Lindley, Leonard honored for serving on Grand Beach Village Council

A LaPorte County woman was shaken Two longstanding members of the Grand Beach Village Council were honored before their terms run up in November at the council’s Wednesday, Oct. 19, meeting. Council president James Bracewell gave letters of appreciation to councilmembers Deborah Lindley and Paul Leonard. “These two human beings have been on the council for a total of almost 30 years,” he said. Leonard has served on the council over the past 12 years as streets and water commissioner and also as past president. “We were very fortunate to have you and your legal expertise on the council for so many years - your years of service have shown your commitment to the Village of Grand Beach,” Bracewell said. Lindley has devoted 25 years of her time to Grand Beach by serving on the council – “probably the longest serving member of the council that we’ve had” – and has served as past president and police commissioner. She was also instrumental in helping the village acquire the 45 acres, now known as the Grand Beach Nature Preserve. Councilmembers approved a 3% pay increase for the fiscal year 20222023 (beginning Nov. 1) for village employees and a $.50 per hour

According to police, the other driver, increase for pro shop employees. Councilmembers approved the employment of Chad Butler as assistant building inspector. Building inspector Bill Lambert said his goal is to get Butler trained and ensure he gets his certification before Lambert retires in a couple years. He added that he has a license to become a building official. Lambert said that Butler’s fee will be taken out of the fee he’s being paid, so there will be no budget adjustment needed.

Councilmembers approved the purchase of BS & A Software to correlate with the village’s new water billing process.

Deputy clerk Kathy Butler said the software, which is cloud-based, can do water receipting and water billing and will “make everything more tied together in the office and be more digital as we move forward.”

She added that the village currently uses UB Max for its water billing. Currently, when there’s a receipt or billing, it must be handwritten in the receipt book and inputted in the QuickBooks program.

The program is $26,000. Payment will be distributed among 75% from the water fund, 10% from the golf fund, 5% from the building fund and 10% from the general fund.

Butler said the program “interfaces” and the reason why the payment is spread out is because it will allow the village to receipt for every fund. Every time there’s pro shop receipts, for example, it’ll go on the digital program.

Councilmembers also approved amendments to the 2022-2023 water, building and golf funds.

In a 3-2 vote (Lindley and Peter Doerr voted “nay”), councilmembers voted to accept the Golfmore Estates donation.

Bracewell said he was contacted by Ron Farina from the Farina group and that they’ve sold out Golfmore Estates; however, they’ve earmarked two lots – located in the southwest corner of Golfmore- to give to the village.

It was suggested by Ron that the village sell one of the lots and use the proceeds to purchase pickleball courts on the remaining lot.

Bracewell added that the village was asked to give a response by Nov. 15.

Lindley was concerned regarding having drainage issues in the area, and said it took the village 15 years to solve drainage issues with the 15 Acres and they’re just getting solved. She asked if it can be guaranteed that “this is not going to be a flood area.”

She added that they’ve had generous offers from the two other developers that left land to them, and they’ve dealt with problems from the donated land.

“I just wanted to make sure that’s not going to be the source of a water problem and another $60,00 or $70,00 drainage project to put pickleball courts in,” she said.

Lambert said that for houses that are going on back there, the water table is in the four to five feet area and that they wouldn’t have any problems with a pickleball court there.

He added that the village already “solved part of the issue by diverting the water out of the 15 Acres way from there,” which is what was causing the flooding.

Superintendent Bob Dabbs said that the engineering firm that was out there last summer discovered that a couple homes couldn’t be built there because it was too wet; however, pickleball courts could if “you build it up,” with Lindley adding that if they don’t do that “it could flood.”

Councilmembers approved the purchase of two ice cream dipping cabinet can holders and covers for a cost not to exceed $1,300.

Councilmembers approved budget amendments for 2022-2023 to the following funds: general, water, golf, major street, local street, building and capital projects.

Councilmembers approved transferring Local Revenue Sharing Board funds in the amount of $26,880 to the Capital Projects Fund for the repair and rehab of the clubhouse.

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Members of the Grand Beach Village Council: (front) James Bracewell, Blake O’Halloran (back, far left) and Peter Doerr (far right) honor Paul Leonard and Deborah Lindley