SHIPSHEWANA — After approving a maximum tax levy appeal three weeks ago, the Shipshewana Town Council followed up by OK'ing a resolution Thursday to increase the maximum tax levy for the Miller-King development by $30,000 per year.
As a result, the tax rate could be increased by 2 to 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of property in Shipshewana, Town Clerk-Treasurer Ruth Ann Downey said.
The new commercial development, the site of a business park, is located north of Morton and North Streets in Shipshewana.
LaGrange County and the town of Shipshewana are jointly funding the construction of a Morton Street extension through the proposed commercial development, which is owned by Alvin Miller and Levi King. The extension will connect Morton Street and North Village Drive.
The town annexed the development, which is located on a 56.8-acre parcel that is zoned business-2. As a result, the development will receive town utilities in exchange for Miller and King having agreed not to remonstrate against annexation.
In other business, the council voted to allow Town Manager Mike Sutter to negotiate with the Shipshewana Retail Merchants Association to work out an agreement to erect welcome signs at the north and south entrances to town. He said that the SRMA is offering to purchase and erect the signs if town employees maintains them and the Town Council pays for the electricity to power them.
No one commented at a public hearing Thursday for a proposed additional appropriation of $50,000 from tax increment financing revenues. According to Downey, the appropriation was designed to replace money that was spent early this year to refund some town bonds.
Resident Andrew Yoder of Middlebury Street asked for an ordinance to be passed to ban bicyclists from using the public sidewalks in Shipshewana. He said that on Aug. 2, he was mowing his yard near the sidewalk on Middlebury Street when, without warning, about a dozen bicycles passed by at a high rate of speed and barely missed colliding with him.
The council took his request under review but made no commitment to take action.
Town Marshal Tom Fitch said there is no state law against riding bicycles on sidewalks. In order to ban the practice in Shipshewana, the council would have to approve an ordinance doing so.