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The
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2013
Advance
Leader
An edition of THE NEWS SUN
75 cents Ligonier, Indiana, USA On the web at: kpcnews.com Vol. 129, No. 37
Salaries raised for mayor, clerk BY BOB BUTTGEN bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com
LIGONIER — In order to attract more candidates for the two top elected offices in Ligonier, the Ligonier City Council on Monday passed a resolution that increases the annual salaries of the mayor and clerk-treasurer by 20 percent. At the council’s last meeting in August, Councilman Chris Fought made a motion to raise the salary for the two elected positions from the current levels of about $43,000 a year to $60,000 a year. But when the official ordinance was introduced at Monday’s meeting, Fought said he had received feedback from the public that caused him to rethink his proposal. Fought said some people thought the 39-percent raise was “too much and too fast.” Councilman Ken Schuman also said he had received calls from the public concerned about the size of the proposed increase. Fought changed his motion to increase the salaries to $52,000 a year for both Mayor Patty Fisel and clerk-treasurer Barb Hawn. That’s about a 20-percent raise that would start on Jan. 1, 2014. The new resolution was approved on a 4-0 vote on first reading only. It will have to be passed twice more by the council at its Sept. 23 meeting. Fought said he wanted to raise the salary levels in order to attract a larger pool of qualified candidates in future elections. He cited research that showed the new pay levels are still in line with other cities in northeast Indiana, especially when compared on a per capita basis. The funds to pay those salaries come from three sources: revenues from the water and wastewater sewer departments, and the general fund, which comes from property taxes. The first two funds come from service fees on water and sewer customers. The council had already put into the 2014 budget pay raises of 2 percent for all other city employees. The city council also increased the pay for council members to $4,100 a year.
In other business, the council: • approved a spending plan using bonds in the amount of $570,000 to pay for street paving projects in the city. • heard an update from Ligonier parks and recreation director Alan
Duncan on a possible boat-launch ramp the state Department of Natural Resources wants to build in Ligonier. The launch would be on Pigeon Street near the downtown area. Duncan said he discovered the city may have to pay for a survey of the launch property. He said a high estimate for the survey would be in the $2,000 range, but he is hoping to have one done for less than that. He also received permission from the council to pay a consulting firm $2,200 for a master plan for Pettit Park, the city’s newest park. A master plan would guide the city and park board on future uses of the park, on S.R. 5 just north of the downtown area. West Noble American Legion Post 243 in Ligonier has expressed an interest in placing some type of memorial to soldiers in the park, Duncan said.
LIGONIER — The Ligonier Public Library started moving to its temporary location this week in preparation for the construction project that will greatly increase the size of the library building on Main Street. And while all that was happening, library officials received bad news from the state of Indiana. The library’s application for a $400,000 grant from the state was turned down. What that means is that instead of having about $2 million to spend, the library will have access
The Stone’s Trace Festival kept these young people busy selling onion rings over the two-day event. From the left are Kyler Warble, Kaylie Warble, James Hossler, Ashley Click and Zayne Swartz.
Thousands attend Stone’s Trace festival At the Stone’s Trace Pioneer Festival, held Saturday and Sunday at the Stone’s Trace historical site near Ligonier, thousands enjoyed good weather on both days to celebrate life in Indiana as it was in the 1800s.
In other reports: • Street superintendent Mike Burdette said sidewalks along S.R. 5 on the city’s north side are being repaired this week. The sidewalks were torn up for a recently completed project that separated sewer lines from stormwater drains. • City-wide garage sales are set for Friday and Saturday, and the fall cleanup day will be Saturday, Sept. 21. • Police Chief Bryan Shearer said the annual “Pumpkin Charlie’s Public Safety Day” will be Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Fashion Farm complex west of Ligonier. • Fisel reported receiving notice from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management on a confined-feeding operation that is being proposed for a farm northwest of Ligonier. The notice did not specify what type of animals would be on the land, if it is approved. • The city budget for 2014 will be on the agenda for the Sept. 23 meeting with a public hearing planned for October. • A resident said he discovered there had been abuse at the recycling station on U.S. 6. Someone had dumped a large load of household garbage into one of the bins. Information on the person(s) responsible was turned over the police department. Chief Shearer said he contacted the alleged violator and informed them of the problem and took steps to make sure it is not repeated.
State turns down library for grant Move started to temporary location
Sarah Buttgen
to $1.6 million, following the sale of long-term bonds to finance the renovation and addition. “We’ll still be able to do both expansion and renovation,” said library director Jerry Nesbitt this week. The project will have to be scaled back slightly, he said. Volunteers and staff are busy this week moving a large part of the library to its temporary location next to the ALCO store on Lincolnway South. The move is expected to be completed by Sept. 23. The library will be in that temporary space for about a year as construction begins on the existing library. Volunteers are still needed for the move. Stop by the library for more details on how to help. There will be a special meeting of the Ligonier Public Library’s board of trustees on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m. in the library’s community room to review the expansion and renovation plans.
The fast just got Faster...
Bob Buttgen Sarah Buttgen
There was pretty much non-stop music at the Stone’s Trace Pioneer Festival, held Saturday and Sunday. Among the groups performing was The Frailey’s, a mother-and-daughter duo who entertained the crowds both days of the event.
The Cromwell-Kimmell Lions food booth featured porkburgers, hot dogs and homemade pies. Here, Lions president Dewey LeCount and his wife, Connie, grill up a mess of porkburgers during this year’s Stone’s Trace Pioneer Festival.
West Noble senior is National Merit semifinalist BY BOB BUTTGEN bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com
LIGONIER — Sam Hagen, a senior at West Noble High School, is his school’s first National Merit Scholarship semifinalist in several years. And the accomplishment is just one more impressive bullet point on his resumé. Hagen, son of Mark and Jeanna Hagen of Cromwell, stays active in his school, the community and his church, St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Syracuse. Earlier this summer, he received the prestigious Youth Community Service award from the Ligonier Chamber of Commerce. It’s the teenagers’ version of citizen of the year. “He’s just one of those quality young men who will do well in life,” said Greg Baker, principal at West Noble High School. “Sam’s a student who we can go to when we need something, and he’ll always give you his best. He knows what he wants to do in life, and that’s what you want to see, as an educator.” A student does not make it to semifinalist status in the National Merit program without hard work and dedication; two qualities that describe Hagen. He’s a straight-A
Sam Hagen student and a member of the National Honor Society. He has worked hard as a board member of PULSE, a student-run philanthropy program sponsored by the Noble County Community Foundation. He has been one of the youthful leaders of that group’s annual prom for senior citizens. As a sophomore, Hagen was picked by the Ligonier Rotary Club for its Youth Leadership Award that included a trip to Washington, D.C. He’s also active with Drug-Free Noble County. When it comes to the classroom, there’s no doubt what he likes doing best. “My favorite subject is
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probably chemistry, but I love all the sciences,” Hagen said. When pressed, he also admits that his least favorite subject English, saying “I’m good at it, but I don’t enjoy it.” After high school, Hagen plans on attending Purdue University for chemical or nuclear engineering. His extracurricular activities include being a computer programmer for the West Noble robotics team. As a ninth- and 10th-grader, Hagen was a youth representative on the grant-review committee of the Dekko Foundation. If Hagen advances to Merit finalist status, he will compete for 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to finalist status. About 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win National Merit Scholarships. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, based on scores in a national qualifying test last year.
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