SYRACUSE - Syracuse Town Council members skated through the agenda Tuesday night, even while holding two public hearings.
Two council members were not present, but the council did have a quorum.
A few nearby residents to the Urban Oaks property had questions when the public hearing opened on the topic of vacating a couple alleys — a request by Ridgestone Development, owners of Urban Oaks Apartments.
Sherrie Weaver said she and another couple who were present lived on Boston Street and wanted to know how the proposed alley vacations would affect them. She said the alley near her property was the only access to her driveway, so they were there to find out what was happening.

    The crosshatched marked alleys are the ones that will be vacated after Syracuse Town Council members approved the request. Photo by Denise Fedorow
  

Terry Lang, of Wightman Company, was present representing Ridgestone Development, and he handed out copies of site maps and showed Weaver and other residents and the council the alleys they were asking to be vacated.
He said the site was originally platted in 1898 and all the streets and alleys were dedicated at that time and shortly after the school was put in, but the surrounding alleys were never vacated. He told them only the crosshatched areas were the alleys they were requesting be vacated for the possible future development of Phase II of Urban Oaks.
Weaver said their homes were in the Dolan-Miles additions so the alleys they were requesting be vacated wouldn’t affect them. Lang confirmed nothing would be done on the south side of Boston, just where the playground is now. He also said any utilities in the alleys would remain and there would be utility easements.
Weaver commented, “It’s just a field in front of our house so I’m all for the whole development — I just wanted to make sure we could get in and out of our drive and the area behind our house.”
Town attorney Jay Rigdon asked if there were any adjoining landowners affected and Lang said no, Ridgestone owned all the property in question.
The council closed the public hearing and Councilman Larry Siegel made the motion to approve the vacation “as presented.” The council unanimously approved.
There was also a public hearing for the confirmatory resolution for tax abatement for Aluminum Insights, but no one spoke for or against it. The council then approved the resolution confirming the 10-year tax abatement.
Police Chief Jim Layne asked for and received permission to purchase 10 computers for patrol cars from Patrol PC, who had the lowest of three quotes obtained. The total cost for the mobile data terminals is $60,476.35 including car mounts. Layne told the council he applied for and just learned he received a grant for $20,000 from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to apply towards this purchase, so the town’s cost is $40,476.35.
Councilman Bill Musser asked if this purchase was budgeted, and Layne said that it was. He also provided the council with a detailed report, which stated they’d been using a demo unit with no issues.
In other business, the council:
• Approved the fire department’s purchase of seven sets of turnout gear at a cost not to exceed $30,000 from Conway Shield.
• Heard a report from Commonwealth Engineer that the Kern Road project is substantially complete but restoration work is delayed due to weather. Commonwealth also reported they’ve completed the water asset management plan and are preparing to apply for State Revolving Fund loans by the April 1 deadline.