Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE – Syracuse Town Council members got their first look at the proposed 2020 budget Tuesday night.
The total budget, including revenue funds, is $4.9 million and is an increase of $501,018 over this year’s $4,438,502 budget.
The estimated tax rate is $0.9915 per $1,000 assessed value. This year’s certified tax rate is $0.9907 per $1,000 assessed value.
Town Manager Mike Noe said he reduced his budget by 20% in order to help offset the cost of the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF) the town is joining. The town manager’s budget is decreased by $52,230 from this year.
Other decreases in the proposed budget include $23,922 in the local road and streets fund and $15,500 in the cumulative storm fund.
The biggest increase in the budget is for the police department, with an increase of $115,530 over this year’s budget. That’s after Police Chief Jim Layne said he worked with the clerk-treasurer to move some things around and reduced it by $25,000. The main reasons for the increase is pay raises, insurance costs and PERF ’77.
The clerk-treasurer’s budget increased by $33,280. Clerk-treasurer Paula Kehr-Wicker said the increase is mainly due to PERF.
The Parks Department budget is expecting an increase of $360. Parks Superintendent Chad Jonsson reported he expects to have to purchase a new lawn mower for about $18,000 and fund some park improvement projects.
Council Member Bill Musser said he noticed that the council members didn’t get as much of an increase as in the past and he assumed that was because of PERF costs. However, he said because council members have attended extra meetings and have increased responsibilities, instead of the $100 increase per council member he wanted to see an additional $1,000 added to the budget for a total of $1,500, giving each council member a $300 raise.
No action was taken on the proposed budget. Kehr-Wicker said the first reading would be next month and the public hearing and adoption would be in September.
Flood Control Structure
Doug Schrock, representing Wawasee Property Owners Association and a lake committee that is working on the Crosson Mill dam, came to the meeting wanting to know, “Exactly how much has the town committed to the dam?”
He said he was told the town would pay half the cost of repairing the dam but was given an amount of $250,000. If the cost is $800,000, that’s not half. He said he was raising money to cover what the town wasn’t so he needed to know.
Musser wanted to know where he was getting these numbers because none of their projections showed that amount.
Council Member Larry Siegel said until recently the council had been operating on the premise that because they didn’t own the dam they couldn’t offer any funding for it.
“At the end of June we received new information that clouds the issue enough that the State Board of Accounts will allow us to release the funds to do it,” he said.
Siegel also said engineer estimates were “all over the board” but they think it’ll be close to $500,000. “I think it’s safe to say we for sure can commit to $250,000 and we’ve already spent $100,000.”
Siegel said they haven’t voted on it yet and they have to go through the budget process and are regulated by the state so things take longer.
Musser said, “We have all our ducks in a row now, we’re working with the committee and happy that everything is moving along smoothly right now.”
Siegel and Musser thanked Schrock for his work and fundraising.
Tim Yeager had a question about why the dam is called a flood control structure sometimes or a water control device. “Isn’t it a dam? Aren’t we supposed to call it a dam?”
Siegel said the Department of Natural Resources has a different definition of a dam and the committee that’s working on starting a conservancy is calling it a water control structure.
Fire Territory Budget
Turkey Creek Township Fire Chief Mickey Scott submitted his proposed 2020 budget for approval. He said it includes a 2-percent across-the-board increase. After the meeting he said the total budget is $2.53 million – an $1,894,899 operating budget and $635,000 in the equipment budget.
During the meeting he told the council the budget was a 3.99% increase over this year’s operating budget and a $130,000 decrease in the equipment budget. He shared they need three new power cots, which will cost about $45,000, and they’re going to need a new ambulance, too.
The fire territory budget is separate from the town’s budget but according to the inter-local agreement both the fire territory board and the town council need to approve it.
In other business, the council:
• Heard Fire Chief Mickey Scott is warning drivers not to stop on the railroad tracks on Ind. 13 because of the newly installed but temporary traffic signals while bridge work is being done.
• Approved a resolution to join the Public Employees Retirement Fund.
• Passed an amendment to the ordinance for weeds and vegetation which shortens the time from 10 days to five days.
• Heard the town and Triad agreed to negotiate a settlement but city attorney Vern Landis said they didn’t have the final paperwork so the council authorized Council President Larry Martindale to sign it when it’s ready.
• Heard the traffic light on Ind. 13 by the town hall will likely be there until mid-August.
• Approved an extended survey and title work for the park and dam at a cost not to exceed $10,000.
• Heard Tour des Lakes bicycle ride is this coming weekend and Long Drive will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Heard townwide garage sales are coming up and registrations will be accepted until July 25.
