Three individuals attended the North Webster Town Council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 23. From the left are Lonnie Sroufe, Klam’s Discount, who came to introduce himself and the business to the council; Ed Clayton and Jay Rigdon.

By Martha Stoelting
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — Police Chief Greg Church emphasized the need for applicants to fill the existing vacancy for a police officer during his monthly report to the North Webster Town Council.

The meeting was held Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the North Webster Community Center.

Those interested in the opening should apply at the town hall police station, 144 S. Main St., or call (574) 834-2700, for an application to be emailed.

“If you are interested in law enforcement this is a good opportunity,” he said.

Other highlights of the meeting were the passing of the assignment of the restaurant lease and the fate of a handicapped parking space. Several items in the utility department report were tabled for more information. A business owner introduced himself to the council while a citizen brought up a problem.

Church also thanked Dan Hampton, Kosciusko County prosecutor, for providing the funds for new car cameras for the North Webster Police Department. It saved the town $10,600. He gave a heads up mobile terminals in the cars would need to be replaced by state mandate in the near future. He had checked with Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce and the funds are available when needed.

During January, the police department answered 225 calls of service with the most being traffic-related. Officers worked 821 hours, drove 3,666 miles and used 351.9 gallons of fuel.

President Lisa Strombeck explained the owner of Lakeside Pizza King, Pat O’Connel, has sold all his restaurants to Norstar Inc. He asked the lease on the town-owned building in North Webster Town Park be assigned to the new restaurant owners. Council approved the request.

It also approved asking the Indiana Department of Transportation to maintain the handicapped parking space in the block of SR 13 that runs by the fire station, retail store and Todd Realty. Council agreed to the request.

Items in Inframark Utility Manager Jayne Alger’s report that were tabled for more information included the bids for paving work from Phend & Brown and Niblock. The bids showed a significant difference and the council wanted to ensure the bids were apples to apples. Driveway work at the sewer plant was tabled for another bid to be obtained while a proposal for a program to chart the sewers was also tabled for more explanation and perhaps a presentation.

Lonnie Sroufe, the owner of Klam’s Discount, introduced himself to the council and some of the parking problems his business faces were discussed. “I just want you to know we want to get along with everyone,” he explained.

Ed Clayton brought up the recycling center property has been a “sheet of ice” proving very dangerous for those using the facility. Various options were talked about but no decisions were made as the property is leased from a private owner.

The next regular meeting of the town council will be 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St. The council will meet in the special fire territory hearings with the Tippecanoe Township Board at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, and 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 17.

The public is invited to attend the hearings at the Tippecanoe Township Building, 102 S. Morton St., North Webster.

Hearing reports from department heads at the North Webster Town Council meeting are from the left, Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce, President Lisa Strombeck and council members Dan Thystrup and David Waliczek. The meeting was Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the North Webster Community Center.