The Town of Cumberland Parks Board is proud to announce it will be hosting the annual spring Honors Park Induction Ceremony on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 2 p.m. This year we are proud to induct COL (R) David Milkkelson. The ceremony will be held at the Cumberland Town Hall, 11501 E. Washington St., Cumberland IN 46229. Our Honors Park is located just down the street from Town Hall at the southwest corner of Saturn and Munsie Streets in Cumberland.
COL (R) Mikkelson is a former Cumberland Town Manager. He has always had the heart of a traveler as can be seen by his 27 years in the military and the 16 moves he and his wife Bonnie made during their marriage. He met his wife Bonnie on a blind date at a fraternity dance. It was love at first-site for both of them. They were married almost 56 years before her death in 2018. In 1971 David was in Vietnam and was reassigned to finance school at Fort Benjamin Harrison. Bonnie was in Missouri with the boys, Chris and Jeremy. She was teaching school there. In 1971 the only way to talk to someone at home from Vietnam was to make an appointment with a short wave operator who would talk to another short wave operator in the United States. The 2nd operator would then call the telephone number in the United States. Dave would say “Hello how are you out?” Bonnie would reply “We are good, how are you out there?” This is how the conversation went WHEN they could hear and understand each other. Lots of static and cut off words. He told her when he got back to the states he would help her pick out a house and move. Bonnie heard “Pick out a house and move.” So she did. She picked out a house in Cumberland, Indiana on E. Washington St and moved!
David, Bonnie and the boys quickly became part of the community. David loved that Cumberland was a small town but that it was close to a metropolitan area. Chris love to go to the Pacers games and still goes today. They had many new friends, including John Harrell and a new church that made them feel welcome. They were here in Cumberland for 4 years. In 1975 he was reassigned again, several times. Dave retired from the armed forces in 1989 and back to Cumberland, Indiana they came. David thought he had retired but life was just starting. In 1999 John Harrell thought David would be would be a fine town manager with all the skills he had picked up from his army training. It turned out that he was right. In typical David fashion with his almost whispering voice he made changes that took the town up the ladder of success. When David was interviewing for the job of town manager he asked John Harrell to see the town’s organizational chart. John told him that none existed. That night John went home and drew a crude but fairly accurate chart. David also asked the chief of police what their written pay structure was and they didn’t really have any. When Dave was hired he helped the chief set up a pay structure that is still used today.
David’s biggest challenge and his most proud achievement in Cumberland was the revamping of the failing sewer/waste water system. The town could not grow without a working sewage system. John Harrell was the president of the town council at this time and they worked together to solve this hugely expensive problem.
The Cumberland Parks Board recognizes individuals that have lived or worked in Cumberland and has displayed distinguished service to the community through noteworthy accomplishments. Recipients are selected from nominations received and reviewed by the Cumberland Parks Board.
This event is open to the public and those that knows COL Mikkelson is encouraged to attend.
For more information, please contact Julie Patterson, Communications & Special Events Coordinator at (317) 894-6202 or via email at [email protected].
