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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Local Band On Tour
One Nation Under God
Page 9 themail-journal.com
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7H[W DQG 3KRWRV %\ 1$7+$1 3$&( 6WDII :ULWHU The 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was commemorated in a special ceremony Monday, Sept. 11, in Syracuse. The American Legion Post 223 hosted members of the Turkey Creek Fire Territory for the ceremony that
featured a 21-gun salute. Chris Longenbaugh has been with the Turkey Creek Fire Territory for over 18 years and is the second district vice commander for the Legion. “I think it is very important,” Longenbaugh said on keeping the 9/11 ceremony going. “The crowds keep getting smaller and smaller. Try to get the younger generation to understand what this is about.
What with all the people who perished that day represents.” The ceremony also included prayers for American prisoners of war. For Longenbaugh, remembering 9/11 helps him refocus why he became a firefighter. “One of the reasons I ended up joining the fire service was because of 9/11 and going into the military too,” Longenbaugh said.
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Milford Town Council weighs in on budget, insurance and Waubee Lake The Milford Town Council meeting Monday, Sept. 11, opened with a short budget hearing. The proposed budget for 2024 is $2,633,763, which Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall said would keep the town at the maximum levy rate, as it has been in the past. A decision had to be made on whether to renew the town’s health insurance plan for its employees, the cost of which increased 22% this year. Lisa Frazetta of Frazetta
Financial Service compared quotes for several different plans for the council. There were no plans available that wouldn’t cost more than the town currently pays, about $192,000. According to council member Ken Long however, if the council renewed the same plan, they would be paying over $30,000 next year with the increase. Ultimately, the council decided not to renew and to accept the 6VHE plan, which would cost about $206,000 per year. Kevin Dwyer of the Waubee Lake Association asked the council to consider appropriating $650 towards spraying an 18-acre area affected by starry stonewort. There is currently no way to completely kill the fast-spreading algae, but if left untreated it can ruin an ecosystem for the native plants and fish. Dwyer said the WLA has also applied for grant money to help pay for spraying the entire affected area. The town council’s contribution would go toward spraying the 0.2 acres of affected shoreline that impacts the Milford Town Park. The council agreed to pledge $650 in the event that WLA needs it after grant money has been applied. If successful, the spraying will take place in June and August 2024. The council weighed in on a vari-
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ance request from a citizen who asked for a shed at 508 W. Catherine St. to be allowed to remain 2 feet, 8 inches from the rear property line when ordinance requires 15 feet. According to Long, no building permit was acquired before construction on the shed began, and ordinances were ignored even after the permit was acquired. The council decided to oppose the variance request. In fire department business, Virgil Sharp presented quotes for electricity on two new tornado sirens, one in the park and one at the lift station, at a total of $6,810, which the council accepted. Sharp also announced that the department will be having its barbecue chicken fundraiser 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1. In police business, the department asked the council’s permission to pursue a grant from the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Program. The five-year program, which covers training, equipment and salary for a new officer, is funded for four years by the grant, after which the town picks up the costs. The council asked that the department bring back more information about the grant’s requirements before they made a decision. Continued on page 2
Inside
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WCSC Board honors Snider, hears conceptual schematics %\ 0$5,66$ 6:($7/$1' 6WDII :ULWHU North Webster Elementary School Principal Lee Snider will be recognized by the Indiana Association of School Principals for his outstanding leadership. The recognition was announced at the Wawasee Community School Corporation Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12. Snider was chosen to represent District 2. District Elementary Principals of the Year are elected by their peers. One principal is honored from each of the 12 districts. From these 12 district winners, one is chosen as the 2023 State Elementary Principal of the Year. The awards will take place Sunday, Nov. 19. Emily Hower from Elevatus Architecture presented to the board three conceptual schematics. The Milford Elementary School project is still in the early stages, but the board was presented possible building layouts. In every conceptual schematic presented, the new school will be built while classes resume as usual in the existing school building. Once everything is moved over into the new school, the old school building will be torn down. More information will come available as the design team meets with stakeholders. “The layout is intentional. We purposely laid out the younger classrooms to be away from the older classrooms to try to eliminate, or at the least stifle, class disruptions from the ‘littles’ walking to lunch or by the older classrooms,” Hower explained. During reports, Dr. Steve Troyer presented the board with a lot of good news. Wawasee Community Schools received three IHSAA Exemplary Behavior Reports for Jordan Sharp, boys soccer coach; Xavier Washington, boys soccer team captain; and the Wawasee cheer block. “IHSAA reports used to be few and far between, having three at the same meeting really says a lot about our coaches and student athletes,” Troyer remarked. Nine Wawasee High School students were recognized from the College Board because of their GPA of
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3.5 or higher and their outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and/or AP exams. The students are: Addison Beasley, Alexa Gomez-Jones, Alexander Dibble, Corrine Orth, Eduardo da Cunha,
Evan Byler, Evelyn Duncan, Jaxon Brown and Katylynn Bryant. Multiple donations were also gifted the WCS corporation. Nancy and Larry Stoner donated $1,000 to Continued on page 3
WCSC welcomes back Emily Worrell Emily Worrell has been hired as the director of communications and marketing for Wawasee Community School Corporation. She was hired during the school board’s monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12. During the spring of 2023, Wawasee Community School Corporation conducted a community engagement process to help district leaders identify areas of need for the district, particularly in the areas of facilities and educational programming. One of the discoveries from this process was the community’s desire for WCSC to allocate additional resources to improve communication and marketing of the district. Worrell will fill that need. Worrell is currently the executive director of the North Webster Community Center. She will begin her work with the corporation Continued on page 3
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