Milford Town Council held a special meeting Dec. 29, during which it passed a number of ordinances and resolutions, including the encumbrance of $253,824.09 in funds left over from 2021 for projects to be undertaken in 2022. From left are Clerk/Treasurer Tricia Gall, councilmen Ken Long and Bob Cockburn and President Doug Ruch. InkFreeNews photo by David Hazledine.

By David Hazledine
InkFreeNews

MILFORD — Milford Town Council held a year-end meeting Wednesday, Dec. 29, in town hall. Among the agenda items discussed was a resident survey designed to help the town create an improvement plan for utilities. The survey will also assist the town’s efforts to reapply for an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant.

Clerk/Treasurer Tricia Gall informed the council although the town did not get the OCRA grant, it would reapply, possibly in April 2022. In addition, she said, “We are working on a resident survey to release approximately Feb. 1 to help the town create a prioritized improvement plan with utility systems.”

The survey, she said, will also help with the grant application. The 2021 grant offered up to $90,000 to towns with a 10% matching grant. The council passed a motion to implement the survey.

Gall stressed the importance of residents’ feedback in helping the town create the utilities improvement plan. “We want their feedback,” she said. Gall added there will be multiple ways for residents to complete the survey and information will be available online at www.milford-indiana.org and on the utilities billing statements.

The council also addressed a request by Junior Anderson to split a lot at 313 N. East St. in Milford. Members reiterated concerns from the Dec. 13 meeting about adequate off-street parking. Anderson stated he is willing to do whatever is necessary. He said his immediate plan is to build a garage and later a second house on the lot.

While members noted the split would result in lot sizes under 10,000 square feet required by the county, Councilman Ken Long commented Milford already has many houses on 8,000 square foot lots. The council agreed such questions would have to be determined by the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals. Members voted to send a letter to the county BZA voicing no objections to Anderson’s plans.

Much of the remainder of the meeting involved end-of-year housecleaning such as encumbering of funds into 2022 and the balancing of funds. The following measures were taken by the council:

• Resolution 2021-10 authorized the use of economic development income tax funds to finance infrastructure improvements and providing a capital improvement plan for projects funded by the tax. Expenditures include $19,500 to Beer and Slabaugh for the closure of the wastewater treatment pond and $13,800 to Custom Fencing for the front of wastewater treatment pond property.

• Ordinance 2021-12 ordained appointments for the town for the year 2022.

• Ordinance 2021-13 provided for the encumbrance of appropriations for funds totalling $253,824.09.

• Ordinance 2021-14 provided for the transfer of appropriations for several departments of the town.