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Published: May 15, 2008 11:04 am
Rental renovation unwelcome
By STEPHANIE DEBOLT
Correspondent
MILLERSBURG, Ind. — A mobile home that sustained heavy damage in a fire should not be rebuilt.
That’s the message Millersburg Town Council members received Wednesday night when they were presented with a petition signed by 39 residents.
Two Millersburg residents, Dennis Hochstetler and Amy Kauffman, attended the council meeting, presented the petition and asked council members to halt the reconstruction process at the mobile home located on the southeast corner of Lincoln Street (C.R. 42) and Ind. 13.
The home sustained heavy fire damage last summer and has sat empty until recently, according to the petitioners.
“It’s a dump, it’s unsafe and a hazard and it needs to go,” Hochstetler said.
Hochstetler said that rodents and other varmints have been using it as shelter in the past months, and that in his opinion, the construction taking place is not improving the conditions of the residence.
Kauffman added, “Quite frankly, we don’t want to see it fixed up. We don’t want to see anyone living there.”
According to council president Jim Winkler, the property owner, Cecil Bontrager, was asked to tend to the property two months ago and given until May 15 to comply with the request.
“There are still issues he needs to deal with. I’m like you, I’d like to see it gone as well, but at this point we don’t have a venue to do it,” Winkler said.
Winkler added that Millersburg does not have a building department and follows Elkhart County code, allowing the county to have jurisdiction.
Regarding the current reconstruction, council members questioned if any permits were filed, or if Kauffman or Hochstetler had seen any posted. Neither said they’d seen any evidence of such.
Winkler said he could contact Bontrager and ask that the trailer be removed from the site, but that may not provide results.
“Us threatening him means zero,” Winkler said. “We’re bound by county ordinances. But if you want, I can get the county process started.”
“I think you should,” council member Priscilla Hile said. “It’s an ongoing problem with him and the trailer.”
Winkler told Kauffman and Hochstetler that members of the council agreed with their concern and that he would work for them.
“That’s what we’re here for,” Winkler said.
Marshal’s department
Marshal Keith Hathaway received approval to purchase a 2008 Ford Expedition from Rice Ford, Warsaw, to replace the Ford Explorer currently in use at a cost of $25,674. The vehicle will be purchased with funds that have been budgeted toward vehicle replacement.
The vehicle will come complete with a “police package” and three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Other bids were taken, but Hathaway recommended the Explorer based on cost.
“The Chevy Tahoe was $7,000 more, and I don’t think that is practical. The Expedition is the most bang for the buck,” Hathaway said.
Hathaway added that he had two companies that will bid on purchasing the Explorer, and he’ll return those funds to the budget.
Hathaway also advised the council that his department recently replaced a $600 per month information technology contract that provided access to Elkhart County Sheriff’s department for reporting requirements with a new firewall connection that has no monthly fees associated with it.
“We just completed the change-over and eliminated that cost completely, which we’ll probably go now for gasoline,” Hathaway said. “But my budget should stay in line.”
Maintenance department
Maintenance Director Matt King was very pleased to report that the grass and leaf depository in Cook Station Park is being handled responsibly.
“For some reason, it’s going very well. The only thing in the grass and leaf pile is grass and leaves. I’m really impressed,” King said.
Other business
Clerk-Treasurer Patricia Barhydt advised the council that her office will no longer accept post-dated checks for utility or other town services after she determined that it was not only tedious, but illegal.
“It’s just not good business practice,” Winkler said.
Park Department
The council determined Wednesday that the ball diamonds at Cook Station Park are to be used exclusively by MCB Little League and Travel League through July 20, which is the end of their contract. In recent weeks, adult softball teams have used the diamonds, maintained by MCB, for practices and games.
“The problem we’re having is that industrial league softball comes in there and they’re tearing up the diamonds. The Little League works very hard to keep the area nice and they have to take priority,” Winkler said.
Winkler said he realized that Cook Station is a public park, but the League has a signed rental contract. He said that after July 20, interested parties may get an agreement and pay the fee to rent the diamonds if they wish to use them.
“With their (MCB) contract, I believe we ought to keep other people off,” council member Abe Beachy said.
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