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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
From Redhawk To Warrior
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
One Nation Under God
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South Shore Social to open Memorial Day weekend By LAUREN ZEUGNER Staff Writer The restaurant at South Shore has had many reincarnations over the years. From a higher end restaurant to a beach themed place to the new, soon to be open, South Shore Social. The new sports bar offers simulators where customers can play golf and other games along with an interactive dart boards and an indoor shuffle board, all geared towards bringing people together to hang out and socialize. Not in the mood to socialize? Just need a quiet place to unwind and enjoy a drink? The South Shore Social can provide that as well in the new martini and bourbon bar where higher
TURN AROUND ACHIEVEMENT AWARD — North Webster Elementary fifth grader Jackson Meck was honored during the regular monthly Wawasee School board meeting. The Turn Around Achievement Award recognizes one student from each school in grades five, eight and 12, who has made positive choic-
Wawasee School Board approves phase one bids, discretionary fund
es about his or her educational future. The schools’ principal and staff members select the deserving student. The turnaround can occur in behavior, attitude, attendance or academics. Pictured from left are Meck, Dr. Steve Troyer and Dr. Shelly Wilfong. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.
D.O.R.A. meeting brings questions, concerns
Text and Photos By MARISSA SWEATLAND Staff Writer
By LAUREN ZEUGNER Staff Writer
During its regular monthly board meeting, held Tuesday, May 14, the Wawasee School Board heard from Dr. Brandon Penrod, CFO for the corporation. The school corporation held a phase one bid opening Monday, May 6. The bids were placed by prequalified contractors for the work and supply of materials for the Wawasee High School performing arts center and CTE renovations. The bids received were for phase one; the second phase will be coming out to bid in August or September. “The general description of Bid Phase No. 1 is ‘Make Ready Work’ with classroom renovations, utility relocation and building demolition,” Penrod explained. The scope of work varies from bid package to bid package. Bids were placed for masonry, general trades, metal stud, gyp board, ceiling installation, resilient flooring, painting, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, earthwork
Approximately 20 people attended a public meeting at the Syracuse Community Center to learn more about “Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas.” The meeting was held Tuesday night, May 14. Town Manager David Wilkinson explained to those present the meeting was strictly exploratory as the Indiana State Legislature recently passed a law allowing D.O.R.A.s Police Chief Jim Layne and Ashley Dillon, executive director of the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce attended the meeting as did Councilman Bill Musser. Prior to the meeting, Musser said.”I am against this. I think this type of thing is for an area with a lot of shops. We don’t have that in the uptown Syracuse. We have a lot of businesses and bars.” He also expressed concern about a patron leaving an restaurant or bar with a drink and being pulled over for having an open container. The new law allows a community to establish a zone where alcohol can be served and taken out of an establishment. The alcohol is served in a distinctive cup and the patron may wander through the D.O.R.A. enjoying the beverage with no issues. Patrons are permitted to purchase two drinks per establishment in the D.O.R.A. The idea is to draw more business to a D.O.R.A. Since the law was passed 10 to 20 different communities
throughout the state have established D.O.R.A.s including Warsaw and Winona Lake. Under the law, Syracuse could have seven D.O.R.A.s. Wilkinson explained to create a D.O.R.A. a bar or similar establishment must agree to be the anchor. The D.O.R.A. would then surround that anchor. Signage would indicate the boundaries of the D.O.R.A. so patrons would know if they are entering or exiting. the designated space. Restrictions for a D.O.R.A. are the borders cannot be within 200 feet of a church or school. If a D.O.R.A. boundary is established too close to either, the church or school may sign off on it. If the church or school chooses not to sign off, the boundary must be changed. A D.O.R.A. is allowable from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. seven days a week. However a community may impose its own restrictions on a D.O.R.A., including having it just
for a special event such as a festival. Currently, Syracuse has a relatively new ordinance that permits outdoor dining as long as there is some type of fencing or barrier between patrons and the sidewalk. The D.O.R.A. would eliminate the need for the barriers. One person at the meeting asked if Wilkinson envisioned people boating into the municipal pier to participate in the D.O.R.A. Wilkinson explained in theory the D.O.R.A. could increase foot traffic that could lead to shop owners extending their business hours. Another attendee asked why the D.O.R.A. was needed. Wilkinson said it wasn’t needed, but it is an economic development tool and it’s his responsibility to bring it to the town council to consider. He said the council is at least interested in looking at it. Another attendee said she didn’t see a need, that there
end cocktails will be served. Separated from the main bar the martini and bourbon bar offers a quiet place to enjoy a drink in solitude or host a business meeting. Along with drinks, there’s a new menu. Jeff Dyson, co-owner, described the food as elevated shareables. Dyson’s and co-owner Nathan Scherer’s vision for the entire property hinges on the South Shore Social facility being the hub that will bring everything together. They did that with South Shore Social by asking “What is there to do in Syracuse?” “There are things to do in this building,” Dyson said. “What we want to provide is a space where people can come, interact and Continued on page 3
wasn’t enough shopping in the uptown area to make it worthwhile. “I just don’t see any purpose for this. We’re small,” she said. Some attendees expressed concern about patrons being overserved or those underage getting access to alcohol in the D.O.R.A. One person asked if Wilkinson was for establishing a D.O.R.A. He said he was indifferent to the idea and he wouldn’t be passing the ordinance, the town council would make the final decision. One merchant said she’s hearing “revitalization” not alcohol and that if there’s more people in the uptown area she would consider expanding her hours. Stores would have the option to be D.O.R.A. friendly or not with special signage. Those that were not D.O.R.A. friendly could deny customers entrance if they had alcohol with them. Wilkinson stressed the Continued on page 2
and site utilities. “At the bid opening, if you have never been to one, someone cuts open the sealed envelopes, hands it to us and we read it,” Penrod explained to the board. “At the end of that time, we get an apparent low and so we go back and check compliance, make sure they submitted their bid bonds and performance bonds, which is done offsite. They bring it back to us and we get a winning bid recommendation.” This project is one half of a larger $75 million project. The corporation split the amount in half, $35 million to the performing arts center and CTE renovations and $35 million to the construction of a new Milford Elementary School, with $5 million to buffer any ancillary costs. The costs of phase one will be pulled from the $35 million budget. “Each scope of work is a separate bid package. Each bid package then gets awarded to somebody different, with the exception of masonry and general trades,” Penrod explained. “We take that total and then we add to it any Continued on page 2
Milford Town Council gets details on water meter replacement and economic revitalization project By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer Ryan Lareau of Commonwealth Engineers came forward with information on next steps in Milford’s water meter replacement process during the Monday, May 13 town council meeting. Milford received a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs in February for construction of meter replacements. The next step is to get engineering under contract so the process can begin. The total cost of Commonwealth’s bid package is $20,000, with $15,000 going to the design of the project and $5,000 for bidding. Contractors will be bidding on the procurement and furnishing of the water meters as well as installation, and coordinating with
residents. Bidding should start in August, with the goal for construction starting in October. “That’s optimistic, ultimately it’ll depend on how quickly they could come up with 500 meters. ... Off the cuff, my assumption would be they could replace them all within, say, three months,” said Lareau. Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall pointed out Milford applied for an environmental waiver and if they do not receive it they won’t go through with the plan. The council approved accepting Commonwealth’s agreement, contingent upon receiving the waiver from OCRA. Olivia Nix of the Michiana Area Council of Governments also came forward for a public hearing on the economic revitalization project Milford is under-
taking. Nix outlined the basics of the project, which is being done through the OCRA block grant program: an economic plan to “serve as an actionable road map to revitalize the local economy in the aftermath of the pandemic,” she explained. The town is working on their planning grant application, due June 21. They’re seeking $50,000 with a 10% local match, sourced from Milford’s ARPA funds; about 54.3% of the grant funds will be used to benefit low-to-moderate income individuals. Nix noted the project would not result in the displacement of any individuals or businesses. She also emphasized that the money is to fund a study, not any actual construction at this point. After a firm is contracted to do the study, Continued on page 2
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