Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton speaks Tuesday at the county commissioners meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

WARSAW — County Prosecutor Dan Hampton received permission from county commissioners to apply for a grant for the purpose of creating a child advocacy center.

At the Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 29, Hampton told commissioners the grant is through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Child advocacy centers have been around for several years, Hampton said, although there are none in the county.

The purpose of these centers, said Hampton, “is to offer forensic interviews for children who are victims or who have been significant witnesses for criminal cases or even for the Department of Child Services.”

Hampton explained that a child advocacy center offers specialists for interview techniques for children to reduce the number of interviews children are exposed to and also it gives the opportunity for the child to have wraparound services afterward. It incorporates a team consisting of child protective services, law enforcement and mental and medical specialists.

“They’re all involved at the same time during the interview, so it’s really a unique experience for capturing that interview and allowing children to not experience such a traumatic experience as a witness or victim,” Hampton said. “This grant opportunity is to initiate or start the child advocacy center and the plan is to evolve that into a not-for-profit, so the purpose of the grant is to initiate it through the prosecuting attorney’s office because the grant has to have a government entity as the sponsor.”

Commissioner Bob Conley said that although he thinks the concept is “brilliant” he has concerns about the county becoming responsible for the ongoing expenses of a not-for-profit program.

“I guess what I’m hearing you say is that, from a commissioner’s viewpoint, your experience with not-for-profits has been coming in here asking for money,” Hampton said. “In my opinion, that’s not the way a not-for-profit should operate. Not-for-profits should seek other revenue sources in addition to the government or instead of government.”

“I think they do,” said Conley. “But then they do depend on county revenues to fill in the gap if they don’t have the revenue from other sources.”

Commissioner Vice-President Brad Jackson noted that Hampton was simply requesting permission to apply for the grant. The Commissioners approved the request. 

Chris McKeand, 1st sergeant at Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, requested and received permission to apply for $47,300 worth of grants through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. The breakdown of the grants is as follows:

• 2020 DRE Police Comprehensive Hoosier Highways Injury Reduction Program grant request —  $1,500 
• 2020 PED Bike Police CHIRP grant request — $9,000
• 2020 Click It to Live It CHIRP grant request — $21,400
• 2020 DUITF Operating While Intoxicated CHIRP grant request — $11,000
• 2020 SIDEP Police CHIRP grant request —  $2,200
• 2020 DDE Police CHIRP grant request— $2,200 

County Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden presented a project coordination contract between the Indiana Department of Transportation and Kosciusko County for preliminary engineering of the Bridge on CR 200S over Walnut Creek in Warsaw. The maximum amount of federal funds allocated for preliminary engineering is $206,560. The commissioners approved the contract.

Three bids were received for the Bridge #9 reconstruction project on Husky Trail in Warsaw. The bids were opened at the meeting. Those included Phend & Brown, Milford, for $2,268,794.92; Rieth Riley Construction Inc., South Bend, for $1,981,326; and HRP Construction Inc., South Bend, for $1,585,075.42. 

Tilden is expected to return with a recommendation at the Nov. 12 commissioners meeting. 

Other News:

• Tom Prickett of Syracuse was honored as Veteran of the Month.
• Commissioners thanked former county animal control officer Jerry Clase for his years of service.
• County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented a proposal in the amount of $11,000 from Pyramid Consulting for a countywide broadband assessment. This was approved.
• McSherry also presented a personnel policy ordinance amendment regarding not smoking in county buildings and facilities. This was amended to include e-cigarettes and any sort of inhaled devices in county vehicles and buildings. Commissioners approved the amendment.
• Tilden sought and received approval for an updated amended policy that describes and defines how a contractor is to be paid.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

From left, Commissioner Bob Conley, former County Animal Control Officer Jerry Clase, Commissioner Vice-President Brad Jackson and Commissioner President Cary Groninger. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.