The Town Council of Winona Lake, Indiana met in a
regular session on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 in the Town Hall at 6:00 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Joy Lohse, Sue Gooding, Jim Lancaster, Terry Howie, Randy
Swanson and Retha Hicks
ABSENT: Larry
Long
OTHERS PRESENT: Craig
Allebach , Mitch Titus, Pete O’Connell,
Paul Schmitt and Jim Walmer
Opening
Randy Swanson opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge
of Allegiance.
Approval of minutes – Jim Lancaster motioned to accept minutes; motion was seconded by Randy Swanson. Minutes were approved as written.
Winona Happenings
Floor Topics: Maria Beam, 1300 Chestnut, must access their home via the alley. There is also another family that park on Chestnut and walks down the alley to enter their home. This alley is not maintained by the Town “at all”. They are concerned about safety issues with the alley and want the Town to maintain it. Also, the No Parking sign was placed in their yard 3 ˝ feet from their front door. She would like the No Parking sign to be removed and allow parking in the alley. There is the issue of emergency vehicles being able to go down that alley and Maria spoke with her brothers who are volunteer fireman. They stated that it takes a two or three point turn to get down the alley, but her brothers’ main concern is to make sure the power lines are not too low. Maria would also like the trees trimmed. My-Shaun Beam would like the alley plowed. Jim Lancaster asked if it is an alley or a street and was affirmed that it is a street. Mrs. Beam stated that there are not stop signs when entering Chestnut or Sunday off of this portion of 13th Street. Craig Allebach asked the Beams to call the office if we neglect to plow it. He also requested the Beams to put a stake where they would like the No Parking sign placed. We will also talk to the neighbor about placement of signs. The Town will also check the height of the power lines. If there is a tree trimming issue, it is probably private and we can not do anything about that. Pete O’Connell stated that with parking on both sides of the street, the snow plow cannot get through. He will make sure that this area is given attention. Jim Lancaster inquired if there is a no parking ordinance and it has not been an issue with people parking on this alley, do we need the no parking signs? Craig Allebach responded the signs are needed if you are going to enforce it. Terry Howie stated that in the past there have been signs on the north side and this was enforced. Jim Lancaster asked Mitch Titus how the Fire Dept got to Sunday Lane. Mitch Titus responded that they would use 9th Street. Terry Howie stated that the main problem was ambulances getting through the area. Jim Lancaster asked if there is a real need for the signs. If we are going to enforce the no parking, the signs must be posted. My-Shaun Beam relayed that there is a real parking issue in this area. Jim Lancaster wondered if there is a real need to have this area be designated “no parking”. Maria Beam asked if parking could be allowed on one side of the street. Terry Howie stated that the ordinance would have to be changed. Jim Lancaster asked Paul Schmitt, Mitch Titus and Pete O’Connell to look at the situation and make a recommendation. Pete O’Connell stated that parking on one side was not an issue for the Street Department. Mitch Titus responded that a fire truck will not go down that street. Paul Schmitt stated that he felt an ambulance could get through there. Jim Lancaster wanted the department heads, which are actually effected by the change to make the decision. Paul Schmitt asked the Beams what they felt would be for the best: parking on the north or south side of the street. Paul Schmitt reminded them they need to park right wheels to the curb. Terry Howie asked the department heads to come to the next meeting with a recommendation.
Award Asphalt Bid: Retha Hicks presented Larry Long’s recommendation on
the asphalt bid. Larry Long recommended
we accept Phend and Brown for the surface HMA of $58.00 and tack coat of $4.50. He felt accepting them both was the right way
to go because you would not want a different vendor to come in and do the tack
coat of a project. He also recommended accepting
all portions of the quote from Niblock.
Sue Gooding asked why you would accept more than one vendor. Retha Hicks explained that doing this locks
you in on price on the asphalt. Jim
Lancaster moved that we accept the bid per Larry Long’s recommendation and Sue
Gooding seconded the motion. The motion
was passed.
Request for
Fireworks: Terry Howie received a
request for donation from Dane Miller and John Elliott on behalf of Warsaw
Community Development for $1,500 toward the cost of the fireworks display on
Friday, July 3rd. This is an increase
over last years, contribution of $1,000.
Terry Howie asked if we have the funds to cover it and Retha Hicks
responded that we do. Joy made a motion
to approve the $1,500 donation and Randy Swanson seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report from Town Attorney: Jim Walmer has a meeting set with Craig for Friday
regarding the property owners that need to sign deeds of easement for the
Stonehenge project. The deeds are all
prepared with the exception of adding the cross reference from the original
deeds. The key to this is an agreement
with the homeowners as to how the process is going to work. The agreement would include easement to the
pond and ownership of pumping station, so there is no question to ownership of
everything connected to storm water collection and drainage system. This would cover set up and procedure of
dealing with any problems with the system.
We do not know where the lines actually run in Prestwick due to various
lakes as shown in the plats. The
agreement provides for the subdivision south of Pierceton Road to allow the
same access of drainage system to address future issues. This would allow us to address issues that affect
us but drain into a County ditch.
Reports from Supervisors:
Pete – Argonne Road will be milled on Thursday. The work will stop at the bridge. Pete would like approval from the Council to have Phend & Brown come all the way down to the Winona Ave. If they are called back to do this work, it will cost twice as much. This is the proper way for the road to be done. The Town limits are on the south side of the viaduct. Jim Lancaster asked if the round-about would encroach on this work. Craig Allebach responded that the round-about would be south of that work because of the business. Pete will meet with Reggie from Phend & Brown regarding Warsaw’s run-off of storm water, because the problems we have in that area coming from Warsaw. Jim Lancaster suggested that we put a limit on the work and allow Pete to proceed. This would include repair of the catch basin. Jim Lancaster moved that Pete be allowed to request Phend & Brown mill and pave and repair the catch basis from an amount not to exceed $20,000 from where Warsaw is stopping up to Winona Ave. Sue Gooding seconded the motion and the motion passed.
Jerry Nelson asked if Warsaw is going to do anything about the stop light during the road construction. Paul Schmitt responded the light will be on flashing.
Summer hours of 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. will begin May 26 for the Street Department.
Paul – The floor is the Police garage is now painted.
Mitch – Fire Department vehicles will go through a pump test tomorrow. Craig asked Mitch if he received information about a metal roof that would qualify for money under the stimulus package. Craig wondered if we could get a better price or rebate if Mitch contacted a roofing company.
Jim Walmer – has been thinking about a project an Indiana Lawyers seminar June 11 and 12 for $260.00. Hotel would be $130.00 per night for the room. The information would be beneficial for the Town. Town of Pierceton said they would take care of one-half of the seminar and the room cost. Jim would like the Town pay for the other half. He would pay for his meals and other expenses. Sue Gooding made a motion that the Town of Winona Lake to pay one-half of the registration and one-half of the hotel cost. Joy seconded the motion and it passed.
Retha – report that she will be starting to work on the budget. One of the Supervisor Meetings they will be working on the capital budget. There are new regulations regarding when we advertise our budget.
Sue – reported being “attacked” by a pit bull. She is very concerned that a visitor or resident not be subjected to such an experience. Sue did not stay around and talk with the police after calling 911. Another resident facilitated her escape from the dog. Paul Schmitt stated that the Police needs to be called immediately and/or witness the attack so they can deal with the situation. Sue wanted to know if other communities have ordinances that would deal with this situation. Craig stated that our current ordinances would work in this situation. Warsaw has a “vicious dog” ordinance which places more responsibility on the owner. Sue asked Craig and Retha to research.
Sue asked if the town has resolved our email issue. We have not. Sue had sent an email regarding a break-in in her neighborhood and she wondered about stepping-up patrols. Paul Schmitt reported that those individuals were caught and were from Milford.
Terry – said he had received some calls about street lights being out. Pete responded he would check them tonight.
Craig – reported that the Park programs are set to go and one class is already full. The Visitor’s Center is unofficially open. Grace has done some outside maintenance work. Cathy Allison and an intern with Grace are working in the building, trying to get things up and running. We still have some financial issues to work out. A sign will be in place soon stating “Visitors Center”. The committee for the Visitor’s Center is Steve Grill, Terry Howie, Tom Dunn and Craig Allebach with Steve Grill spearheading the group. We received $5,000 from the Visitors’ Bureau as a grant. Other grants are being pursued. Sue Gooding wanted to know if it was too soon to discuss the budget. She felt the Billy Sunday Home expenses should not paid by the Town since our focus is the Visitors Center.
Retha – Holly reported to the Supervisors that she is partnering with the Girl Scouts and some of the Park summer activities will count towards their merit badges.
Joy moved that the meeting be adjourned and Sue Gooding seconded the motion and it passed.
Meeting was adjourned
_________________________ ___________________________
TERRY
HOWIE RETHA
S. HICKS
PRESIDENT CLERK-TREASURER