Silver Lake Has Budget Hearing, Discusses Former School Demolition
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Maddie Jo Shultz-
SILVER LAKE – Prior to Wednesday night’s regular meeting, the Silver Lake Town Council held a public hearing for the 2022 budget with the assistance of Tyler Coffel of public accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly.
Coffel presented a scaled-down version of the full budget packet for 2022. With $79,000 estimated to come in from property taxes, the town’s budget allows for 45% of funding to go toward town operations and 24% to public safety.
“The town’s main funds are in great shape,” Coffel said.
Hearing no public comment or questions, the Council closed the budget hearing and moved into the regular meeting.
Shannon McLeod, of Priority Project Resources, joined by phone to discuss the project outline and contracts for an upcoming Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) funded demolition of the old school building at 202 E. Sycamore St.
The demolition process is dependent on many factors, including collaboration with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Indiana Landmarks and Historic Preservation. The Council plans to salvage memorabilia and limestone details from the building.
Kosciusko County Plan Commission Director Dan Richard spoke to the Council about three zoning ordinance petitions regarding two properties inside Silver Lake’s jurisdiction and one property just outside it.
The Council approved zoning changes from residential to commercial for the two Silver Lake properties and discussed at length the third property which abuts the town limits of Silver Lake to the north.
Richard said the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission has a public hearing planned for this petition, regarding the 17-acre property on the west side of Ind. 15 at Dixie Drive in Lake Township, at 1 p.m. on Nov. 3. The Council members and Silver Lake citizens were encouraged to attend.
In old business, the Council approved to match half of the $4,300 façade project for Whetstone Woodenware through a Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) funded grant.
The Council approved ordinance 10-02-21 on a salary amendment for town employee Chris Craft.
In new business, resolutions 21-10-01 and 21-10-02, appropriation transfers and appropriation reduction, were approved as signed.
The Council heard a request to vacate a property at 301 W. Sycamore St. Petitioner and owner of the adjacent property, Brad Spratt, said the land in question is an alley he has mowed and maintained for years. The Council members are not certain if the property is considered an alley and voted to table the decision.
Suzie Light from KEDCO approached the Council regarding the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) through OCRA. Light is seeking letters of support from towns in Kosciusko County to pledge 30% of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for OCRA-eligible projects in 2022.
In other business:
• Town Marshal Jason McGlennen swore in a new reserve officer this month and reached out to an Etna Green-based artist regarding a possible future downtown mural project.
• Fire Chief John Conley reported six runs this month: two fire assists, two assists to other departments, one medical assist and one traffic accident assist.
• The claim docket was $111,943.40.
Public reminders include door-to-door fall cleanup Oct. 23 and trick-or-treat from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31.
The 2022 budget adoption will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 27 at Town Hall. The next regular council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Town Hall.
