March 2011
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
Page 12
Shipshewana Town News
by Sheryl Kelly, Town Manager — March 2011
The United States Census 2010 results have been
announced for northeast Indiana. To help promote
citizen cooperation in filling out the 2010 Census
forms, the community was encouraged to stop in at
the Town Hall and register for a chance to participate
in the Town of Shipshewana Census contest.
The rules of the Town of Shipshewana Census
contest were that the person whose guess came the
closest to the official Town of Shipshewana population
would receive a gift bag courtesy of the Shipshewana
Town Council and the Shipshewana Park Board. There
was only one entry per person allowed and children
were also encouraged to enter. Fifty one entries were
received. We would like to offer a special thank you
to everyone who participated in the contest and the
2010 census. Remember that the more accurate the
Census count is in Shipshewana the more funding the
town will receive from the State.
According to the United States Census 2010
results posted, Lagrange County grew by +6.4% from a
population of 34,909 in 2000 to a population of 37,128
in 2010. The Town of Shipshewana grew by +22.8%
from a population of 536 in 2000 to a population of
658 in 2010.
The lucky winner of
the Shipshewana Census
Population Contest is Karen
S. Benton with a guess of 653.
Congratulations!
The Waste Water Treatment plant would like to
remind folks not to flush baby
wipes, hand wipes, cleaning wipes,
moist toilettes, adult diapers, baby diapers and any type
of disposable towels down the toilet. These products
are marked disposable, but they are not meant to be
flushed into the sewer system. Please throw them in your
trash. In addition to causing the Waste Water Treatment
plant serious problems, these wipes can get hung up
in the sewer line that goes out to the street. That will
result in sewer back ups and a call to the plumber to
unplug the line. That repair bill will have to be paid
for by the home or business owner.
Your continued cooperation and assistance in
helping the town manage the Waste Water Treatment
plant efficiently is always sincerely appreciated.
Make it a great month!
LaGrange County Council Update
by Jac Price, Council Vice President
The first order of business was that Jeff Wible Rex estimated that in three years or less the equipment
Prosecuting Attorney appeared to discuss the request will be paid for by the elimination of this contractor.
that had been tabled from the January meeting Council approved the request.
The council had to make an appointment to the
regarding the supplemental pay for Deputy Prosecutor,
Chief Deputy Prosecutor, and Prosecutor. There had Alcohol Beverage Board. Mike Helmkamp was the
been a request for $17,000 for the Deputy, $5,000 for only person to put in an application so the council
the Chief Deputy, and $5,000 for the Prosecutor. The appointed him to the board.
Under the Commissioners report, we were
council had decided at budget hearing time to not
fund these supplementals from the General Fund. The informed that the county had received two proposals
council had tabled the request as there were questions for the property tax trending contract. One from
regarding the payment for these from Infraction Nexus and the other from Appraisal Research. The
Deferral Funds. It was determined that this would be commissioners are planning on awarding the contract
allowable since the reason for the supplemental pay at the meeting on February 22, 2011. We were also
is to administrate the Infraction Deferral Program. informed that they had approved the purchase for
The council approved the request to pay for the a heater for Delt Church Park, a mower for the Park
Department, and a mower for the Highway Department.
administration from these funds.
The council approved transfers between accounts
County Surveyor Rex Pranger appeared to request
approval for the purchase of a piece of GPS equipment within various budgets. Additional appropriation for
using the Section Corner Post Fund. The purchase of various accounts, which included $620,000 from two
this equipment will eliminate the need to annually different funds for the purchase of real estate, which
contract with an outside firm to do our section corner will settle the Wagner (Fawn River Crossing/121 Park)
post work and also the work can be done on our issue. We approved the legal claims and the minutes
schedule rather than when a contractor can work us in. for the January 10, 2011 meeting.
As always, we will try to be good stewards of your tax dollars.