North Webster-Tippecanoe Township President Emily Shipley spoke during Tuesday evening’s meeting of the North Webster Town Council to clarify a perceived miscommunication from an earlier meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Keith Knepp.

By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — During Tuesday evening’s monthly meeting of the North Webster Town Council, North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce President Emily Shipley addressed the members to clarify statements made on the chamber’s behalf during the April council meeting. During that meeting, Chamber Vice President Scott Kuhn addressed the council regarding self-watering flower pots the chamber had purchased and installed downtown.

“I wanted to apologize to the town council for any miscommunication,” said Shipley. “After the last meeting I was kind of surprised when I read in the newspaper that the chamber was asking for reimbursement of the flower pots. That was not our intention, that was not what we were aiming to do. We wanted to ask you for a partnership with this project. So we are going to formally withdraw our request for the financing that we asked for to cover the flower pots this year. However, we want to move forward with the town council and work together to continue to improve North Webster.”

Shipley said the chamber will be presenting a formal letter to the North Webster Clerk-Treasurer Leigh Anne Jessop regarding items they would like to partner with the town council on during the coming year. Suggested projects would include a new “Welcome to North Webster” sign on the north side of town as well as the installation of the previously proposed flower pots throughout North Webster.

In other business:

• The council approved a purchase bid of $15,016.50 for a backhoe currently owned by the town, per the recommendation of Town Manager Mike Noe.

• Town Marshal Greg Church said the police department will be holding an abandoned property sale, which includes 29 bicycles and other miscellaneous items the department has acquired. Sealed bids for the entire lot will be accepted through June 25. The items can be viewed at the police station during business hours.

• Alan Frank, president of Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, addressed the council with an update on SPEC’s activities and it’s upcoming 20th anniversary celebration.

• Jessop presented a rate study proposal at a maximum cost of $8,000, which was approved by the council.

• The council approved a transfer of $50,000 in unspent 2022 appropriations to the rainy day funds.

The next meeting of the North Webster Town Council will be 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, in the North Webster Community Center.