SYRACUSE – Syracuse Town Council held a public hearing on the proposed $4.7 million 2022 budget Tuesday night.
Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Cazier read the budget and no one from the public spoke for or against it.
The $4,653,874 budget is $96,034 more than the 2021 budget of $4,557,840. The biggest increase is in the clerk’s budget – an increase of $44,402. Cazier cited health insurance, trash collection and fuel increases as part of the reasons for the overall increase. There’s also an increase of $21,444 in the parks department budget and an increase of $18,873 in the town manager’s budget.
There’s a $20,000 decrease in the Rainy Day fund.
The estimated tax rate per $100 of assessed value is $0.9686 – a decrease from the estimated tax rate of $0.9815 for 2021.
The budget will be approved and signed at the October meeting.
Attorney Stephen Snyder brought a request for tax abatement on behalf of Ridgestone Development Group, who plans to develop the old Syracuse Elementary School into residential housing.
“It’s an expensive project at $3.5 million, but it’s a benefit to the community,” he said.
Snyder said they were asking for a residential tax abatement, which is allowed under “very limited circumstances.” He said one condition for which the state statute allows residential tax abatement, is when the property is in an economic development target area. He requested the Council make that designation, based on the recommendation of the redevelopment commission. Another allowable reason is if the property is deemed undesirable for development.
He said, “We’re dealing with an old school building – there’s probably asbestos that will need to be removed. It’ll be a major undertaking and without Ridgestone the property might be sitting vacant for a long time.”
He admitted, “This is one of those opportunities that come once in a Councilman’s career – an unusual find. You’re just in time, Tom.”
That comment was directed at Councilman Tom Hoover who was attending his last meeting on the Council.
They requested a 10-year tax abatement, which was the maximum allowed. The Council approved the declaratory resolution for the residential abatement.
Jeremy Hardy, Commonwealth Engineers, gave an update on his progress. He informed the Council that they were not awarded the State Water Infrastructure Improvement Fund grant (SWIIF) so they’d need to determine how they would pay for the painting of the water tower and the water main loop around Lakeside Drive.
Hardy asked for and received approval for repairs on lift station at CR 530N at a cost of $40,381 through American Pump Repair.
The Council also approved a change order in the amount of $14,698.75 for the North Business Park drive and water extension project and, since the project was completed, also approved paying $253,856.75 to HRP Construction.
There was a lot of discussion and some confusion over which fund the payment would come from but it was eventually decided that it would be paid from the South Benton Tax Increment Fund and the various funds under that umbrella.
The Council approved increasing the on-call amount for Hardy’s services by $10,000 as they “exhausted the budget.”
Hardy brought up concerns about the busy intersection at Kern Road and said he and other town officials met with school officials. The consensus was to put two stop signs in the intersection to make it a temporary four-way stop to see how that would impact traffic and determine the best course of action moving forward.
Hoover said he doesn’t think that will solve the problem but said he was glad they were doing something. He said, “I haven’t gotten any cooperation from our state representative or state senator. I want to know why it would cost so much to put in a traffic signal.”
Hoover said he heard from Sen. Blake Doriot that it would cost between $300,000 to $500,000 to install a traffic signal there but wasn’t given a breakdown.
Park Superintendent Chad Jonsson reported that there will be a harvest festival Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with hayrides and games at Lakeside Park. On Oct. 16, the annual indoor garage sale will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The park department plans to have the haunted house the last two weekends of October.
It was Hoover’s last meeting and at the end he thanked everyone.
“I’ve worked with a lot of different people over the years and it’s been a pleasure working with and for the people who elected me. Employees in this town are top-notch,” he said.
Hoover served on the council for six years. There’s two years left in his term but he is moving out of the district.
Cindy Kaiser was appointed to replace him by a caucus Monday. She attended the meeting and introduced herself at the end of the meeting. She said she worked in the education field in Milford for 39 years, first as a teacher then assistant principal and principal. She’s a member of the Syracuse Lake Association and Women of Today. The Council promptly appointed her to the fire board.
In other business, the Council:
• Approved an amendment to the salary ordinance reflecting the addition of the new town manager and utility manager.
• Approved an additional appropriation ordinance transferring $20,000 out of Riverboat sidewalk and trees to professional services.
• Approved an ordinance for a stop sign at the intersection of Boston and First streets.
• Approved reimbursing Travel Star for $51,355.40.
• Approved appointing Councilman Paul Stoelting to the police commissioner board, replacing Hoover.
• Approved striping 17,952 feet of road at a cost of $11,476 to Air Marker Co.
• Heard from Fire Chief Mickey Scott that ambulances are still being diverted from local hospitals.
• Heard the Wawasee High School Homecoming Parade is Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. Traffic might be stalled on Ind. 13 for a short time during this parade.
A CPR class will be held Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. at Fire Station One. Call 574-457-4100 to register.
