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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Swimmers Too Fast For Goshen
One Nation Under God
Page 6 themail-journal.com
Planned Milford housing subdivision continues forward %\ .(,7+ .1(33 6WDII :ULWHU The Milford Redevelopment Commission embarked Monday morning on what is shaping up to be a busy year. Four returning members of the commission were sworn in for the new year, including President Dan Brown, Milford Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall, Chuck Bird and Doug Ruch. One seat on the commission remains vacant following the resignation of Charlotte Siegfried last fall. Monday’s hourlong meeting was dominated by a presentation from Gregg Fitzloff of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation on the planned Northeast Housing Development project. Also in attendance to discuss the project with commission members were Brad Plett and Titus Troyer, representing Miller Brothers Builders, which will serve as the developer of the 50-house subdivision; and Tim Saylor, president of Innovative Communities, a local housing development consultant company. One of the primary concerns discussed was the opting of adding a second ingress/egress road into the proposed housing development. Approximate costs, as well as the pros and cons of the additional roadway, were discussed. It was agreed the second entrance would not substantially increase the cost of the project and would benefit residents of the new community. Creating a new residential TIF district for the project was also discussed, with the 2023 approval requirements laid out by Andy Boxberger, attorney for the commission. As had been discussed at previous meetings, several steps of approval with various agencies at various levels of local government would have to be obtained in the next several months. It was agreed upon that Boxberger would provide language for Fitzloff to present to the Wawasee Community School board during its Tuesday, Jan. 10, meeting. The school board’s approval is the first of several before the commission can move forward with the
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Park board prepares for a new year %\ 3+2(%( 087+$57 6WDII :ULWHU The Syracuse Board of Parks and Recreation held its first meeting of the year Monday night, Jan. 9. Chad Jonsson, superintendent, gave an update on Schrock Fields. He said December was a “slow month;” however, some work has been done on the new ball field, located on Kern Road in Syracuse. “We still have a list of things to be completed,” said Jonsson. Grass in the outfields has been planted and the bases have been plugged. “We plan to do some sort of grand opening maybe in May,” said Jonsson. The tree board report was given by Jonsson. He handed out a tree summary for 2022. “We’ve kept a running total since 2000, when we first started,” he said. “We spent less money on trees in 2022.” The cost of tree work was $21,112.50.
Wawasee School Board hears KEDCO update for South Shore project %\ &$/(,*+ %<5(5 6WDII :ULWHU TIF district. The commission also agreed to its 2023 meeting schedule, which des-
ignates 10 a.m. the second Monday of each month, with the exception of October, at the Milford Community
Building. The public is always invited to attend the meetings, the next of which is scheduled for Feb. 14.
County BZA holds petitioners accountable in first meeting of the year The Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals set a tone for 2023 by holding a number of petitioners accountable during its first meeting of the year Tuesday morning, Jan. 10. Leonard Morseau asked the board for a variance to allow a mobile home to remain as placed without permits 6 feet from the road right of way and 15 feet from the rear property line. The trailer is located on a property in Tippecanoe Township. Morseau told the board he has always rented and didn’t know he needed permits to place a trailer. In addition to being illegally placed, the trailer was
placed on top of an existing septic system. Sandy told the board the Kosciusko County Health Department believes a new septic system needs to be installed. The property owner, Carl Stiver, was a bit exasperated over the issue, telling the board the septic system was installed sometime between 1998 and 2000 and he doesn’t understand why it needs to be replaced. After some consideration the board denied the petition, giving Morseau until April 1 to remove
the trailer. If Stiver can get the septic replaced, or fixed if needed, and they can find a trailer that will fit on the lot, the board will revisit the issue. Petitioner Dan Thompson came before the board with a number of petitions for two properties he owns in Seward Township. In the first case, he requested a variance to allow a deck to remain as constructed 2 feet 3 inches from the side property line and allow an air conditioning unit to remain 8 feet from the right of way.
Thompson explained he purchased the property two years ago specifically for the lake view. The house itself was in terrible shape. He’s fixed the inside of the house. When it came to the deck, he stated he called the planning office twice seeking information about a permit and was told he didn’t need one. Matt Sandy, planning commissioner, and members of the BZA, speculated Thompson may have called the City of Warsaw’s planContinued on page 2
Milford Council votes to demolish Davidhizar properties … again %\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU After years of legal wrangling, the Milford Town Council may soon be able to lay to rest the matter of two properties owned by Ron Davidhizar. During the council’s Jan. 9 monthly meeting, Town Attorney Jay Rigdon reported a motion by lawyers for Davidhizar to correct errors in a previous decision was denied at the end of December, leaving Milford Building Inspector Tom Bulger’s March 2020 judgment for demolition of two Milford properties — at 605 Kinwood Drive and 105 N. Maple St. — in effect. The council chose to reject an of-
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fer from Davidhizar to put up a bond of $10,000 on each house to secure continued renovation of the property, which he said could be ready to rent within 90 days or the properties would revert back to the town. “I don’t want to see us getting into a situation where we are continually dragging this on and there’s another concession made and another,” said President Doug Ruch. “We have the potential for new development coming to town that these blighted properties could hamper. We need to be firm on it. I feel there’s been plenty of time for concession on it.” Ken Long agreed. “We’ve been dealing with this since before I became a member of this board. I think the time has passed.” He made a mo-
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Eighty trees were donated in the spring and 87 were planted last year, 35 were pruned and nine were removed. Jonsson has also applied for the Tree City USA designation. The Henry Ward Park pavilion and project was discussed. “We received a $10,000 grant from the Harkless Foundation,” said Jonsson. He has also applied for two other grants, one for $20,000. He is hopeful the project will be finished by the end of summer. The board also looked over the 2023 project list at each park. “We are looking to do those when we have time,” he said. Some projects have started already. The gym’s floor at the Syracuse Community Center has been waxed. A list of 2022 purchase orders was given to each board member. Mulch at Lakeside Park needs to be purchased. Darin Lursen, program director, Continued on page 2
tion to seek bids to have the properties demolished. Davidhizar then spoke. The properties, he said, were still “structurally sound” and they were being damaged by vandalism. He added that if he did not meet the 90-day deadline the town could use his $20,000 to tear the buildings down. Accompanying Davidhizar was contractor Roman Troyer, who said any problems with the houses were “cosmetic.” Rigdon said the town had “two choices. … Is the town better off with empty lots, or is the town better off with homes with this kind of history of not staying in good shape.” The council voted to continue with the demolition. Davidhizar has 30 days to appeal the decision.
The Fritchley Legacy Page 10 See Public Notices On Page 9
The Wawasee School Corporation Board of Trustees inducted two new members and received an update from Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation on the South Shore project, south of Syracuse, at its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 10. Steven Baut, District 3, and Neil Likens, District 1, officially took their places on the board after attorney Tim Shelly administered the oath of office and gave congratulations. Andy Cripe, District 2, retained his seat and recited the oath of office to enter his second term on the board. “Many of us do serve in some form, but few do it in the manner you have chosen,” said Shelly. “Subjecting yourself to repeated challenges and criticism, spending untold hours at meetings and activities, receiving only meager financial compensation, all for the betterment of your and
future of your community’s children and the collective future of the Wawasee community. For that you should be extremely proud, greatly commended and sincerely thanked.” Don Bokhart was elected president of the board, Mike Wilson was elected vice president and Andy Cripe was elected secretary. Project engineer Terry Sweeney and Greg Fitzloff represented KEDCO at the meeting to provide further information on what residential tax increment financing is and why the project is relevant to the school district. Sweeney estimated that 100 single-family homes would be built on the north side of the South Shore project and stated with open job and housing markets, expansion can be expected. Sweeney stated in a local evaluation of inventory using Zillow, “there are only 44 homes on the market right now between the price of $200,000 to $400,000. Of Continued on page 2
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