Starke County’s efforts to develop the SYSCO property are getting the support of the Hamlet Town Council. County Council President Dave Pearman told the town council Wednesday that the county is negotiating with SYSCO with the hope of seeing something “beneficial” happen with the property.
“I can’t get in too much detail, but obviously, we all, through tax dollars, even though it was grant money, even though things were from the government, including the town and the county, we all have skin in that game,” Pearman said.
He explained that SYSCO ultimately dropped its plans to sell the property last year, after the county began legal action for what it considered “unjust enrichment.” He said that Hamlet is the pivot point of a phased plan he’s come up with for Starke County’s economic development, due to its location on U.S. 30.
The town council agreed to let its president, Dave Kesvormas, start drafting a letter expressing the town’s support for the county’s efforts. “We support that,” Kesvormas said. “We have a lot invested in that, ourselves. There’s sewer, as well as we have a water tower that’s in mothballs that’s out there.”
Pearman said the town is just one of a few entities he’s asking for support.
