Greg Fitzloff, a business development partner of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, presents Milford Town Council with plans to develop 50 homes to a property soon to be annexed into the town. The plan is part of efforts by KEDCO to promote the construction of workforce housing. InkFreeNews photo by David Hazledine.

By DAVID HAZLEDINE
InkFreeNews

At the Tuesday, Oct. 11, meeting of Milford Town Council, Greg Fitzloff, business development partner with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, updated members on efforts to bring 50 new homes to a property set to be annexed into the town after Nov. 30.

The plan is part of a workforce housing initiative started two years prior in conjunction with the Milford Redevelopment Commission.

Attorney Jay Rigdon informed the council the remonstrance deadline for the planned annexation of part of North Park subdivision and the Zimmerman property passed on Oct. 7, making the Nov. 30 date a near certainty.

Then Fitzloff gave a short presentation to the council. He explained a project review committee composed of members of KEDCO, MRC and the town council were now seeing results from their efforts to first identify a property to develop, and then find a developer.

Miller Brothers of Goshen was chosen from a group of five firms, and Fitzloff said he hopes an agreement will be presented to the MRC at its November meeting.

The planned development would be built on the 20-acre property on Milford’s northeast side owned by John and Peg Zimmerman, who first approached the town about its annexation. The development will contain 50 new homes on 80-foot lots. It is hoped work will begin in 2023.

Fitzloff concluded by saying he looked forward to meeting with the council on a regular basis in the coming months. “We’re making good progress.”

The council also adopted its 2023 budget. The total budget of $2,799,383 includes the town’s allotted American Relief Plan Act Funds of $354,672. The tax levy for 2023 remains at its maximum level for a total of $753,385 at a rate of 1.262%. There were no objections heard at the Sept. 12 hearing of the budget.

The council voted to absorb the utilities receipts tax recently eliminated by the state to help pay for cost increases. Removal of the fee would have saved the average user 42 cents per month, according to analysis by LWG Consultants.

The following items were also discussed at the Oct. 11 meeting:

• Attorney Jay Rigdon said an attorney for Ron Davidhizar has filed a motion to correct errors after another court’s decision upholding Milford’s condemnation order on property owned by Davidhizar. However, the council plans to move ahead with obtaining bids to demolish the property.

• The council voted to draft “no objections” to the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals concerning plans by Don Looney to tear down a trailer and turn a garage into a house at 307 Catherine St.

• Town Marshall Derek Kreider informed the council a traffic study on the intersection of Fourth and West streets found one accident has occurred in the last 10 years. Also, random radar monitoring at Turkey Creek and First Street from Sept. 30 to Oct. 10 found a total of 702 vehicles moving at the following speeds: 270 under 30 mph; 307 between 30-35 mph; 82 between 35-40 mph; 28 between 40-45 mph; 8 at 45 mph or over.

• A motion passed to raised officer RJ Plummer’s salary to $45,000 as of Nov. 1, 2022. Plummer graduated from Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and has served one year and six months with the Milford Police Department.

• A motion passed to pay $1,572.50 for repairs to a patrol vehicle.

• Kreider said police would be out on patrol during Halloween trick-or-treating on Oct. 31.

• During wastewater reports, the council approved $1,600 for a toxicity test at the wastewater plant, $417 in preventative maintenance at the main lift station, $5,000 for a new controller at the Brock lift station and $2,170 on a flow meter. A vote on camera work was tabled. An invoice for Wheeling Brothers was also approved.

• Street, Water and Parks Superintendent Steven Marquart reported leaf pickup would begin soon. Residents must place leaves in long, narrow piles along the curb of streets. Piles must be free of debris such as rocks and sticks.

• Marquart expects the pier at Waubee Lake Park to be removed around Nov. 1.