SYRACUSE — Plans are moving forward with the Eli Lilly Road widening project, members of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee heard at the Monday, May 16, meeting.

Pulver Asphalt and Paving can do a drain to Lake Wawasee that will stay above normal lake level, so a Department of Natural Resources permit is not necessary. Since the committee only received $20,000 of the $40,000 requested from the K21 Foundation, it still needs $23,000 to complete the project. There was a vote at the meeting to decide if the money will come from a donation or if the committee needs to find more grant money to cover this amount. The committee decided to move forward with the project and use the grant money.

Pulver will be able to start in about three weeks, with about six weeks needed to complete the project, which puts completion in the middle of July. It will cost $10,140 to move the phone boxes.

Megan McClellan, executive director, presented possible advertising options for the Conklin Bay boardwalk project. The committee is still waiting on a lawyer to write a “not liable for maintenance” agreement so the county will sign the Indiana Department of Transportation permit form. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management permit has been submitted.

“We have received another invoice from Earth Source, which finishes the Dekko grant and some of the first Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission grant,” she said.

As for the SR 13 and Harkless Drive crossing, a final draft of this section has been sent to INDOT for approval.

New signs have arrived and need to be installed. The committee is still waiting on three plaques. The kiosk at the athletic’s complex needs some maintenance. Still no word on when the kiosk at another trailhead will be completed.
Promotional items have been received. These include reflective Velcro bands, water bottles and doggie bag dispensers. McClellan had examples at the meeting. She is working on the T-shirts, but hopes to have them soon.

Tour des Lakes is Saturday, July 9. Brochures have been sent to area bike shops and the website, www.tourdeslakes.com, has been updated. As of May 11, there were 21 people registered. Interested riders can register on the website. The event is a major fundraiser for the trails.

McClellan will be present to talk at National Trail’s Day at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 6, at the Syracuse library; the public is invited. Syracuse will be hosting a sunset stroll, organized by Indiana Humanities and led by Indiana’s Poet Laureate, from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, June 9. Dinner will be provided. Space is limited. Registration is at syracusewawaseecampfire.eventbrite.com.

Dr. Tom Edington gave the treasurer’s and funds report. There was $2,572 in donations last month and $552 came from the Tails and Trails event. The committee received $2,000 from the Greenways Foundation for the design and permitting of the Conklin Bay project.

Heather Pressler was named Volunteer of the Month.

The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, June 20, at Syracuse Community Center.