Bill Smith at Muncie Free Press - Delaware County Indiana | News and Information

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - The Muncie Sanitary District is determined to get more than $1 million in unpaid utility bills collected even if it means turning off the water at private properties.

"This is a way to keep our rates down," said Bill Smith, sanitary district president and administrator.

The sanitary board of commissioners decided Thursday to extend its amnesty to delinquent sewer customers until June 21, where court and attorney fees are waived.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - With a new retail center and student housing in the University Village, look for hundreds of more construction jobs to be created as the community could see up to $100 million in investment to bolster local government and schools.

"It is a very exciting time in the city," said Mayor Dennis Tyler.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - The Muncie Sanitary District embarked on millions of dollars in federal clean water initiatives this week, borrowing millions more and repaying it with storm water revenue to do the work.

 That work includes building a new power supply at Muncie's aging wastewater treatment plant and repairing some of Muncie's oldest sewers like the White River Interceptor and primary outfall that runs through the downtown under Beech Grove Cemetery.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN -  The Muncie Sanitary District pulled off an Arbor Day miracle this week that caused the federal government to stop the removal of dozens of trees along the White River levee.

 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers informed the sanitary district this week that no trees had to be removed from the northwest section of the levee between North Wheeling Avenue and Hawthorne Drive. 

 That was great news for Bill Smith, administrator and president of the sanitary district, who had district staff work with the federal government to ensure the levee protected against flooding even with the trees that line it.

 "We are very thankful to the work by the ACE and district staff," said Smith.

Rick Conrad, the district's water quality director, worked with the engineers who re-evaluated an initial decision to remove over 130 trees along the levee in the city.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - The Muncie Sanitary District rolled back storm water assessments and offered amnesty to delinquent sewer customers in an effort to help thousands of people in need.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN. - Downtown Muncie's great landmarks, the Roberts Hotel and the Boyce Block, should get some notice from facelifts funded by local government's development effort.

Muncie Redevelopment Commission awarded  $1 million in grants on Thursday to spark a new renaissance that should bring more people and money to the heart of the community.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - The Muncie Sanitary District could give a break to delinquent sewage utility customers by giving them temporary amnesty from paying excessive legal and court costs imposed by local courts.

Stormwater credits, new collection system, new leaders in store

By Rick Yencer

 MUNCIE, IN -  Sewage utility customers and property owners should see significant changes in the Muncie Sanitary District with businessman Bill Smith back in charge of the $30 million government operation.

 Smith, who had a hand in downtown development and the Delaware County Youth Opportunity Center, ran the district and implemented automated trash collection with Toter carts and recycling that reduced sanitation costs. And he kept an eye on the environment, making sure federal mandates for clean water were met.

 Mayor Dennis Tyler appointed Smith to clean up the district after the last city administration kicked him out and then got sideways with the federal government over maintaining the river levee and complying with clean water law. And public outrage came last year when the former sanitary board, run by Tom Bennington, imposed a 600 percent increase in storm water fees and hiked utility rates about 65 percent over five years.

 The final straw was a runaway collection system for delinquent sewer bills operated by former district attorney Pete Drumm that imposed hundreds of dollars in legal fees on past due bills that was upheld by local courts. Those small claims resulted in foreclosures and personal dilemmas for those in need, of age and disability while Drumm  made $1 million in fees. More than 7,000 claims were filed against residences, churches and businesses.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN -  Mutual Bank will underwrite a $1 million facelift of downtown Muncie that stands to get more people and business in 2013.

 That money tree known as the Muncie Redevelopment Commission will open competition for facade grants next month with work possible starting in the spring.

 "We could be ready to start construction at the first robin," said Dan Allen, president of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission.

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN -  Muncie's Redevelopment Commission agreed to buy property Thursday that could be used for a new hotel and other development next to the downtown Horizon Convention Center.

 And Ball State University continues to move on property at University and McKinley avenues where a new $25 million hotel and conference center will be built as early as 2013.

 All the talk and property acquisition indicated  full service hotels will return to the Muncie market that now has 989 rooms mainly on the Bethel Avenue and McGalliard Road hospitality route that generally are occupied by visitors of Ball State,  I.U. Health Ball Memorial Hospital, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

 Mayor Dennis Tyler did not want to talk too much about the downtown hotel project as the MRC agreed to participate in the $75,000 purchase of the old Muncie Mission site across from the convention center and about at the High and Seymour streets crossing. The city negotiated the purchase after the mission torn down the old building and did extensive excavation of the site for old tanks or other environmental problems.

The cost was based on the average of a couple of appraisals and considered a deal by city officials since the mission spent money on demolition and cleanup.

 Tyler believed Muncie could support both hotel projects given the current occupancy and how a downtown hotel could impact the downtown.