Winona Town Council Discusses Fire Territory

Here is the Times-Union article on last night's Winona town council and the issue coming up at Monday night's Warsaw council meeting, the creation of the fire territory.

Winona Continues Fire Territory Discussion, Public Hearing Monday

Jennifer Peryam
Times-Union Staff Writer

WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake Town Council Tuesday continued discussion on a proposed fire territory between the town, Warsaw and Wayne Township.

The council tabled approving the town entering into an agreement for a fire territory with Warsaw and Wayne Township to seek input from Winona Lake Fire Department Chief Mitch Titus.

A public hearing is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at Warsaw City Hall, 302 E. Market St., to discuss the proposed fire territory ordinance.

If enacted, the ordinance will establish the Warsaw Fire Territory with Warsaw as the provider unit, Wayne Township as a unit, and Winona Lake as a participating unit.

The town is in the process of reviewing financial considerations and how fire service protection for the town's residents would be affected if the town decides to join the proposed fire territory.

Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks shared a financial impact study with the council regarding the proposed fire territory.

Hicks said if all three of the territories enter into the fire territory, Winona Lake's tax rate would increase by 14 cents. If Warsaw and Wayne Township increases their budgets to what they feel is necessary to put all the entities together, the tax rate would increase to 25 cents for Winona Lake and the other entities.

Hicks said $0.0078 of the $0.42 tax levy for Winona Lake currently is allocated to support the town's volunteer fire department.

James Lancaster, Winona Lake Town Council vice president, who serves as a liaison between Winona Lake and Warsaw and Wayne Township, said the town has been in discussion with Warsaw and Wayne Township regarding the fire territory.

Lancaster said the council has discussed the financial element, fire service protection, and long-term support of the volunteer fire department regarding the fire territory.

In other business, the council discussed two alley vacations in the town. The alleys included the northwest corner at Lawns of the Courts and the southeast corner at Lawns of the Courts.

The Winona Lake Plan Commission approved submitting the vacation requests to the council.

The council Tuesday did not unanimously approve on first reading the alley vacations. The vacations will again be voted on second reading at the council's February meeting.

Winona Lake resident Jerry Nelson expressed his concerns with vacating the alleys.

"I have some real concerns with the proposed vacations. It looks like it will be piece-mealed if you vacate parts of the alleys," Nelson said.

He said he felt the problem is that the town has made no commitment of funds or resources to build a center road that needs to be put in if the alleys are vacated.

"My concern is that once you vacate the alleys, residents are blocked out around the circle," Nelson said.

Nelson said he owns property on the southwest side and northeast side of Lawns of the Court.

"My concern is that by not addressing it as a project in making a commitment for creating a road down the center, the council, in effect, is saying it is a first-come, first-serve basis and no one else will be able to vacate until after the center road is built," Nelson said.

He requested the town make a commitment to building a center road before vacating the alleys and do the project as a whole rather than in parts.

The council approved an Indiana Department of Transportation project coordination contract for the fourth phase of the Lake City Greenway.

The council appointed Nelson to the Winona Lake Housing Authority board for 2009.

Hicks informed the council Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church recently donated $1,000 to the town to be used for the town's needs.

Upcoming events in the town include life line screening at the Winona Lake Senior Center Jan. 30 and appointments can be made by calling 800-395-1801; Jan. 31 there will be a dance at the Winona Lake Senior Center from 7 to 10 p.m.; the Second Sunday Series concert, Feb. 8; a Symphony of the Lakes Concert, Feb. 14; and the NCCAA Women's Basketball National Championship Game is from March 12-14 at Grace College.