Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - Town council members approved, in a vote of 4 to 1, with Barbara Carwile abstaining, a rezoning request by Casey's General Store. The property, located east of Ind. 13 and 67 feet north of High St., has been rezoned commercial from residential.
Robert Reed, town attorney, suggested the board present the rezoning request in the form of an ordinance, which was also approved.
Board members William Cutter, Paul Stoelting, Bill Hane, Carol Koble and Carwile approved five other ordinances Tuesday, vacating a street, establishing stop signs and establishing a one-way alley.
In other measures the board:
• Approved vacation of Acorn Street south of the right-of-way of the first alley south of Boston Street and north of the right-of-way of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, as requested by Double J, LLP.
• Agreed for several stop signs to be placed along intersections abutting Ind. 13 as follows: 500 feet north of Linwood Drive near Higgins Sport and Lawn, 912 S. Huntington St.; 680 feet north of Palm Drive near the Mariann Drive-In Restaurant, 734 S. Huntington St.; 224 feet south of Chicago Street near the Farmer's State Bank, 411 S. Huntington St.; 294 feet south of Pickwick Road near the Finish Line, 715 S. Huntington St.; and 740 feet south of Pickwick Road near Gallery Homes, 737 S. Huntington St.
The alley off Huntington Street to Harrison Street, behind town hall, will be an easterly, one-way thoroughfare.
• Approved transfer of $1,000 in the town manager's accounts from service agreement funds to the operating supply fund.
• Approved transfer of the cumulative sewer fund for engineering services in the amount of $12,500 for the storm drain sewer project on Pittsburgh and Baltimore streets.
The ordinances will be in effect after proper publication.
Police chief William Endler gave his report saying he and several officers have recently undergone various training sessions and certifications.
Endler's request for $1,173.50 for a new radio for the detective's car was approved.
He announced the retirement of Mark Stipler, who was a town dispatcher for 11 years.
The chief said he had been in touch with Joe Kiern of Conrail regarding the upcoming merger of Conrail and Norfolk Southern effective June 1. Kiern said train traffic through town would increase from 35 trains a day to 60 per day reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour for freight trains and up to 75 miles per hour for Amtrak trains.
Kiern said gates and lights will be installed at Oak Street by the end of the summer, in addition to the Main Street installation.
Fire and EMS Department Chief Larry Hunter's request for eight Flo-Tech oxygen tank regulators in the amount of $1,376 was approved.
Susan Neff of the park department asked that lifeguard wages be increased to $8 from $6, which was approved.
She gave the board an update of the community center project and gave dates for the community concert series.
Public Works Superinten-dent Kent Thielka's request to purchase a 7-by-14-foot enclosed trailer for the amount of $2,875 from R.C. Trailer Sales was approved.
The board also approved purchase of materials for a water line installation at the cost of $8,249.39 from U.S. Filter. He said the work will begin in late August.
Clerk Elgie Tatman's request for Y2K-compliant temperature control devices for $656 was approved.
Steve Ehle of the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce invited the board and those in attendance to a public meeting on the Wawasee Comprehensive Village Plan May 11 at 7 p.m. at Brook Pointe Inn. Dr. Jim Segedy, Ball State University, will be on hand. The chamber seeks volunteers to serve on a steering committee.
Cutter noted a town manager is still being sought.
