The Mail-Journal, Volume 28, Number 3, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 March 1989 — Page 1

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VOLUME 28

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$ 19,005,000 budget — Middle school plans approved

(By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer

The special meeting yesterday (Tuesday) of the Wawasee Community School Corporation Board of Trustees was a “moment we’ve all been waiting on,” stated Curtis Jordan, board president. Board members approved building plans, bid specifications and accepted an estimated project budget of $19,005,000 for the new middle school. “We’ve pretty well gone through this (the plans) the last year and have hit many committees and staff. This is no snap decision, board member DavtrtSorey after the 132 pages of drawings were presented. Board members unanimously approved the drawings on the and set bidippening for 3JjjsKApril 13, in Room 130 in wWasee High School. This action opens the way for possible ground breaking May 1. Richard Barton with Barton, Coe & Vilamaa, architects for the project, presented the plans and assured the board they were complete construction plans and suitable for bids. He noted the State Board of Health requires the testing of the school's well prior to plan approval and recommended someone be authorized to give the approval for the digging of the site well. Barton added the water from the well will be needed anyway for construction work. Dr. Roger Thornton, superintendent, was given the authorization to have the well dug. Dennis Mikel, board member, questioned if the wage scale had been established. Dr. Thornton reported the wage scale was

HM F I "Wl '*!!"' Hi MM |>i -& J y [ B, wk B a. -*2l B o JHI SYRACUSE JAYCEES HOST SOCIAL — Jaycees from all over the state got together at the Syracuse American Legion on Saturday, Feb. 25. and enjoyed a social for Region Two of the Jaycees. The event was hosted by the Syracuse Jaycees. who won the chance to hold the hash through a bid process. The theme for lhe evening was "This is your life . . . Mike Miller." Mike Miller is the organization's Region Two Director and the evening included a "roast" of Miller. In fact, in a message on the social's program it read. “If any of the characters portrayed in tonight's program resemble anyone in real life (or any Jaycee). they were supposed to! Pictured from left are Andy Tobin. National President of the Jaycees; Mike Miller. Region Two Director of the Jaycees; Mike Flumbaum. President of the Syracuse Jaycees; and Darrell Voelker. .President of the Indiana Jay cees. < Photo by Kate Wolford >

discussed during plans for the Syracuse School project. The project was large enough not to submit a separate wage scale. Only Estimated Phil Gutman. Summers and Company, financial advisors, recommended approving the budget he presented during the regular February meeting representing the worst case scenario. “You can always pull back, you can't enlarge," he pointed out. The budget approved, estimates the construction cost at $14,944,000, including the construction of a forced main sewage line. The remainder of the $19,005,000 budget includes fees, equipment, tests, underwriting and miscellaneous costs. Also included is the deduction of interest earned during construction. Gutman noted his company will try to contract the total project cost’ size as the project progresses. thus reducing the amount of borrowing. “There's not a lot of fat in the budget,” said Gutman pointing out the continual adjustment in the budget will take place until closing in mid-May. During the discussion of the letter agreement of lease financing, comments centered around the adjusted net.rental factor. Gutman noted the rent called for in the lease, has a guarantee that the net interest cost will not exceed 8.6 percent. The agreement also states the semi annual rent will not be higher than $1,006,495 over the 20 year lease period. “We’re hoping and looking ahead, if nothing changes, the first of May will be a good time to be in the market place," commented Gutman. > The board members approved a March 14 hearing to be conducted at 7 p.m., in Room 130 in Wawasee High School for the execution of the lease. Detailed in-

formation on the lease will be discussed at this hearing. Gutman stated such state agencies as the Department of School House Planning and School Accreditation will need to approve the plans before final approval is given by the State Board of Building Commission and State Board of Health. Concern was expressed by Barton on the time frame for approvals dealing with the signing of the lease agreement. Barton stated he would be amazed if approval on the plans is given in less than six weeks. He noted the blueprints were scheduled for printing Thursday morning,, and would not be completed until March 8. This would give the state agencies less than one week for approval. During the discussion Barton was asked if the necessary copies for the state could be reproduced at his office. Barton noted he-felt it was possible to get enough copies early enough from the printers to get to the state. "We will deliver these,” he stated, noting the prints would not be mailed. “Anything you can do to make deliveries expeditious, will help us stay on schedule," stated Gutman. Barton pointed out that all approvals would be needed by mid-April before appearing before the state board of tax commissioners. In other business the board approved the temporary employment of Laurel Howard as a third grade teacher at North Webster. She will fill the vacancy left by Tim Yeager who is on a semester paternity leave. Also a resolution was approved, expanding the corporation's PuWic Employee Retirement Fund participation to include the compliance officer.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1,1989

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At Syracuse — * Rezoning request, renumbering for E9ll discussions continue

(By MARY JANE LORTON Staff Writer

In a special meeting on Tuesday night, Feb. 28, the Syracuse Town Board tabled discussion on the Moser rezoning request and continued to work on details of renumbering Syracuse residences and their relationship to the planned county E-911 emergency calling system. As promised at the board meeting on Feb. 21. Bob Reed looked into Judy Moser's request to rezone a property in North Syracuse to commercial Reed reported that after speaking with Dan Richard, director of the APC. “Dan will studv the matter and see if he can come up with a petition to present" before the BZA. Reed recommended that the board continue this matter for an indefinite period, until word is received- from Richard.

C of C to x hold luncheon/ Results of the Syracuse Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Beautification Survey will be the topic discussed today (Wednesday) during the chamber’s quarterly lun cheon. The luncheon will be at noon in CJ’s Restaurant, CR 300E, Syracuse. Bill Beemer, beautification project chairman, will announce the results of the survey. The survey was mailed to chamber members. Steps to be taken next will also be discussed. '

WEST ELEVATION

The board approved tabling the request for the time being. Ron Weaver, who has been working on the town renumbering project for months, and Jerry Rumple, representative for the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, presented their proposals for renumbering Syracuse for the enhanced 911. They suggested that the board change the base line from Main Street and Huntington Street to the intersection of the railroad and Huntington Street. This change would “divide Syracuse in a logical way and give the town a north, south, east and west side," said Rumple. Other suggestions included the possible renaming of specific streets to continue to give logic to the plan. One example is to change the name of Fifth Street so Huntington Street between the railroad and Chicago Street. Carl Myrick expressed some concern with the renaming and renumbering as. "the street signs will have to be altered, how do we pay for something like this?" Ron Conley, head of the street and water department, told the board that because the signs are not molded, they could be more easily changed and although there would, "be quite a bit of labor involved." it would not be as expensive as replacing each street sign To answer the question of cost. Mark Tatman. clerk treasurer, said that there were some funds left in the revenue sharing, but he was not certain how much. In addition. the board discussed the possibility of working in conjunction with the township trustee. To better get an idea of what the project will cost. Weaver promised to bring an estimate of the number of street signs that would need to be changed with this plan, as well as an estimate of the

hours and cost involved. He also agreed to bring a list of streets that he would recommend that the board change or rename. Likewise, Conley noted that he would work up how much it would cost per sign, to change the signs or to put up a new sign. Kenny Johnson, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Jim Hughes, ended the discussion as he stated, “I like the plan, the objective is to make it easier for emergency systems. It seems logical and simple." Other Business Conley reported that the curbs on the east side of South Main Street will be replaced Although originally the curbp'on the west side were only to be replaced where broken to put in sewer

At commissioners' meeting — Phone system explained

By K ATE WOLFORD Staff Writer

After several months of studying the county government s phone system. representatives of United Telephone Services. (UTS’, met with the county com missioners on February 28 and presented them with phone service alternatives The Advanced Business Con nection. or ABC. is what they recommended _ The necessary equipment for the service would “be located m the company's central office in Warsaw and county government could have at its disposal many

lines, there may be money available from the CIP portion of the grant to replace these curbs as well The board approved the plan to look into the matter. Conley also stated that a plum bing and heating firm is doing EPA work for the town They are working on sewer lines on Portland Street and since repaving has been planned for the street, Conley asked that they work out a deal whereby the com pany tears up the rest of the street as well. Conley said that it has to be done, and since they have their equipment there, why not get them to do the job Conley added that. "West Portland needs to be revamped before we recover it otherwise we'd be covering up the problem." The

new high-tech communications features. With the system that the government is now using ithe main equipment is located in the basement of the building and is the only-equipment of its kind in the state), the transferring of calls is a problem and callers often have to call twice if they wish to speak to people in different departments The switchboard operator is fielding an average of about 500 calls per day and the result is that callers often have to wait some time before their line is answered Another pressing problem is that calls that come into the cur-

NUMBER 3

board approved the plan to get estimates on the project. In other business, Ron Helman, head of the waste water department. asked the board to approve his plan to get rid of the three old vehicles and other junk behind the plant. He said that he would try to sell what he could and the rest he would have hauled away. Reed told the board that it would not be necessary to get bids, "because the profit would be negligible." The board granted Helman s proposal. Helman added that he may have a place to spread the sludge from the waste water plant. » Tatman asked the board's approval to cash a CD for the water department, and the board approved his request.

rent system after 4 p.tn. pr on holidays are transferred to the sheriff's office. As a result, the sheriff is sometimes forced to put on a second dispatcher. Also., those who work late at the courthouse court days often don't end at 4 pm’ cannot be reached after 4 p m except on Fridays The UTS representatives had found afiost of other problems with the current system. Some include the fact that the system is at capacity, county workers have to enter a code for each long distance phone call and in an emergency, the system could have down time. (Continued on page 2)