Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee made a presentation to county commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting.

The committee is seeking support for the SR 13 trail section project in Syracuse. The trail committee is seeking a federal grant and the county would have to be the signatory on it. The county’s approval is needed because a portion of the trail is in the county’s jurisdiction and the county is considered “a local public agency.”

The federal grant is overseen by the Indiana Department of Transportation. Since it’s an INDOT grant, a government entity must be the signatory. The trail committee is a non-profit organization.

There is no cost to the county. The trail group has raised close to $1 million dollars in grants and donations over the past 10 years, said Mike Buhrt, a trail committee member. The committee still needs a 20 percent match to start the construction of the trail.

“There is a lot of support,” said Buhrt of the trail system. Dr. Tom Edington, superintendent of Wawasee Community School Corp., was also in attendance at the meeting, expressing his support for the trail project.

The 8-foot to 10-foot wide trail will be asphalt and will meander off SR 13. This portion of the trail in question is located on SR 13, from Harkless Drive to Waco Drive in Syracuse. The trail committee will handle any ongoing maintenance.

In other news, Dennis and Mary Lou Hipskind’s petition to vacate a public way near Lake Wawasee and adjacent to the couple’s property was heard. The property is located off Waco Drive in Syracuse.

Wood Street, originally platted as such but no longer in the county road system, runs off Waco Drive near the south end of the lake. Wood Street was never opened because Waco Drive, originally SR 13, became the access point of the plat. The couple will seek a quiet title to the property, therefore, making the couple owners of the property.

The road vacation was recommended for approval by the Area Planning Commission on March 5. The commissioners also approved the petition.

Permission was granted for County Administrator Ron Robinson to attend the next county redevelopment commission meeting to seek $150,000 from the Louis Dreyfus TIF funds to move to the highway department’s budget. Funds are needed to help improve roads near Claypool, especially CR 700 South.

Also, bids will be opened for work to be conducted on the CR 300 North bridge over the Tippecanoe River near Madison Elementary School in Warsaw. That will happen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 20. The bridge will receive rehabilitation work, possibly starting this summer.

Scott Tilden, highway superintendant, said he will have his annual operation report at the next commissioners meeting.

Political signs were briefly discussed. While there is no specific zoning ordinance regarding signs, or a permit needed, the county is asking people to use “common sense” and not put signs on public rights-of-way. If political signs are restricting traffic visibility, the signs will be promptly removed.

Commissioners are president Brad Jackson, Bob Conley and Ron Truex. The next meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the county courthouse, Warsaw.