Township Advisors Welcome Board Applicants
The Turkey Creek advisory board Monday, May 9, welcomed two applicants for the board’s vacancy.
Randy Cox and Cindy Taylor publicly introduced themselves to the board. Both are seeking to fill the position vacated by Steve Snyder’s resignation earlier this year.
Cox is retired from 21 years with the Kosciusko County dispatch center. He was a sheriff’s reserve deputy for 16 years and served with the Atwood Fire Department in the early 1970s.
Taylor, a lifelong Syracuse resident, has worked in the telecommunications industry for 40 years and is presently a commercial operations manager at Ligonier Telephone Company.
The board will nominate one of the candidates for the town council’s consideration “in the next week or so,” according to board member Kim Cates.
The board also unanimously approved Fire Chief Mickey Scott’s request for $27,000 to install nine new overhead doors at Fire Station 1.
Scott announced, “We are currently in the process of putting together classes for American Heart Association CPR, first aid and AED (automated external defibrillators) to be taught at our fire station by our personnel.”
The department recently received 2015 AHA manuals with CPR guidelines, which were made available May 1.
“Now that we have the manuals with up-to-date guidelines, we are putting the program together,” he said.
Scott also reported:
• All outdoor warning sirens performed properly during May’s monthly test, but the batteries for the backup system need replacement. Scott will obtain quotes for installation of new batteries.
• The department attended the Kids Safety Day at Syracuse Community Center Saturday, April 30. Inclement weather cut the event short but “we did have some children we worked with concerning fire safety,” said Scott.
• Several elementary school tours of the fire station are scheduled through May. “This will give us an opportunity to provide fire prevention and safety education to children of our community,” Scott said.
• The department received insurance maps of Syracuse and Turkey Creek Township detailing water sources for firefighting. Scott said he is concerned with the gaps in coverage noted on the maps. “We are following up with the (insurance office) to clarify this matter,” he said. “We are not sure if this is because of the fire hydrant locations, water main sizes, flow rates, lack of data, etc.”
• The department received a trade-in estimate of $3,250 for the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban command vehicle slated for replacement this year.
• This year’s annual pork chop and chicken barbecue fundraiser will take place from 10 a.m. until the product is sold out (“usually 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.,” said Scott) Saturday, July 2, at Station 1. Pork chops or chicken halves are $6; corn on the cob is $1.
“Finally,” Scott said, “it is with deep regret we must inform the board of the recent passing of Carl Myrick.”
Myrick, a former member of the Syracuse Town Council, township advisory board and fire territory executive board, “was a huge supporter of our department and a key part of its success for many years,” said Scott.
“We would like to express our condolences to the family of Carl Myrick,” he said.
The board will next meet at 7 p.m. Monday, June 13, at Syracuse Town Hall.