Syracuse Completes Oakwood Annexation
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jordan Fouts-
During a brief special meeting early Thursday, Syracuse council members voted to accept the deed from temporary property manager Ian Rolland. Though annexation was approved in July and effective as of Oct. 28, this puts all roads and water and sewer lines in the Lake Wawasee shoreside neighborhood under town ownership - and means Syracuse must begin the costly process of repairing and updating those utilities.
Those costs are estimated at around $581,000, with $380,000 for sewer lines alone.
To help cover those costs, Town Manager Henry DeJulia introduced a zoned rate ordinance for residents of the Oakwood neighborhood, which would tack an extra $16.88 on their monthly sewer bills for five years. A public hearing for the ordinance will be held during the Nov. 15 regular meeting.
Council is considering the zoned rate so residents throughout the rest of Syracuse don't have to pay higher sewer bills to cover repairs in Oakwood, Clerk-Treasurer Julie Kline said later Thursday. She noted that the money would go into a special fund for repairs so Oakwood residents can see exactly how it's being spent.
Infrastructure repairs will also be funded by proceeds from the sale of Oakwood Inn to Buckingham Companies, according to council discussion earlier this year. Buckingham purchased the inn for $3.7 million in April.
Oakwood Inn is the 118-year-old retreat center in the heart of the neighborhood, managed by the United Methodist Church and the Oakwood Foundation before being shuttered in 2008 for financial reasons. Rolland was named receiver of the property last year by court order.
Oakwood neighborhood residents previously paid the Oakwood Service Company for utilities, which then sent one lump sum to Syracuse. Kline said transfer of infrastructure to Syracuse was necessary so the town could check meters and bill residents individually.[[In-content Ad]]
During a brief special meeting early Thursday, Syracuse council members voted to accept the deed from temporary property manager Ian Rolland. Though annexation was approved in July and effective as of Oct. 28, this puts all roads and water and sewer lines in the Lake Wawasee shoreside neighborhood under town ownership - and means Syracuse must begin the costly process of repairing and updating those utilities.
Those costs are estimated at around $581,000, with $380,000 for sewer lines alone.
To help cover those costs, Town Manager Henry DeJulia introduced a zoned rate ordinance for residents of the Oakwood neighborhood, which would tack an extra $16.88 on their monthly sewer bills for five years. A public hearing for the ordinance will be held during the Nov. 15 regular meeting.
Council is considering the zoned rate so residents throughout the rest of Syracuse don't have to pay higher sewer bills to cover repairs in Oakwood, Clerk-Treasurer Julie Kline said later Thursday. She noted that the money would go into a special fund for repairs so Oakwood residents can see exactly how it's being spent.
Infrastructure repairs will also be funded by proceeds from the sale of Oakwood Inn to Buckingham Companies, according to council discussion earlier this year. Buckingham purchased the inn for $3.7 million in April.
Oakwood Inn is the 118-year-old retreat center in the heart of the neighborhood, managed by the United Methodist Church and the Oakwood Foundation before being shuttered in 2008 for financial reasons. Rolland was named receiver of the property last year by court order.
Oakwood neighborhood residents previously paid the Oakwood Service Company for utilities, which then sent one lump sum to Syracuse. Kline said transfer of infrastructure to Syracuse was necessary so the town could check meters and bill residents individually.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092