Township Budget Accounts For Cemetery Expansion, PERF Plan
The Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board held its regular monthly meeting Monday evening. The second reading of the 2013 township budget was conducted. No taxpayers were present to question the reading, and no objections were raised after advertising the budget in The Mail-Journal twice, according to township trustee Barb Griffith.
The 2013 general budget stands at $1.8 million and the township assistance budget stands at $74,000. This budget accounts for the approved purchase of a 1/2 acre parcel to expand Union Cemetery on CR 1000 North.
Board member Dick Waterson reported the property is currently being surveyed by the county surveyor. Griffith reported she is gathering information on refurbishing headstones and the requirements for expanding cemeteries. Board member Kim Cates expressed her interest in hiring someone within the township to install fencing at the new cemetery.
The 2013 budget also accounts for $300,000 budgeted for Public Employee Retirement Funds. The proposed PERF plan has not yet been voted into approval.
In his fire report, Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire Chief Mickey Scott said some questions still needed to be answered about the PERF plan, but he felt the plan would benefit the future of the department as a whole.
Scott also reported the fire territory responded to a total of 113 fire and EMS calls in September, with an estimated property loss of $3,000 attributed to a vehicle fire.
In other news, Scott reported on the following:
- The fire watch at Wawasee Middle School was in place until Oct. 2. The school sprinkler system is reportedly operational again.
- The proposal for the renovation of Fire Station 1 has not been voted on due to the cancellation of September’s Turkey Creek Fire Territory Executive Board meeting.
- Fire department members worked with Kosciusko County chapter of the American Red Cross on Oct. 6 to provide smoke detectors and batteries locally. Scott reminds readers to change smoke detector batteries every six months.
- With cooler weather approaching, Scott reminds readers to: be sure heating appliances are working correctly; that carbon monoxide detectors are installed; that those burning leaves and yard waste attend and control fires at all times and extinguish fires by nightfall; that those in town limits not burn yard waste per town ordinance; that trash fires of petroleum based products are illegal in the state of Indiana.
In her trustee report, Griffith said September’s township expenses were up $6,000 due to a budgeted pay-out to the town park’s department lifeguards. She expects expenses for poor relief to go up shortly due to colder weather.
The Turkey Creek Township Advisors meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at Syracuse Fire Station Two.
For a more in-depth account, see today’s issue of The Mail-Journal.