Pictured, from left, Attorney Chad Miner and County Auditor Michelle Puckett.

KOSCIUSKO — Representatives from area nonprofit organizations gave budget presentations at last month’s Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting. It was decided at the commissioners meeting held Tuesday, July 24, that a 3 percent annual increase would be given to those nonprofit organizations, with the exception of the St. Joe River Basin, which will receive $3,400. 

Matt Sandy, assistant planning director for the county, presented an amended ordinance regarding flood control at today’s meeting. The commissioners had approved an amended ordinance submitted by Sandy in May. However, Sandy said some verbiage changes had been made to the ordinance since then. Commissioners approved the amended verbiage in the ordinance. 

Ken Jones Sr., CEO of Jones Petrie Rafinski, Elkhart, attended the meeting to share some adjustments to the Tippy/Chapman regional sewer district boundaries. 

Jones advised they have omitted property owners in the Lake Forest subdivision in Warsaw. Houses on the west and north side of the Lake Forest subdivision who do not have lake access have been removed from the boundary area. Everything south of Armstrong Road in Oswego has been removed as well.  

Lake Tippecanoe resident Joe Tynan briefly addressed the commissioners at the meeting, stating, “I’m here to thank you gentlemen for the speed in which you’ve moved this process along.”

Jones stated a new legal description will be prepared and submitted to commissioners. A motion was made and seconded to approve the boundaries as presented.  A map showing the boundaries will be posted on the county website. 

County Auditor Michelle Puckett presented an agreement between the county and the Otis R. Bowen Center. According to Puckett, the agreement is related to a teen court grant. 

“Once we reimburse Bowen Center, we’ll apply to the state for that reimbursement,” Puckett explained, advising that the grant is 100 percent reimbursable. This was approved.

The commissioners reviewed three rezoning requests and a request to vacate a public right of way. Commissioners approved a request by Nicole Lawrence to rezone 2.2 acres from industrial II to commercial on Anchorage Road at the intersection with Rainbow Drive in Plain Township. Lawrence plans to put a cosmetology school in the building.

Jason Schwartz was given approval to rezone 2.28 acres from agricultural to agricultural II for a one-lot subdivision on CR 200W, north of CR 300N in Plain Township. The number of sell-offs from a 20-acre tract were exhausted, prompting the petition.

Commissioners approved a request by George Flowers to rezone 20 acres from agricultural to commercial south of Nappanee.

Commissioners also approved a request for a vacation of a 40-foot right of way in the Old Wray Homestead subdivision, just north of US 30 off the south end of Hoffman Lake. The petitioners are James Adams, Flavian Adams and Jacob Warner.

Other News:

• Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation President George Robertson gave a quarterly update, announcing that the economy in Kosciusko County is still strong and continuing to grow. 
• Brad Bishop and Dave Anderson gave an AcceLINX status update.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7.