Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊWhat kind of sculpture would best represent Syracuse in the new millennium?
The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce is looking at options for a millennium sculpture as a project for the community.
Wednesday, John Misher, Goshen, presented the chamber board with models and photographs of his sculptures. Misher works mostly in metal and kinetic art pieces. He said he likes to create art pieces that relate to the cities that commission his work.
"Most of my work is commissioned and is for a specific location," he said.
Misher has made art pieces, from several feet to 14 feet, for Elkhart, South Bend, ESPN Zone in Chicago and a Warsaw couple. The piece Elkhart commissioned him for cost $36,000 and was stainless steel. He said he can create a piece within a budget and of aluminum.
Rev. Dan Haifley was elected as a new board member and the chamber's treasurer. Haifley is the pastor at Grace Bible Church.
The chamber voted to receive quotes on the cost to bond Chamber Director Shelly Bickel, Haifley and President Dr. Richard Brungardt. Syracuse Town Manager Brian Redshaw, who suggested the idea, said it will protect and benefit both the chamber and the three individuals.
An auction to benefit the chamber will be held July 22.
According to board member Mark Phillabaum, the auction will include a hog roast and entertainment. The location for the auction is not yet decided. Donations for the auction are tax deductible. Any business with donations or auctioneers who would like to volunteer their time and effort, can contact Phillabaum at 457-2558.
In other business, Bickel said the welcome signs to Syracuse will be put up soon, but there have been a few snags.
Because the sign will be placed on land that is zoned agricultural, near the Wawasee Middle School, Bickel said, she will have to go before the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance request. The welcome sign at the intersection of Ind. 6 and Ind. 13 was initially not going to be approved by the state highway department. However, Bickel said, because of a loophole that allows for welcome signs to be placed on highway rights-of-way, the sign should be approved.
The signs are paid for and the town helped pay a part of the cost, Bickel said.
"We are going to have welcome signs before all the lakers come back to the area," she said.
In education-related news, Bickel said, Wawasee schools recently received a computerized program to help students find out more about local businesses. Also, approximately 90 Wawasee High School students completed a survey for the chamber's Wawasee Village project.
Redshaw said he wants to organize another work day Jan. 27 to clean up Huntington Street. Anyone who wants to help may meet at the chamber's office.
House Bill 1075 regarding lake management will be introduced by Indiana Sen. Bob Meeks during this legislative term, Redshaw said. The bill is 82 pages long and will be posted on the Internet soon. Redshaw said both the Syracuse Lake and Wawasee Property Owners' Association is interested in the bill.
Indiana State Trooper Thomas Perzanowski will be sworn in as the new Syracuse town marshal at the Syracuse Town Hall Saturday at 10 a.m.
The chamber's 2000 budget was also approved.
