Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊSyracuse Town Manager Brian Redshaw's mistake put newly elected councilman Larry Siegel in the hot seat - for trying to help the town.
And the mistake caused a disagreement between the two Syracuse town councilwomen over who has authority to discontinue something the whole council decided.
When the town's water tower was repainted, the town council discussed the idea of putting language on the tower saying Syracuse is a Tree City USA. The council said if Redshaw could raise the approximate $4,000 from donations, the artwork could be placed on the tower. However, the deadline for telling the contractors painting the tower came too quickly and Redshaw tried to find a guarantor for the money for the artwork on the tower.
Larry Siegel agreed to be that guarantor and Redshaw told the painters to go ahead and put the lettering on the water tower. The money for it was paid out of one of the town's funds.
To raise the money, Siegel solicited donations and put canisters out at local merchants. Approximately $2,500 of the $4,000 has been raised.
But Barb Carwile, council president, requested the canisters be removed from the businesses because she said she received complaints.
Carol Koble, councilwoman, said she heard only positives regarding the issue. She was upset, however, that Carwile canceled the fund drive without the entire board's OK on the matter. It was a decision for the entire council, not just Carwile, she said.
While he said he thinks the town should continue to solicit funds for the painting on the water town, councilman Paul Stoelting said he didn't think the canisters for donations should be continued at local merchants. Carwile said if anyone who wants to make a donation, the town will accept it, up to the $4,000 cost.
The town already paid for the work, so all the money donated will reimburse the town. Bill Hane, councilman, said the money should have been raised before the actual work was completed.
Siegel said he has received nothing but positive responses from the fund-raising and the artwork on the water tower. But with town residents being able to contribute money to the project, the donors feel ownership of the project, he said. Overall, the effect has been positive and the town can't make policy based on a few people's negativity.
"It's been very well received," he said.
"I'm telling you right now, I made a big mistake with this," admitted Redshaw on the whole issue.
The council agreed to continue to take donations for the water tower work but will not permit canisters at local businesses.
In other business, the town council:
• Approved the proposal from Downey Insurance, written through Employers Mutual Insurance Co., for the town's insurance for a quote of $67,500.
• Approved town marshal Tom Perzanowski's request for equipment totaling $6,492.95.
• Approved the purchase of 50 Neptune meters from Utility Supply Co. at a cost of $4,150. The water department has a depleted inventory of residential water meters. Total cost for the meters will be split between water and wastewater departments.
• Approved the 2003 water and sewer budgets.
Thomas Miller, area manager for Severn Trent Services, said the total budget for the wastewater department is $737,000. The water department budget projected revenues for 2003 is $539,288 with a budget of $459,878.
"It's good to develop budgets where you're going to make more money than you are going to spend," he said.
• Approved the reappointment of Gus Duehmig to the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals.
• Approved the appointment of the 2003 department heads: Perzanowski, town marshal; Mickey Scott, fire chief; town attorney, Michael Reed; and town manager, Brian Redshaw.
• Approved an interlocal agreement between the town and Kosciusko County regarding the 2002 countywide aerial photography project. The town will pay $3,637 against the total price of the project.
• Approved an agreement between the Kosciusko County Highway Department and the town for snow and ice control.
• Elected Barb Carwile as the town council president for 2003.
• Swore in Siegel as councilman, whose term begins Jan. 1.
Members of the Syracuse Town Council are Carwile, Koble, Hane, Stoelting and Mike Davis. Their next meeting is a year-end meeting at 5 p.m. Dec. 30 in the town hall.
State Releases Results Of Graduation Exam
BY LAURIE HAHN, Times-Union Staff Writer
Statewide results are in for the 2002 Graduation Qualifying Exam, and Kosciusko County-area schools vary in the scoring on the GQE.
High school students in Indiana schools are required to pass the GQE to graduate. The test, which is divided into English and language arts and math, is first taken when the students are sophomores, and can be retaken during their junior and senior years.
The state average passing for the test scores is: 68 percent in math and 68 percent in English and language arts.
Following are the 2002 results by school:
• Warsaw Community High School - 75 percent passed the math portion of the GQE and 77 percent passed the language arts section. The math score is up compared to last year, when Warsaw 10th-graders scored 69 percent and from 2000 and 1999, when the scores were 73 percent. The English and language arts score is higher than the 71 percent in 2001 and 2000, which was down from 73 percent in 1999.
• Wawasee High School - 69 percent passed the math test, down from 72 percent in 2001 and 78 percent in 2000. This year, 69 percent passed the language arts exam, down from 75 percent in 2001, 74 percent in 2000 and 78 percent in 1999.
• Whitko High School - 74 percent of Whitko sophomores passed the math portion of the GQE, compared to 63 percent last year, 80 percent in 2000 and 57 percent in 1999. On the language arts section, 70 percent passed this year, compared to 65 percent in 2001, 69 percent in 2000 and 52 percent in 1999.
• Tippecanoe Valley High School - For 2002, 77 percent of Valley students taking the math GQE passed it, continuing a steady increase from 58 percent in 1999, 64 percent in 2000 and 67 percent in 2001. On the language arts section, 76 percent passed, up from 69 percent in 2001, 65 percent in 2000 and 70 percent in 1999.
• Triton Junior-Senior High School - Triton's math score was up this year, at 70 percent, compared to 59 percent in 2001, but down from 76 percent in 2000 and even with 1999's 70 percent. In language arts, 82 percent of Triton students taking the GQE passed, up from 73 percent in 2001 and 79 percent in 2000, but slightly down from 83 percent in 1999.
• Manchester High School - MHS was above the state average in math, with 73 percent passing, but that was lower than the 2001 score of 78 percent, the 2000 score of 81 percent and 1999's 78 percent. The MHS language arts score of 73 percent was the same as 2001's 73 percent, and down from 2000's 82 percent and 1999's 77 percent.
Individual schools' scores, as well as a plethora of other information on schools and school districts, is available on the Web site for the Indiana Department of Education at http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us
