$1.50
Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Janna Stollery Honored
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
See Page 8 One Nation Under God www.the-papers.com
Park board meets at new ball field in Syracuse %\ 3+2(%( 087+$57 6WDII :ULWHU The Syracuse Parks and Recreation Board met on a rainy Monday night, Sept. 12, at the new ball field in Syracuse. The board met in one of the buildings that has been completed. The board was going to tour the new ball field; however, the rain dampened those plans for the night. Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, gave an update on Schrock Fields. Some fencing has been installed and seeding in the outfields has been completed as well. “We need to try to play ball next year,” he stressed, adding a well and a pump are being delivered soon. “All of the fields are irrigated,” Jonsson said. Nets will be put up, like at the high school. “We will have funds in the spring. We will have time next year,” he added. “There’s been a lot of work done in August,” Jonsson said. “There’s still a lot of little stuff that needs to be done.” A final walk-through will be available once the project is completed. Most of the buildings are fin-
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ished, he said. Additional lights may be installed in the winter. “What about parking?” asked Kip Schumm, park advisor, about parking spots in the lots. “We can look at that as we move forward,” Jonsson said. Jonsson gave the financial report for Aug. 8 to Sept. 12, as well as the August monthly financial report. Jonsson gave the tree board report. He said numerous trees will be removed in Syracuse and are indicated with pink ribbons. Also, trees will be planted around Syracuse with several potential spots targeted. Jonsson said the mower for Schrock Fields has been ordered. The tractor is in, but he’s waiting on the deck. The board agreed to purchase a John Deere 1570 Terrain Cut with a rear discharge deck at last month’s meeting. Lakeside Park’s playground mulch has been ordered for the spring. Board members discussed the park reservation form for activities, such as at the Syracuse Community Center, Lakeside Park and other parks. A review of fees was Continued on page 2
Wawasee Community School Board addresses near-future plans %\ &$/(,*+ %<5(5 6WDII :ULWHU The future of Milford Middle School was among the many discussion points at the Wawasee Community School Board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13. Dr. Steve Troyer expressed that the board is still in the data collection phase of the decisionmaking process; they are taking statistical information, commu-
nity input and contents of media coverage into consideration. There will be a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the Milford School Gymnasium in which the collected information will be presented and the community will have a chance to address the board. Troyer plans to have created an official recommendation by November or December. The pre-bargaining hearing led by Troyer and the 2023 budget
hearing led by Dr. Brandon Penrod commenced prior to the start of the regular meeting. The fund allocation in the budgeting plan for the upcoming year was presented and discussed in depth at the budget hearing. The goal is to keep funds dispersed relatively the same as they are as stated in the 2022 budget, but he reiterated that the advertised levy amount is not expected to be fulfilled; the adver-
tised rate stands high as it can only be dropped below that designation, never raised. It is anticipated that the levy rate will stand at $0.5461. The total tax rate in 2022 was $0.5399, which was commended multiple times throughout the meeting. The school has one of the lowest tax rates in the area and the board assures that they intend to keep it that way, with Continued on page 2
No remonstrators at hearing %\ &$/(,*+ %<5(5 6WDII :ULWHU The members of the Tippecanoe & Chapman Regional Sewer District heard from three of the 11 individuals who attended the proposed sewer rate ordinance public hearing Monday, Sept. 12. While there were no objections to the rate,
one objection was made to the definitions that defined the rates. Jeff Rowe, Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, financial advisor; and Andrew Boxberger, attorney, provided an in-depth presentation on the rates and new ordinance at the beginning of the hearing. Boxberger reiterated the justification of the rates, stating, “in the
sewer world, we say that all sys- erty owners could share the cost. tems are built for the Fourth of July Roy Ulch questioned if the $200 because it has to work at the busi- permit fee required at the time of est day of the year.” hookup and the monthly rate would Additionally, he stated there be applied separately. He also queswould be no seasonal or metered tioned the garage definition. properties, allowing benefits for Boxberger clarified that homes some, but not others. “The rates with garages would only be charged would skyrocket,” he stated, noting as a 1.25 dwelling unit if the garage the flat rates were set so all prop- Continued on page 2
APC approves several rezonings Several cases were approved at the regular meeting of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday, Sept. 7. A new APC director was also chosen. Matt Sandy will replace Dan Richard, who is retiring as of Oct. 1. Sandy is currently the assistant plan director. The board applauded Sandy, who
has been with the department for 23 years. The board also thanked Richard for his years of service. Another longtime employee, Amy Irwin, has resigned. Her role will need to be filled as well as Sandy’s assistant director’s spot. Jeff Carey’s petition for preliminary plat approval for an industrial II subdivision on a 17.63-acre tract of ground was withdrawn by his attorney, Steve Snyder. The property is located on the east side of SR 15 and west of Old SR 15 in Plain Township.
Robert Stouder’s petition to rezone ground from a public use district to a residential district was approved. The property is located on the north side of Benton Street and northeast of Harrison Street in Syracuse. The house is a former parsonage next to a former church. A parsonage is considered public use. He wants to build a garage and discovered he needed a permit, but the property needed to be rezoned residential first. It was approved 8-0. The case will go before Syracuse Town Council at 7 p.m. Tues-
day, Sept. 20. Gerry Wilson’s petition to rezone ground from an agricultural district to a commercial district was given a favorable recommendation. The property is located on the west side of SR 13, south of County Road 500 North in Tippecanoe Township. The property used to be an insurance company that was built in 1968. Wilson’s attorney said the property is already surrounded by commercial-zoned land. The case will go before county commissioners Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Milford Council hears proposed 2023 budget %\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU Milford Town Council opened its monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 12, with a hearing of the 2023 budget. The total budget of $2,799,383 includes American Relief Plan Act Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funding of $354,672. The bulk of Milford’s proposed budget, the General Fund, saw a 3.76% increase over 2022 for a total of $979,206. The tax levy for 2023, which Clerk/Treasurer Tricia Gall
noted has been at its maximum level for several years, would be $753,385 with a rate of 1.262%. The council will vote on the proposed 2023 budget at its next public meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11. During the regular meeting, the council voted to allow Commonwealth Engineers Inc. to proceed with its Master Utility Study Consultant Agreement. The study of Milford’s water, wastewater, storm and other infrastructure will, Continued on page 2
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County looking at two residential TIF districts %\ /($+ 6$1'(5 6WDII :ULWHU The process is moving along to establish two residential tax increment finance districts in Kosciusko County. At its meeting Thursday, Sept. 8, the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission heard news from Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. CEO Alan Tio. Tio said initial studies, done by Baker Tilly, for proposed residen-
tial TIF districts at the site of the former South Shore golf course at Syracuse and at Etna Green, have found the areas are “eligible” for those TIFs. TIF districts allow new property taxes generated within the district to be set aside for economic development projects including (but not limited) to infrastructure. He also detailed next steps. “The next step then would really be to focus in on beginning to estimate the TIF increment, I
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Warriors Prevail See Page 6
believe, that would be generated and do that analysis, look at the impacts of creating the TIF areas and then work with the commission of course through identifying — if you decide to proceed — what are the steps involved, the timelines for approvals and make sure those are well aligned,” he said. The commission’s next meeting is 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom.
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