Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE – An archery shop will go into a building on Long Drive in Syracuse where a daycare once was.
The Syracuse Town Council approved the change in the zoning for the shop from residential to commercial at its meeting Tuesday.
Ron Stuckman will eventually operate Sawyer’s Country Edge at 1205 N. Long Drive. Kosciusko County Area Planning Director Dan Richard told the council Stuckman self-imposed several restrictions on the property. There will be on-site and online sales and service with no outside storage.
The former day care center moved out after a fire, and Stuckman was told there would need to be modifications to fire suppression systems in the building before the state would issue an occupancy permit.
Richard also assured council members that should the property be sold and used for another business outside of Stuckman’s covenants, that buyer would have to petition Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance.
A move-in date has not been set by Stuckman, who is currently operating his business online.
The remainder of the meeting saw the council working on its 2019 budget. Jeremy Hardy, of Commonwealth Engineers in Fort Wayne, presented options for financing improvements and a new water main to Medusa Street.
The council approved applying for a Community Crossings grant through the state’s Department of Transportation. Grant money can’t be used for the water main.
The total cost of the work is expected to be in the $740,000 range, with $285,000 coming from the grant and the town paying $455,000; $260,000 would come from the town’s water account.
Budgets for 2019 were presented from five departments, all of which were lowered overall from this year. The town’s $4,914,420 total budget is up about $486,000, but $350,000 of that is a road and bridge maintenance matching grant that has to be placed in the budget for the town to be able to spend it. Another $50,000 has been budgeted for Oakwood infrastructure improvements, and $37,500 of the increase is directed toward tax increment financing districts.
As part of his presentation, Town Manager Henry DeJulia showed the council a five-minute video made to promote Syracuse as a place to live, work and do business.
The council also approved a $508,000 contract with Milestone Construction for renovations on both fire department buildings. The money had been budgeted previously, and Milestone had the low bid. Work is expected to start around Oct. 1 and be completed in 150 days.
In other business, the council:
• Approved funds for a part-time code enforcement officer, beginning sometime around the first of August.
• Approved $17,849 for the purchase of a new backup generator for the town hall. The old one is about 20 years old and isn’t reliable.
• Discussed an ordinance that would allow the town’s water department to pull meters on homes occupied on a seasonal basis. Public Works Director Robin Merchant said winter conditions are harsh on unused meters, and pulling them would protect the town from liability from failed meters as well as protect equipment.
The Syracuse Town Council will next meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at the town hall, 310 N. Huntington St.
