Julie Close Closes Out Successful First Year As Turkey Creek Trustee
SYRACUSE — Julie Close, who took office Jan. 1, 2019, closed out her first year as Turkey Creek Township trustee with a successful year of moving her office forward to better serve the township’s residents.
She reorganized the record keeping system, making it more efficient and rendering the monthly trustee’s reports more readable for the township advisory board.
Through November, the office dispensed $48,643.30 in poor relief assistance in the following amounts:
• Rent, $12,071
• Utilities, $28,775.18
• Funeral, $500
• Food, $7,297.12
The board tackled several issues during the year, including studying the feasibility of installing a tornado siren at Enchanted Hills, as requested by representatives of the home association. Two of the board members conducted a personal survey of the sirens’ functions and John Heckaman concluded “at least a siren can be heard by all of the 640 households in the community.”
Township attorney Andrew Grossnickle spent research time during the year in resolving cemetery parcel lines and a donated parcel and several easements in the township.
Grossnickle also informed the board of state requirements to post a sign signaling the location of the trustee’s office.
“The sign must be clearly visible with the name of the trustee, a notice that services are available and the office’s phone number,” he said. Board member Bill Dixon volunteered to spearhead the signage project.
The board approved amendments to the 2020 salary ordinance for fire territory employees and officers, incuding requiring the department to pay a third of an injured employee’s wages “for the period of time specified for applicable temporary benefits under Indiana’s Worker Compensation laws.” The amendment was designed to remedy the shortfall in 77 PERF payouts.
On the light side, Dixon announced the township has produced three Eagle Scouts — Connor Grumme, Devin Van Lue and Carter Bowman — during the year. “This hasn’t happened for quite some time,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have good leadership and good Scouts coming through that program.”
Looking forward to 2020, Close’s proposed $2,760,099 budget was approved in the following amounts:
• General expenses, $111,700
• Township assistance, $83,000
• Recreation, $15,500
• Rainy day fund, $20,000
• Fire protection territory, general, $1,894,899
• Fire protection territory, equipment replacement, $635,000