Hamlet’s new police K-9 could have proved useful when an elderly person went missing in a wooded area of Starke County earlier this month. That’s the hope of Town Council President Dave Kesvormas.
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The Hamlet housing boom continues. Another building permit was approved by the town council last week. “Keen Construction wants to build on the last lot on Jefferson Street a 1,344-square-foot house,” Council President Dave Kesvormas explained.
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The Hamlet Police Department is getting a K-9. Officer John Lynch told the town council Wednesday that he’s worked out a deal to get a narcotics detecting dog that’s been out of a job since her handler switched departments.
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Hamlet’s new decorative streetlights are getting some positive feedback. Town Council President Dave Kesvormas says he’s gotten a lot of complements about the new lights on Starke Street. “It almost looks like a runway when you come in late at night when it’s foggy,” Kesvormas said during Wednesday’s council meeting. “It looks pretty cool.”
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The Town of Hamlet is figuring out how to spend its share of federal COVID-19 stimulus money. The town council recently took action to create a fund in the town’s budget to accept almost $172,000 in American Rescue Plan money. Half of that will arrive this year and half next year.
Continue readingA $5,000 fine is back in place on the owner of a dilapidated garage in Hamlet. Town officials first imposed the fine in June, saying the garage on Railroad Street near the former bank building was unsafe, with a partially-collapsed roof. But they agreed to give the owner another chance to tear it down or clean it up, after he pleaded with town officials for an extension.
Continue readingThe Town of Hamlet continues to see the value in youth baseball. The town’s park board last month once again decided to support the Hamlet Baseball League with a $275 field sponsorship, the highest of the league’s three sponsorship levels.
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The Town of Hamlet will soon be getting LED streetlights. Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts told the town council Wednesday that NIPSCO plans to replace all of its lights in town, starting next year. “Hopefully, our bill will go down after this happens on the streetlights,” she said, “because we have 105 to be replaced.”
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Hamlet-area officials are looking at adding a dedicated funding source for fire protection, but the high cost of implementing it may derail those plans. For months, the town council has been discussing the idea of forming a fire protection territory with Davis Township.
Continue readingThe Town of Hamlet is getting closer to its housing development goal. Zoning Board President Dave Kesvormas says developer Eric Keen has expressed interest in building two more houses on Jefferson Street, in addition to the two the town has already approved.
Continue readingThe Town of Hamlet’s siren continues to annoy residents. The siren apparently has a habit of turning on and then getting stuck.
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More housing, new recreational opportunities, and additional medical and childcare facilities are a few of the investments local leaders hope to attract with Starke County’s Opportunity Zone. Much of the area north of Knox and south of U.S. 30 was designated an Opportunity Zone in 2018. The federal program offers tax incentives for investment in low-income communities.
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Proposed changes to water billing in Hamlet’s trailer park are drawing concern from its owner. The town has proposed doing away with the meters at individual trailers and sending one big water bill to the entire Country Acres property.
Continue readingStarke County’s efforts to develop the SYSCO property are getting the support of the Hamlet Town Council. County Council President Dave Pearman told the town council Wednesday that the county is negotiating with SYSCO with the hope of seeing something “beneficial” happen with the property.
Continue readingThe Hamlet Zoning Board has finalized a list of incentives for new home development, and along with that, some procedures for building inspections.
Continue readingThe Hamlet Town Council is expected to consider a resolution outlining building inspection requirements tonight. The language proposed by Council President Dave Kesvormas would leave it up to the developer to hire a licensed home inspector.
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The Town of Hamlet is adjusting its annual Easter Egg Hunt slightly, to allow it to go ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts told the town’s park board last week that all of the age groups will still hunt for eggs at the same time, but they might be spread out more than usual.
Continue readingThe Town of Hamlet is looking at solidifying its housing development plans. Nearly two years after Town Council President Dave Kesvormas made his “22 by ‘22” goal for new home construction, he presented a resolution proposing specific incentives during Wednesday’s zoning board meeting.
Continue readingHamlet’s lack of building inspections continues to draw concerns, but how to move forward was a topic of some debate during the last town council meeting. Fire Chief Brad Hazelton told council members that, until recently, he was unaware that new buildings are not formally inspected.
Continue readingHamlet’s newest retail business opens to customers today, but town council members still faced criticism Wednesday for not doing more to encourage development. Council President Dave Kesvormas announced that Dollar General opens today.
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