Shown are Town Council Member Tim Croy and Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak. InkFreeNews photo.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

MENTONE — Mentone Town Council was approached Wednesday about their possible interest in annexing land and putting housing on it.

Councilman Tim Croy talked about Project Nova, which is looking to build homes on a 50-acre piece of property on the town’s northwest side.

It could potentially add between 100 and 150 houses to the town. There are two streets that run right up to that property and there would be easy access to all the town’s utilities, he said. Croy said town engineer James Emans gave an estimate of $50,000 to hook up utilities to that area.

Councilwoman Shelly Krueger asked if the town would have to annex the property. Croy said, “We’re all ready working on that.”

Peggy Friday, Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO, said KEDCO will also help the town apply for any grants they may need to help with the project and there is no cost for KEDCO to help in this project.

Croy said possible low-income housing could go up on that land. Dawn Wilkinson, KEDCO director of operations and project management, said the property owner showed interest in creating single-family homes on the property.

Croy said Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation would also benefit from more housing in the school corporation.

TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley said the school corporation has several teachers who would like to live within the corporation, but are currently commuting.

Wilkinson provided the council with a sample memorandum of understanding for the project.

Council President Jill Gross asked, if the council was interested in moving forward, what the next step would be.

Ryan Chasey, community empowerment partner with Club 720 Development Corporation, said they would create an MOU specific to the site and finalize that. They then would work with the property owner.

Wilkinson said they could come back after the council reviews the sample MOU.

Town attorney Andrew Grossnickle said he will look at the sample MOU and suggested the council take a look at it as well.

He said if the project goes forward, there may be a fiscal study that may possibly need to be done to make sure it’s feasible to get utilities on the property. He noted the good news on the project is they are dealing with one land owner and it’s a voluntary annexation.

Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak asked when the project would start so the town could budget for things like a fiscal study and other things related to it. Friday said the project would start in 2025.

In other business, the council:

• Learned the public hearing for the 2025 budget is at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2 with the adoption of the budget at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16.

• Learned Rotors Over Mentone starts at 10 a.m. Sept. 14.

• Learned Chalk the Walk is Saturday. The sixth annual event starts at 10 a.m. People should bring their own chalk to draw on the Main Street sidewalks, stretching from Morgan to Tucker streets.

• Gave its OK to Ayden Yaprak, from Burket Boy Scout Troop 782, to put in a bench at the cemetery for an Eagle Scout project. He also asked for financial support to buy the bench, which was approved. Yaprak said he is also thinking of planting trees in that area.

• Heard Town Marshal Keaton Schopf has received five applications for the deputy marshal position. Applicants can be sent in through Sept. 31.