WARSAW — It took a few extra months to do so, but the Kosciusko County Council has signed off on a request by the Syracuse-Turkey Creek Public Library for a $7.3 million bond needed to construct a new library.

On Thursday night, Council reaffirmed its vote on January 8, allowing the library to move forward with construction plans.

Concerns over the legitimacy of the January 8 vote arose over whether the proposal had been properly advertised. 

Concerns remained even this week, but County Attorney Ed Ormsby reported Thursday night that the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance was now satisfied with the library's December newspaper notice.

Council could have reconsidered its original vote, but at least two councilmen said that would look too political. 

“I mean, obviously, I voted against the last time, and my question to this whole thing has been: Was it … legal? And since it was, you know, I choose to accept that,” said councilman Joe Irwin.

Councilman William Stockdale offered his thoughts.

“I've looked at this from every angle, read statutes, talked with other attorneys, and the library did what they needed to do legally,” Stockdale said. “There's no valid legal reason ... to overturn the January 8th resolution.” 

“The vote to reaffirm was 6-1, with Dave Wokins opposing.

Councilmember Kimberly Cates made the motion Thursday to approve, and that was seconded by Kathy Groninger.

The January 8 vote supporting the resolution's passage, 4-3, with opposition from Wolkins, Irwin, and Rachel Rhodes.

The January vote did not generate any opposition at that hearing.

Thursday's vote was the second in three weeks by elected officials involving a major request to approve a bond for a library project.

The Warsaw City Council voted down a $17 million bond for major renovations to the Warsaw Community Public Library on May 18.

The Warsaw library vote faced opposition from some city council members and members of the public over concerns about uncertainty over future tax bills and a belief that property owners have already seen significant hikes in their tax bills as a result of property tax reform by the state lawmakers.

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