SYRACUSE - Syracuse Town Council used their last meeting of the year to make several appointments and to adopt an ordinance.
The council reorganized for 2009. Cassie Cowan will serve as council president, with Paul Stoelting as vice president.
Town attorney Mike Reed was appointed to serve for another year. Reed did request an increase in his rate for any work done outside of his retainer, from $125 per hour to $160. This applies only to work beyond his regular attendance at meetings and serving in an advisory capacity as needed. The council approved this increase starting Jan. 1.
Tony Ciriello was reappointed town marshal for the upcoming year. Chad Jonsson was appointed to a new three-year term as parks superintendent and also was appointed to the Syracuse Tree Board. Jeremy Sponseller was appointed to serve the balance of Clint Houseworth's term as street department superintendent.
Martha Stoelting and Nancy Duehmic, current members of the park board, were reappointed for another year by the council. These appointments were made on the recommendation of the park board.
The council approved an ordinance to create a fund for the Forest Park Subdivision Utilities. This ordinance allows for repayment by residents for the water and sewer lines that the town needs to extend to the subdivision as part of the annexation. A bond also will be created from this fund.
The council awarded the contract for the new street department building to DJ Construction. The company's base bid of $152,970 includes electrical work and radiant tube heating installation. However, the council recommended that since the budget for the project was only initially $150,000, DJ Construction will have to be willing to work with the street department to find areas of the project that can be trimmed to meet this figure. The council only granted approval on a "not to exceed" basis.
The town of Syracuse has agreed to enter into a road maintenance agreement with Kosciusko County for snow and ice control. County road maintenance crews and Syracuse crews will divide the work on some of the county roads in the area. This agreement is for the winter months only, and involves no paving or other road work.
Claims paid for the month of December are $623,658.51.
Syracuse Town Council members are Cowan, Stoelting, Brian Woody, Bill Musser and Larry Siegel.
