Town Attorney Jay Rigdon, left, swears in Sara Pritchard as a new Syracuse police officer. She will be replacing Dan Buell, who went to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office. Looking on is Town Manager David Wilkinson.
Pritchard has served as a reserve officer for Syracuse. She will be attending the police academy at the end of August. Police Chief Jim Layne said he believed she was the first full-time female police officer on the department. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Councilman Nathan Scherer announced during the Syracuse Town Council’s regular meeting Tuesday night, May 16, CSX will be repairing the railroad bridge connecting Syracuse Lake and Lake Wawasee.

Scherer credited the collaborative efforts of the Town of Syracuse, Syracuse Lake Association, Wawasee Property Owners Association and Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation in securing the repair work, which is to start next week.

“The repair process will involve sequentially fixing each bay, utilizing fiber wrapping and reinforcement techniques. Additionally, rods will be driven through the central vertical support and coated with an aesthetically pleasing finish. Each bay is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete,” Scherer said in a statement.

“I would like to express my gratitude to all those involved in this longstanding endeavor, and I am thrilled we are resolving this issue for the benefit of our town and lakes,” he said.

Town Attorney Jay Rigdon swore in Officer Sara Pritchard. She is replacing Officer Dan Buell, who has taken a position with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office.

Ben Logan, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, made a plea for the council to consider donating property for housing should a blighted home be torn down. Scherer asked how many Habitat homes were in Syracuse. Logan said he believed seven to 10, but none have been built in his two years at Habitat for Humanity in Kosciusko County.

“I’m not asking for money,” joked Amy Roe, Kosciusko County community coordinator, as she came before the council. She took some time to explain her position as the community coordinator and the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program.

She also discussed some ongoing projects in building young entrepreneurs in the community as well as connecting town officials in the county with various state agencies on a host of projects.

Amy Roe, Kosciusko County community coordinator, gestures to Alan Tio, CEO of KEDCO, sitting in the audience, as she explains her role to the Syracuse Town Council during its meeting Tuesday night, May 16. Roe works with local communities and agencies such as KEDCO on a host of projects. She came before the council to give an update on various projects she’s working on. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

Alan Tio, CEO of KEDCO provided the council with an annual update. KEDCO is focusing on three pillars: entrepreneurship, housing and retaining talent. The organization is working with communities and business owners to find ways to invest and grow their businesses in the county.

KEDCO is also looking to attract remote workers to the area. An event is planned for later this week for business recruiters to show them what Kosciusko County has to offer in quality of life amenities.

Councilman Larry Siegel asked if KEDCO would be supportive of accessory dwelling units, which are also known as in-law flats or backyard cottages, as a way to meet the housing shortage in the county. Tio said he could see KEDCO playing a supportive role to a municipality exploring the possibility of allowing that type of housing.

Councilman Paul Stoelting asked how KEDCO supports itself. KEDCO has a staff of five full-time employees and several part-time employees. The organization is funded through fee-for-service from cities and towns within Kosciusko County, along with private investors such as Polywood.

Tio noted the town’s annual fee-for-service is $15,000, but the council has only approved $7,500 in the past and for 2023. He explained the fee is based on a municipality’s population.

After hearing how KEDCO could assist Syracuse with two housing projects, Siegel made a motion to approve paying KEDCO the remaining $7,500 for 2023. The motion passed unanimously.