In|Whitley County Nov. 22, 2017

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NEWS IN BRIEF Passages looks to make #GivingTuesday extraordinary Staff reports

COLUMBIA CITY — Clients of Passages Inc. is celebrating #GivingTuesday and seek help from the community. #GivingTuesday has become a global movement that connects individuals, communities and organizations around the world to celebrate and encourage giving. With the help of Anthony Wayne Services Foundation, all online donations made only on Tuesday, Nov. 28, to Passages Inc., will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. AWS Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary by supporting disability services in northeast Indiana on Giving Tuesday 2017. Passages has been chosen as a recipient of its support. Donations can be made online at passagesinc. org/#GivingTuesday. All donation gifts will be used for Passages services and programs.

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By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia�com

COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County 4-H Clubs Inc. elected five new members to serve on its board at last week’s annual meeting. Those elected to serve on the board for the next three years include Lori Heuer, Carl Brown, Jeremiah Geiger, Gregg Palmer and April Gibson. The board discussed its many successes and plans for next year’s Whitley County 4-H Fair. The rodeo, which was new last year, was dubbed

a “big success” and will be back as an entertainment event in 2018, on the Friday night of the fair. Improvements to the 4-H grounds were also discussed, including new sidewalks, which were funded by a grant through the Community Foundation of Whitley County and the Whitley County Agriculture Museum. The show barn also received new steel siding on the north and south ends, improvements to the sound system and a new SEE 4-H, PAGE 3

Telephone: (260) 693-3949

Vol. 1 No. 34

November 22, 2017

CONTRIBUTED

The 2018 Whitley County 4-H Inc. board of directors pose for a photo. From left are Jeremiah Geiger, Stephanie Nix, Carl Brown, Candace Lemke, Jeff Geiger, Lori Heuer, Gregg Palmer, Donnie Haire, Shane Caudill, April Gibson, Joe Heck and Vanessa Davidsen. Not pictured is Sara Demske.

By Tyler Roebuck troebuck@kpcmedia�com

TYLER ROEBUCK

Fifty-nine people were nominated for Heart of Gold awards through the Community Foundation of Whitley County, and honored with a reception at the Foundation’s annual meeting last week at the Eagles Nest Event Center.

COLUMBIA CITY — Gratitude filled the room Thursday night as the Community Foundation of Whitley County recognized and awarded the 59 recipients of this year’s Heart of Gold award. Heart of Gold is an award program established by the foundation 20 years ago to bring attention and recognition to people throughout the community who do good for the sake of doing what’s right. As the foundation website says, recipients are, “those people who give themselves unselfishly to serve others, collectively or individually, with volunteer acts of service and/or kindness beyond the call of duty.” At the end of the cere-

mony, the foundation typically chooses three overall winners for the year, who donate $1,000 from the foundation to a charity of their choosing. “Some years this is really difficult,” said September McConnell, CEO of the Community Foundation. “Some years, it’s impossible. This was one of those years.” Instead of choosing winners, all 59 of this year’s nominees received $100 to donate to their choice charity. Nominees included 14-year-old Landon Reimer and retired Churubusco resident Joan Shanabarger-Keller, as well as the local Korean War Honor Guard, which travels to the burials of SEE GOLD, PAGE 2

Council to consider $1.1M in City Hall updates By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia�com

COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City’s Common Council is considering a project that would address City Hall issues, provide a long-term cost savings, and not cost the city an extra dime. It might sound too good to be true, but a program focused on energy savings may make it happen. The council heard a feasibility study from

Perfection Group, a company based in Ohio, at last week’s meeting. Perfection Group’s Rob Vollrath said the council could repair City Hall’s roof and ceiling, update lighting, install a new HVAC system and upgrade street lights — all energy-saving projects — with an initial cost of about $1.1 million. Perfection Group guarantees the city will save a certain amount of money

INWhitley County

INWhitley County 123 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723

BILL FRIES, OWNER 260-244-3453

For Service of System Call

Foundation honors ‘Hearts of Gold’

123 North Main Street,Churubusco, IN 46723

INFORMATION

2215 E. Paige Rd., Columbia City, IN 46725

4-H Inc. holds annual meeting

2017 Santa’s House hours Friday, November 24 - after the parade Saturday, Nov. 25 - 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 - 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 - 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 - 12-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 - 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 - 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 - 12-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 - 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 - 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17 - 12-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 - 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 - 5-8 p.m. Christmas Eve - 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

G & K WELL DRILLING, INC. WATER SYSTEMS and WATER CONDITIONERS

per month by doing those energy-saving updates. Rather than pocketing the saved money, it would go toward paying off the loan for the project. After interest, the total cost would be about $1.4 million. “We reduce the amount of money you’re spending today, then allocate those funds to pay for it without raising your budget one penny,” Vollrath said. Mayor Ryan Daniel and Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle began exploring the city’s options this summer after there were issues with the ceiling/roof at City Hall. The building hasn’t been updated since the early 1990s. “Rosie and I have been trying to find the best path

forward,” Daniel said. “It’s been awhile since anything has been done at City Hall.” Several other communities have taken part in this program, including Hammond, Franklin, Morgan County, Tipton County, Boone County and Lake County. Vollrath said Perfection Group would utilize local contractors when possible. The council has not yet decided if it will move forward with the project, but decided to move forward with requests for proposals. “We need to take action (on the roof) and who knows what this winter could bring,” Councilwoman Jennifer Romano said.

Also at last week’s City Council meeting: • The Council approved a raise of $3,999 total for the mayor’s position, including the $1,000 raise all city employees will receive in 2018. Last year, the council agreed to raise the mayor’s salary by $3,000 per year each year until the position was earning as much or more than city department heads. Next year, department heads will make $2,300 per year more than the mayor — who is their boss. “I respect what you’re doing, but he’s our boss. I think you should take it further. I think it’s crazy that I have SEE CITY, PAGE 3


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In|Whitley County Nov. 22, 2017 by KPC Media Group - Issuu