The Town Council of Winona Lake, Indiana met in a
regular session on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 in the Town Hall at 7:00 a.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Joy Lohse, Sue Gooding, Terry Howie, Randy Swanson and Retha
Hicks
ABSENT: Larry
Long, Jim Walmer and Mitch Titus
OTHERS PRESENT: Craig
Allebach, Pete O’Connell and Paul Schmitt
Opening
Schmitt opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge
of Allegiance.
Approval of minutes – Gooding motioned to accept minutes, motion was seconded by Swanson. Minutes were approved as written.
May 1 & 2 – Fat & Skinny Tire
Bicycle Festival
May 8 – Grace Graduation
May 14, 8:00 am – Run for Fun 5K
May 22 – Trail Runs on the Mountain
Bike Trails
May 22 – Optimist Car Club – will have parade through Winona Lake. It is a fund raiser and they will be taking sponsors.
Floor Topics: Chad Hudson brought up the proposed parking south of
Cherry Creek. He is concerned about increased
traffic due to the use of the parking lot and the “narrowness” of the bridge
over the creek. Howie and Allebach
responded that the County is responsible for the bridge and when the bridge is
replaced they will take into consideration the greenway trail and expand its
width. Hudson asked if we had considered
a walking bridge over the creek close to the volleyball courts. Hudson also stated that the creek gets wider
every year and wanted to know who is responsible for it. Allebach responded that Winona Lake
Preservation is looking at a possible grant for rehabbing that area. The Town is hoping to obtain a grant for a
feasibility study for this year and possible a grant to do the work next year. Lohse reported that we should hear by July 1st
regarding the grant (from WLPA).
Jerry
Nelson spoke with someone regarding the replacement of the “structure” (bridge)
and the County covers only 40% of the cost.
Nelson asked if the Town had allowed monies for this project. Allebach responded that he had spoken with
Dennis Fletcher and the county would cover 100% of the cost. Nelson stated that the structure is to be
replaced in 2011 and he is concerned that the Town is prepared to pay the 60%.
Chad
Hudson asked if the Town does the proposed parking lots will there be soil
borings. Allebach responded that Larry
Long has been doing that as part of his preparation.
Parking Lot – Gooding does not want to
give up grassy areas in the park and wondered about making Columbia a one-way
street and Union a one-way the other direction.
Then we could use the space on Columbia for diagonal parking
spaces. Gooding suggested that this is
very green and inexpensive. Allebach
responded that this would cause extra traffic of the Street Department trucks
on the bridges and greater conflict with the extra traffic on Union Drive with
the Greenway. Hicks reminded the Council
that it is the Park Board that wished the parking lot to be on the other side of
Cherry Creek. Discussion followed as to
how many spaces could be gained with parking on Columbia and that the residents
would be using the parking spaces.
O’Connell suggested reversing the direction of the one-way on Union and
that would solve the heavy truck issue.
Gooding wondered if the salt trucks could use Chestnut and O’Connell
responded that the semis cannot make the turns.
Nelson stated that it would work well for those turning off of Park onto
Columbia to diagonal-park. Hicks
responded that the residents would have to back out on the street. Allebach suggested that the Council authorize
Larry Long to look at the suggestion. It
was also recommended that the residents be notified of the possible change because
the traffic would increase more than 50%.
Howie asked about access to traffic counters. Allebach will check with Kip Shutter to see
if we can borrow one. Howie wanted one
for Park Ave. and Columbia Drive. Allebach
recommended doing counts on Columbia and Chestnut also. Gooding would like to look into putting a
footbridge over the creek and adding some picnic tables on the other side of
the creek along with a shelter. Hicks
responded that we would need more parking then.
She would like to see signs up in the original parking area to encourage
people to save that for the Senior Center renters. There was an event at the Lodge this weekend
along with the race and the Lodge renters had no place to park. Howie suggested using the grassy by the Town Hall
as a temporary over-flow parking and putting signs up about the same. Pete responded that he could do the signs
today. Gooding moved the Council table
the parking lot past Cherry Creek and Lohse seconded. The motion passed.
Reports from Supervisors:
O’Connell– has contacted all the people regarding the tree planting and installing sidewalks a second time because they had not responded with quotes. He requested the quotes by Monday, May 3rd. He will have them emailed to the Council. Gooding asked if the trees had to be planted in the tree lawn and O’Connell responded that they can be planted anywhere on the lawn. Allebach responded that the tree commission would monitor it to make sure the placement was appropriate. O’Connell requested sidewalk quotes from Phend and Brown, Heiman, Niblock and Bernau. Allebach stated that the trees are in and information will be printed in the newsletter. He wants to plan so the work can be done several at one time.
Schmitt – the department has monthly meetings and Paul tries to include training at each one of those meetings. The last meeting included a first aid refresher by Carl Love. The previous month was Lorna Ladd, our Victims Assistance Volunteer who distributed new brochures that the officers are required to pass out. The brochures are in English and Spanish. Paul has given information to Craig regarding the Nixel, Twitter and FaceBook for the newsletter. The Nixel will enable the Police Dept. to make announcements to residents. Paul has been really busy with carseat distribution and inspections. He shared that if you are in accident where the airbags have been deployed, the carseats have to be replaced. The insurance company found at fault, must replace the carseat.
Swanson – asked Retha how often she makes the financial report that was shared with the Council. Hicks responded that the Council receives it every time she makes it, which is 4 or 5 times a year. Swanson asked for the report to be dated 4-30 or 6-30 rather than 4-22. Hicks responded that it was done after the last check run of the month. Swanson would like the report to reflect the cash balance of one and two years ago. He would also like comments regarding as to why the cash balance is rising or falling. Allebach suggested that Hicks do the report quarterly with references to previous cash balances.
Allebach – is working on the newsletter and has about everything in. Surveys will go out this week with the school children. Teachers are doing tallies for Safe Routes to School for us at schools. He has been meeting with Grace on the Greenway and had a walk through last week and trying to get the funding secured. He thought it would be June before we complete 250East. Our recycling doubled between 2008 and 2009.
Hicks – reported that Holly has approval from the school to distribute the summer programs. Supervisors met with a vendor that will help with the personnel handbook update. Howie asked Hicks to email the current handbook to the Council. Hicks asked about the negotiations with Warsaw regarding the wastewater rate. Howie responded that they did not meet on the 19th of April, but have a meeting coming April 29th.
Gooding – put comment in the newsletter that the Visitor Center sign would be moved to the Town Hall. Allebach responded that they would do so, but thought the Town should do something with the Police sign. Gooding also presented a letter from the residents of Stone Camp requesting that the races not go through on their private street. She recommended a change in the event permit to include and restrict their route.
Hicks - wanted to acknowledge Hal and Jennifer Harting’s work with the garden out front. They will be working with a Boy Scout troop doing further work on the garden area. The Council was asked to sign a thank you note.
Lohse moved to adjourn and Gooding seconded.
Meeting was adjourned
_________________________ ___________________________
TERRY
HOWIE RETHA
S. HICKS
PRESIDENT CLERK-TREASURER