02-28-2007WINONA LAKE Ñ The cause of death that killed 26 birds on Winona Lake Feb. 20 is still unknown.
The Winona Lake Town Council discussed the issue during its council meeting Tuesday morning.
According to Indiana State Conservation Officer Lyle Enyeart, 21 coots, three Canadian Geese and two ducks were found dead on Winona Lake Feb. 20.
An oil spill was discovered Feb. 20 by wastewater treatment employees who were checking storm water outfalls.
City wastewater treatment plant employees put absorbent booms and pads in the lake Feb. 20 that absorb petroleum, and Environmental Remediation Services, Fort Wayne, put additional booms and pads in the lake.
Enyeart said in a telephone interview this morning he received water testing results Tuesday afternoon from Purdue University. He said the results did not identify the cause of the bird’s deaths, and petroleum was found not to be attributed to the deaths.
“The lab couldn’t determine the cause of death of the birds and we may not ever know what caused the deaths,” Enyeart said.
An oil spill combined with melting snow that Enyeart originally contributed to have killed the birds was not proved by results from lab tests conducted by Purdue University, he said.
The results will be sent to Indiana Department of Environmental Management to review, and booms and pads will be removed today because they are no longer absorbing petroleum substances, according to Enyeart.
Enyeart said Dalton Foundry took immediate action in making sure oil-absorbing booms were put on the lake to contain the spill and keep more contaminants from entering the lake.
“Dalton Foundry took immediate action for making sure there were absorbent boom and pads to absorb the petroleum and paid for laboratory testing of the water,” Enyeart said.
Council member Joy Lohse said during Tuesday’s council meeting she has been contacted by several concerned neighbors with questions about the oil spill.
Lohse presented photos during Tuesday’s meeting that she took of dead coots in front of 2402, 2404, and 2406 E. Winona Avenue Feb. 22-24. She also showed pictures of a dead duck, mallard and goose in front of 2406 E. Winona Avenue, and a picture of booms and pads absorbing petroleum taken Feb. 26.
She said she had contacted IDEM and the Department of Natural Resources inquiring about lab results and where the departments were on determining the cause the bird’s deaths.
“We shouldn’t point fingers to who or what caused these birds to die, we need to ask ourselves what our role is as citizens and council members of the town in preserving the quality of Winona Lake,” Lohse said.
She said the occurrence can be used as a learning tool, and they can gather more information on preservation of lakes.
Council member Jerry Clevenger suggested a group be formed between Winona Lake and Warsaw to discuss water issues.
“The water quality in Winona Lake affects not only our town, but everyone in our community and we should be concerned,” said Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks.
The council also discussed and tabled a vacation of a 20-foot section of property that goes into Winona Lake along Park Avenue during its meeting.
The town requested the vacation and has discussed and tabled it since Nov. 28, awaiting a legal description of ownership on the property by Town Engineer Larry Long. Long did not attend Tuesday’s council meeting. Winona Lake resident Jerry Nelson, 1012 Court St., attended Tuesday’s meeting and expressed his concern with the vacation.
“My concern with the vacation is that if the council keeps tabling it, and if the council votes against the vacation, then according to town ordinance the adjacent landowners have to wait two years to approach the council if they wish to vacate the property,” Nelson said.
Nelson suggested instead of the council tabling the vacation to vote it off the agenda, to give adjacent property owners an opportunity to request the vacation and bring in property deeds instead of having the town attorney and engineer use money for research.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach said the council will need to receive a legal description of the property before voting on the vacation.
The council also approved a $7,295 contract between W.A. Jones, Columbia City, and the town to purchase a salt spreader for the town to use for winter weather.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a waiver of wastewater fees. A resident had a balance of $1.80 and paid the amount and discovered there were late fees and penalties that increased to $50.40. The waiver allows the resident to not be required to pay the $50.40.
• Approved a $250 contract between the town and Jerry McCoy, a Winona Lake photographer, who will create posters for the town’s Fourth of July celebration. Village Artist Jennifer Ortega previously painted the posters for 10 years for the town, but will no longer paint them, according to Hicks.
Allebach informed the board he met with the Lake City Greenway committee and a grand opening celebration at the west end of the Chinworth Bridge Trail will be at 11 a.m. May 4. Gov. Mitch Daniels has been invited to the celebration.
Delp said he will be on WRSW 107.3 “Talk of The Town” March 19 at 2 p.m., and the Second Sunday Series will be March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Rodeheaver Auditorium.