Committee Formed, But Groups Asked To Reach Compromise
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Compromise. That is the suggestion of the Kosciusko County Commissioners to persons involved with the Friends of Tippy Lake and the Tippecanoe Lake Sewer Initiative.
The commissioners heard from both sides of a controversial sewer issue at Tippecanoe Lake at its meeting today, Jan. 9. This matter took up the majority of the morning’s meeting.
While a resolution to establish a committee was approved, the commissioners suggested the two groups get together and find a common goal and work with that. “Have a big meeting about what you want and what works best, based on facts,” suggested Bob Conley, president of the county commissioners. He further suggested the two groups take a look at “what’s going on and bring back what’s palatable.”
“It’s like two vehicles trying to get to the same point, going different directions,” stated Jon Tyler, a spokesperson for the Tippy Lake Sewer Initiative, following the commissioner’s meeting. “It’s difficult to do.”
“We’ll continue on,” stated Steve Snyder, attorney for the initiative. “The resolution today does nothing. It doesn’t go anywhere. You have to go somewhere before you have a study done.”
Tyler noted the initiative’s petition signatures have been certified and the petition is back in the hands of the group’s attorney, ready for filing with the Kosciusko County Circuit Court. While the group has the necessary signatures, it is reviewing if more names could be added once the petition has been filed.
The adoption of the resolution appointed the following people to the committee: Robert Weaver, county health department; Sue Ann Mitchell, county council and Lakeland Regional Sewer District board member; Mike Kissinger, county surveyor; and the following community members and Tippecanoe Lakes Area Freeholders: Mark Bishopp, Robert Paton, Dennis Sokol, Tom VanMeter and John Warren. Bishopp is the only individual named as a community member who signed the petition in favor of the conservancy district. Sokol had originally signed the conservancy district petition, but requested their names be withdrawn.
Scott Reust, representing Friends of Tippy, noted there is potential grant money available for the study being requested. That information will be brought back to the commissioners.
However, Tyler, Snyder and Ken Jones, president of Jones Petrie Rafinski Corp, Elkhart, enlightened the commissioners that such a study has already been completed — once in 1997, updated in 2007 and updated again in 2017. Tyler and Snyder noted another study will provide the same project and treatment costs as the one already completed. The only difference between the two groups is the payment structure.
Jones offered comparative points between a regional sewer district and conservancy district. Those points included initiation activities and responsibilities, right of petition, property owner/freeholder input during information; board of trustee representation; property owner rights and representation after formation; expansion of the district and adding of purpose and allowable purposes. Additionally he noted it would take 36 months to complete the project after the formation stage.
He also hit seven quick topics on such project. Among those topics was the notation the proposed district boundary would have 1,490 residential equivalents, including 1,124 homes, 400 mobile homes, some seasonal cottages, 16 businesses, Camp Crosley and the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. He also noted that funding resources have been evaluated and include a grant/loan package from USDA and low interest loans from the Indiana Finance Authority and the State Revolving Loan Fund.
One point he made was the cost distribution to customers at Tippecanoe Lake will be based on the governance model selected and the decision of the board of trustees. He stated for this project and based on results of the current study, the annual allocation of cost, depending on the governance model could be: $1,131 with a regional sewer district or $906 with a conservancy district.