Stellar Communities Marches On
Progress on having Syracuse join Indiana’s Stellar Communities continues with Tammy Cotton, chamber executive director, stating at the March 4 Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board meeting Town Manager Henry DeJulia is onboard.
Cotton said the process of achieving the designation will be long, with Syracuse having 18 months before it can even apply. One element that needs to be completed is a list of potential projects that could occur in Syracuse. Assistant Director Kristi Martin added “anyone in the community can contribute to the list.”
Cotton said town meetings will be held for further public input and eventually an advisory board will be put together. She noted it is important to get the community involved, adding the chamber and other organizations can’t carry the project alone.
Another project, new Syracuse welcome signs, is well underway. Board members inspected designs for the signs, to replace existing ones located near Wawasee Middle School and at the intersection of US 6 and SR 13. The new signs will be purchased using funds from the Harkless Foundation and will be made of sturdier material so they won’t fall apart as easily.
Chamber President Chad Jonsson said they hope to have the signs up before Memorial Day weekend.
Preparations for cruse-in, May 15, have started as well. Currently, the events task force is looking for vendors, particularly nonprofits, to set up in the municipal parking lot and potentially on Main Street. Spaces for chamber members will be $25 while spaces for non-chamber members will be $40.
So far, attendees can expect to find strawberry shortcake, funnel cakes, ice cream, fajitas and more at the event. The Broke & Hungry Blues Band is also slated to perform again this year.
In other chamber news:
• Two new members were approved: Wallace Plumbing Heating & HVAC and Burkes Repo Outlet.
• Early registration for the golf outing, June 17, will be running until April 15. With this promotion, teams of four will be able to register for $275. Additionally, the golf outing committee continues to seek sponsors.
• The chamber board will be filling two board openings, with the nominating committee looking for suggestions. New board members will serve for the remainder of their predecessor’s term: 2016 and 2015, with the chance for two more years, respectively.
• Cotton stated she moved $750 from the annual banquet’s profit to the chamber’s Legacy Fund, used to help local charities fill their needs and to provide scholarships for Wawasee High School seniors.
Next board meeting is at noon April 1 in the chamber office.