KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — An implementation strategy and appointment of a board of directors for the newly created Tippecanoe Chapman Regional Sewer District should be taking place in the next few months.

Ken Jones with Jones Petry Rafinski, consultant for the project, stated the consultant group established by the Kosciusko County Commissioners will be convening to provide the commissioners and county council an implementation strategy. “The goal is to have an outline (to the commissioners) by their second meeting in December (Dec. 23),” said Jones.

Members of the consultant group include Jones, Patricia Zelmer, attorney with Ice Miller; Jeffrey Roe with Baker, Tilly financial advisors; Chad Miner, county attorney; Michelle Puckett, county auditor; and Marsha McSherry, county administrator.

One area is the seating of board members. Once that is completed the responsibility for the new sewer district will shift to the board.

It is speculated at this time the entities responsible for appointing persons to the board will do so by the end of the year or shortly after the first of the year. The exception would be the appointment by either the mayor of Warsaw or Lakeland Regional Sewer District. That appointment could be kept vacant or a placeholder be appointed by the commissioners until an inter-local agreement is reached with the entity chosen to handle the district sewage treatment.

The findings of facts filed by Angela M. Bottom, Indiana Department of Environmental Management hearing officer, does note how the seven-member district board of trustees are chosen. While the terms will be four years each, the initial terms will be staggered and two will have an initial four-year term, two will have an initial three-year term and the remaining three will have initial terms of two years.

Appointing persons to the board of trustees will be the Kosciusko County Council and county commissioners each appointing two persons; Tippecanoe Township and Plain Township trustees each appointing one person and the final person being appointed by either the mayor of Warsaw or the Lakeland Regional Sewer District, whichever provides sewage treatment to the district.

These appointing entities will retain their appointment power for the board and be responsible for appointments to fill vacancies.

Jon Tyler, one of the persons involved in seeking sewer service around Tippecanoe Lake, stated he believes the next step is to establish the board. From that point the board will set the necessary steps in motion, including what plan direction to take, use the plan Jones put together, create a new plan, decide where the treatment will take place. “The JPR plan per se can stand as the initial plan,” Tyler stated.

The new Tippecanoe Chapman Regional Sewer District will have nine months to file a detailed plan for the district’s initial project with the commissioner of IDEM.