The Town Council of Winona Lake, Indiana met in a
regular session on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 in the Town Hall at 6:00 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Lancaster, Sue Gooding, Terry Howie and Retha Hicks
ABSENT: Randy
Swanson and Joy Lohse
OTHERS PRESENT: Craig
Allebach, Jim Walmer, Mitch Titus, Pete O’Connell, Larry Long and Paul Schmitt.
Opening - Howie opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Approval of minutes – Lancaster motioned to accept minutes, motion was seconded by Gooding.
Minutes were approved as written.
April 17 through 24
- Solid Waste District
April 17 8:00 am to 11:00am – Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station – cost is $5.00
April 17 9:00 am – Town Clean Up
April 17 7:30 pm – Symphony of the Lakes Brahm’s Requiem at Rodeheaver
April 17 Trail Maintenance Day
April 24 9:00 am – Victim Services 5k Run/Walk at Park
May 1 & 2 – Fat & Skinny Tire Bicycle Festival Lancaster shared with the Council that on Friday night there
will be a “critical mass” kick-off ride.
Riders will meet at the TrailHouse and ride down Center Street to
downtown Warsaw.
May 22 – Trial Runs on the Mountain Bike Trails This is a fund raiser for the trails and there will be 5
mile and 10 mile route. Gooding asked
about funding for the trails. Lancaster
responded that it is all done through donations. Gooding wondered if the Town could donate a
few hundred dollars. Lancaster felt the
Town already donated though maintenance of the Greenway that affects the trails
in a positive way. Hicks offered to have
information/registration forms available in the office. Lancaster suggested that the KC Cycling link be
put on the Town web site.
May 14 – Arts Walk
in the Village – Featuring Luke Wright
Floor Topics: Jerry Nelson complimented the Village on the clean
up of the weeds along the shore at the Hotel Condos. Brent Wilcoxson responded they are
wildflowers that will grow back.
Trash Bids – Hicks stated that she had
meet with Walmer regarding the bids.
Only one of the bidders submitted the correct paperwork and that was the
highest bid. Hicks and Walmer
recommended that the Council reject all bids and rebid. Gooding made a motion to reject the bids and
open for re-bidding and Lancaster seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously. A decision regarding the rebidding will be
made by the Council at the May 11, 2010 meeting. Staffords Solid Waste asked if the
performance bond is required and Hicks responded that we will put that
information in our ad.
Parking lot – Howie asked if the Park
Board had discussed where they would like the parking lot. Hicks responded that the Park Board had met
last night and wanted the parking lot on the other side of Cherry Creek. Hicks reminded the Council that we are
getting into the time where the additional parking is needed. Gooding asked what our time frame is once we
decide. Long responded that he would
need to do a field survey and all his process would take about two to four
weeks. Gooding wondered if he could have
everything ready for the April 27th meeting. Long responded if that is the site the
Council has decided on. Lancaster asked
the Council how they are going to prioritize all the projects to be accomplished
this year. Does this parking lot go to
the top of the list? Hicks responded
that there are enough funds in MVH to cover the projects for the streets that
have been identified for this year and the parking lot. Hicks feels the
parking lot is a “need”. There are also
LR & S and EDIT funds for any other major projects. Lancaster wanted to look at the funds
available and then the projects for this year at the next meeting. Chad Hudson, 1605 Park Ave. does not think
the parking lot should be put north of Cherry Creek. He thinks people do not want to walk that
far. He suggested directing people to
the Street Department to park. O’Connell
responded that he could not have vehicles blocking the overhead doors and not
allowing equipment to get out. Gooding
explained to Hudson that the appearance of the area north of the Cherry Creek
would be very eco friendly with grass and trees. Hudson does not want the parking lot in that
location. The Town needs to provide
additional parking for all the visitors that are coming into our community and
allow the Senior Center renters parking.
Lancaster asked about additional parking adjacent to the Street
Department to allow more parking for the Trails. Allebach suggested angle parking on Columbia. O’Connell suggested parking east of the salt
building. Gooding asked where do we need
the additional parking the most? Hicks responded that renters of the Senior
Center complain about lack of available parking. Gooding asked if adding parking by the Town
Hall would not be more conducive for Senior Center parking. Hicks responded that we could place a sign
distinguishing Senior/Park parking and Trail parking on the other side of the
creek. Wilcoxson suggested moving the
tennis courts north of Cherry Creek and make that area parking. Lancaster asked what problem are we trying to
solve and what is it going to cost us?
If we install a new parking lot will it solve our problem or will it be
a magnet to others? Allebach reported
that Warsaw is putting a trailhead and restrooms on McKinley. Lancaster asked how can we understand our town’s
need? Everyone
felt that it did not matter where you put the lot; people were going to park at
the closest spot. Hudson was concerned
about more flooding at his home if the Town put a parking lot across the street
due to raising the area. If we do the
“green” parking it will allow for the run off.
Lancaster wanted to wait until the next meeting and the information from
Hicks regarding funds and projects.
Hicks reminded the Council that doing that will delay the project 2 more
weeks. Long shared that the required
process he must go through can take 60 days.
Hicks asked the Council to approve the survey on the north parking lot. Gooding made a motion to approve Long doing
the topographical survey and Lancaster seconded. The motion passed.
Eola Drive drain – Long was asked by Howie to
review a drainage problem on the north side of Eola Dr. Long informed the council the drain
transports storm water from Grace Village through the drainage swale to a
culvert at Arbor Lane. The open drainage
swale functions properly but a resident is concerned about the build-up of
leaves in the ditch. Long gave the
council an approximate cost of $9,000 to remove the rip rap and to install a
12-inch storm drain in the 200 feet of ditch.
Hicks asked if this was private property and it was thought that part of
it was. It was mentioned by employees
that the resident rakes their leaves to the ditch. Gooding understands the resident’s concerns
but did not feel the town should get involved.
The town will suggest to the resident to discontinue the practice of
raking them to the ditch and to rake them to the street’s edge.
Police Off Duty Work
Policy – Schmitt
explained that the insurance carrier suggested that the Town make certain
policies to protect the Town. When an
officer is not being paid by the Town and you are conducting yourself as a
police officer you leave yourself open for liability that can come back on the
Town. What we want to do is require
those who employee the officers to carry liability primary coverage of $500,000
minimum. The Police Department will have
to be provided proof of that coverage.
Lancaster asked if this is departmental policy and Schmitt responded
yes. Lancaster asked if the Council had
to approve departmental policy or does the supervisor do that. Howie and Walmer responded that the Council
should approve this policy. Walmer asked
if the Town Council wanted parameters as to the types of things the Police
Chief can approve. Lancaster made a
motion to approve the off-duty policy and Gooding seconded. The motion passed. See attachment.
Street Projects – The Town received two bids –
Phend & Brown bid $85,104.60 for all the projects plus $110 for cold patch
and Niblock bid $73,984.20 for the projects and $100 for cold patch. Lancaster moved to accept Niblock
Excavating’s bid and Gooding seconded.
The motion passed
250 East – Allebach reported that we
there will be a meeting soon to determine what course of action will be taken
to repair the road.
Tree Commission – Allebach reported that the
commission met and it is a great group.
The commission is going to facilitate obtaining the trees. Juergan Voss,
a committee member, has the means to obtain the trees and Jeff Burris, Grace,
has the landscape expertise. Pete is
obtaining quotes from landscape contractors to install the trees. The commission wants to put a notice in the
newsletter so residents can sign-up for a tree.
Sidewalk program - Retha has asked Pete to
obtain quotes for the concrete and some contractors for the labor on the
sidewalk program. For each program, the
town will come up with a cost for each site and then ask the homeowner for ½ of
the expense prior to starting the project.
Pete is also obtaining quotes for the striping in the Post Office area. Howie reported that there is no center
striping on William and Roy and a resident wants to know why. Allebach responded that we could do that when
we do our other striping.
Hicks reported that the Town
received a letter from the Kosciusko County Visitors Bureau stating we were
recognized for the best place to “take a hike”, “best beach”, “best scenic
view”, “best place to view wildlife”, and “best playground park”.
Gooding – noticed that the brochure
holders for the greenway trails are empty.
She also wondered if the Council would be interested in having a booth
at the Fat and Skinny Tire Festival. To
welcome people and hand out brochures.
Allebach suggested that the Council man the Greenway raffle table. Last year there were a couple bikes raffled
off. She also asked about the stall doors
for the ladies restroom. Pete responded
that he wanted to put up curtains because the doors would be vandalized and the
expense of replacing them would be more.
Gooding stated she received several negative comments from neighbors
regarding the runners that came down through Stonecamp. Permission was not given to use the private
street and residents were not allowed to go in and out as they needed to. Schmitt spoke with the organizer of that race
and they are open to changing the route.
Lancaster – reported
meeting with Dr. Manahan along with Allebach as part of the economic outreach
and walked him through our strategic plan.
Dr. Manahan would like to attend town council meetings on a quarterly
basis to give the Council an update on Grace College.
Gooding - wondered
if something were to happen to the clerk-treasurer would there be someone who
would be able to keep the office running.
Walmer would be able to walk the Council through the necessary process.
Hicks – asked
Walmer about 301 5th Street. Walmer responded that the owner wants to give
the property to the Town. The question
was asked, “What would the Town do with the property?” Hicks suggested Dick Leaf, Building
Commissioner, should walk through the property and give the council a
report. Walmer will ask Arnolt if the
Town may do a site visit. Gooding moved
the meeting be adjourned and Lancaster seconded. Meeting
was adjourned
_________________________ ___________________________
TERRY
HOWIE RETHA
S. HICKS
PRESIDENT CLERK-TREASURER