Posted on August 18, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Efforts to create a five-year plan for Starke County park facilities have hit a bit of an obstacle. The Starke County Park Board had been discussing the possibility of getting a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to help pay for the planning process. But to qualify for the grant, the county would have to prove that residents’ incomes fall beneath a certain threshold.
During Tuesday’s park board meeting, Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas said he was told the county would not be eligible based on U.S. Census income data, but the county could pay to have an income survey completed. That caused Lucas to question what, if anything, that might accomplish, “If the U.S. Census data shows that we can’t qualify, what are we paying for when we pay for this survey? The cynical part of me kind of came up, and I thought, ‘Well, that seems a little bit fishy.’ I hate to say that, but that’s how I reacted to it because I guess I have to question why somebody else’s data would be more accurate than the census data.”
Now, the park board is considering other options for funding a potential five-year plan. Bass Lake resident Rick Anderson pointed out that the Indiana DNR website lists a few different ways such a plan could be created, “They go through things like who prepares the plan: ‘It is common for plans to be completed in-house by individual park board members and/or park department staff. However, private consultants or regional planners are possible alternatives.’ And it goes on to say public input – it should strive to do that and find common ground.”
Anderson had previously offered to work with other local residents to create a plan, using examples available online. The park board turned down that offer, in favor of finding a professional planner. However, Anderson did provide a list of improvements he’d like to see, as well as how the county might pay for them. “All Starke County residents paid – and I’m included in this – 1.71-percent individual income tax to Starke County in 2015,” he said. “In addition, Bass Lake property owners paid in 2015 thousands of dollars in property taxes. Surely, some of this money can be reallocated to our Bass Lake Beach park.”
He feels there’s widespread agreement that the Bass Lake Beach could be a major asset for Starke County. He also pointed to Wythogan Park in Knox as well as Culver’s park facilities as examples of well-maintained attractions. However, park board members pointed out that these are run by park departments, something the county doesn’t have. Starke County also currently lacks a budget for parks and recreation.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
North Judson Demands Safety Improvements to Downtown Building
Posted on August 18, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The condition of a Downtown North Judson building is leading the town council to consider taking action. The town council has been urging Doug Cassel to fix several items deemed to be safety hazards at his building, including a broken window, unsecured doors, falling debris, and roofing issues.
Cassel told the council Monday that he’s slowly making progress on those items. “I have new doors to put on,” he said. “It’s not the way I liked it, [but] I put up plywood. They are secured. The front door will lock, is locked, will be locked. That was one of the complaints was that it was open all the time. It can be locked, and it’s locked right now. The plywood is on the back of the building. I had two doors that wouldn’t close. I’ve got new doors to put on them. I just ran out of time.”
He added that the back porch, which the town believed was in danger of falling, had been torn down. However, Town Marshal John Ramos disputed that, presenting photographs of the site to Cassel and council members.
Ramos also noticed several other problems. “The very front of the building, he’s got some tuck-pointing work that needs to be done, and then also these bricks on the top appear to be loose, which means that they can fall right onto the street and anybody that’s walking past,” Ramos said. “It’s an extremely dangerous and hazardous position.” Cassel responded that the bricks are secure.
However, even from outside the building, Ramos said it was apparent there were interior issues, as well. “We’ve got beams inside, the i-beams – they’re rusted,” he said. “Also, you’ve got electrical wiring hanging down. I took this picture from the outside, from the sidewalk. As you could see right here, beams are rusted. Electrical wiring is hanging out. And then if you look at this one, not only can you see the roof falling down on the floor from the ceiling, you can also see daylight through the outside of the building, right here. Four years, three years you’ve been working on the building? Really?”
On top of those issues, the town claims Cassel owes $2,000, due to a streetlight in need of repairs. Town Attorney Rachel Arndt says Cassel hasn’t made any sort of payment since 2013.
Ramos, along with North Judson’s building inspector and a representative of the town’s unsafe hearing board planned to conduct a walk-through of the structure this morning. The town council plans to make some additional decisions on the property at its next meeting.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The condition of a Downtown North Judson building is leading the town council to consider taking action. The town council has been urging Doug Cassel to fix several items deemed to be safety hazards at his building, including a broken window, unsecured doors, falling debris, and roofing issues.
Cassel told the council Monday that he’s slowly making progress on those items. “I have new doors to put on,” he said. “It’s not the way I liked it, [but] I put up plywood. They are secured. The front door will lock, is locked, will be locked. That was one of the complaints was that it was open all the time. It can be locked, and it’s locked right now. The plywood is on the back of the building. I had two doors that wouldn’t close. I’ve got new doors to put on them. I just ran out of time.”
He added that the back porch, which the town believed was in danger of falling, had been torn down. However, Town Marshal John Ramos disputed that, presenting photographs of the site to Cassel and council members.
Ramos also noticed several other problems. “The very front of the building, he’s got some tuck-pointing work that needs to be done, and then also these bricks on the top appear to be loose, which means that they can fall right onto the street and anybody that’s walking past,” Ramos said. “It’s an extremely dangerous and hazardous position.” Cassel responded that the bricks are secure.
However, even from outside the building, Ramos said it was apparent there were interior issues, as well. “We’ve got beams inside, the i-beams – they’re rusted,” he said. “Also, you’ve got electrical wiring hanging down. I took this picture from the outside, from the sidewalk. As you could see right here, beams are rusted. Electrical wiring is hanging out. And then if you look at this one, not only can you see the roof falling down on the floor from the ceiling, you can also see daylight through the outside of the building, right here. Four years, three years you’ve been working on the building? Really?”
On top of those issues, the town claims Cassel owes $2,000, due to a streetlight in need of repairs. Town Attorney Rachel Arndt says Cassel hasn’t made any sort of payment since 2013.
Ramos, along with North Judson’s building inspector and a representative of the town’s unsafe hearing board planned to conduct a walk-through of the structure this morning. The town council plans to make some additional decisions on the property at its next meeting.
N.J.-S.P. Board Approves Optional Elementary School Relocation
Posted on August 18, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board is keeping options open with regard to the future of the elementary school building. It’s currently a kindergarten-6th grade school with 513 students enrolled. The board has discussed moving the elementary school into the now-vacant middle school building at the end of the current school year. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin told the board Tuesday night the corporation isn’t clear yet how it will be used after this year.
“I’m asking for a motion for the approval of relocation to 950 Campbell Drive to be an option only,” Zupin told the board Tuesday night. “We need time to assess the needs and enrollment this year before making a decision.”
The school board approved Zupin’s request unanimously without additional discussion.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board is keeping options open with regard to the future of the elementary school building. It’s currently a kindergarten-6th grade school with 513 students enrolled. The board has discussed moving the elementary school into the now-vacant middle school building at the end of the current school year. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin told the board Tuesday night the corporation isn’t clear yet how it will be used after this year.
“I’m asking for a motion for the approval of relocation to 950 Campbell Drive to be an option only,” Zupin told the board Tuesday night. “We need time to assess the needs and enrollment this year before making a decision.”
The school board approved Zupin’s request unanimously without additional discussion.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
N.J.-S.P. Board Seeks Public Input on Elected v. Appointed Board
Posted on August 17, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board wants more input from the public before making a final decision about whether future boards should be elected or appointed. They’ve posted a N.J.-S.P. Community School Board Input Google survey on their website to gauge input from all residents of the district. Those without computer access will be able to complete it at the junior/senior high school media center on Aug. 31 from 6 until 7 p.m. and Sept. 6 from 7 until 8 a.m. It will remain on the site through Sunday, Sept. 18th.
Additionally a public hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 12 in the high school auditorium to give residents a final chance to weigh in. Each person will have three minutes to speak and will only be allowed to speak one time.
The board will meet in executive session on Monday, Sept. 19 and Tuesday, Sept. 20 prior to their regular monthly meeting to review the data and discuss next steps prior to announcing their decision at the 7 p.m. meeting.
Matt Bailey has led the charge to transition from an appointed to an elected board. He says the easiest and least expensive route is for the board to vote to change. Doing so would also give them the right to write a transition plan.
If they choose to maintain the status quo, Bailey is prepared to move forward with the necessary petition to bring the issue to a vote.
The entire elected versus appointed school board discussion from Tuesday’s N.J.-S.P. School Board meeting will air Sunday at noon CDT on WKVI’s Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board wants more input from the public before making a final decision about whether future boards should be elected or appointed. They’ve posted a N.J.-S.P. Community School Board Input Google survey on their website to gauge input from all residents of the district. Those without computer access will be able to complete it at the junior/senior high school media center on Aug. 31 from 6 until 7 p.m. and Sept. 6 from 7 until 8 a.m. It will remain on the site through Sunday, Sept. 18th.
Additionally a public hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 12 in the high school auditorium to give residents a final chance to weigh in. Each person will have three minutes to speak and will only be allowed to speak one time.
The board will meet in executive session on Monday, Sept. 19 and Tuesday, Sept. 20 prior to their regular monthly meeting to review the data and discuss next steps prior to announcing their decision at the 7 p.m. meeting.
Matt Bailey has led the charge to transition from an appointed to an elected board. He says the easiest and least expensive route is for the board to vote to change. Doing so would also give them the right to write a transition plan.
If they choose to maintain the status quo, Bailey is prepared to move forward with the necessary petition to bring the issue to a vote.
The entire elected versus appointed school board discussion from Tuesday’s N.J.-S.P. School Board meeting will air Sunday at noon CDT on WKVI’s Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program.
Starke County Park Board Discusses Bass Lake Beach Improvements Amid Calls for Lessee’s Removal
Posted on August 17, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Park Board continues to monitor improvements at the Bass Lake Beach and Campground. Assistant Manager Larry Clarich told the park board Tuesday that improvements to the facility’s well have been completed.
Additionally, Park Board President Roger Chaffins said he’s looking into some options for the removal of the beach’s old diving platform. “According to the state, the DNR or whoever it is, you can’t put anything in the water that’s mechanical, but we can pull it out of there,” Chaffins said. “So I was going to get a hold of Chuck Lovins, which he’s a rescue diver, and have him see what’s underneath there, what we’re dealing with, what the structure is, so that we could possibly get a hold of somebody with a dozer or something and cable it or winch it out.”
It was also reported that some local residents plan to hold a raffle next month to raise money to repair or rebuild the property’s pavilion. Last month, the park board called for its demolition, citing safety concerns and a lack of county funds to make repairs.
There was also some discussion Tuesday about restroom facilities at the Bass Lake Beach. Clarich said that when Richard Callahan began leasing the property from the county, there was only one working restroom. Now, Clarich says all public restrooms work. However, there was some debate as to which facilities qualify as public restrooms and which are intended to be off-limits to visitors. Clarich says some additional signs will be posted to help clarify the issue.
Meanwhile, some Bass Lake residents continued to voice their displeasure of the condition of the Bass Lake Beach under the Callahan’s management. Rick Anderson felt that Callahan’s failure to maintain the beach to a certain level of quality is a clear violation of his lease. “There is little sign of a first-class beach, as showcased by a main pavilion that’s closed to food service and is in disrepair,” Anderson said. “You can probably go in there and look at item after item which has not been maintained: doors, hinges, blah, blah, blah. Our beach has instead been replaced by what looks to be a marina. There’s no mention of a marina in the lease.”
However, Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas dismissed suggestions that Callahan simply be removed from the property. “I’m going to be blunt. This is a nation of laws,” Lucas said. “I don’t know if you knew about that or not, but this is a nation of laws. They have contract rights, and we don’t just shut things down. It doesn’t work that way. You know, they haven’t voluntarily closed the place. They haven’t said, ‘Oh no. We agree we’re in violation and we want to shut down,’ so it’s not that simple, okay? It’s just not that simple. Maybe it works that way somewhere else, but around here we do, you know, try to obey the rule of law.”
Lucas added that any such eviction would require a judge’s order and said there are many sides of the issue that would need to be taken into account.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Park Board continues to monitor improvements at the Bass Lake Beach and Campground. Assistant Manager Larry Clarich told the park board Tuesday that improvements to the facility’s well have been completed.
Additionally, Park Board President Roger Chaffins said he’s looking into some options for the removal of the beach’s old diving platform. “According to the state, the DNR or whoever it is, you can’t put anything in the water that’s mechanical, but we can pull it out of there,” Chaffins said. “So I was going to get a hold of Chuck Lovins, which he’s a rescue diver, and have him see what’s underneath there, what we’re dealing with, what the structure is, so that we could possibly get a hold of somebody with a dozer or something and cable it or winch it out.”
It was also reported that some local residents plan to hold a raffle next month to raise money to repair or rebuild the property’s pavilion. Last month, the park board called for its demolition, citing safety concerns and a lack of county funds to make repairs.
There was also some discussion Tuesday about restroom facilities at the Bass Lake Beach. Clarich said that when Richard Callahan began leasing the property from the county, there was only one working restroom. Now, Clarich says all public restrooms work. However, there was some debate as to which facilities qualify as public restrooms and which are intended to be off-limits to visitors. Clarich says some additional signs will be posted to help clarify the issue.
Meanwhile, some Bass Lake residents continued to voice their displeasure of the condition of the Bass Lake Beach under the Callahan’s management. Rick Anderson felt that Callahan’s failure to maintain the beach to a certain level of quality is a clear violation of his lease. “There is little sign of a first-class beach, as showcased by a main pavilion that’s closed to food service and is in disrepair,” Anderson said. “You can probably go in there and look at item after item which has not been maintained: doors, hinges, blah, blah, blah. Our beach has instead been replaced by what looks to be a marina. There’s no mention of a marina in the lease.”
However, Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas dismissed suggestions that Callahan simply be removed from the property. “I’m going to be blunt. This is a nation of laws,” Lucas said. “I don’t know if you knew about that or not, but this is a nation of laws. They have contract rights, and we don’t just shut things down. It doesn’t work that way. You know, they haven’t voluntarily closed the place. They haven’t said, ‘Oh no. We agree we’re in violation and we want to shut down,’ so it’s not that simple, okay? It’s just not that simple. Maybe it works that way somewhere else, but around here we do, you know, try to obey the rule of law.”
Lucas added that any such eviction would require a judge’s order and said there are many sides of the issue that would need to be taken into account.
Starke County’s Oldest Bridge to Be Replaced With a Culvert
Posted on August 17, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Starke County Highway Department is poised to save more than $300,000 by contracting out the replacement of a bridge with a culvert. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners Monday night the bridge on 900 South half a mile west of U.S. 421 is the lowest rated in the county.
Ritzler says it can be replaced with a culvert, as streams that once flowed through the area have been redirected since the bridge was constructed in 1930. The surrounding land is not conducive to a concrete box culvert, but Ritzler says the addition of three concrete pipes will accomplish the same thing for considerably less money.
He says the highway department originally set aside $75,000 to do the work themselves, but have instead opted to contract it out. Ritzler notes the concrete bridge was built in 1930. He says the highway department’s heavy equipment is designed for maintenance and not construction, and trying to take the bridge out may damage their excavator. Additionally, Ritzler says some of the existing structure will be maintained to facilitate the pipe installation. He says the contractor is much better at what he calls “selective demolition.”
Ritzler adds replacing the bridge would cost the county $367,000 in combined construction and maintenance costs over the next 20 years. An aluminum box culvert would carry a price tag of between $171,000 and $221,000 over the same period of time. Construction of a culvert with three concrete pipes, as he’s proposed, will cost $53,350, with total maintenance costs of less than $2,000 over the anticipated 20 year life span.
The new surface will be 28 feet wide per the county’s new standard for bridges.
Ritzler says the county sent out three requests for bids via email as per the State Board of Accounts guidelines and got one response. He told the commissioners he’s pleased with the price the county was offered. The commissioners approved the work unanimously.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Starke County Highway Department is poised to save more than $300,000 by contracting out the replacement of a bridge with a culvert. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners Monday night the bridge on 900 South half a mile west of U.S. 421 is the lowest rated in the county.
Ritzler says it can be replaced with a culvert, as streams that once flowed through the area have been redirected since the bridge was constructed in 1930. The surrounding land is not conducive to a concrete box culvert, but Ritzler says the addition of three concrete pipes will accomplish the same thing for considerably less money.
He says the highway department originally set aside $75,000 to do the work themselves, but have instead opted to contract it out. Ritzler notes the concrete bridge was built in 1930. He says the highway department’s heavy equipment is designed for maintenance and not construction, and trying to take the bridge out may damage their excavator. Additionally, Ritzler says some of the existing structure will be maintained to facilitate the pipe installation. He says the contractor is much better at what he calls “selective demolition.”
Ritzler adds replacing the bridge would cost the county $367,000 in combined construction and maintenance costs over the next 20 years. An aluminum box culvert would carry a price tag of between $171,000 and $221,000 over the same period of time. Construction of a culvert with three concrete pipes, as he’s proposed, will cost $53,350, with total maintenance costs of less than $2,000 over the anticipated 20 year life span.
The new surface will be 28 feet wide per the county’s new standard for bridges.
Ritzler says the county sent out three requests for bids via email as per the State Board of Accounts guidelines and got one response. He told the commissioners he’s pleased with the price the county was offered. The commissioners approved the work unanimously.
North Judson Council Approves Nighttime Golf Cart Operation
Posted on August 17, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
North Judson residents will soon be allowed to drive their golf carts at night. The town council gave its final approval to a revised golf cart ordinance Monday.
It allows golf carts to be used after dark, if they meet certain lighting requirements. Golf carts must be registered with the Town of North Judson before they may be driven on town streets, according to the town’s 2012 golf cart ordinance.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
North Judson residents will soon be allowed to drive their golf carts at night. The town council gave its final approval to a revised golf cart ordinance Monday.
It allows golf carts to be used after dark, if they meet certain lighting requirements. Golf carts must be registered with the Town of North Judson before they may be driven on town streets, according to the town’s 2012 golf cart ordinance.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Starke County Officials Close to Finalizing Hospital Lease
Posted on August 16, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Starke County Commissioners have tentatively set three public meetings for next week to go over terms of the proposed Starke Hospital lease. They’re still working out the last of the details of the agreement, which will clear the way for construction of a new hospital on the current site at the intersection of South Heaton Street and Culver Road in Knox.
Commissioner Kathy Norem says the meetings will cover the sum and substance of the proposed agreement. County attorney Marty Lucas is going to speak to Starke Hospital officials today to make sure they do not object to the public sessions prior to the scheduled Aug. 29th special session between the county council and commissioners and hospital board to execute the agreement.
The tentative sessions will take place Monday, Aug. 22 in the Knox High School cafeteria, Tuesday, Aug. 23 in the North Judson-San Pierre auditorium and Wednesday, Aug. 24 in the cafeteria at Oregon-Davis High School. All three sessions will start at 6 p.m. Norem will confirm the dates with the schools if the hospital agrees to the meetings.
Another delay in the process would mean another extension of the lease between the county and the hospital. Their current agreement expires at the end of the month.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Starke County Commissioners have tentatively set three public meetings for next week to go over terms of the proposed Starke Hospital lease. They’re still working out the last of the details of the agreement, which will clear the way for construction of a new hospital on the current site at the intersection of South Heaton Street and Culver Road in Knox.
Commissioner Kathy Norem says the meetings will cover the sum and substance of the proposed agreement. County attorney Marty Lucas is going to speak to Starke Hospital officials today to make sure they do not object to the public sessions prior to the scheduled Aug. 29th special session between the county council and commissioners and hospital board to execute the agreement.
The tentative sessions will take place Monday, Aug. 22 in the Knox High School cafeteria, Tuesday, Aug. 23 in the North Judson-San Pierre auditorium and Wednesday, Aug. 24 in the cafeteria at Oregon-Davis High School. All three sessions will start at 6 p.m. Norem will confirm the dates with the schools if the hospital agrees to the meetings.
Another delay in the process would mean another extension of the lease between the county and the hospital. Their current agreement expires at the end of the month.
Organizers Discuss Need for North Judson-Wayne Township Community Center
Posted on August 16, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Building a new North Judson-Wayne Township community center would be more affordable in the long-term than converting an existing building. That’s the message organizers of the community center project shared during a public hearing Monday.
Some residents asked about converting the current North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School into a community center, at a time when the school corporation is considering closing the building to match a decline in enrollment. However, project organizer Bill Crase says there are a few issues with that idea. For one thing, the school corporation hasn’t finalized plans to close the building. Instead, it’s decided to keep its options open for the near future. At the same time, he says grant opportunities prefer, if not require new construction. “There’s no money to remodel the school to turn it into anything, and the building being as big as it is, old as it is, and what it takes to heat it, those no way we could afford,” he said.
Instead, organizers hope that a smaller structure built from scratch would largely be able to sustain itself. While no specific numbers were given, organizers believe the building will get enough use to justify its construction. Some local groups plan to use it. For example, Community Services of Starke County plans to use the proposed facility as a base of operations for its meals on wheels service.
Beyond that, the North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department and the town often hear from people looking to rent out the fire station for events. Crase said that the current fire station is not designed for that purpose like the old one was. He added that when the new station was built, the extra cost of the required fire sprinklers, restrooms, and ADA compliance was considered too expensive. The cost to add these features now would not be covered by grant funding, and there would still be issues with storing fire trucks and other equipment in the winter.
Crase added that a slightly more upscale community center would allow events like wedding receptions to be held, which he says might help boost the local economy. “Another thing you’ve got to look at with this project is the people coming into town that are also going to spend money for their forgotten items at our grocery stores, our gas stations, different things, and that’s something else that that’s going to bring to our community,” he said. “It may not be in a large draft, but it’s still going to bring people to the community.”
Plans for the new community center call for a 104-by-60-foot structure to be built behind the town’s fire station. It would be capable of holding 250 to 300 people. However, it wouldn’t have a full-service commercial kitchen, but would instead have more of a food warming station. In total, the new community center is expected to cost nearly $840,000. Grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs would cover $500,000 of that. Monday’s hearing was designed to give residents a chance to voice their opinions before the town submits a letter a intent to OCRA later this week. The grant application itself is due in October.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Building a new North Judson-Wayne Township community center would be more affordable in the long-term than converting an existing building. That’s the message organizers of the community center project shared during a public hearing Monday.
Some residents asked about converting the current North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School into a community center, at a time when the school corporation is considering closing the building to match a decline in enrollment. However, project organizer Bill Crase says there are a few issues with that idea. For one thing, the school corporation hasn’t finalized plans to close the building. Instead, it’s decided to keep its options open for the near future. At the same time, he says grant opportunities prefer, if not require new construction. “There’s no money to remodel the school to turn it into anything, and the building being as big as it is, old as it is, and what it takes to heat it, those no way we could afford,” he said.
Instead, organizers hope that a smaller structure built from scratch would largely be able to sustain itself. While no specific numbers were given, organizers believe the building will get enough use to justify its construction. Some local groups plan to use it. For example, Community Services of Starke County plans to use the proposed facility as a base of operations for its meals on wheels service.
Beyond that, the North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department and the town often hear from people looking to rent out the fire station for events. Crase said that the current fire station is not designed for that purpose like the old one was. He added that when the new station was built, the extra cost of the required fire sprinklers, restrooms, and ADA compliance was considered too expensive. The cost to add these features now would not be covered by grant funding, and there would still be issues with storing fire trucks and other equipment in the winter.
Crase added that a slightly more upscale community center would allow events like wedding receptions to be held, which he says might help boost the local economy. “Another thing you’ve got to look at with this project is the people coming into town that are also going to spend money for their forgotten items at our grocery stores, our gas stations, different things, and that’s something else that that’s going to bring to our community,” he said. “It may not be in a large draft, but it’s still going to bring people to the community.”
Plans for the new community center call for a 104-by-60-foot structure to be built behind the town’s fire station. It would be capable of holding 250 to 300 people. However, it wouldn’t have a full-service commercial kitchen, but would instead have more of a food warming station. In total, the new community center is expected to cost nearly $840,000. Grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs would cover $500,000 of that. Monday’s hearing was designed to give residents a chance to voice their opinions before the town submits a letter a intent to OCRA later this week. The grant application itself is due in October.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Public Hearing Scheduled for North Judson Community Center
Posted on August 15, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The proposed North Judson-Wayne Township community center will be up for discussion during a public hearing this evening.
Residents once again have a chance to offer their input on the project. An application for grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs had to be delayed while the location of the proposed building was called into question. However, by waiting until the fall round of grant applications, some additional funding may be available, since OCRA has increased its maximum grant amount to $500,000 from $400,000. In total, the project’s expected to cost over $800,000.
A letter of intent for the grant funding is due by this Friday. The grant application itself will be due October 14.
Tonight’s public hearing takes place at 6:00 p.m. at North Judson Town Hall, followed by the regular North Judson Town Council meeting at 6:30.
Tonight, council members will decide whether to give their final approval to an updated Golf Cart Ordinance. It would allow properly registered golf carts to be driven at night, if they have the required lighting.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The proposed North Judson-Wayne Township community center will be up for discussion during a public hearing this evening.
Residents once again have a chance to offer their input on the project. An application for grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs had to be delayed while the location of the proposed building was called into question. However, by waiting until the fall round of grant applications, some additional funding may be available, since OCRA has increased its maximum grant amount to $500,000 from $400,000. In total, the project’s expected to cost over $800,000.
A letter of intent for the grant funding is due by this Friday. The grant application itself will be due October 14.
Tonight’s public hearing takes place at 6:00 p.m. at North Judson Town Hall, followed by the regular North Judson Town Council meeting at 6:30.
Tonight, council members will decide whether to give their final approval to an updated Golf Cart Ordinance. It would allow properly registered golf carts to be driven at night, if they have the required lighting.
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