Hamlet residents have a chance to weigh in on the town’s 2022 budget proposal tonight. As it stands, the town is seeking permission to spend just over $451,000 next year. That’s $8,000 less than it requested for 2021, with decreases in the General, Motor Vehicle Highway, and Economic Development funds.
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Despite a few challenges, Hamlet officials are happy with the outcome of this year’s Yellowstone Trail Festival. Town Council President Dave Kesvormas thanked festival organizers during Wednesday’s council meeting. “We’re really happy it happened, that you guys didn’t decide to wig out and back off because of COVID or anything like that,” Kesvormas said.
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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.
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The Town of Hamlet is gearing up for this weekend’s Yellowstone Trail Festival. Town Marshal Clint Norem told the town council Wednesday he expects a big draw for Saturday’s fireworks show, and his biggest concern is traffic control.
Continue readingHamlet’s “22 by ‘22” incentives could soon be part of the official marketing push for northern Starke County’s Opportunity Zone. The town has been offering home developers three months of free water, sewer, and trash and recycling pickup, along with at-cost water and sewer connections, plus the possibility of reduced or suspended permit fees.
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Three streets in Hamlet could soon be getting upgrades. The town council Wednesday accepted the lone bid from Milestone Contractors North for planned Community Crossings projects, for just over $100,000.
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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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The Hamlet Town Council has given the owner of a dilapidated garage another 30 days to clean up the structure before imposing a $5,000 fine. The fine was approved during this month’s zoning board meeting, after town officials said Louis Gorgees failed to repair or demolish the structure on Railroad Street near the former bank building.
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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’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.
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The Town of Hamlet has taken action to fix a traffic safety issue near the new Dollar General store. The town council voted last week to place a stop sign on the eastbound U.S. 30 frontage road, officially 600 North, at its intersection with Starke Street.
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.
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The Town of Hamlet is expecting a slight decrease in insurance costs. The town council last week agreed to continue with 1st Source Insurance for the year. This year’s premium is $126 lower than last year’s.
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 readingHamlet residents may see a slight property tax increase, following action by the town council Wednesday. Council members voted to reestablish the town’s cumulative capital development fund at its maximum rate of five cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That’s up from just under four cents now, according to Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts.
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