BOAT-IN RETURNS - This year marks the 40th anniversary of boat-in. Services begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 24. Participants may either ride the Lilly Pad, from which boat-in services will be broadcast, come in their own boat or sit on the shores of Oakwood beach.

Shown on the Lilly Pad are, from left, pastor Harlan Steffen, of Wawasee Lakeside Chapel and coordinator of boat-in; pastor Kent Butcher, of Vineyard Community Church and a member of the Syracuse-Wawasee Area Ministerial Association; and pastor Brad Cox, of Wawasee Lakeside Chapel and president of SWAMA, on board the Lilly Pad.

The flag from the Falcon, a passenger boat that cruised on Lake Wawasee in the 1920s and 1930s, has been donated to the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum. The flag was donated by local historian Jeanne Jones, who got the flag from an old high school classmate.

The Falcon was a 40-foot passenger boat that belonged to Jess and Laura Sargent, who also owned the Sargent Hotel on the north shore of Lake Wawasee, adjacent to the Eli Lilly property.
In 1913, Bill Ehrhardt, working for the Sargents, helped Jess in the construction of the Falcon, and in his own words, described how he assisted Jess.

I wasn't very big, sort of skinny, and I could get into small places. Mr. Sargent used me to get inside the boat in cramped quarters (he was a large man) to drill holes, put in screws and clinch nails, said Ehrhardt.
When the Falcon was launched that summer, Ehrhardt was at the helm.

And how did the flag get back to Lake Wawasee? Several years ago, Bills daughter, Phyllis Ehrhardt Whitmore of Macy, and Jeanne Sutton Jones of Syracuse, who were Shortridge High School classmates in Indianapolis, reunited in Warsaw. While sharing their mutual love of Lake Wawasee, Phyllis related the Falcon story of how Eli Lilly was given the flag by Jess Sargent when the Falcon was sold and later presented it to Bill Ehrhardt in 1968. Many years later, it was given by his daughter, Phyllis, to Jones.
So the treasured old flag, handmade by Laura Sargent, has been returned close to the shores of Lake Wawasee once again.

Many opportunities to catch bluegills, largemouth bass and yellow perch, as well as well as one of the largest northern pike populations in the state, await anglers in Lake Wawasee, Indiana’s largest natural lake.

Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife surveyed the lake last June and July. Sampling included 5 1/2 hours of electro-fishing along the shore with a boat-mounted electrical generator that temporarily stuns fish. In addition, 18 gill nets and 15 trap nets were set at various locations throughout the lake.

Biologists caught 2,278 fish during the survey, 47 percent of which were bluegills. They also caught 269 largemouth bass and 186 perch.

Several bluegills were 8 inches long, some up to 9 1/2 inches. Their growth rate is typical of northern Indiana natural lakes, with bluegills reaching 6 inches at age 4 and nearly 8 inches by age 6. Bluegills were captured during electrofishing at the rate of 140 per hour, a rate also typical of Indiana natural lakes.
Largemouth bass caught during the survey were 4 to 19 1/2 inches long, including 35 that were legal size (14 inches or larger).

Most of the perch were 6 to 8 inches long, some up to 11 inches. Eighty-six northern pike were caught during sampling in June. Another 22 pike were caught in July. The pike ranged from 14 1/2 to 33 1/2 inches long. Their combined weight made up 25 percent of the weight of all fish captured in the survey.

Based on comparisons to previous surveys dating back to 1975, biologists say the overall fish population in Lake Wawasee has been relatively stable, with the exception of the increase in white bass. Three white bass were captured in a 2004 survey; 18 were caught last summer.

"By most accounts, white bass were not native to Lake Wawasee," said Jed Pearson, a DFW biologist who has worked on the lake since 1975. "An old document from 1875 says white bass were present, but no records after that ever verified it."

Pearson said white bass were probably stocked illegally sometime before 2004. "If white bass continue to increase, they may eventually compete for food with other sport fish and could eventually affect the growth rate and size of other fish," he said, "That’s why permits are required to stock fish in a public lake."

"I’m most honored. I feel its a real honor," said Ken Robinson, named the 2009 Wawasee Flotilla Commodore.

"I’ve kind of been a part of the Flotilla off and on," Robinson said, noting the young people at Calvary United Methodist Church decorated floats. "It’s real nice to be a part of it."

Robinson and his late wife Ruth moved to Oakwood Park in 1957. "I had come from the Minnesota Conference and transferred here after five years in the ministry there and schooling out there. I was asked by the cabinet about moving to Indiana."

"I’ve always been a water person, a natural, and I became aware this was a resort community. It is a good place to work and live. In those days there was nothing south of the railroad, the village was nonexistent. Even when we were relocating the church there was a lot opposition, nothing was out there."

Upon moving to the area, Robinson became involved in the community. He operated a coffee house ministry on the pier at Waco Dance Pavilion. "That’s how we started boat-in," he recalled. "The young people would gather on the pier and people would come around to see what was going on."

From that simple beginning came the idea of how "marvelous it would be to have a church service on the lake,"reflected Robinson. He spoke with John Cripe, owner of JC Pontoon, who was also a church member and close friend. They talked about logistics with Cripe furnishing the equipment.

August Lundquist was also a part of the planning. Robinson was on the mission board at the time and recalled Oakwood inviting the boat-in worship service to be held there and providing money for the sound system. The service was moved away from Waco to Oakwood where it had been held since, until this summer.

However, Robinson is not giving up and is still working to get boat-in services back on Lake Wawasee. There have been offers of facilities and locations which are still in the works. "I’m encouraged. It may turn out to our advantage."

Robinson served as minister at Calvary for 14 years, but he also was involved in other areas. He was worship coordinator for the 1977 summer worship services at Oakwood Center Auditorium, and served as interim pastor of the Syracuse Church of God from September 1977 through June 11, 1978.

He was one of the original members of the Oakwood Foundation and on the executive board of directors of the Oakwood Foundation, where he served 10 years as executive secretary, then secretary. He served on the executive board of the Oakwood Park Building Committee and participated in the planning and building of the current Oakwood Hotel, Oakwood Center and the youth cottages.

Robinson has been an active and honorary Rotarian, is a past president and member of the board of directors and Rotary Foundation. He was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International.

He was a member of the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association and elected president three times. He also served as president of the Syracuse Library Board and was a member of that board for 16 years.

"I never would have (come here and) sat back," said Robinson.

His involvement outside the church went beyond the walls of Syracuse.

He was a member of the denominational board of World Missions of the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Dayton, Ohio, for five years and served as executive secretary of the Indiana North Conference Board of Missions of the EUB Church for five years. He was a member of the conference council of administration and conference program council for five years and was host pastor to the Indiana North Annual Conference held at Oakwood Park for nine years.

Robinson was director of World Mission Night for five years at an annual conference-wide program in the auditorium of Oakwood Center, which attracted more than 2,000 people over a two-weekend period and included well-known guest speakers from across the nation.

He participated in a work project to Puerto Rico sponsored by the board of missions in the summer of 1966, was a group leader in the South Bend District and president of the Indiana North Central Conference Board of Missions at the Time of Church Union.

He served as member of the Elkhart District Property Committee and was president of the United Religious Community of Elkhart County for five years.

He was elected a trustee of the University of Evansville at the 1969 session of the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and served as a trustee of the university for three years.
He was a member of the state Library Trustees Association and had his biography requested for "Indiana Lives," published by The Historical Record Association.

He served as a member of the board of directors for the Elkhart County Council on Aging and as a member of the coalition on housing and the coalition on hunger. He coordinated efforts through the United Religious Community to help Vietnamese refugees find homes and support under the sponsorship of Elkhart County churches and served as a chaplain of Goshen General Hospital Volunteer Chaplaincy program.
He was interim pastor of the Mount Tabor Church from September 1978 to June 1, 1979, and was acting director of the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission from May to October 1980.

He retired from the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church in May 1992 and is presently moderator in the United Presbyterian Church and pastor of Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Avilla.
Robinson still owns property in Michigan, also on a lake, just for a change of scenery and as a retreat as things get a little busy and hectic around home.

Many may know Robinson, not for all he’s done, but for Rev II, a restored 1962 classic ChrisCraft which he drives around the lake and always enters in the Flotilla.

He’s also a pilot, having had his pilot’s license since age 15. He’s a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Robinson has found the area a great place for growth, interesting, and seen the vibrancy of the community.

"If I was offered a church in any community in the state, it would be right here, Lake Wawasee. It has so much going for it, that people take for granted. There is so much here and so much opportunity.
"It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the community all these years and I look forward to being a part of this (Flotilla)."

A total of $19,000 was sought by the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee for a section of the trail from Harkless Road along the south side of Pickwick Road to SR 13 dubbed Wawasee Village Greenway. And that was the exact amount awarded to them April 16.

Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission selected 2009 Product Development Grant “Destination Kosciusko County” awards at its quarterly meeting in the courthouse, Warsaw. This is the second year the commission has given these grants to non-profit organizations. A total of $50,000 was available with a maximum of $20,000 to any one project. The purpose of the grants is to increase tourism in the county.

Wawasee Village Greenway Trail Project received the $19,000 grant for the extension of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail system. The recommendation said, “The committee also felt this trail system has a great potential to increase visitation to the Syracuse area by creating a system of trails which will eventually offer both residents and visitors the ability to walk or ride bikes around Syracuse Lake and Lake Wawasee.”

"We were thrilled to receive this award. It’s part of linking the Eli Lilly Road trail with the town of Syracuse," noted Chad Jonsson, trail committee member. "I had no idea how extensive their trails were and will be and all the funds that have already been raised until they made their presentation. It’s quite impressive," noted commission president Mike Stetzel.

Winona Lake Visitor Center received $5,000 of its $20,000 request. "The committee felt this was a good collaborative project between the Town of Winona Lake and Grace College," the report stated.
The third grant went to the Kiddieland Playground Renovation at the Warsaw parks on Center Lake. A total of $15,000 of their $20,000 request was awarded. The committee stated, "An updated park would not in itself increase tourism to the county they felt that the addition of new equipment would be a benefit to those visitors who are already utilizing the park services including the many reunions and events held at the Center Lake Pavilion as well as those visiting the Biblical Gardens and the Gardens of Central Park."

The recipients were the three applicants who made the cut to Phase II of the process.

The commission conducted its regular quarterly business. It is the body of county government who dispenses the money from lodging taxes to support organizations such as the City-County Athletic Complex and the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Board members present were Mike Stetzel, Ramada Hotel, Warsaw; Wes Stouder, Penguin Point, Warsaw; Mary Mills, Z Hotel, Warsaw; David Taylor, Blue Lion Coffehouse, Pierceton; Rebecca Kubacki, community leader, Syracuse; and John Hall, Hall & Marose, Warsaw. Linda Zimmerman, Creative Fish, Syracuse was absent.

The next meeting will be 9 a.m. Thursday, July 16, in the upper level old courtroom, courthouse, Warsaw.

Tax statements will be back to the normal cycle for the 2008 payable 2009 tax year. Statements for Kosciusko County will be in the mail no later than April 25 and will have a May 11 collection date for the spring installment, and a Nov. 10 collection date for the fall.

Tax statements this year are to have a uniform look as instructed by the Indiana General Assembly and the Department of Local Government Finance. Prior bills were 8 1/2 x 14, but this year’s will be 8 1/2 by 11 in size. The tax coupon will contain less information than previously displayed, but that information will instead be displayed on an additional form to be included.

Taxpayers need to send the entire statement for the spring payment. You will receive a receipt and fall payment coupon if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included. The county will mail only one tax bill this year. If taxpayers would like a reminder e-mailed to them 15 days prior to the Nov. 10 due date, please send the request to smitchell@kcgov.com.

Payment options include the following:

• Pay in person by bringing the entire statement to the treasurer’s office between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Pay by mail by returning the entire statement and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Kosciusko County Treasurer, P.O. Box 1764, Warsaw IN 46581
• Pay at participating banks with statements only if there are no delinquencies
• Pay by credit card by calling 1-800-809-5849 or going online to www.kosciuskotax.net (a 2.9 percent service fee is charged)

A penalty will be added to the unpaid portion of the amount due for each installment. The penalty will be in the amount of 5 percent of the unpaid tax if the installment is paid on or before 30 days after the due date and you are not liable for prior delinquent property taxes on the parcel. If there are existing delinquencies on the property, the 10 percent penalty will apply to the unpaid tax immediately following the due date.

Information is also available online at the Kosciusko County Web site, www.kcgov.com. Click on the “online services” link for taxes and assessments information. Additional information can be found under the “county offices” link.

For more information about tax payments, contact Sue Ann Mitchell, treasurer, at (574) 372-2370 or e-mail smitchell@kcgov.com. For information about tax rates and exemptions, contact Marsha McSherry, auditor, at (574) 372-2323 or e-mail mmcsherry@kcgov.com. Assessments questions can be directed to Laurie Renier, assessor, at (574) 372-2310 or e-mail lrenier@kcgov.com.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources has rescinded the order restricting motorized watercraft use on Tippecanoe Lake, Oswego, and James Lake, Big Barbee Lake, Little Barbee Lake, Irish Lake, Kuhn Lake, Sechcrist Lake, and Winona Lake.

The unusually high water levels in Kosciusko County have receded, allowing the order to be lifted. The order was issued March 27.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources has awarded funding totaling $1.33 million to 36 projects, including several in Kosciusko County, to protect and restore Indiana lakes.

Funds come from the Lake and River Enhancement program in the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife and will be used on 46 different lakes around the state.

"This is one state program that returns money to taxpayers on a local level, where they can see their money at work and reap the direct benefits," said Robert E. Carter Jr., director of the DNR. "Governor Daniels expects all agencies to use taxpayer funds wisely and LARE-funded projects serve as an investment with associated ecological, recreational and economic benefits from protecting one of Indiana's most valuable assets - our lakes and rivers."

Funding comes from the LARE fee paid by boat owners based on the value of each boat, with one-third of the money slated for use by the DNR for lake projects that remove sediment or control exotic or invasive plants or animals. The remainder is split between traditional LARE projects that seek to reduce sediment and nutrient inputs to waterbodies and the DNR's Division of Law Enforcement for boating-related programs.

In 2009, the program received applications for invasive plant management projects totaling more than $2 million and was able to provide $568,040 in grants to survey and treat exotic invasive plants in 40 lakes. No funding could be awarded for lakes that requested a state grant. For the second year in a row, no new plans were funded in order to complete treatment cycles for lakes already in the program.

The other type of grant, for sediment removal, provides recreational and economic benefits to both users and residents of the affected lakes. A total of $339,989 will be distributed in three counties to six sediment removal projects involving nine Indiana lakes.

Below are grants affecting Kosciusko County lakes:

Aquatic Plant Management Projects 2009-10
Barbee Lakes, $32,780, plan update and implementation
Dewart Lake, $20,025, plan update and implementation
Hill Lake, $13,050, plan revision and implementation
Ridinger Lake, $8,100, plan revision and implementation
Silver and North Little lakes, $13,455, plan revision and implementation
Syracuse Lake, $18,360, plan revision and implementation
Tippecanoe, Oswego and James lakes, $29,000, plan revision and implementation
Wawasee Lake, $27,000, plan revision and implementation
Webster and Backwater lakes, $25,400, plan revision and implementation
Sediment Removal Projects 2009-10
Big Barbee and Kuhn lakes, $145,000, sediment removal
Center Lake, $75,000, sediment removal
Ridinger Lake, $79,489, sediment removal