Nathan Scherer, Syracuse Council president, chats with Councilman Paul Stoelting and Town Attorney Jay Rigdon prior to the council’s regular meeting Tuesday night. File photo.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — After lengthy discussion over whether to enter into a memorandum of understanding with South Shore Villages LLC, the Syracuse Town Council voted 2-1 in favor of approving the MOU, and one abstaining, which is the same as a no vote.

With the vote a tie, Virginia Cazier, clerk-treasurer, voted in favor of entering into the MOU. Council President Nathan Scherer excused himself from council chambers turning the meeting over to Paul Stoelting, council vice president. Scherer is an owner in South Shore Ventures.

The discussion took place during the council’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, Sept. 17.

Stoelting started the conversation stating the MOU clearly stated it was non-binding. Councilman Larry Siegel stated he felt otherwise pointing to various points in the agreement.

Town Attorney Jay Rigdon, said the document was clear it was not a binding agreement. The MOU between the town and South Shore Ventures is the first step in formalizing the discussion regarding whether the town could provide water to the site.

Siegel said he’s crunched the numbers in what it would cost. “There’s no rate high enough to pay for that,” he said.

Stoelting, referring to a meeting he attended with Mark Aurich, public works superintendent; David Wilkinson, town manager; a representative from Indianapolis; and South Shore Ventures, to discuss providing water to the site, said “they seemed to say it was a possibility, that it wouldn’t hurt the town.”

“I looked at the raw numbers. It’s a ton of money,” Siegel insisted. He again stressed water rates only pay for operating costs.

Councilman Bill Musser said he could see it from South Shore Venture’s point of view. “If we give them the indication we’ll give them water, they may invest a lot of money on developing the property and then possibly we come back and say no. I’m on the fence,” he said.

Siegel stated several times he didn’t see a point to the MOU.

Frustrated, Stoelting asked “Why are we having these meetings where experts are saying it’s OK. We’ve had no experts saying no.” Siegel insisted “We’re only getting pieces of it (from the experts). We’re not getting the whole picture.”

Councilwoman Cindy Kaiser, after chastising Siegel for interrupting her, noted he has been against the project from the very beginning and South Shore Ventures wants an answer.

“I’m a solid no on the MOU. I’m not against further discussion,” Siegel said.

Kaiser asked Jeff Dyson, co-owner of South Shore Venture, for input on the matter. Dyson explained the MOU is not an agreement on whether the town provides water to the site. It’s to formalize discussions about the situation moving forward.

In the end the council approved the MOU. South Shore Venture can now move forward with a feasibility study on further developing the property.

In old business, Siegel brought up the luxury RV park being built outside of town. The town agreed to provide utilities to the RV park’s owner in exchange for annexation.

Siegel stated the property owner has several times told him he would sign the annexation petition, but has not done so yet.

Siegel wanted the town council to approve a motion stating if the annexation petition was not signed utilities would not be turned on.

Wilkinson explained the property owner wants to wait to sign the petition until construction is completed since all the permitting for the RV Park was done though Elkhart County.

If the annexation goes through now, he will have to get new permits through Kosciusko County.

Wilkinson informed the council the RV Park owner not signing the petition wasn’t the only problem. Several other property owners have to sign on for annexation in order for annexation to go through. So far one property owner is a maybe on annexation and two have outright refused to be annexed. Stoelting asked when the vote originally came up he didn’t think annexation was possible because the continuous property requirement was not met.