Turkey Creek Advisory Board Passes Budget
Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board unanimously passed next year’s budget after second reading Monday night. No one from the public offered any comment on the proposed budget.
The 2015 budget totals $1,972,926, including $36,855 in personnel compensation, $4,300 for supplies, and $54,450 for other services. The fire department’s budget comprises the remaining 90 percent of the total.
In other business, Fire Chief Mickey Scott announced his department will make publicly available Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment forms, advance directives recently authorized by the Indiana legislature that supplement the provisions of living wills and “do not resuscitate” orders.
Board member Kimberly Cates requested Scott to hold an informational meeting at the chamber of commerce on the use of the POST forms.
Scott announced two communication features to enhance public access to the department’s services.
Both of the township’s fire stations now have “911 only” phones located outside their front doors. “These are ‘warm phones,’” said Scott. “There is no keypad. Just picking up the phone will connect someone to dispatch.”
The chief also invited the public to visit the fire department’s website, www.syracusefd.com, “in order to stay up to date with information in regards to our department apparatus and emergency responses, as well as other information pertaining to the fire and EMS service.” Details of the department’s fire runs are updated daily.
During public comment, Syracuse resident Dick Pelletier reported on the progress of the Harold Schrock Athletic Complex, to which the township donated $7,000 in January.
Pelletier, in charge of fundraising for the construction of the complex, thanked the board for their contribution, and announced the pee-wee football league finished Saturday.
“We had lights up just after the season started,” he said, “and we had bleachers this year. We replaced some of the grass and the facility looks good. We just finished the trail around the facility and the neighbors are enjoying it.”
Pelletier also noted the Syracuse Parks Department is planning to install an ice rink for the winter on the infield of the adult softball diamond. As a consequence, said Pelletier, “they have to insulate the concession stand to accommodate the skating rink.”
Board member Dennis Darr reported he called the Wawasee Tree Service about an estimate for tree debris and cleanup at the township’s cemeteries. “They said they wouldn’t go over $10,000,” he said. The board unanimously approved a motion to contract the service to clean up and remove tree and brush debris from three cemeteries with a payout limit of $10,000.
Township Trustee Barb Griffith requested $358 to purchase a $1,000,000 liability bond for township employees. Her request was unanimously approved.
Attorney Andrew Grossnickle informed the board there are no legal impediments to correcting a scrivener’s error on adjacent plots at the Weybright Cemetery by exchanging deeds on the respective parcels. The board voted unanimously to proceed with the correction.
Scott reported the fire department responded to 112 calls in September. “There was no reported property loss in the Turkey Creek Fire Territory due to fire,” he said.
The year-to-date response total is running higher than last year’s, Scott noted.
The board meets next at 7:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at the town hall in Syracuse.