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www.newbuffalotimes.com
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022
Local Government Meetings New Buffalo Times
Democracy Requires Transparency
CITY OF NEW BUFFALO JOHN HUMPHREY, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL LOU O’DONNELL, IV. MARK ROBERTSON, JOHN HUMPHREY, ROGER LIJESKI, BRIAN FLANAGAN City Council meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30PM CITY OF NEW BUFFALO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS to be determined NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP BOARD PETE RAHM, MICHELLE HEIT, JUDY H. ZABICKI, PATTY IAZZETTO, JACK ROGERS Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7PM NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM NEW BUFFALO AREA SCHOOLS BOARD CHUCK HEIT, PRESIDENT HEATHER BLACK, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HASKINS, TREASURER LISA WERNER, SECRETARY JOYCE LANTZ, TRUSTEE FRANK MARGRO, TRUSTEE PATRICIA NEWSTON, TRUSTEE CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP BOARD DAVID BUNTE, PAULA DUDIAK, LIZ RETTIG, RICHARD SULLIVAN, BILL MARSKE Chikaming Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30PM THREE OAKS THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP BOARD Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS BOARD Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7PM GRAND BEACH Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM MARY ROBERTSON, CLERK DEBORAH LINDLEY, BLAKE O’HALLORAN, JAMES BRACEWELL, PETER DOERR, PAUL LEONARD, JR. MICHIANA VILLAGE OF MICHIANA COUNCIL Meets on the 2nd Friday of each month at 1PM
Lindley steps down as president of Grand Beach Village Council
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LAMBERT RESIGNS AS ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
eborah Lindley stepped down as president of the Grand Beach Village Council, with councilmembers electing James Bracewell to take her place until her term is up in November, at the council’s Wednesday, June 15, meeting. Lindley, who plans to remain on the council until the end of her term, said that she and her husband plan to list their home for sale soon and move to Indianapolis to be closer to her daughter and grandson. Lindley, who called being president “a part-time job,” said that, as a result of being busy with the impending move, she’s resigning as president. Councilmembers heard the resignation of building inspector/zoning administrator Bill Lambert. The resignation came after a long discussion over a construction project taking place on 46029 Lake View Avenue. Regarding the project, resident Michael Minton said that if “there had been a garage built, no one would be here tonight” and that what was built “on a different footprint is a two-story structure that has living accommodations, plumbing accommodations, a stairway
BY FRANCESCA SAGALA
and arrangements being made to have that occupied by guests.” Minton said that he was disappointed that no one gave notice to the neighbors that what was being built was “not a two-story garage but the structure that’s being put on there.” He added that a permit was issued for the project without a variance, saying that it “changes the entire landscape, the entire environment” of the old section of Grand Beach. “All you have to do is turn to the corner onto Lake View and you’re going to see something that sticks out like it doesn’t belong, it shouldn’t belong,” he said, adding that he was “on behalf of 19 different residents, some of them permanent, is to take another look” at the project. Minton added that he tried to talk to Lambert but “was hung up on.” Lindley said that if they’re building a two-story home and they’re going to rent it that’s against what’s allowed, and that they must rent the whole house with it, not just the garage. Lambert said that, after 11 years as zoning administrator, he’s resigning as of that night; however, he’ll stay on until the village can find a replacement.
“I am not going to be ridiculed anymore over this project,” he said, adding that all the issues are in the old part of the village, which is “difficult to control” due its high density. Bracewell, who serves as building and zoning commissioner, said to Minton that he’d be open to meeting with him and the group of residents about the construction project the following week at village hall to address their concerns. “Obviously, to have an employee in the village do and say what Bill said tonight, I think we should take a long look at it and why employees come and go,” he said, adding that Lambert’s “telling the people that he’s given up patience.” “In other words, his numbers are right, that architect’s numbers are right - we don’t have any choice we cannot legislate good taste – there, I said it,” he said. Councilmember Blake O’Halloran said Lambert resigned although the board didn’t accept it. Regarding old Grand Beach, he concurred with Lambert on its high density and that the village “can’t even go back and find a property line that we own” and that they “don’t even know where the borders are”
The present is Real content. — Dino
in some cases. “I’m hoping when everyone cools down, maybe can still work with a man who’s done a good job for Grand Beach,” O’Halloran said. Councilmembers approved the first option for a sign for the Grand Beach Nature Preserve, which is an etched brass plaque. The second option was printed aluminum panel, and councilmembers expressed concern that it could be taken off very easily in contrast to the plaque. Councilmembers approved a five-year extension to the village’s contract with Able Disposal, with an additional recycling pickup day on the Tuesday after Memorial Day (in the years that there isn’t a pickup on that date) at a cost of $2 per customer. The village will pay $2 for each customer regardless of if they put their recycling out for pickup or not.
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indley said Able’s current contract ends in August and that they’ve always done a great job accommodating the village’s needs. The cost will go up from $13.64 per household to $20.45 starting Sept. 1, with an additional 4% for the next four years for fuel costs and labor and materials. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
