Syracuse Council Approves 2022 AppointmentsSYRACUSE – Syracuse Town Council members made quick work of the agenda for the last meeting of the year, including approving appointments for 2022.
Town Manager David Wilkerson brought up the need to approve appointments for next year. Approved for one-year terms were Jay Rigdon as town attorney, replacing the retiring Vern Landis; Jim Layne as police chief; redevelopment commission members Larry Siegel, Cory Mast, Jim Layne and Jeff Goralczyk; Fire Territory Board, Corky Wong and attorney Andrew Grossnickle.
On the tree board for a two-year term are Paul Hoffman and Gary Green and Mark Aurich for a one-year term. There’s currently still a vacancy on the park board.
Council President Larry Siegel told the Council that the redevelopment commission passed a purchase agreement with EZ Vane for the last lot in the Tech Park. Siegel, who also serves on the redevelopment commission, said it was the standard purchase agreement they’ve done with all the lots in the industrial park.
He said the company makes weather vanes, windmills and yard ornaments and is currently located in Michigan but wants to relocate to Indiana. The Council approved the purchase agreement.
Jeremy Hardy, of Commonwealth Engineer, was present and explained the Main Street project is almost completed except for striping and seeding that will need to wait until spring. They established Dec. 20 as the date of substantial completion. He also asked for and received approval for change order #2 for $7,270.44.
He said they had some difficulties and the utility work tore up a sidewalk that had to be replaced.
“We had some savings and some overages that totaled out to $7,270.44,” he said.
Hardy also gave the Council a study on the Kern Road intersection as “homework” until the next meeting. He said the determination was that the school should take care of the work but they would discuss it in January after the Council had time to review the study.
Wilkerson also reported they received the check for the K21 grant in the amount of $200,000 for the ball field.
“I appreciate them helping us out,” he said.
Wilkerson said they needed to name a street within the Tech Park and offered three suggestions – Entrepreneur Lane, Development Drive and Engineer Avenue.
Siegel said, “No one ever knows how to spell entrepreneur.”
The Council voted to name the street Development Drive. They also approved establishing the speed limit of 25 mph within the industrial park.
He also received an OK to pursue establishing a residential tax increment financing district in the town since two housing developments are planned. He will work with Dennis Otten, of Bose McKinney and Evans.
Layne reported they accepted sealed bids to purchase two police cars. The high bid was $4,435 for the purchase of two of the police cars. The third vehicle was donated to the police academy in exchange for training hours credit.
Public Works Superintendent Mark Aurich said he has several staff working on certifications and he enjoyed “putting on my teacher’s hat” that day to do some training with them.
The Council approved an ordinance transferring $550,000 out of the Economic Development Income Tax Financing fund. Siegel approved it with the “caveat the money is put back into EDIT as soon as the bond is funded.”
The Council also approved a resolution authorizing Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Cazier to transfer funds.
Cazier informed the Council that she was losing one of her deputy clerks who was taking the job as administrative assistant for the fire department.
At the start of the Council meeting, Siegel presented Landis with an appreciation plaque “in appreciation for nine years of service to the town of Syracuse.”
At the end of the meeting, Landis thanked the Council and said, “It’s been a pleasure working with the town over nine years. I think the towns is on the verge of significant growth – both industrial and hopefully housing development. I look forward to seeing what happens over the next 10 years.
