Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - For a second time, the Syracuse Town Council has failed to reappoint Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals chairman Michael Brower to the board.
And now the town council is talking about breaking away from the county plan commission altogether.
Brower's term expired Dec. 31, but under Indiana Code, Brower remains on the board until he is reappointed or someone else is appointed in his place.
He has served 14 years on the board. At the January meeting, council members failed to appoint Brower, saying they wanted to advertise for the appointment.
During the first public comment period for items on the agenda at Tuesday night's meeting, BZA member Steve Sharp asked the town council to explain their actions regarding the two BZA appointments the council needs to make.
Council president Larry Siegel said he didn't know if they would answer any questions, but Sharp could make whatever comments he wanted to make. If the council wasn't going to answer any questions, Sharp said, there was no use in going further because he had another question.
Jon Brookmyer, also a BZA member, said Brower has been a lifelong resident of the Syracuse community. If the board appoints anyone to the BZA other than Brower, he asked that they be as credentialed as Brower.
Siegel then said he received four applications for positions on the BZA, including Brower's. But Siegel also said he found new information in the Indiana Code just Tuesday about the appointment process. Siegel asked town attorney Mike Reed explain the code.
Reed said Indiana Code provides that all five BZA members must be adult residents of the town. Three appointments are to be made by the town executive. As council chairman, Siegel qualifies as the town executive.
One of Siegel's three appointees must be a member of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission. As for the remaining two members of the five-member BZA, one is appointed by the town board and the other by the plan commission. If the plan commission does not make an appointment, the Syracuse legislative body makes the appointment.
The two openings on the Syracuse BZA - including Brower's - both are to be appointed by Siegel.
One must be a plan commission member, one must not.
Siegel said he "just found out" about two hours prior to the meeting that he was to make the appointments and didn't have time to contact the candidates and make a decision.
He said he would decide before Thursday's BZA meeting.
Applicants for the BZA positions include Scott E. Abbs, Brower, Larry Coplen and Andrew Kitson. Current BZA member Gus Duehmig submitted his application to be appointed to the county area plan commission.
Later in the meeting, town manager Brian Redshaw said there's been some discussion about opting out of the Kosciusko County zoning ordinance. Redshaw presented cost estimates for a comprehensive plan, zoning and subdivision control ordinances and other associated items necessary if the Syracuse town council decides to create its own plan commission.
Ratio Architects, Indianapolis, estimated total costs to be $67,500 to $88,500; R.P. Murphy & Associates, Larwill, estimated costs at $18,750; and HNTB, Indianapolis, put the cost at $55,000.
In addition, Redshaw said if the council decided to do this, there would be ongoing expenses for staff.
Siegel noted the large disparity in cost estimates and said if the town decided to proceed, estimates would need to be refined.
During public comments, Syracuse resident Doug Shrock said the town needs its own zoning laws and he would help spearhead the issue. If the ordinances are written the way he likes, he said he would even pay for the costs.
Ted Hughes, who has petitions before the BZA Thursday, agreed, saying, "We should govern our own community with our own boards."
