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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Wawasee Alumnus Tries For Olympics
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
One Nation Under God
Page 6 themail-journal.com
Area fireworks
READY FOR ACTION — Members of the Milford Town Council and the Milford Fire Department came together Thursday, June 28 to see the new fire truck recently purchased by the town. The truck is now decked out with Milford Fire Department
As Independence Day approaches, communities are planning fireworks celebrations. The following are the area fireworks times: Dewart Lake: Saturday, July 6. Syracuse Lake: 10 p.m. T h u r s d a y, July 4. Waubee Lake: Friday, July 5. Wa w a s e e : 10:15 p.m. S a t u r d a y, July 6. Webster Lake: 10 p.m. S a t u r d a y, July 6.
decals and ready to put out some fires. Pictured from left are Jim Smiley, Doug Ruch, Ken Long, Virgil Sharp, Todd Haines, Brian Haines, Kevin Walker, Steve Farber and Matt Byler. Photo by Lilli Dwyer.
Milford Community Park Project —
A way to honor Harry J. Michael By EMILY WORRELL Director of Communications and Marketing, Wawasee Community School Corporation The Milford community is set to experience an exciting new development thanks to the dedicated efforts of Wawasee Community School Corporation and a committee of Milford community stakeholders. This collaborative project, which has been in the works for several months, aims to create a vibrant community space that meets the diverse needs and desires of the Milford residents. From the outset, the project has been a community-driven initiative. The stakeholder committee has worked to gather ideas, listen to feedback, and ensure that the proposed space reflects the values and needs of the community. Their commitment and vision has been instrumental in shaping the project, making it a true reflection of what Milford residents want and need in a communal space. The collaboration with Ele-
vatus Architecture has been a cornerstone of this project. Their expertise and innovative design approach has helped translate the community’s ideas into practical, beautiful, and functional design concepts. Through numerous meetings and feedback sessions, Elevatus Architecture captured the essence of what the Milford community envisions for their new space. In addition to working with the community committee, Wawasee Schools has been collaborating closely with Amy Roe, Kosciusko Community Coordinator. Her involvement has been pivotal in reaching out to groups passionately seeking a way to honor Harry J. Michael, a Milford resident and Kosciusko County’s only Medal of Honor winner. This collaboration ensures the space will not only serve the community’s needs but also pay tribute to a local hero. As part of this project, Wawasee Schools would like to include elements that recognize Harry J. Michael, ensuring his legacy is honored, remembered,
and celebrated by all. This tribute will serve as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of Milford’s own Medal of Honor recipient, fostering a sense of pride and respect for a man who represents what it truly means to be a Wawasee Warrior. The proposed community space will be located on the six acres northwest of the new Milford Elementary School building, which currently holds the Milford School football field. It promises to be a hub for connection, recreation, and community activities. Elevatus has developed three renderings that showcase a variety of features; each designed to be built in phases as funding is secured from community groups. Whether it’s a playground for children, sports facilities, or a beautiful walking path, the new park aims to provide something for everyone. As we reach this exciting milestone, Wawasee Community School Corporation is thrilled to be a part of the conversation in Continued on page 2
OPTION A OF MILFORD ELEMENTARY NORTH SITE.
While in litigation with DNR, Webster Lake Conservation Association seeking to form conservancy district By DAVID SLONE Times-Union The future of the Webster dam will likely be determined by ongoing litigation between the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Webster Lake Conservation Association, as well as the association’s efforts to form a conservancy district.
Mike Wyrick, president of the Webster Lake Conservation Association, approached the Kosciusko County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 2, to request funding, leaving it up to the commissioners to determine how much, to help with the creation of the conservancy district. “It turns out that Webster Lake needs to create a conservancy district for the future maintenance of the dam on Lake Webster,” he said. Giving a brief history of the dam, Wyrick said in the 1950s the dam was in bad shape. The mill, which was the reason for the dam in the first place, had burned down and the property was put up for sale. The property included the gates to the dam that holds up Webster Lake and takes care of the 54-square-mile watershed above it. “The DNR — at what was the Department of Conservation at that time — did not step up to take care of the vacated dam. So 27 people around Lake
Webster formed the Webster Lake Conservation Association for the purpose of buying that property, including the gates and the dam, for the purpose of maintaining that dam,” he explained. Noting that “things were easier back then,” Wyrick said through the sale of the land they bought, they raised money. Volunteers and business people contributed, and the lake population and the town of North Webster restored the dam in the 1950s. That restoration lasted until 2011, at which time the DNR stepped in under contract and took care of some repairs on it. The contract was an agreement with the Department of Conservation in 1993, Wyrick said, and that same contract was written “word for word” when the department became the DNR in 1996.
“That agreement basically said the DNR is responsible for reconstruction, repair of the dam (outlet control structure). And the only thing that WLCA was responsible for was the maintaining of the water level from the lake,” Wyrick said. “And that was our sole responsibility.” In 2011, the DNR undertook reconstruction of the dam. The DNR had done an engineering inspection in 2009, grading the dam as being in poor condition. In 2017, after the DNR made repairs, they did another inspection of the dam, rated it as being in poor condition and changed its classification from significant hazard to high hazard. Wyrick said the DNR then came to the WLCA and told the WLCA that they had to fix it. The WLCA disagreed with the DNR because the agreement was still in place. Ending
in deadlock, the two parties took it to court to get a summary judgement on whether or not the contract was valid. The Circuit Court held the contract was valid, but the DNR appealed. The Appellate Court held the contract was valid. “We sent a demand letter to them, asking them to fix the dam and the things they didn’t do in 2011 that they should have done, and they refused. So now we’re in court, asking the court to force them to fix the dam. That’s where we are in litigation; however, we know that’s not going to be a longtime fix because during the litigation, the DNR did terminate the agreement on May 6, 2022. When the agreement was cancelled, then that forced the responsibility of the maintenance of the dam onto WLCA and also unto four unsuspecting property owners that happened to
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HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
have purchased those lots back in the 1960s and built homes in that area,” Wyrick said. Two of those four homes are on the landing because there were no zoning regulations back in the 1960s when they were built. Wyrick said the DNR has suggested it’s WLCA’s job to remove the homes, but the WLCA has questioned whether or not they need to be removed, plus the WLCA doesn’t have the money because the homeowners aren’t voluntarily going to give up their homes without compensation. “So the answer seems to be the creation of a conservancy district that can handle all of this and come up with enough tax-supported money to do it,” he said. To start a conservancy, Wyrick said it’s going to take $62,000 in Continued on page 2