Syracuse Town Councilman Paul Stoelting, standing, chats with councilman Bill Musser and Councilwoman Cindy Kaiser prior to the March Syracuse Town Council meeting. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Two public hearings were held during the Syracuse Town Council’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, March 18, regarding upcoming water and wastewater projects.

Donny Ritsema, senior community development planner for Michiana Council of Governments, led the first hearing on an Office of Community & Rural Affairs Grant. He explained the project would be focused on wastewater and drinking water projects.

There would be two different public hearings, one at the proposal stage, which was Tuesday night’s hearing. The grant proposal is due to ORCA in mid-April. Once the project is given the green light, the second public hearing would be held June 20.

The goals and objectives of the project are to provide safe drinking water, protect utility rates, protect the environment and meet one of three national objectives. The Town of Syracuse meets one of those national objectives, which is a population that is at least 51% low to moderate income. According to Census data, the Town of Syracuse has a population that is 55% low to moderate income.

Ritsema explained the need of the project is to service line improvement on Huntington Street. The project will start at the north water tower and extend northwest and includes upgrading existing water mains on Huntington and adjacent streets; replacing 39 service lines likely to be lead; constructing a 12 inch transmission line from the water treatment plant to Huntington Street; and providing a redundancy system.

The projected cost of the project is $5,144,100. The maximum federal funding the town can apply for is $700,000. Ritsema said the plan is to ask for the full amount, with the town responsible for $4,444,000. The town would then have to apply for a State Revolving Fund loan to help defray the cost of the project.

Councilman Bill Musser asked how the project benefits with the low to moderate income level. Ritsema explained MACOG can apply the entire town for the grant.

In the second hearing Jeremy Hardy, Amy Mendoza and Baylee Girdham of Commonweath Engineering, the town’s engineering firm, explained the project in more detail.

Along with the Huntington Street improvements, the ORCA and SRF would be used for service line improvements east of the water treatment plant. This would include transferring water service lines from older water mains to newer, larger mains on High Street, Mill Street and Washington Street, replacement of up to 14 service lines that are likely lead and decommissioning old 2 inch water mains.

There will also be improvements made to Kern Road, including water main extension along Kern Road, providing service to homes currently serviced by wells, and installing 850 linear feet of new water main.

Mendoza and Girdham both said they would like to see more engagement by the public on this project. Residents were mailed an interest survey for public water and additional positive responses would benefit the project. The total for both the Huntington and Kern Road projects is estimated at $6,203,400, with the project substantially complete by February 2027.