SYRACUSE – Syracuse council named a new town attorney during the last meeting of 2012. Council members also named a couple different appointees to local boards Tuesday, and switched up which council members will serve on the fire territory board. Bill Musser will replace Larry Siegel as council president, but all department heads remain the same. Vern Landis of Rockhill Pinnick, Warsaw, will step in as town attorney for Michael Reed, newly elected Judge of Kosciusko County Circuit Court. Siegel presented Reed with a plaque of appreciation from the council, citing his years of service. He has served as town attorney since March 2002. Reed, in turn, thanked and complimented the council, but saved his greatest praise for Julie Kline, clerk treasurer. “Julie is the best town clerk I’ve ever worked with,” he stated. Other appointments approved include: Tony Ciriello, police chief; Gary Green and Paul Hoffman, tree board; Ben Plikerd and Dan List, Board of Zoning Appeals; Shirley Conley and Dave VanLue, park board; Siegel, Paul Stoelting, VanLue and Ernie Rodgers, redevelopment commission; Brian Woody and Jeff Morgan, fire territory board. Speaking as fire territory board representative for the last time, Musser presented a motion to approve, from fire territory funds, a renovation plan for Number 1 Fire Station. The proposal is for the construction of a second story to the existing building on Huntington Street, not to exceed $450,000. Plans include new dormitories, separate showers for men and women, storage space and a meeting room. Requests for bids will be forthcoming. News from all departments confirmed progress, success and potential for Syracuse. Brett Konarski of engineering firm Jones Petrie Rafinski reported that work on the new industrial park is moving along as scheduled. Cripe Excavating completed installation of most utilities, and is now off-site until next spring. A discussion of flood potential concluded with a plan to install a storm sewer culvert diverting water from the south of the new road to the north. “Are you guaranteeing this will solve the problem?” asked Siegel. Konarski responded, “It resolves the problem in the right of way of the road. The condition will not be made any worse.” Park Superintendent Chad Jonsson informed the council of a donation made by town resident and businessman Homer Kropf in the form of bathroom fixtures to be used at the youth athletic park. He also reported on the success of the recent Breakfast with Santa program, which served 850 breakfasts, and kept Santa an extra hour listening to children’s requests. The breakfast was served by the Wawasee Kiwanis and assisted by sponsors Syracuse library, the Lakeland Youth Center, Knights of Columbus, the Wawasee High School Holiday Band and local Boy Scout troops. In other business, the council approved $7,200 for purchase of computer diagnostic equipment by the public works department, whose employees are able to work on many town vehicle maintenance problems. They also approved $2,300 of additional cost for the police department’s use of the county-wide Terminal Services Data system.
