Several county council election districts will require revisions. That was the main topic of discussion at Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting this morning.

Indiana Code requires the redistricting of the county fiscal body after each federal decimal census. The biggest change will be to Districts 1 and 2, which didn’t change in the 2010 census. The districts have remained the same since 2001, the last time the county redistricted.

The commissioners will be the ones who determine the changes to these districts. District 1 is now the largest and consists of Plain Township.

“Plain Township is growing,” said Kosciusko County Clerk Ann Torpy. She added that District 3, which is now the smallest, will need to change, too.

The percentage, or deviation in population, is the reason for the revisions. The deviation is the difference of the largest district and smallest district and divide that total by the largest populated district.

“That will give the county the 21 percent if we kept the districts the way they were, by moving two precincts from Distrist 2 to District 1 that made us at 8 percent,” said Torpy. “The state and federal government want districts to be at least a 10 percent deviation.”

The county is divided into four county council election districts:

• Council District 1 will be composed of Tippecanoe Township, Turkey Creek Township and Washington Township Precincts 1 and 2, Plain Township Precincts 1 and 4.
• Council District 2 will be composed of Etna Township, Harrison Township, Jefferson Township and Plain Township Precincts 2 and 3, 6 and 7, Prairie Township, Scott Township and Van Buren Township.
• Council District 3, will be composed of portions of Wayne Township, all that territory located within the corporate limits of Warsaw and Winona Lake, and all the territory within Wayne Township Precincts 1, 3, 4 and 10, and Plain Township Precinct 5.
• Council District 4 will be composed of Clay Township, Franklin Township, Jackson Township, Lake Township, Monroe Township, Seward Township, and all that territory within Wayne Township Precincts 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and Washington Township Precinct 3.

Harold “Butch” Lent of Sidney was named Veteran of the Month at county commissioners meeting today (Tuesday). A Vietnam war veteran, he served in the Army from 1966 to 1968. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

Two resolutions were signed for Sidney and Claypool so the towns may acquire property in the town limits due to a tax sale. The property in Sidney is located at 110 N. Main St. and the property in Claypool is located at 411 S. Graceland Ave. The purchases will be final in 120 days.

A bid was awarded to Southeastern Equipment Co., Fort Wayne, for a Tier 3 excavator. The cost is $88,168. Three quotes were submitted and Southeastern had the lowest bid. Also, final inspection for the roundabout on Old Road 30 and Zimmer Road is taking place Thursday.

County attorney Mike Miner opened 36 bids for county highway supplies and materials for 2014. Highway superintendent Scott Tilden said all the bids will be taken under advisement for review and he will make a recommendation at the next meeting, Nov. 19.

Harold “Butch” Lent of Sidney was named November’s Veteran of the Month. A Vietnam War veteran, Lent served from 1966 to 1968 in the U.S. Army.

In other news, the board:

• Appointed Dr. William Remington to a four-year term on the county’s board of health.
• Two employees in the GIS department were granted approval to travel to East Lansing, Mich., for schooling on Nov. 12.

Commissioners are Ron Truex, Brad Jackson and Bob Conley. The next meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19.