North Webster Town Council Talks Summer Projects
North Webster Town Council met Tuesday night, June 16, at the North Webster Community Center for its regular monthly meeting, and the topics of discussion quickly turned to summer activities.
With the 70th Mermaid Festival just over a week away, Greg Church, North Webster Police Department, spoke on behalf of the chamber of commerce. Church brought to the council a request for a road closure during Dixie Day, held on Saturday, July 25. He requested that the stretch of West Washington Street from Main to Blaine be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The council made a motion and approved his request.
The council also approved a measure to reduce appropriations and transfer up to 10 percent of existing appropriations to a rainy day fund to be used on various events during the year. The council noted only 52 percent of the total appropriation was used for 2014.
The council set a date for its yearly budget workshop, with the help of member Lisa Strombeck and Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce. The workshop will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, and will cover the use of appropriations.
Dave and Tammy Waliczek discussed the condition of local parks, including a standing water issue at North Webster town park, located by the Dixie. Humidity and heat have caused moisture on the toilets, and large rainfall has added to the water that remains inside the restrooms at the park. The decision was made by the council to purchase two new metal doors for the restrooms to help keep the water at bay.
Tammy noted the Ski Bees had decided to use the Dixie Pier for their performances this year, and have already utilized it for one practice run.
Church spoke back and forth with town attorney Jack Birch while informing the board of updates on the unsafe buildings in town. Birch noted that letters will go out to those who have been found to be in violation of safety measures in regard to their structures, and each resident will have a chance to appear at a hearing to speak with the council about the issue. The council set the hearing for 6 p.m. July 21, also the date of the next monthly meeting.
In other business:
- Mike Noe, North Webster utilities manager, reported a 99 percent safety rating.
- The council members expressed appreciation for a memorial bench located at the town park, which was dedicated Saturday, June 13, to Linda Olson. Olson’s family was appreciative of the donation received to fund the bench and the memorial in her name.
- Birch updated the council on the progress of Indiana Department of Environmental Management-mandated upgrades to the sewer and wastewater treatment plant, noting that on July 17 it would revealed whether or not the money had been granted.