Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - The 2003 budgets for town departments were approved Tuesday evening by the Syracuse Town Council.
Budgets were approved as follows:
Clerk, $469,139, an increase of $3,458 over 2002; parks department, $234,555, an increase of $22,327; police, $746,206, an increase of $1,526; and town manager, $82,517, a decrease of $4,934.
The budgets reflect $26,000 in car lease payments for the police department to be made from the cumulative capital development fund.
The police budget includes a 5 percent salary increase for Syracuse Police Department patrolmen, up from a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase considered previously by the council.
"I'd like to see 5 percent for patrolmen to get them closer to what paramedics are making," said Town Council President Barbara Carwile.
Council member Carol Koble said she thought paramedics and patrolmen should make the same salary, which would necessitate an even larger increase for patrolmen.
But council member Bill Hane said if patrolmen received that much, they would be making as much as the sergeant and detective.
Hane moved to accept Carwile's suggestion for a 5 percent increase for patrolmen.
The motion passed 3-2 with Hane, Carwile and Paul Stoelting voting yes. Koble and Michael Davis voted no.
With the 5 percent increase, $239,969 was budgeted for patrolmen salaries - $34,281 each for seven patrolmen.
Clerk-treasurer Elgie Tatman swore in one new patrolman and two new reserve officers.
Cory Morris, 22, of LaGrange is the new patrolman. Morris comes from the LaGrange police department. He also previously served as a jail officer for the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department and as a part-time officer with the Ligonier and Cromwell police departments.
Morris is a West Noble High School graduate. He and his wife, Angela, will move to Syracuse in the near future.
Reserve officers sworn in were Scotty Huffer, 24, Milford, a graduate of Wawasee High School, and Joshua Welker, 22, Warsaw, a graduate of Warsaw Community High School.
The town won't be improving the north part of South Koko Drive as requested by an adjacent property owner.
The portion of the street is platted but has never been improved. The property owner asked that the town pave the street.
The council denied the request, citing ordinances requiring improvements in platted subdivisions to be made by the developer.
Public works superintendent Clint Houseworth said the town received a permit from Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the wastewater portion of the Palm Drive Project.
He said five contractors have looked at the project and bids will be accepted at 10 a.m. July 23.
Houseworth requested and was granted $5,225 for removal and trimming of 13 trees around town. Wawasee Tree Service, which had the lowest quote, will do the work.
Houseworth also requested and was granted $3,962 to purchase steel forms for pouring concrete curbing.
He said the town can save money by doing its own curb work. The straight and flexible steel forms will be purchased from Aggregate Industries.
The council voted to remove a drainage pipe adjacent to a retention pond near the Dennis Spearman property along Long Drive.
Spearman has expressed concerns about drainage onto his property. Phend and Brown recently filled the pipe with concrete, but Koble said the pipe probably shouldn't have been installed in the first place.
The council also:
• Approved a $1,500 contribution to the cash-strapped Combined Community Services North.
• Delayed until next month's meeting a decision on a contribution to the county solid waste district.
• Waived the permit requirement for garage sales during the townwide garage sale event in August.
• Approved use of the former park office in the town hall by the police department. Police Chief Tom Perzanowski said the room would be used for interviews, interrogation, training and meetings.
Perzanowski reported that his department:
• Attended "Blue and White" Sunday services at Grace Bible Baptist Church where all area law enforcement personnel were honored.
• Enrolled officers in an "active shooter" training program aimed at first responders in school shooting situations.
Perzanowski also reported that the "Dribble & Dream Tour," a relay through Indiana basketball history, will visit Syracuse July 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott reported:
• The town's new ambulance will arrive July 29.
• His department will begin a cadet program for 16- and 17-year-olds interested in firefighting.
• The Wawasee Property Owners Association has installed dry hydrants at Cherokee Road and Walnut Drive.
• The department is in need of a new drop tank. The old tank is leaking. The council approved $1,500 for purchase of a new one.
Parks Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh reported:
• Dedication of the Community Center will be Aug. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m.
• The Flotilla Festival, expanded to three days, generated $2,038 in revenue. The 2001 festival made $257.
• The next Music in the Park is set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
