starts to manufacture boats in Milford

A new boat manufacturer has entered the Kosciusko County scene.

Bentley Pontoons, a company based in Lexington, S.C., recently added a manufacturing plant on the south side of Milford at the site formerly utilized by Bison Trailers on SR 15.

Recently owned by Encore Boat Builders, the brand has been sold to a newly formed company, Bentley Acquisition LLC. According to the company’s website, Bentley manufactures four different series of pontoon boats with base prices ranging from $23,000 to $52,000.

According to Anjanette Davis, sales coordinator at the Milford plant, Bentley Pontoons was looking to expand their business footprint and saw an opportunity in Kosciusko County to get into the Indiana market.

Davis noted that the company has started with approximately

20 employees in Milford but hopes to expand to a larger workforce as the company garners a greater share of the marketplace. She added that while the company will continue to build a majority of their boats in South Carolina, they plan to construct all models of their inventory in Milford as well.

Tippecanoe Township to sell its North Webster building

The Tippecanoe Township Advisory Board met in regular session Tuesday night, Feb. 21, at North Webster Community Center.

In a scheduling first, it followed both the regular meeting of North Webster Town Council and Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory.

The major order of business was the unanimous passing of Resolution 23-1, the sale of the Tippecanoe Township Building on South Morton Street to North Webster Church of God for $190,000. The township trustee’s office reached an agreement to move to the NWCC at a cost of $10,000 per year, which is broken down to $6,982.50 rent plus $3,017.50 for utilities, including internet and telephone.

Township Trustee Chris Francis noted he has been busy going through file boxes at the soon-to-be former township building and is planning to hire a mobile shredding service to destroy unneeded paperwork relating to the office.

The church has informed the North Webster Food Pantry that it will be allowed to stay in the building following the sale. The same offer was made to the North Webster Lions Club. Both entities have utilized the township building for numerous years.

Francis announced the township will be making donations to three North Webster nonprofit organizations. The food pantry will receive $4,000, while the Wawasee Summer League and Senior Primelife Enrichment Center each will get $2,000.

In other business, Deb Minear was confirmed as the township’s appointment to the North Webster Community Public Library. It was

Continued on page 2

The goal of the project is to install two digesters and a scrubber that will utilize the fertilizer of the 1,025 cows on the Beer’s farm.

Digesters are often used to process organic waste from sources such as livestock manure, food waste and sewage.

These wastes are fed into the digester, which creates an environment ideal for the microorganisms responsible for the anaerobic digestion process. As the microorganisms break down the organic matter, they release methane gas, which can be cap-

They are working with seven or eight smaller farms in Indiana and the methane produced will be collected by each individual farm.

Normally these digesters would need to be constructed on a farm in close proximity of existing or dedicated pipes of a gas line, but IGDB is planning to transport the methane in either the form of compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas via truck tankers to the town of Redkey, according to Beer.

Beer expects the company to begin construction sometime in the spring, adding they are very exited about it.

Council takes no

Continued from page 1

Wilkinson reported the utility fund lost revenue in 2021 and 2022 and is set to lose more money by the end of 2023. He requested a rate study be done. Council approved the study.

Scherer, who is replacing Larry Martindale representing District 4, was appointed to the Syracuse Metro Police Commissioners and the Turkey Creek Fire Territory boards.

Police Chief Jim Layne reported he is going through internal hiring for an officer who recently left the department. The newly purchased in-car cameras have been installed.

Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, reported the indoor/ outdoor garage sale will be held

Saturday, March 4. Rotary’s poker tournament will be held Saturday, March 11.

During Aurich’s report, the council approved purchasing a new John Deere tractor with a manure spreader for $81,233.32.

Aurich is looking to hire a replacement for Jim Glaze, who recently retired. He hopes to hire a licensed operator for the water department.

The council approved spending $879,000 with half, $439,560, paid up front for a new firetruck. Delivery of the new truck will be taken in 3 1/2 years. The new truck will replace one that is approximately 20 years old.

In the clerk-treasurer’s report, Cazier requested a special meeting be scheduled to discuss employee insurance. After consulting with the state board of accounts, human resources and Rigdon, she requested a special meeting to discuss aspects of the town’s health insurance, which appear to be extremely vague.

The meeting will be scheduled at a later date.

In new business, Councilman Bill Musser, reported a committee will be formed to select new Christmas decorations.

Prior to the town council meeting, the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission met for its regular meeting. Dave Rosenberry was sworn in as a member of the commission. Officers were elected for 2023, with Larry Siegel as president, Jeff Goralczyk as vice president and Cory Mast as secretary.

County parks master plan open houses set for March

Details on the public engagement activities for the Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Department and Board’s five-year master plan were mostly worked out during Thursday’s meeting.

Michiana Area Council of Governments Senior Community Development Planner Donny Ritsema told the board he wanted to kind of finalize what the public engagement activities will look like. They will be held in March, with the board to meet April 13 to approve the final master plan. The plan has to be received by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources by April 15.

“The purpose for our public engagement is just to provide another meaningful opportunity to give residents, visitors a chance to review the draft plan; be engaged in the process; participants