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Government & School Board

Some towns seek alternatives to Waste Management service

A new solid waste removal service operating in Huntington County has some towns and residents concerned about quality of customer service and the potential of trash not being sent to the Huntington Landfill.

Waste Management, one of the largest waste removal service providers in North America, recently bought out the contracts of Marion Services, which means that residents of Roanoke, Warren, Andrews, Markle and some rural subdivisions in the county are now having trash picked up by WM.

Roanoke Town Council to solicit trash bids from new providers which use Hgtn. landfill

The Roanoke Town Council decided to solicit bids for a new trash pickup provider after learning that Waste Management, the company that recently bought out Marion Services, plans to not use the Huntington City Landfill.

Although the contract the council signed with Marion Services does not change with Waste Management, save where WM plans to dump the trash, the contract is allowed to be broken since the company changed.

"The one issue is that WM doesn't use our landfill, which affects our economy," Council President John Stoeckley said.

DNR fire grants to Bippus, Warren

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has announced the 2010 volunteer fire assistance grants and both Bippus and Warren fire departments have received funding.

Jim Asher, assistant fire chief in Warren, says the ‘50-50' match grant is offered every year. It's "a very, very easy process," Asher explains; departments contact the DNR for an application and then fill them out.

Meldrum resigns as director of Visitor and Convention Bureau

Rose Meldrum.
Photo provided.

Rose Meldrum has ended her 13-year tenure as executive director of the Huntington County Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Meldrum says she turned in her resignation to the Tourism Commission on June 8 and that her resignation was effective June 11. The office is currently being staffed by Special Projects Coordinator Phyllis Renz until the commission decides how it wants to proceed, Meldrum says.

"I have been working some very late hours," Meldrum says. "I'm just burned out.

"I'm looking forward to time off."

Crowd small but ideas big at parks dept. input meeting

Consultant Pat Brown (standing) explains a chart detailing responses to a community survey about the future of the Huntington parks during a session on Monday, June 14, seeking additional comment.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

The crowd was small, but the ideas were big.

A call for input in updating the Huntington Parks and Recreation Department's master plan drew suggestions from the public for more activities for Senior Citizens and better opportunities for river access from city parks.

The park board also had a few suggestions of its own - a new tennis complex and a softball complex, and the development of a "winter destination" park complete with sledding, ice skating and cross country skiing.

Three laid-off teachers will return

Three teachers who were laid off earlier this spring will have jobs this fall.

The Huntington County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees unanimously approved on Monday, June 14 recalling the three teachers.

Those teachers are Melissa Blake and Mycal Rodenbeck, social studies teachers at Riverview, and Jenna Mumaw, a first grade teacher at Flint Springs.

Blake and Rodenbeck will return to the positions they previously held, but Mumaw will move from Horace Mann to Flint Springs.

Warren council approves vacation of unimproved streets, alleys

The Warren Town Council tackled a full agenda during its monthly meeting on Monday, June 14.

At the top of the list was the issue of the request for the vacation of certain unimproved streets and alleys near Heritage Pointe.

The council listened to comments from one resident whose property is adjacent to one of the streets in the request. It was determined that there would be no infringement on the homeowner's rights.

The ordinance allowing vacation of the streets and alleys was approved.

BZA grants pair of variances for signage at Huntington North

The Huntington City Board of Zoning Appeals granted three variances or exceptions at its meeting on Monday, June 7.

The Huntington County Community School Corporation requested two separate variances for a sign to be located in front of Huntington North High School on MacGahan Street.

Two appeals were necessary because HCCSC's proposed sign would violate both the size and illumination restrictions set in place by Ordinance 4-C-10, the "Sign Ordinance," approved by the Huntington Common Council earlier this spring.

Former resident retires as lieutenant-colonel

Former Huntington resident Lt. Col. Norman Eckert (right) recently retired from the United States Air Force after nearly 30 years of service. Also pictured is his wife, Kathy Okuly Eckert. Both are graduates of Huntington Catholic High School.
Photo provided.

Lt. Col. Norman L. Eckert, formerly of Huntington, formally retired from the United States Air Force on May 1 at the Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, after nearly 30 years of service.

He enlisted in the USAF in 1980 and earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1986. During his service, he had multiple assignments across the country, including Texas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Virginia, Hawaii, Florida and Georgia, along with several deployments to the Middle East.

Applications for school board opening due June 28

The Huntington County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees has announced an opening for the Dictrict 3 seat, and is accepting letters from those interested in being considered for the position the position until Monday, June 28, at noon.

The space was left vacant after no filings were recorded for the position for the May election, and the HCCSC Board of Trustees is permitted to appoint someone to the post in such an event.

The incumbent is Rick Brubaker, who chose not to seek re-election.

SAFER grant decision to come in August

Mayor Steve Updike announced at the end of the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting on Monday, June 7, that a decision regarding the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) $817,360 grant will come in August.

Updike said this move follows a discussion held on Thursday, June 3, with a few firefighters.

"We're going to wait anyhow to see what the tax draw is and go from there," he explained. "So there will be no decision at this time or until we found out how our money (is)."

Parks staff wants input from Huntington residents

Earl Guingrich (left) and Stan Hippensteel enjoy a game of tennis on the courts at Memorial Park on Thursday, June 3. The Huntington Parks and Recreation Department is seeking citizen input as it generates a new master plan for the city’s parks.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

The staff of the Huntington Parks and Recreation Department wants to know what Huntington residents want in their parks.

They have some idea, gathered from a survey of a smattering of city residents, but they want to open it up for comments during a public meeting on Monday, June 14, at 6 p.m. at the Neighborhood Recreation Center, 745 Condit St. in Huntington.

The comments at this meeting, and at future meetings, will help guide the development of a master plan for the next five to 20 years, explains Denise Bard, superintendent of the Parks and Recreation Department.