WBIW.com News - local

Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana

City Of Mitchell Doesn't Own All Of The Cemetery

Last updated on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

(MITCHELL) - The Mitchell City Council learned Monday night that they don’t own a portion of the city cemetery.

According to city attorney Byron Steele the triangle area in the northwest portion of the cemetery that fronts Teke Burton Drive is owned by Arthur Conley.

Conley gave the land to the city, but there was a mistake made on the deed and that portion was excluded. Steele will not file a suit to quite title and the mistake will be fixed.

Steele also found four other deeds that have mistakes. He will see those mistakes are fixed.

In other business:

* Councilwoman Nancy Miller brought up zoning-related issues and the need for the city to update the zoning plan.

The board agreed to allow Midwestern Engineers Inc. to address the council on what they did in 2006-2007 on setting up zoning.

Steele says that plan was complicated and hard to understand and was never implemented. But he believes the plan could be simplified and suggest the council meet with Midwestern to discuss the issue.

* Pastor Dan Hopkins, of the First Baptist Church of Mitchell, asked the city council to allow a small group, at the church, to repair the basketball court next to City Hall.

Hopkins says the group will replace nets, rims and possible backboards and will paint the basketball poles and put new lines on the court, at no cost to the city. Hopkins says it's the groups way to give back to the city.

* Mitchell Mayor Gary Pruett says the road blocks last weekend raised more than $865 for the city firework fund. Pruett says Lehigh Cement has agreed to make a generous donation to the fund.

* Eric Fyre, of Administrative Resources Association, received permission to begin a community needs assessment and capital improvement plan. Surveys will be available to residents. Residents will be able to list their ideas and hopes for the city of Mitchell. After that is done, the ARA will hold public planning sessions and develop a five year plan and look for grant funding for the projects.

* The council discussed the trash issue in Mitchell. Several residents have complained about animals getting into their trash and making a mess.

Councilwoman Vicky Schlegel says the city ordinance says that residents can place their trash at the curb between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. on the day of trash service. She says residents need to start obeying the ordinance.

But city Clerk-treasurer George James says some residents do obey the ordinance, but the dogs and cats still get into the trash. His concern is that if one ordinance is enforced then all the ordinances need to be.

Steele will look into the city's ordinances and bring recommendations back to the board on which ones need updated.

* Mayor Pruett told the council that kickball coach Troy "Big Daddy"Allen is planning on setting the world record for the longest played kickball game.

The world adult kickball association record was set in Naugatuck, Conn. and lasted 54 hours and ended after 345 innings with a score of 164-117.

The Guinness world record for the longest marathon playing kickball was 51 hours by students at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, from May 27-29, 2011. The game lasted 474 innings and resulted in a final score of 431-306.

* Festival chairman Steve Dobson asked the council to block off roads for the 2012 Persimmon Festival. This year's theme will be "Small Town Proud" and will be Sept. 22-29.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Click here to go back to previous page