Todd Mikel, far right, is sworn in by David Hollenbeck, on Zoom, during the Turkey Creek Dam and Dike Conservancy District. Also shown are Jim Silcox and David Johnson.

By Lauren Zeugner
Staff Writer

SYRACUSE — In its first annual meeting, held Saturday, Feb. 12, the Turkey Creek Dam and Dike Conservancy District swore in Todd Mikel as a new board member. Mikel will represent District 1 of the conservancy which was represented by John Earnst before he moved out of the area.

Bill Pipp, conservancy chairman, explained Mikel’s election was uncontested. In addition to being nominated by Earnst, the conservancy received five letters from free holders in the district in support of Mikel. Mikel, who also served on the Syracuse Lake Association board, will serve on the conservancy board for 4-year term.

In addition to electing Mikel, the conservancy organized its governing board for 2022 as part of the annual meeting. Pipp was nominated to remain as chair, with Carolyn Anderson nominated as both vice chair and treasurer. Jim Silcox was nominated as secretary.

After closing out the annual meeting, the conservancy moved into its first quarterly meeting. The conservancy is required to meet quarterly per state law.

Pipp explained the dike project is the first official project for the conservancy. The repair of the water control device in Crosson Mill Park was done before the conservancy district was officially in place. The water control device was done in collaboration with the Syracuse Town Council, Wawasee Property Owners Association, Syracuse Lake Association and private donations.

Pipp reported the agreement between the conservancy and the Town of Syracuse is the town will maintain the water control device, “since it knows what it’s doing,” when it comes to keeping the lake level where it should be as well as maintain areas around the dam.

Hollenbeck explained the process of the dike project, which includes acquiring permits and easements, having the Indiana Department of Natural Resources approve the repair plan. Once the IDNR approves and the costs are established, the conservancy will hold a public meeting to give the public an opportunity to review the plan. After the public meeting competitive bidding can take place.

For the dike project, a 30 foot easement has been granted by those property owners affected.

Jeff Rowe, from Baker Tilly, the conservancy’s financial consultant, explained since the district was new, there wasn’t much to report on. The conservancy does have to fill out a form regarding salaries for board members. That form has been filled out and submitted to the state.

Pipp explained while none of the current board members are taking a salary to serve on the conservancy, if the question is not asked in the beginning of the conservancy, later boards will not be able to request a salary in the future should the need arise.

Rowe explained he won’t have much to report until the conservancy starts to do financial transactions. The conservancy will be required to go through a budgeting process.

This will be the first year the conservancy will be receiving tax distributions. Pipp noted the conservancy is expected to receive approximately $169,000 in its general fund, half distributed in June and half distributed in December.

In its cumulative fund, the conservancy is expected to receive a  $454,000, also in two distributions. The approximate cost of the dike repair is approximately $554,000.

Rowe noted the conservancy district will receive $25,000 more than anticipated due to an increase in the assessed value of real estate within the conservancy district. Pipp asked if funds from the general fund can be carried over from one year to the next. Rowe said yes, they could.

Pipp projected the dike project could be completed this year. Once it’s complete, the conservancy would re-evaluate the tax rate it collects based on what is needed. He anticipated the impact would go down rather than up.

Currently the tax impact within the conservancy district is on primary residences assessed at $500,000, the tax impact is approximately $135 while the impact on property assessed at $1 million is $301. For secondary homes within the conservancy district, the impact is approximately $200 for property assessed at $500,000 and approximately $460 for property assessed at $1 million.

Pipp noted the conservancy district does not have its own office. Instead it’s renting space from the WACF. “Even the money we are spending is to support other non-profits in the area,” he said.

Pipp then went over the cash flow with the board to see make sure the conservancy would be solvent through June when the first tax distribution would come through. “I just want everyone to know we are solvent,” he said.

Chris Jeter from Lawson-Fisher, the engineering firm working with the conservancy district, provided a rehabilitation schedule for the dike project. Noting the schedule is a “worst case schedule,” Jeter reported the site survey is completed. Tree removal is expected to start later this month or in early March with soil borings to follow.

Silcox asked if the roots of the trees would be removed or just the trees. Jeter said the trees would be removed to where the stumps are flush with the ground. The roots would not be removed.

When the project is finished it will look similar to the water control device. Jeter noted he has been in conversations with the DNR regarding the wetlands and lake near the dike. The conservancy wants to have a concrete pad on pilings that is 1 foot above the 100 year flood level.

Jeter noted the worst case scenario of working through permits and design approval, would be construction of the dike starting in early 2023.

Pipp reported two contractors are already familiar with the dike project and have said they hope to bid on it.

Bill Musser, Syracuse Town Council president, asked if it would be difficult to get equipment back to the dike area, noting it could be a quagmire due to the wetlands. Jeter said he wasn’t sure how equipment would be brought back there. He noted he’s depending on the contractor for input.

Musser praised the conservancy on how the water control device area looked when it was completed.

In other business Silcox brought up the idea of the lake level and flow rate monitoring. He explained how Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, figures out how to keep the lake level at the correct point, by looking at reference points upstream.

Silcox explained there are companies using transducers and rain gauges to accomplish the same thing. He noted if Jonsson had data on rainfall upstream, it could help him out.

The WACF already has transducers in the area creeks doing monitoring for its WINS study. Silcox floated the idea of paying the WACF a reasonable price to access the data already collected. He thinks it would better assist Jonsson.

As the conversation continued, Anderson noted Nate Borsch at Grace Colelge is doing parallel studies with the WACF WINS project.

Silcox suggested sitting down with Jonsson and showing him the information the conservancy already has to see it if would help him and then talking to the WACF. Musser pointed out having this information would be extremely helpful when a new person takes over the job in the future.