Sysco hasn’t given up plans to build an expansion to its national operation near the intersection of U.S. 35 and 30. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charles Weaver told the Hamlet Town Board last night that the company does not currently intend to offer for sale the land it owns near Hamlet.
Representatives of the Foundation appeared before the Board to discuss the town’s concerns about the expenses of the sanitary sewage treatment plant upgrade and the extension of sewer and water to the West Hamlet Industrial Area.
Diane Thalman, president of the Development Foundation, reminded the Board that Hamlet’s sewer rate increase was the direct result of the it’s own 2006 decision to keep the town’s sanitary sewer system plant operating. It had faced a shut down by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
The extension of sewer and water to the West Hamlet Industrial Area, which will help attract future business to this location, was completed at no cost to Hamlet residents and was not included in the 2013 sewer rate increase.
She said that project was paid in full by grants that were received through efforts of the Starke County Development Foundation working with Starke County leadership.
Starke County continues to pay the electric bill for the water tower and for maintenance of the grounds around the tower.
