Syracuse Enters Areement With Development Corp.
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - An agreement between Syracuse Wawasee Area Development Corp. and the town of Syracuse was approved by the town council Tuesday.
The agreement allows SWADCO to serve as a project coordinator and administrator on the town's behalf to encourage and plan community growth.
Matt Vigneault, town manager and a member of SWADCO, told the council, "We have a nonprofit community advancement group interested in offering services in conjunction with the town to encourage growth and development."
The Syracuse town budget for 1999 includes $20,000 for use by SWADCO. The organization receives no membership fees and relies mostly on donations.
Vigneault advised the council to approve the agreement because at least one local industry is in danger of leaving the community. He said the industry wants to expand and may move out of town to do so.
Newly appointed council vice-president Paul Stoelting asked Vigneault, "What kind of expertise, abilities, qualifications does this volunteer group have?"
Vigneault said SWADCO President Tim Yeager has served on the chamber of commerce. Kim Laeman, he said, worked in NIPSCO community affairs and on Kosciusko County's development. David Cates is a local attorney and Steve Snyder has experience in working on similar projects, he said. Other members include businessmen and -women who have businesses in Syracuse and others.
"I think that the group represents the right kind of mix of people who understand what it takes and what is necessary for this community to expand and grow," Vigneault said.
Bill Hane asked Vigneault if SWADCO would just hand Syracuse a bill and then the town would have to just pay it without any say. Vigneault said there would have to be an amount of trust with the group.
"We're working with clients. The potential investments on these projects like to have a level of confidentiality at least on the front end," Vigneault said. "We believe, generally, that we will make good, genuine decisions."
SWADCO will work with the engineering firm of Wightman & Petrie from Elkhart.
Yeager said, "We feel very confident with the engineering firm from Elkhart."
He also said, "Town money won't be used as any personal gain."
Council President William Cutter asked Vigneault if SWADCO would be back in a month or so to ask for another $20,000.
Vigneault said, "That's not the intent. We will not engage in anything that will cost more than we can provide. It's really just the planning and front work we're talking about now. Anything tangible, we'd have to come to you guys."
The agreement was approved and costs for 1999 were not to exceed the $20,000 budgeted for this year. Vigneault said the project for SWADCO this year was to work on the expansion of the Brooklyn Street Industrial Park area.
In police business, the council approved Chief William Endler's request for $998 for the purchase of three used light bars and for $1,000 for a telephone line to be used strictly for IDEX and ICNC.
IDEX allows a quick license check on an individual when they are pulled over by the police, and immediate information feedback from Indianapolis. The police will also be able to do a records check and check on stolen items.
Syracuse Fire and EMS Department Chief Larry Hunter told the council an estimated $1,036 was needed for the new alarm system for the town hall for the first year. The cost covers an annual inspection of the monitoring and sprinkler systems, and a new dialer. Electrical Systems, Fort Wayne, would be the system provider.
A daily system check is included in the price. The previous system and line will be removed. The council approved.
Bill Wight, park board president, said rental and user fees for the parks will remain the same as 1998, with one addition - a $15 fee will be charged to reserve the gazebo the evening prior to an event.
Concert dates for 1999 will be June 10 and 24; July 4, 15 and 29; and August 12 and 26. Concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. at Lakeside Park. "Christmas in the Park" concert will be Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Park gazebo.
The park department also has a temporary web site at panda.tierranet.com/parks.
A request for $4,000 from the town council toward the architectural fee for phase two of the community center was also requested. An additional $8,000 for phase two will be paid out of the park cumulative capital fund. The council approved $18,000 last year to be included in the town's 1999 budget for matching funds for architectural fees for the community center.
The council approved the $4,000, but not without discussion.
Cutter said, "The problem that keeps coming back to me is that there is no commitment except from the park board.
"I would like to see some other commitment by the end of this phase other than just by the park board."
Wight told the council phase two would allow the youth center, the senior center and other organizations who are interested in joining the community center to know what their financial obligations would be. By the end of phase two, Wight said, they should know where they stand.
"There's hope that there may be donations from private organizations, too," Vigneault said.
A Build Indiana Fund grant application requesting $500,000 for the community center project was submitted by park board members Bill Beemer and Susan Neff, who met with Rep. David Wolkins to submit the application to him personally. Beemer, Neff and Wight will travel to Indianapolis to meet with Sen. Robert Meeks in February.
Tom Miller, Public Works superintendent, requested $827 to buy a new computer. The computer he wants to replace is a five-year-old Pentium 90 that tends to lockup and loses information, Miller said. The hard drive is failing and the computer is used for data processing as well as several other tasks, he said.
Cutter said Miller didn't need a new computer.
"I think there are more important things than that right now," Cutter told Miller. "Greenhouse Apartments has a broken water meter that is costing the town more.
"I don't think you have to sit down there and think of ways to spend money and I think that's just what this is," Cutter said.
Carwile said, "I don't think you are thinking right about this, Bill." She told Cutter that unless he's ever worked on a computer before, he couldn't understand the importance of one. Cutter said he had never used a computer.
Miller said, "We have never done anything on a whim. Never, not since I've been here."
Cutter asked, "If it's workable, why not stick with it?"
Miller said, "That's what I'm telling you, it's not workable."
Carwile said, "If you can get a computer for $827, I recommend you get it."
The council approved the purchase of a new computer. Cutter was the only councilman who objected to the purchase.
Miller was also approved for $5,040 for two new pumps at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and $3,160 for a new water meter at Greenhouse Apartments. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - An agreement between Syracuse Wawasee Area Development Corp. and the town of Syracuse was approved by the town council Tuesday.
The agreement allows SWADCO to serve as a project coordinator and administrator on the town's behalf to encourage and plan community growth.
Matt Vigneault, town manager and a member of SWADCO, told the council, "We have a nonprofit community advancement group interested in offering services in conjunction with the town to encourage growth and development."
The Syracuse town budget for 1999 includes $20,000 for use by SWADCO. The organization receives no membership fees and relies mostly on donations.
Vigneault advised the council to approve the agreement because at least one local industry is in danger of leaving the community. He said the industry wants to expand and may move out of town to do so.
Newly appointed council vice-president Paul Stoelting asked Vigneault, "What kind of expertise, abilities, qualifications does this volunteer group have?"
Vigneault said SWADCO President Tim Yeager has served on the chamber of commerce. Kim Laeman, he said, worked in NIPSCO community affairs and on Kosciusko County's development. David Cates is a local attorney and Steve Snyder has experience in working on similar projects, he said. Other members include businessmen and -women who have businesses in Syracuse and others.
"I think that the group represents the right kind of mix of people who understand what it takes and what is necessary for this community to expand and grow," Vigneault said.
Bill Hane asked Vigneault if SWADCO would just hand Syracuse a bill and then the town would have to just pay it without any say. Vigneault said there would have to be an amount of trust with the group.
"We're working with clients. The potential investments on these projects like to have a level of confidentiality at least on the front end," Vigneault said. "We believe, generally, that we will make good, genuine decisions."
SWADCO will work with the engineering firm of Wightman & Petrie from Elkhart.
Yeager said, "We feel very confident with the engineering firm from Elkhart."
He also said, "Town money won't be used as any personal gain."
Council President William Cutter asked Vigneault if SWADCO would be back in a month or so to ask for another $20,000.
Vigneault said, "That's not the intent. We will not engage in anything that will cost more than we can provide. It's really just the planning and front work we're talking about now. Anything tangible, we'd have to come to you guys."
The agreement was approved and costs for 1999 were not to exceed the $20,000 budgeted for this year. Vigneault said the project for SWADCO this year was to work on the expansion of the Brooklyn Street Industrial Park area.
In police business, the council approved Chief William Endler's request for $998 for the purchase of three used light bars and for $1,000 for a telephone line to be used strictly for IDEX and ICNC.
IDEX allows a quick license check on an individual when they are pulled over by the police, and immediate information feedback from Indianapolis. The police will also be able to do a records check and check on stolen items.
Syracuse Fire and EMS Department Chief Larry Hunter told the council an estimated $1,036 was needed for the new alarm system for the town hall for the first year. The cost covers an annual inspection of the monitoring and sprinkler systems, and a new dialer. Electrical Systems, Fort Wayne, would be the system provider.
A daily system check is included in the price. The previous system and line will be removed. The council approved.
Bill Wight, park board president, said rental and user fees for the parks will remain the same as 1998, with one addition - a $15 fee will be charged to reserve the gazebo the evening prior to an event.
Concert dates for 1999 will be June 10 and 24; July 4, 15 and 29; and August 12 and 26. Concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. at Lakeside Park. "Christmas in the Park" concert will be Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Park gazebo.
The park department also has a temporary web site at panda.tierranet.com/parks.
A request for $4,000 from the town council toward the architectural fee for phase two of the community center was also requested. An additional $8,000 for phase two will be paid out of the park cumulative capital fund. The council approved $18,000 last year to be included in the town's 1999 budget for matching funds for architectural fees for the community center.
The council approved the $4,000, but not without discussion.
Cutter said, "The problem that keeps coming back to me is that there is no commitment except from the park board.
"I would like to see some other commitment by the end of this phase other than just by the park board."
Wight told the council phase two would allow the youth center, the senior center and other organizations who are interested in joining the community center to know what their financial obligations would be. By the end of phase two, Wight said, they should know where they stand.
"There's hope that there may be donations from private organizations, too," Vigneault said.
A Build Indiana Fund grant application requesting $500,000 for the community center project was submitted by park board members Bill Beemer and Susan Neff, who met with Rep. David Wolkins to submit the application to him personally. Beemer, Neff and Wight will travel to Indianapolis to meet with Sen. Robert Meeks in February.
Tom Miller, Public Works superintendent, requested $827 to buy a new computer. The computer he wants to replace is a five-year-old Pentium 90 that tends to lockup and loses information, Miller said. The hard drive is failing and the computer is used for data processing as well as several other tasks, he said.
Cutter said Miller didn't need a new computer.
"I think there are more important things than that right now," Cutter told Miller. "Greenhouse Apartments has a broken water meter that is costing the town more.
"I don't think you have to sit down there and think of ways to spend money and I think that's just what this is," Cutter said.
Carwile said, "I don't think you are thinking right about this, Bill." She told Cutter that unless he's ever worked on a computer before, he couldn't understand the importance of one. Cutter said he had never used a computer.
Miller said, "We have never done anything on a whim. Never, not since I've been here."
Cutter asked, "If it's workable, why not stick with it?"
Miller said, "That's what I'm telling you, it's not workable."
Carwile said, "If you can get a computer for $827, I recommend you get it."
The council approved the purchase of a new computer. Cutter was the only councilman who objected to the purchase.
Miller was also approved for $5,040 for two new pumps at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and $3,160 for a new water meter at Greenhouse Apartments. [[In-content Ad]]