Syracuse Town Council Partners On Dam Repair
November 16, 2022 at 10:51 p.m.
By Denise Fedorow-
Councilman Larry Siegel was not present at the meeting.
David Johnston, Board member of Turkey Creek Dike and Dam Conservancy District, was present and read a statement that he said was in response to a Council member’s concerns that there wasn’t a legal avenue for the town to partner with TCDDCD to repair the dike and dam that is in town limits. Johnston said the Board sought the advice of two attorneys, Steven Snyder and David Hollenbeck, to investigate the matter. They determined there is a way for the town and the conservancy to collaborate via the inter-local cooperative act.
“The conservancy district believes if the dam fails, as it did 10 years ago, the town of Syracuse would suffer considerable damage to its economy, flooded businesses and safety for residents and significant decline in lake property value if the level of the lakes goes down,” he said.
He said the TCDDCD was asking the town of Syracuse to contribute $50,000 in 2023 to assist with the repair project that has an estimated cost of $700,000.
Council President Bill Musser said, “I’ve been very much in favor of this since the beginning. I think it’s so important for the town of Syracuse to work with the lakes.”
He said he appreciated how members of the TCDDCD stepped up four years ago to form the district. “Ours is a small donation for a large project — I hope the council wants to move forward.”
All present agreed. The attorneys will prepare the interlocal agreement for the parties to sign.
Marlin Schwartz of Ridgestone Development, who is currently converting the old Syracuse Elementary School into apartments, was present to ask the Council to vacate some abandoned alleys within his property.
Town Manager David Wilkinson said there weren’t any right-of-way issues or infrastructure underground so there was no reason for the town to retain them.
Schwartz is planning to donate lots to the town for a splash pad park with additional lots available if the town would like to use it for a dog park. Schwartz said this issue came up with title work by Meridian Title who told them there were several abandoned alleys on the property that have not been vacated.
Town attorney Jay Rigdon said if the town vacates alleys the ownership goes to adjacent landowners and while the Council could give its blessing, there is a formal strategy that needs to happen before the Council can approve it.
Rigdon also told the Council that he has prepared a resolution “kindly accepting the gift of land.”
The Council agreed to vacate the alleys in question and Councilman Paul Stoelting said they should wait for the resolution until they have the deed and do it all at once.
The Council approved a rezoning ordinance for Dr. Larry Allen’s property. Matt Sandy, director of Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, said a portion of land on the north end of Harrison Street, west of Indiana Avenue, is zoned commercial and they’re requesting it be rezoned residential.
Allen is developing a housing addition on that land. Sandy said the plan commission unanimously approved the rezoning and he hoped the Council would as well.
Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, gave an update on the ball park, saying that the grass looks good. Beer and Slabaugh expects the bulk of the work would be completed by the end of the year.
He gave Council members copy of an ordinance in Winona Lake banning smoking in parks. Jonsson said he didn’t want to go that far but would like the Council to consider no smoking at the new ball park.
“It is a youth facility and when there’s a big tournament it could be an inconvenience to others,” he said.
Musser asked about requiring dogs to be on leashes so they’re not running loose in the fields. Jonsson said there is a leash law in town but they could reiterate it for the ball park. Rigdon said they could combine the issues into the same ordinance and he would prepare a draft for the council to review before the next meeting.
In other business, the Council:
• Passed the 2023 salary ordinance, which spells out minimum and maximum salaries per position. The council previously approved an 8% across the board increase for 2023.
• Approved the fire department payment of $39,525 to J & K Communications for new pagers and radios. Fire Chief Mickey Scott said that is the balance owed after the American Recovery Plan Act funds received of $181,000.
• Also approved the fire department ordering fire hoses not to exceed $17,000 because orders are six months out.
• Approved renewing health insurance with PHP.
• Council member Larry Martindale brought up an issue of barking dogs in his neighborhood.
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Councilman Larry Siegel was not present at the meeting.
David Johnston, Board member of Turkey Creek Dike and Dam Conservancy District, was present and read a statement that he said was in response to a Council member’s concerns that there wasn’t a legal avenue for the town to partner with TCDDCD to repair the dike and dam that is in town limits. Johnston said the Board sought the advice of two attorneys, Steven Snyder and David Hollenbeck, to investigate the matter. They determined there is a way for the town and the conservancy to collaborate via the inter-local cooperative act.
“The conservancy district believes if the dam fails, as it did 10 years ago, the town of Syracuse would suffer considerable damage to its economy, flooded businesses and safety for residents and significant decline in lake property value if the level of the lakes goes down,” he said.
He said the TCDDCD was asking the town of Syracuse to contribute $50,000 in 2023 to assist with the repair project that has an estimated cost of $700,000.
Council President Bill Musser said, “I’ve been very much in favor of this since the beginning. I think it’s so important for the town of Syracuse to work with the lakes.”
He said he appreciated how members of the TCDDCD stepped up four years ago to form the district. “Ours is a small donation for a large project — I hope the council wants to move forward.”
All present agreed. The attorneys will prepare the interlocal agreement for the parties to sign.
Marlin Schwartz of Ridgestone Development, who is currently converting the old Syracuse Elementary School into apartments, was present to ask the Council to vacate some abandoned alleys within his property.
Town Manager David Wilkinson said there weren’t any right-of-way issues or infrastructure underground so there was no reason for the town to retain them.
Schwartz is planning to donate lots to the town for a splash pad park with additional lots available if the town would like to use it for a dog park. Schwartz said this issue came up with title work by Meridian Title who told them there were several abandoned alleys on the property that have not been vacated.
Town attorney Jay Rigdon said if the town vacates alleys the ownership goes to adjacent landowners and while the Council could give its blessing, there is a formal strategy that needs to happen before the Council can approve it.
Rigdon also told the Council that he has prepared a resolution “kindly accepting the gift of land.”
The Council agreed to vacate the alleys in question and Councilman Paul Stoelting said they should wait for the resolution until they have the deed and do it all at once.
The Council approved a rezoning ordinance for Dr. Larry Allen’s property. Matt Sandy, director of Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, said a portion of land on the north end of Harrison Street, west of Indiana Avenue, is zoned commercial and they’re requesting it be rezoned residential.
Allen is developing a housing addition on that land. Sandy said the plan commission unanimously approved the rezoning and he hoped the Council would as well.
Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, gave an update on the ball park, saying that the grass looks good. Beer and Slabaugh expects the bulk of the work would be completed by the end of the year.
He gave Council members copy of an ordinance in Winona Lake banning smoking in parks. Jonsson said he didn’t want to go that far but would like the Council to consider no smoking at the new ball park.
“It is a youth facility and when there’s a big tournament it could be an inconvenience to others,” he said.
Musser asked about requiring dogs to be on leashes so they’re not running loose in the fields. Jonsson said there is a leash law in town but they could reiterate it for the ball park. Rigdon said they could combine the issues into the same ordinance and he would prepare a draft for the council to review before the next meeting.
In other business, the Council:
• Passed the 2023 salary ordinance, which spells out minimum and maximum salaries per position. The council previously approved an 8% across the board increase for 2023.
• Approved the fire department payment of $39,525 to J & K Communications for new pagers and radios. Fire Chief Mickey Scott said that is the balance owed after the American Recovery Plan Act funds received of $181,000.
• Also approved the fire department ordering fire hoses not to exceed $17,000 because orders are six months out.
• Approved renewing health insurance with PHP.
• Council member Larry Martindale brought up an issue of barking dogs in his neighborhood.
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