25 TO COMPETE in Saturday’s Miss Tri County Pageant, MORE ON PAGE 2
The Garrett Clipper An edition of The
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2013
VOL. 127 ISSUE #89 On the web at: kpcnews.com
75 cents Garrett, Indiana Established in 1885
City raising electricity rates By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.net GARRETT — Garrett electric utility users will see an increase in rates beginning in 2014. Consultant Rod Sibery of Spectrum Engineering presented findings from a cost-of-service study to the Garrett Common Council Tuesday. Sibery said he used the 12 months from June 1, 2012, through May 31, 2013, as a test year for the study. He presented figures showing the city’s revenue requirement for the utility at $8.98 million
for the period, with operating revenues at $7.31 million, resulting in a deficit of $1.67 million. The last study was conducted in 1981, Sibery said. Of the revenue requirements, 72 percent goes to purchase power through Indiana Michigan Power Co., with the remainder for meter reading, substation and infrastructure maintenance, truck and equipment replacement and other capital improvement costs. Sibery said the average Garrett resident using 1,000 kilowatthours per month would see an
NEWS IN BRIEF
increase of $22.97 per month, or 30 percent. Customers using 500 kilowatt-hours would see a $6.06 per month increase or a 13 percent rate hike. The study listed Garrett as having 2,894 residential users, 161 commercial single-phase users, 128 three-phase commercial users, 27 three-phase small power customers, 70 outside security lighting users and municipal street lights. Failure to keep the utility solvent could result in it being sold to another utility, Sibery said. The
proposed rates would line up with the current I&M purchase power agreement. Council members said they were not excited about another utility rate increase, but all acknowledged the need. Amanda Charles said the $23 increase on top of other recent increases all adds up. Brad Stump said he is happy the council members understand the need for the rate hike, no matter how unpopular. “We all say we hate this,” Stump said. “The deficit has
MARION — A Garrett man died in a highway crash in Grant County on Tuesday afternoon, WRTV-6 of Indianapolis reported. Robert Wilcox, 35, was killed in a collision on S.R. 22, just east of S.R. 9 and south of Marion shortly before 4 p.m. Authorities said Wilcox was driving a van that traveled left of the center of the road and collided with a semi rig. S.R. 22 was closed for several hours after the accident, officials said.
County Veterans Day Parade is Saturday
J.E. Ober Elementary open house tonight GARRETT — An open house is planned from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday at J.E. Ober Elementary School. The event offers an opportunity for parents to visit their children’s teaching teams and let children show off project they have been working on. An optional parent meeting will be from 6:30-7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center for anyone interested in learning more about the school’s personalized learning program. Refreshments will be available in the J.E. Ober cafeteria.
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The Garrett Clipper P.O. Box 59 Garrett, IN 46738 Phone: 925-2611 ext. 45 Fax: 925-2625 attn: Garrett Clipper
the property. Whan said a perennial garage sale in the 1400 block of West King Street shows signs of clean-up efforts. Homeowner Dave Easterday, who was present at Monday’s meeting, was ordered to clean up the mess by the end of October at the last meeting by Whan, who serves as the town’s abatement officer. But neighbor Betty Myers said the property is still an eyesore and the only thing her 96-year-old sister-in-law who lives across the
BY KATHRYN BASSETT kbassett@kpcmedia.com AUBURN —A DeKalb County jury will hear the case of a former local police officer who is accused of obtaining military surplus items through his department and selling some of them for personal gain. Sean L. Kahkola, of the 15000 block of Towne Park Run, Huntertown, is charged with two counts of theft, both Class D felonies. Kahkola had been a Garrett police officer from 1997 through 2005. He joined the Auburn Police Department in Kahkola 2005 and resigned from the Auburn force April 16, 2012. Monday, Kahkola, his attorney, Kevin Likes, and special prosecutor Joe Rowe appeared for a final pre-trial conference in DeKalb Superior Court I. The parties did not reach a plea agreement, and Judge Kevin Wallace confirmed a two-day jury trial will begin Dec. 3. According to court documents, in 2005, Kahkola helped the Auburn Police Department obtain a 1988 Chevy pickup through a program that gives police departments items the federal government no longer wants, free of charge. By Jan. 5, 2006, Kahkola was listed on the truck’s title as its
Altona, Page 6
Officer Page 6
Sue Carpenter
Electric utility worker Bobby Diederich wires a Christmas display on City Hall Tuesday morning in prepartion for the holiday season. The annual Parade of Lights will be Saturday, Nov. 23 in downtown Garrett.
Altona hears unsafe home, abated property updates By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com ALTONA —The Altona Town Board heard updates on an unsafe building and an abated property at its Monday meeting. Clerk-treasurer Terry Whan said an offer has been made to purchase a vacant home at 1405 W. Quincy St. owned by Jerome Grams. The board previously filed a Nov. 15 deadline for Grams to respond to the board’s complaint under the the town’s unsafe building ordinance. Grams has not appeared at any meetings nor responded to the situation. If the real estate transaction
is not completed by that date, the town will pursue demolition of the property where neighbors complain of rats and raccoons living in the home and creeping on to their properties, and moldy conditions. The town would be responsible for paying back taxes and demolition costs under this situation. The potential buyer has been in contact with Whan and said he plans to demolish the structure and build a pole building in which to store heavy equipment. Under this scenario, the town will not incur any expenses and the new owner would have 60 days to clean up
Electric, Page 6
Former police officer to stand trial for theft
‘TIS THE SEASON
Garrett man killed in van, semi collision
GARRETT — The DeKalb County Veteran’s Day Parade is planned in Garrett on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. The parade will begin at the Garrett American Legion Post 178, 515 W. Fifth Ave. and end at the Veterans of Foreign Wars at 118 N. Cowen St. Line up will be at noon at the Legion. The parade will travel east on Fifth Ave., then north on Cowen St. to the VFW Post where auxiliary members will host a goulash luncheon for ages 18 years and older. Following a short break, parade units will continue west on Quincy St., then south on Peters Street to return to the Legion for vegetable soup and/or ham and beans. Brian Lamm, DeKalb County Service Officer, will present the DeKalb County Volunteer Award at the Legion at the conclusion of the parade. Members of the American Legion Riders will lead the parade, followed by many other participating units. Any group or individual wishing to join the parade should report to the Legion by noon.
been going on for many years. Most citizens don’t realize taxes collected do not pay for any utilities — they live and die by the rates they collect.” Charles asked for assurance the city would not be facing similar rate increases in two years. City attorney Dan Brinkerhoff said the wastewater utility rate ordinance includes language requiring the rates to be reviewed on an annual basis, and he said the
Horsemen break ground for Draft Animal Museum By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com AUBURN — Members of the DeKalb Horsemen’s Association held a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday for a new 100-by-60-foot barn and 40-by-60-foot office building that will become the Draft Animal Museum just south of Auburn. Association president Myron Stackhouse shared the association’s vision with dozens of people assembled in a sunny, grassy area near a pond as a swan swam silently on the water. The group always has had a dream to one day build a barn — to have some farmland on which to build a museum. Sunday, that dream came true, Stackhouse said. The buildings will house the association’s antique farm equipment, 10 wagons and other assorted implements. The club has used the draft horses to plant wheat and soybeans and hopes in the future to grow
corn in patches, where children can come and watch the process from plowing to harvesting as an educational project, Stackhouse said. Stackhouse said they hope to one day build an arena in which to show animals and maybe add another barn for horses and perhaps a petting zoo. He thanked major donors “who made it all happen” including the Rick and Vicki James Foundation, Dekko Foundation, The Andersons Charitable Foundation, The Mary C. & Perry F. Spencer Foundation; Joe Witmer and hundreds of other individual donors. Funds were started more than seven years ago, according to association secretary-treasurer Mark Carunchia. “We got involved in some farm opportunities and saved as much as we could,” Carunchia said. “We had a pretty good surplus Horsemen, Page 6
Sue Carpenter
Members of the DeKalb Horsemen’s Association serve food from a chuck wagon at Sunday’s groundbreaking ceremony for a new Draft Animal Museum south of Auburn.