County Administrator Marsha McSherry

KOSCIUSKO — Jackie Franks, MPH, HHS extension educator, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, shared statistics from county employee participation in the 2019 county wellness program with Purdue Extension at the Kosciusko Commissioners meeting held Tuesday, April 2.

The Get WalkIN’ program is an email-based walking program with 120 registered participants. Each week one or two motivational and educational emails are sent to program participants to motivate them to increase the amount of walking they do. According to Franks, county employees have reported walking over 29 million steps so far during the course of the program, which began in January.

“I’ve done that before throughout the community. I’ve done it with different groups,” said Franks. “I’ve never had such an invested group of people.”

Franks said many times she will not hear from anyone for the entire 16 weeks of the program.  

“I’m hearing on a weekly basis, people emailing me and asking questions, following up, letting me know why they didn’t get as many steps this week as they did last week,” Franks stated. “The feedback I get from the county employees is fantastic.”

“This is wonderful,” said Commissioner President Cary Groninger. “I’ve heard a lot of good comments from different employees.”

Several items were approved at the request of County Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden:

• A right of way parking permit for the Backwater Retriever Club for the dates of April 12 through April 14 at CR 1000E, between CR 750N and CR 1000N in the Tri-County area. 
• Approval and signatures on a $1 million dollar Community Crossing matching grant contract for projects at CR 800W and CR 1000W. 
• A date to receive and open bids for two county projects, CR 800W, from US 30 to SR 19, and CR 1000W, from CR 700S to CR 1000S. The bids will be opened at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 14. 
• A list of equipment was deemed as surplus and approved to be sold at a public auction, scheduled to be held April 27. 

County Administrator Marsha McSherry submitted a request related to the purchase of the former Sasso Veterinary Clinic. This building will be used by the county coroner. McSherry told commissioners there are multiple dog cages and runs in the building that the county has no use for. The Animal Welfare League has expressed interest in those items. Commissioners gave approval for the AWL to take ownership of those items. 

Other News:

• Emergency Management Director Ed Rock said sand and bags are available at the Kosciusko County Highway building, located at 2936 E. Old Road 30, Warsaw. Bring your own shovel and manpower. There is no charge.
• Commissioners approved a bid by Clint Davis Construction, Leesburg, in the amount of $41,655.51, for remodeling work at the old Sasso Veterinary building.
• Susan Engelberth, county assessor, asked for approval for an agreement with Pictometry International for aerial photographs. This was approved. 
• A bid by Anderson Greenhouse, Warsaw, in the amount of $64,900, was approved for landscaping work at the southeast corner of the Courthouse Square where a gathering place is being planned for county employees. McSherry stated this will be done by a matching grant through the state and will not be funded by tax dollars.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 16.