The Town of Winamac may be able to get a larger share of tax revenues. During a special meeting last week, the town council voted to proceed with a maximum levy appeal, at the recommendation of Eric Walsh with accounting firm Baker Tilly.
Continue reading
The Winamac Town Council will get an update on the town’s financial outlook for 2021, while also considering additional appropriations of close to $250,000, during a series of meetings tonight. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Baker Tilly has been monitoring the potential impact of COVID-19 on funding availability for next year’s budget. Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Berger recently told council members that Walsh may discuss the possibility of an excess levy appeal, as well as the impact of the income tax changes recently approved by the Pulaski County Council.
Continue reading
The Town of Winamac could lose up to $175,000 over the next three years due to COVID-19, but it should have enough cash reserves to withstand the loss. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Baker Tilly told the town council Monday that the General Fund will probably see the biggest impact.
Continue reading
The Winamac Town Council held a hearing over the 2020 Budget when members met last Monday.
No public comments were provided, however, Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Berger did highlight one adjustment that was made at the recommendation of the Town’s financial advisor Eric Walsh from Baker Tilly.
Continue reading
Winamac Town Council members were recently informed that Umbaugh, the firm they utilize as a financial advisor, is currently in the process of merging with two other companies.
Continue reading
An ordinance proposing a 15 percent rate adjustment to water utility bills in North Judson was introduced at this week’s town council meeting.
Eric Walsh from Umbaugh and Associates informed council members and meeting attendees that the bump would result in a customer who uses an average of 4,000 gallons per billing cycle seeing an additional charge of approximately $4.00 while residents who utilize a minimal amount of water each month would pay about $3.40 more. Continue reading
The North Judson Town Council members renewed the town’s contract with Umbaugh and Associates when they met Monday evening.
Council President Wendy Hoppe mentioned that Umbaugh really helped save the town money last year. The council members noted that the contract appeared to be identical to last years and Town Attorney Justin Schramm said he felt comfortable moving forward with it.
The contract secures Umbaugh for consulting services related to the 2019 Budget and any other financial matters. There’s a $7,000 maximum for budget consultation, but if all the time is not used then the town will not be charged the full amount.
Though no changes were made to the agreement itself, Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe mentioned that there has been a switch in who serves as the town’s point of contact. Continue reading
A public hearing was held over water rate adjustments prior to last night’s Winamac Town Council meeting.
The adjustments to the water raters are being proposed as a way to cover the town’s water project. Eric Walsh from Umbaugh and Associates was present and provided some details about the $1.6 million water project.
He explained that the town has been planning for this project for many years, which assisted them in receiving a grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs in the amount of $550,000. He added that the remainder of the project will be covered by borrowing from the electric utility at 1% interest rate. He said this will cause water rates to rise slightly.
Walsh said, “It is resulting in about a 9 percent, little less than 9 percent increase on your water bills. So to an average residential customer [using] about 5,000 gallons a month, that’s a $3 a month of an increase.”
Walsh said if the town hadn’t pre-planned or received the OCRA grant, rates could have increased by about 20 percent, costing the average customer to pay $6 to $7 more. He said no one likes to increase rates, but he commended the council members for the proactive steps they took to keep the increases from being doubled. Continue reading
The North Judson Town Council may decide whether to move ahead with an urban chicken ordinance tonight. Resident Sarah Burkett is scheduled to present a petition in support of the measure.
The North Judson Town Council will soon consider increasing water and sewer rates for the first time since 2008. CPA Eric Walsh with Umbaugh and Associates says the current rates are not adequate to cover operating costs, which has forced the town to dip into its reserves. Continue reading
As the Winamac Park Board considers various upgrades to the town’s park facilities, board members are also learning about potential funding sources. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates met with the park board Thursday to outline the steps for issuing bonds. Continue reading
The Winamac Park Board will consider smoking policies for the town’s athletic facilities. According to the advance agenda for tonight’s meeting, smoking around ball diamonds and bleachers will be discussed. Board members are also scheduled to meet with Eric Walsh from accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates. Continue reading
The Town of Winamac’s 2017 budget was discussed during a public hearing Monday. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates told members of the town council that the town’s in a good position financially and next year’s proposed budget would keep it that way. Continue reading
Sewer rates will soon be going up for Winamac residents. The Winamac Town Council gave its final approval to an ordinance Monday, raising the sewer rate by six percent. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates says the increase will allow the town’s Wastewater Department to save about half a million dollars in the long term, by refinancing one of its outstanding bonds. Continue reading
The Town of Winamac continues to prepare for a possible sewer rate increase. Continue reading
Winamac residents may see a slight bump in their sewer rates in the near future. During a presentation to the Winamac Town Council last week, Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates said the town’s utilities are generally doing well financially. Continue reading
The Town of Winamac is hoping to take advantage of some new road funding sources recently offered by the state of Indiana. It’s releasing $435 million in Local Option Income Tax funds to local governments to use for transportation projects. Continue reading
Sewer rates for Winamac Municipal Utilities customers will go up soon. The Winamac Town Council on Monday approved a rate increase to offset what Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates says is a significant drop in revenues since 2011.
“Your revenues have decreased somewhere in the neighborhood of $80,000 to $90,000 on an annual basis,” Walsh told the council. A lot of that drop is due to a change in state law that caps the surcharge amount for customers outside the incorporated town limits. They were paying 50-percent more, but the town had to drop that to 15-percent last year to comply with the law. “There’s a portion of it due to some of your larger users just aren’t using as much water, and therefore their sewage bills are going down as well. The lion’s share of it is the reduction that was made via state statute last year,” Walsh explained. Continue reading
