Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden requested approximately $1.1 million for proposed road work at today’s Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting.

Tilden said he has several road projects in mind that need to be done this year that will a cost around $1,165,000. The money will need to come from Economic Development Income Tax funds. That request will come before the Kosciusko County Council this Thursday. Commissioner Bob Conley said, “That money is there.”

In other county highway news, four bids for a new track loader were opened. The highest bid was $63,000 and the lowest was $57,000. The bids will be reviewed over the next two weeks and a recommendation will made at the next meeting.

County administrator Ron Robinson reminded commissioners of several meetings pertaining to two big projects within the county. The first is the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission, which meets at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 11. Slated for the agenda is the TruPointe TIF district request for its property in Milford. A public hearing and adoption of the confirmatory resolution, if granted, will take place at that time.

Also, a field check will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. April 25, at CR 100 East, near the property of the construction of TruPointe’s new plant. At least one commissioner is requested to attend the meeting.

A meeting with Indiana Department of Transportation will take place 10 a.m. Thursday, April 18, for Phase IV of the Old Road 30 project between the two new roundabouts.

Robert Frank Walker of North Webster was named April’s Veteran of the Month at today’s county commissioners meeting. Walker served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946. Rich Maron, left, presented the award to Walker, right. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

In other news, April’s Veteran of the Month honor was presented to Robert Frank Walker. Walker, who lives in North Webster, served in the U.S. Navy from June 1942 through February 1946, and served on board an LS2 Meteorit, a light motor torpedo boat.

He spent time in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines, near Land Gan Gulf, where the take over of Manilla started. Walker, who worked in the dairy farming business, has six children and six grandchildren.

In other news, Barry Andrew, of the county’s probation department, requested a change to the meal per diem plan. His request was denied. Under the current plan, the cost for meals is $26 per day. Instead, the commissioners agreed to reimburse county employees for any meals that are purchased when they are out of town on county business matters.

The commissioners also approved a claim of $300 for two sheep killed by wild dogs. Two sheep were killed and three others maimed on Feb. 8 and, under an old state law, the county must pay for the animals to be replaced if killed by a wild animal. Since the county does not receive money from dog tags anymore, the board decided to send a letter to the state legislature recommending that the ordinance be amended or removed.

In other news, the board:
• appointed Carl Hill to the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission.
• signed a Conflict of Interest to Nappanee Public Library for Angela Stillson.
• appointed Cindy Kaiser to serve on the county’s board of health.

The next regular meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at the county courthouse in Warsaw.