$1.50
Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
griffith’s wawasee marina
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Family Owned Since 1946
YOUR BOAT STARTS HERE! • SALES • SERVICE • STORAGE
wawaseemarina.com
(260) 856-2286
9171 E. Ross Drive, SYRACUSE
www.the-papers.com
Syracuse Park Board sends budget proposal to council %\ /$85(1 =(8*1(5 6WDII :ULWHU The Syracuse Park Board approved sending its recommended 2023 budget to the Syracuse Town Council during its meeting Monday night, July 11. The proposed budget is for $573,080, a $29,506 increase over last year. Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, noted he added funding to the gas and oil, REMC and NIPSCO and park improvement budget lines as well as a 5% salary increase. The budget reflects a 5.43% increase over last year, which Paul Newcomer, park board president, said was not bad considering inflation rates.
Jonsson reported the completion date for Schrock Fields continues to be late August. Work has been taking place inside the concession stand and outside. The hope is with some good fall weather and irrigation, the park will be ready for use in the spring. Park board members had an opportunity to review the latest drawings for pavilions in Laudeman and Ward parks. Jonsson asked the board to review the drawings and forward any questions to him so he can have answers at the August meeting. The pavilions will be similar to the pavilion in Lakeside Park and have automatic door locks on the restrooms. Board member Mary Continued on page 2
Sewer project deadlines extended, may save costs $ 3$,5 2) &+$03,216 ³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
County BZA makes decisions in contested Blacks Court cases %\ /$85(1 =(8*1(5 6WDII :ULWHU After four months of continuances, The Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals made determinations regarding two of Ryan Stuckman’s properties north of North Webster. The BZA made its decisions during its regular meeting Tuesday morning, July 12. Stuckman had approached the BZA seeking a variance to permit allowing a mobile home to remain as placed, 15 feet from the right of way and 5 feet from the east property line, on the lot at 4732 N. Blacks Court West. After testimony from Stuckman that he did receive a permit to place the mobile home but it just wasn’t set properly on the lot, members of the BZA heard from remonstrators. One neighbor told the board, “He just puts his trailer where he wants to, regardless of what he’s been permitted to do. … It’s not a danger to move that trailer. He can argue his case all he wants. … If he knew it wouldn’t fit, put in a smaller trailer.” The neighbor went on to tell the board Stuckman had told her directly “he’ll do what he wants. If he gets caught, oh well. He shows
disrespect to neighbors. He needs to face some repercussions.” Lee Harman, president of the board, asked Stuckman why he put a bigger trailer on the lot. Stuckman claimed it’s harder to find smaller trailers unless they are special ordered. The trailer in question was 80 feet long, when
East. The variance would allow the residence to remain 11.7 feet from the east road right of way and 9.4 feet from the west property line. After some discussion and hearing from a remonstrator, the board ordered Stuckman to reContinued on page 2
the permit was for a trailer measuring 60 feet. In the end, the board approved the variance with a settlement of $2,500 for being out of compliance. Stuckman was also seeking a variance for another mobile home he owned at 7441 N. Blacks Court
Milford to continue with North Park annexation %\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU The Monday, July 11, monthly meeting of Milford Town Council opened with a public hearing on the proposed annexation of the east section of North Park subdivision plus an additional 20 acres of undeveloped land into the town of Milford. There was no public comment made at the hearing. Town Clerk Tricia Gall announced Meet Milford Food Truck Friday, which will include a touch-a-truck event with various emergency and municipal vehicles. The event will run from 5-8 p.m. Friday, July 15, at the Community Building. To accommodate the event, the council approved the closure of Main Street from the Community Building parking lot north to Catherine Street from 2-9 p.m. The council also voted to pick up the cost of a portable restroom for remaining Meet Milford events through October at a cost of roughly $200 per event. Wastewater Superintendent Mark Brubaker apprised the council of a sewer main pipe collapse at West and Catherine Streets, which was discovered during work on a manhole when a town employee noticed a small sinkhole. Beer and Slabaugh was called in and found a 10-inch pipe had collapsed. According to coun-
cilman Ken Long, crews had to dig 60 feet from the manhole before they were able to find usable pipe and ran 8-inch plastic line to keep it from falling apart. “We’ll have to get prints marked up and come up with a game plan,” he added. Street Superintendent Steven Marquart noted the line does not show up on plans prior to 1955. Gall added the town’s master plan, which will include photographic analysis of sewer lines,
should help. Town Marshal Derek Kreider announced the hiring of Tyler Schmucker to the Milford Police Department as a full-time deputy marshal, and Schmucker was sworn in. Later, the council approved an ordinance setting his pay at $43,000. During Marquart’s street, water and park reports, the council approved a $1,072 repair on the street sweeper by Brown EquipContinued on page 2
Less parental stress for school make-up days coming %\ &$66,'< :+,7( 6WDII :ULWHU The Wawasee Community School Board approved revisions to the corporation’s 2022-23 calendar at its Tuesday, July 12, regular meeting. Among the changes made was the implementation of designated bad weather make-up days. As per Indiana state law, schools can only use a total of three asynchronous classes per year. With this in mind, Assistant Superintendent Shelly Wilfong stated the calender included three
synchronous classes and just as many days off in general. While these make-up days are only to be used in the case of unexpected or severe weather or circumstances that would prevent students from coming to school, parents will be given a great deal of warning beforehand if plans change. “For us to use MLK Day as a make-up day, the snow day must occur before Christmas. For all other make-up days, parents will be given a two-week notice,” said Wilfong. Board member Don Bokhart asserted this was to give Continued on page 2
%\ '(% 3$77(5621 (GLWRU ,Q &KLHI Slight alterations in the final completion of the construction project for the Tippecanoe & Chapman Regional Sewer District were presented Monday evening, July 11, at the board’s monthly meeting. Instead of a 16-month completion, the board approved a two-year completion. There will also be a 16-month milestone completion date for the main pump station and force main, instead of 12 months. The discussion was held by the engineering committee at its June 27 meeting and presented to the entire board. The change was prompted after Jones Petrie Rafinski officials had found bids for similar type of projects are coming in significantly higher than the engineers’ estimate. The reasons vary from higher costs to limited availability. Offering more contract time could help with the costs. The project has been divided into three areas: Chapman Lake, west Tippecanoe Lake and east Tippecanoe Lake. Bids for each of these areas will be opened at
different times, read and taken under advisement. Bid openings for contact A, Chapman Lake, will be at 4:30 p.m. July 28; contract B, west Tippecanoe Lake, 4:30 p.m. Aug. 2; and contract C, east Tippecanoe Lake, at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 4. All bids are expected to be presented to the board for bid awards at the Aug. 8 meeting. Special meetings will then begin for the board. Jeff Rowe, Baker Tiller Financial Advisors, explained the procedures and presented a proposed timetable after the bids are awarded. This includes a potential special meeting Aug. 15, to introduce the rate ordinance to the trustees, followed by notice of a public hearing on the rates and charges with that hearing to coincide with the regular September meeting. A special meeting would then be called for Sept. 19 to adopt the rate ordinance. Rowe did state he held a telephone conference with officials on the State Revolving Fund, in which the project is No. 16 on the priority list for funding. “It is within the fundable range and guaranteed money,” he stated. Continued on page 2
DYj_]kl OYl]jkhgjlk Klgj] af l`] Ea\o]kl
Af^dYlYZd]k KMH CYqYck :gYl 9[[]kkgja]k
OYc]ZgYj\k OYl]j Kcak Da^] BY[c]lk
@oq )+ Fgjl` O]Zkl]j ` Z
+:< 1257+ :(%67(5
Indiana’s Largest Marina Over 90 Years of Exceptional Service and Products
5IF .BJM +PVSOBM
6521 E. Cornelius Road Syracuse, IN 46567 Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm Closed Sunday
574.457.4404
NAUTIQUE | JC PONTOON | FOUR WINNS SUPREME | YAMAHA WAVERUNNER | HOBIE CAT
wawaseeboat.com