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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Following Family Tradition
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Page 9 One Nation Under God themail-journal.com
Syracuse Town Council enters into interlocal agreement on dike project %\ /$85(1 =(8*1(5 6WDII :ULWHU
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Milford Council approves third annual Christmas parade %\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU Milford Town Council convened Monday, Nov. 14, for a regular monthly meeting wherein members cleared the way for the third annual Christmas parade, featuring emergency responders and led by Santa Claus, to be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. Milford Police Deputy Matthew Carter requested the use of town funds and facilities for the parade, which is tentatively planned to line up at the former PNC Bank parking lot at 5:30 p.m. before commencing at 6 p.m. with Santa Claus in the turret of the town’s Humvee. Police, fire, EMS and town vehicles will also take part in the
parade, which will then make its way from downtown east on Catherine Street to Shafer Street and North Park. From there it will move from east to west using streets running north and south. Carter suggested residents gather at the northwest corners of the route to view the parade. He also emphasized only emergency responders will take part in the parade itself. After the parade, there will be a meet-and-greet with Santa at the Milford Fire Department, 214 S. Main St. Hot cocoa and cookies will be available at no cost. Ryan LaReau of Commonwealth Engineers was on hand to inform the council that, since the kickoff meeting with the town Continued on page 2
Redevelopment commission hears KEDCo update
David Johnston, a member of the Turkey Creek Dike & Dam Conservancy District, came before the Syracuse Town Council during its regular meeting Tuesday night, Nov. 15, to address concerns raised by a council member. The council member thought it would be illegal for the town to enter into an agreement to assist the conservancy district in repairing the dike. Johnston explained state statue allows for multiple government agencies to collaborate on funding through interlocal agreements. He noted should the dike collapse again, as it did several years ago, it could have a negative economic effect on the area. He asked the town to enter into an interlocal agreement with the conservancy district and appropriate $50,000 from its 2023 budget to help fund the estimated $700,000 in repairs to the dike. Council President Bill Musser stated he had been in favor of the project since it was first brought up. “It’s important for the town to work with the lakes,” he said. “Ours is a small donation to a big project.” The council approved entering into an interlocal agreement with the conservancy district and contributing $50,000 to the project. A representative of Ridgestone Development, which is developing the old Syracuse Elementary School into apartments, asked that vacated easements
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Park board hears new ball field is ‘coming along’ %\ 3+2(%( 087+$57 6WDII :ULWHU If all goes well, the Syracuse community can possibly play sports at the new ball field next year. The Syracuse Parks and Recreation Board heard an update on Schrock Fields at its Monday night, Nov. 14, meeting. “It’s coming along pretty well,” said Chad Jonsson, park superintendent. “It’s been a busy week.” He said a lot of construction has been accomplished at the new complex. The batting cage base and backstop nets have been installed. The chain link fence has been completed, except for a small portion. The vinyl fence posts have been put up. He said Beer and Slabaugh, Nappanee, hopes to be finished with the ball fields by Dec. 31. “Hopefully, that’s the case,” said Jonsson. There will also be a field for
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playing football, though goal posts have not yet been put up. A mower for Schrock Fields is being delivered at the end of this week. The parks department purchased the mower from a company in Warsaw. Jonsson said he would like to add a broom to the John Deer mower. “We can use it to clean and clear paths and use it for snow removal.”. “If you can use it in other areas, too, then it’s a good idea,” said President Paul Newcomer. The cost of the 2023 John Deere heavy-duty rotary broom is $6,577.73. In other news, several trees have planted and others have been removed. The fall plantings were conducted last week. Eight trees were planted. All remaining tree removals will be completed by Jan. 1. Phillips Tree Service is doing the tree work. Jonsson has until Dec. 31 to apply for the Tree City USA desig-
Inside
The Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. is working on more and more business and housing projects in the county. At its meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10, the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission heard information from KEDCo Business Development Partner Greg Fitzloff. “We’ve got 31 housing projects throughout the county that we’re dealing with, in one fashion or another tracking,” he said as part of KEDCo’s regular report to the commission. “We’ve got 58 existing industry company projects that are in that pipeline that we’re dealing with and 38 attraction projects.” Thus, KEDCo is aiming to work at a faster pace than it was previously used to, he said. “We probably had a vehicle as an organization that was used to going 20 or 30 miles an hour,” said Fitzloff. “As we’ve added capacity … we’ve been able to increase Continued on page 2
nation. A utility task vehicle will be ordered, as the board has agreed to purchase it. Jonsson got two quotes for the UTV from Bobcat of Warsaw. The John Deere Gator will be delivered by mid-February and costs $15,938.15. Jonsson has applied for three grants for the Henry Ward Park pavilion and restrooms project. Jonsson submitted grants to The Harkless Foundation, Kosciusko County Community Foundation and Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau. He said depending on the monetary amounts of the grants, he would like to start work on the project next summer. “I’d like to fund half of the cost for it,” said Jonsson. The facility reservations form for the community center has been updated. Rental fees must be paid in full at least two weeks prior to the reservation date. Rental fees Continued on page 2
Community Thanksgiving Service See Page 12
See Public Notice On Page 11
ARPA committee hears potential industry growth request %\ /($+ 6$1'(5 6WDII :ULWHU A company could be bringing 1,000 new jobs to the northern part of Kosciusko County. The Kosciusko County American Rescue Plan Act Committee heard that news at its meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Tasked with helping oversee who gets to use the county’s ARPA funds from the federal government, the committee heard six new requests for money and discussed a tabled one. One of the new requests was brought by Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty. He asked for $2,888,000 for improving CR 1300N between Milford and Syracuse. The request is related to a business he declined to name that would be “coming in or expanding” in the area. “We have the potential of having a thousand jobs added to the north part of our county,” he said. The improvements would include
adding “safer shoulders and a safer intersection for the increase of the semi traffic that would be coming to that area,” he said, later adding that intersection was at CR 1300N and CR 300E. Kosciusko County Commissioners’ President and ARPA Committee President Cary Groninger said he was “100% in support of the project,” but said he wanted to check to make sure there were not other funding sources available for it. He also added granting the amount for the project would mean using up a good portion of the county’s remaining ARPA money. Fellow ARPA Committee Members Sue Ann Mitchell and Ernie Wiggins, who both serve on the Kosciusko County Council, agreed, causing the request to be tabled for now. After the meeting, Groninger declined to give more details on the company in question, but mentioned it involved industry that was “already here.” Continued on page 2
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