ortega. Delp and Carroll were absent.