Girl Scout community benefactor award

SYRACUSE – The Syracuse City Council approved issuing $1.03 million in bonds at its meeting Wednesday for electrical upgrades and park improvements.

Proposed park work includes pickleball and basketball courts at Williams Park and a filter system and slide for the Syracuse Aquatic Center.

Syracuse city council voted to use ARPA funds to pay for some utility expenses that had incurred earlier this year, and roll over Utility funds to secure two bonds. 

Public Accountant Todd Blume asked about the important of sales tax to help pay off the bonds. Sales tax collections are currently up 41 percent. Discussion at the meeting also included a possible utility rate increase.

The Syracuse complex bond will be paid off in 2028. The city used $636,000 from cash reserves in the past nine months for street expenses.

Justin Stark of Olsson put in a change order increase of $21,403 for the low water crossing at 11th Street and Swanson Drive crossing due to additional work of removing unused sewer pipes, installing rock rip rap, handicap texture boards, pavement replacement.

JEO requested a change order for an additional $14,700 to upgrade 2" conduit to 2 1/2" conduit for future projects, making it easier to pull more wires in the future.   

Parks Department head Sonni Graves received approval to purchase a 2024 John Deere Gator for $16,500 plus a $870 parts kit.  Graves reported the current Gator is 9 years old and has been in the shop often this year.

Graves: "we will run the old one as long as it lasts.”

The parks department had budgeted $100,000 to upgrade the ball fields at the complex., but instead will use part of that money to purchase the Gator.

Painting has begun on the south side of the city building.

Tammy Ingerson of Bloom Haven received a unanimous vote to proceed with her quilt retreat business located at  315 Fifth St.  Ingerson will host quilt retreats as well as craft and scrapbooking retreats, with no more than 15 people on site at a time.

Wendy Werner gave an update on Germanfest 2024.

Germanfest will be held  Oct. 18-20th  Many of the events will be held on Fifth Street this year. Activities will kick off on Friday night with a sand volleyball tournament, there will also be a pancake breakfast and viener dog races. A complete list of events can be found on Facebook and other social media. Nikki Wenzel is Germanfest chair and can be reached at 402-429-9842 or at [email protected].

Melissa Juilfs Librarian for the city of Syracuse  is the recipient of one of Girl Scouts Community Benefactor Awards, presented to Juilfs by Girl Scout leader Wendy Werner.

Nomination form read: The Syracuse public library provides meeting space for Girl scout troops in and around Syracuse. The importance of this space cannot be underestimated. Free or even reduced-cost meeting space is often at a premium and especially in a small town. 

Librarian Melissa Juilfs and her staff are always friendly, helpful and accommodating.  Their flexibility along with the electronic entry allows troops to access the meeting room when the library isn't open.  Oversight and financial responsibility for the library ultimately is the City of Syracuse's.  Their vision along with other money raising entities and donors is what made the new library in 2012 a reality.  Girl Scouts appreciate the library and staff and what an asset it has been to the Girl Scouts.

Juilfs's library report noted the growing circulation and a focus on children and young adults, getting their participation up to 46 percent of the circulation.

Juilfs became head librarian after the retirement of Sue Antes, in 2022. circulation was 5613 Adult book/magazine = 3258, children and young adults= 1822, DVD/Audiobooks=460.

2024 total circulation = 7311, Adults = 2816, Children/young adults= 3809, DVD/audiobooks= 604.

Syracuse child care incentive plan application form was submitted by Jean Bradford of Syracuse.  Bradford is applying for her daycare license and was asking, and was granted  $3,300 to erect a fence.

Unite Private Networks was granted easement access at 988-11th St and 1622 Walnut St. to lay fiber to the Good Samaritan Center and also the Farm Agency building.

The third annual Syracuse mat club wrestling event scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 10, 2024 from 4 to 10 p.m.  They received permission from the city council, working with The Beer Stein to serve alcohol during the event.  The street will be gated off and a food truck will be on site.

LARM will be providing insurance for the City of Syracuse until September 2027 (a 180 day and 3 year commitment at a 5 percent discount ) was agreed upon at a cost of $97,566  annually.

Councilman Wes Halvorsen was appointed by Mayor Deb Dettmer to head up native plant areas in the community. Halvorsen stated this will decrease mowing, increase pollination habitat and attract visitors to arboretums in the community.  Julie Zahn from rural Syracuse is on the statewide arboretum board and will work with Halvorsen on this project.

Syracuse Area Health has also started an arboretum and hosted a walking tour of other such areas in Syracuse.