BY ANN MARIE CAMPBELL, Times of Northwest Indiana Correspondent
The $885,000 general obligation bond that Winfield officials planned to use on road improvements will not be as forthcoming as town officials hoped.
The state postponed a decision to approve the bond issue until late December.
Town Council President Ken Thieneman, Clerk-Treasurer Rick Anderson and Town Attorney William Enslen appeared before the
Indiana Department of Local Government Finance to request permission for the bond issue in early August. They had expected a final decision by now, but instead the town received a letter from the department extending the decision to Dec. 22.
The town had hoped to bid the various road projects this fall, but without the availability of the bonds, the bid process becomes a moot point.
The delay was due in part to the department having a new commissioner, Cheryl Musgrave, as of July 13. Musgrave is closely reviewing all orders and requests that affect taxes and rates.
Gov. Mitch Daniels said he asked Musgrave, his appointee, to be thorough.
"I have asked Cheryl to be as aggressive as possible in using the powers and information-gathering capabilities of DLGF to bring down property taxes wherever possible," Daniels said.
Anderson said he was "not overly concerned" about the delay. He said the commissioners on the state tax board gave a favorable recommendation that would be sent to the new commissioner.