The Town Council of Winona Lake, Indiana met in a
regular session on Tuesday, February 9, 2009 in the Town Hall at 6:00 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Joy Lohse, Jim Lancaster, Terry Howie, Sue Gooding and Retha
Hicks
ABSENT: Paul
Schmitt and Randy Swanson
OTHERS PRESENT: Craig
Allebach, Pete O’Connell, Mitch Titus, Larry Long and Jim Walmer
Opening
Lancaster opened the meeting with prayer and the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of minutes – Lancaster motioned to accept minutes, motion was seconded by Lohse. Minutes were approved as written.
April 17, 8-11 am – Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station
April 17, 9-12 am – Town Clean-up
Floor Topics: Kevin Bell informed the Council that the Fire
Department received a FEMA grant for $19,855 for firefighting equipment,
personal safety equipment and training.
The Fire Department is purchasing 2 phone delivery systems, 20 harnesses
and 20 personal escape bags. There is a
5% match for the grant.
Ordinance 2010-2-1
Neighborhood Preservation – The Ordinance comes with the recommendation of the
Plan Commission. Gooding expressed
concern about “over ordinancing” things and wanted to know what the problem was
that initiated this ordinance. Lohse
responded that the issue stemmed from the interpretation of what a single
dwelling was. Lancaster felt that the
genesis of this ordinance came from properties in the community that have not
been well maintained, they have over grown vegetation because they were not
occupied year round. There have been
questions about porches and overhangs that have not structurally sound. Dick Leaf did not feel that he had boundaries
of his position mapped out well enough and he wanted some teeth to go in and
take care of some of these issues.
Allebach shared there were also issues with painting and deterioration
of structures. This particular ordinance
is drafted after Goshen’s and the Plan Commission integrated some other issues
like square footage and smoke detector location. Walmer felt there were some issues that were
rather vague that need to be clarified.
He wanted the Council to go through the ordinance and make sure they
understood it all. He also stressed the
need of obtaining a search warrant.
Gooding asked how this would dove-tail with the Indiana Code. Walmer responded that there a certain things
we cannot do when they are already regulated by Indiana Code, but there are
times when we are allow to make an ordinance that is more strict than the State
Code. Gooding asked if we were looking
to close loop-holes in the State Code.
Walmer responded that the State Code would be standards, but that
doesn’t mean that you have to follow it.
This ordinance deals with inspections and Walmer wants to insure we have
the complete authority to do that. We
want to be sure our ordinance does not contain some improper language that
could allow a legal problem down the road.
Howie
asked if the Town didn’t already have an ordinance that required 3 inch numbers
on houses and apartments. Allebach
responded that did and Howie stated that this ordinance required 2 ˝ inch
numbers. Howie also questioned the
references to the Building Department instead of Building Commissioner. Walmer responded that those need to be
changed. Walmer suggested that Council
continue the discussion on the ordinance and Lohse asked if the Council could
have their comments by the next Council meeting. The Council wants to allow the Plan
Commission to have the opportunity to review the changes at the March 9th
meeting. Lancaster moved to table
Ordinance 2010-2-1 and Lohse seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Veolia (Trash and Recycling) Contract - Gooding asked why we didn’t just put the contract out for bid again. Lohse made a motion to bid out the trash and recycling service and Gooding seconded the motion and it passed.
Board Appointments – Allebach asked the Council to approve Patti Boyer to the Park Board and reappointment of Ivan Schueler. Allebach is also up for reappointment to the Plan Commission. Lancaster made a motion to approve the appointments and Gooding seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report from Town Engineer:
- Long presented
plans for a parking lot at the Park south of 1600 Park Ave. Long presented two options; one with asphalt
and one a “grass” lot, each with 33 parking spaces. Landscaping could be added and also a
sidewalk. This would be great to
designate for Greenway Parking and allow the other parking lot for the Park and
Senior Center. The grass parking lot
would include about $5,000 of storm drainage cost. Flooding in March ’09 would have covered this
area. If the Council decides to pursue
this Long would do the surveying and present detail design with cost. Gooding asked if there was money to do such a
project. Hicks responded that there
is. Lancaster stated that we need to
look at our list from the work session, put numbers against project and decide
our priorities.
Report from Town Attorney: Walmer reported that he had not heard anything back
from Stoops.
Reports from Supervisors:
O’Connell – Reported the department was just plowing snow.
Titus – Shared with the Council regarding the Pancake Breakfast April 17, 8-11 am. The Council moved the Town Clean-up to coincide with the Breakfast from 9-12 am. It was decided to make the Fire Department the meeting place and feed the volunteers at the Breakfast.
Lohse – Wondered if any of the Council was attending the “Meet the Candidates” at the Health and Wellness Center February 19. Lohse is planning on attending and Howie thought he would attend.
Howie – Mentioned Bill Bibler and Mary Louise Miller (both are Winona Lake residents) being honored as Man and Woman of the Year.
Allebach – Asked if the Council planned to polish up the Strategic Plan. Lancaster hoped to have it out to the Council this week. Allebach thought about OrthoWorx. This item was left off the plan. He was under the impression that the Council was going to use the second meeting of the month to do the strategic planning. Lancaster responded the Council did not give any feed back on that, but that was the suggestion. Lohse suggested that the Council address a section of it. Gooding thought it should be the evening meeting so there is input and time to discuss the issues. Lancaster agreed with that thought. He will send out the feed back from the issues and everyone prioritize what they think is deliverable in 2010. If everyone could have their input by February 23, then on March 9th have a presentation for 2010. Howie mentioned 250 E and Stonehenge and he asked O’Connell for a list of his projects for 2010. O’Connell mention the project started on Ft. Wayne Street. We will have to rebid the project to complete it. Allebach stated we will want to redo the bituminous bid.
Allebach has been checking on our Stimulus Projects and MACOG states they did not receive an inspection report. We have designation numbers and so we are in the system. There will be a second round of funds and this looks real good for us. Once we are approved then we need to compile a “letting package” and that window is very short.
Hicks – reported that she is working on the Annual Report and is nearly complete.
Gooding – asked if the Town is doing direct deposit with payroll and Hicks responded that we are. Gooding asked O’Connell is the Street Department could put some salt on Park at the light.
Lohse – asked if a Council member is taking ownership of projects from the Strategic Plan to see that they happen. Lancaster responded once we have the 2010 priorities then we would want to decide who would spear-head each project.
Gooding asked when Remnant Trust took over the Visitor Center how would that effect our portion of the Visitor Center cost. Allebach responded that our cost would not be more than last year and we could be completely out of it. Gooding asked if there were any numbers of actual numbers for the Visitor Center.
Titus – asked whose responsibility it is to enforce ordinances because of houses with no street numbers. Allebach asked Titus to identify those houses and get a list to Dick Leaf. The office could send out a friendly letter asking people to put numbers on their houses for their own safety. There was discussion about painting house numbers on the curb and O’Connell reported that you can not use yellow paint to do so.
Lohse made a motion to adjourn and Gooding seconded.
Meeting was adjourned
_________________________ ___________________________
TERRY
HOWIE RETHA
S. HICKS
PRESIDENT CLERK-TREASURER