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T HE PAPER
June 20, 2012
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City of Wabash, Parks and Recreation City Council passes Board complete Riverwalk Extension Project anti-nepotism
by Danielle Swan After six years of discussion, and many months of grant writing and construction, the City of Wabash and the Parks and Recreation Board has finally completed the extension to the Riverwalk. A ribboncutting event was held June 14, on the new trail underneath the Wabash Street Bridge, with many community members in attendance. With the new extension, the City of Wabash may now boast that it contains four miles’ worth of trail system. The Riverwalk trail extension was funded largely by a $1 million grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), which is a testament to the Department’s willingness to work with the City on this project. “When I first got in office, there was a comment made to me that was always kind of interesting: ‘You never get anything out of the railroad or INDOT.’ I always found that interesting because I’ve had absolutely no problems with the railroad and very, very few problems with INDOT,” said Mayor Bob Vanlandingham. “When I have needed something, we sat down and talked and worked things out and I have found INDOT to be a good partner.”
resolution
CAMILLE KUGLER cuts the ribbon at the official grand opening of the Wabash Riverwalk extension held June 14 beneath the Wabash Street Bridge. The project was finished after nearly six years of planning, discussion, and construction. (photo by Danielle Smith) In attendance at the the place that are ribbon cutting were manned by volunteers. representatives from I can tell you, it would E&B Paving and BF&S be impossible to run a Engineering Services, government efficiently who were both instru- without those people mental in the project. who volunteer and give “They were the ones their time.” that helped put this Besides members of thing together and it local government, sevtook a lot of talking eral local volunteer and hard work,” groups played imporVanlandingham said. tant roles in this projHe went on to thank ect. The Wabash Elks many members of Lodge applied for and local boards and gov- received a $10,000 grant ernment. for the construction of “We have a great a new overlook, east of deal of dedicated elect- the Wabash Street ed officials, and in Bridge. Charley Creek some communities I Foundation donated don’t know if that’s land for the trail, true, but I’ve been here which was valued at for eight and a half $161,000. years and I couldn’t Vanlandingham also have expected to work felt that the two precedwith a better group of ing mayors of Wabash, officials,” he said. Bob McCallen and “People sometimes for- Arvin Copeland, get, you can’t run a city played an instrumental government or any role in bringing this government without project to fruition. certain boards. We “I was very fortunate have boards all over when I got in office, I followed a couple of CITY OF WABASH MAYOR BOB VANLAND- very successful mayors. I’d like to INGHAM address the give a hearty audience during his speech thank you at the Wabash Riverwalk Extension ribbon cutting. to for(photo by Danielle Smith)
THE FIRST FEW WALKERS survey the completed Riverwalk project June 14. The trail extension was largely funded by a grant from INDOT. (photo by Danielle Smith) mer mayor, Bob when he retired, he McCallen, because he came back to Wabash started the city trail and he’s been a big help system with Paradise to the City of Wabash,” Spring. Also, give a he said. good hand to Former Va n l a n d i n g h a m Mayor Copeland for closed his speech by creating the Charley sharing his personal Creek Trail out at O.J. thoughts on the meanNeighbours, which is ing of the trail system part of our four-mile in Wabash. trail system,” “I hate to think of Vanlandingham said. how many hours I He also gave credit to spent as a kid right out Jim Ridenour, who was there on that river fisha big help to the city in ing and so, as I walk this endeavor. this trail, it brings “He is a former back a lot of memodirector of the ries,” he said. “A great National Park Services and a former director place for a family to of the Indiana relate to each other is Department of Natural in the beauty of nature Resources. He and I so my hope is that this went to school together trail and the loving that a couple of years ago surroundings and he went and did accompany it will be his thing and he served enjoyed by folks of all his country well in ages.” those capacities and
Index Classifieds ......................28-31
Weekly Reports................13-15
D&E ............................18 & 19
Sports ..................................20
by Danielle Swan The June 11 meeting of Wabash City Council began with the first reading of a petition to vacate a portion of Daniels Street between Orchard Street and Branch Street. Attorney Larry Thrush presented the request for two of the adjoining landowners, Sharon Vanlandingham and Linda Mclaughlin, who were in attendance at the meeting. Notice of the potential vacation was sent to adjoining landowners via certified mail and published in the newspaper, as per statutory requirements. Thrush reported that none of the four adjoining landowners expressed negativity toward the prospect of vacating the street. The vacation passed the first reading and will be revisited at a later meeting. Council members held a second reading of Special Ordinance #1, which regards construction work resulting in damage to city streets. Essentially, this ordinance serves to put on paper what has already been in practice for some time. As per the ordinance, the City will ask contractors to make repairs to any cuts they make on city streets. If the contractor fails to make the repair, the City will make the repair at a reasonable rate. This ordinance passed unanimously. General Ordinance #6 went through a first reading. This ordinance lays out a more concrete framework for the regula-
In Memoriam Von Bussert, 71 Jesse Cain, 82 Zanna Gillum, 92
Carl Harlan Jr., 61 Adolph Kubon Jr., 78 Robert Mayo, 51
tion of handicapped parking. At the present time, the City does not have a set plan on issuing handicapped parking signs for residential or commercial locations. The ordinance passed the first reading and will be revisited at a later meeting. State legislature has issued a mandate to all local government to pass an antinepotism resolution or ordinance by July 1. This law is intended to keep local government employees from being under direct supervision of a relative. The State laid out the minimum requirements that the resolution or ordinance must include. City Attorney Doug Lehman felt it would be more appropriate to pass a resolution as opposed to an ordinance because the information could be included in the County Employee Handbook. The resolution passed. Todd Titus, Wabash City Parks and R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t , announced that fireworks will be held on July 4, 10:15 p.m., at Field of Dreams. He also announced that a study was conducted of the Honeywell Pool, which is now 51 years old. He explained that the pool is in need of repairs to prolong its usefulness. The full results of the study will be released at an upcoming meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board. The next Wabash City Council meeting will be June 25, 6 p.m., at Wabash City Hall.
Vol. 35, No. 14
Carol Perkins, 67 George Randas, 69 Dolores Wilcox, 85
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326