Kosciusko County attorney Ed Ormsby, left, and Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty, right, are shown opening bids at the November county commissioners meeting. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — A number of items were quickly approved Tuesday, Nov. 21, during the Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting.

The commissioners:

• Accepted all annual bids for the Kosciusko County Highway Department for 2024, which were opened Nov. 6, as requested by KCHD Superintendent Steve Moriarty.
• Approved a Local Public Agency consultant contract for construction and inspection for bridge No. 30 on Beer Road, as requested by Moriarty. The bridge is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
• Approved an LPA consultant construction contract for construction and inspection for bridge No. 227 on Hand Street, between USI and Kosciusko County, as requested by Moriarty. The bridge work is scheduled to be done in 2024.
• Approved a supplemental agreement for right-of-way services for a small structure/bridge No. 320 on T26 Lane, which the county received a Community Crossings matching grant for from the state, as requested by Moriarty.
• Approved a fence encroachment agreement for Tony Siri, as requested by attorney Steve Snyder, with an addendum the county is not responsible for any damage to Siri’s mailbox and curb done by routine maintenance and snowplowing.

The property is on Pine Road, north of Walnut Drive, in Turkey Creek Township.

Snyder said Siri remodeled his house, added on, put a fence around the front and sides, and then he received a letter from the county planning department the fence was in the right-of-way.

“The fence is along the east side and faces the right-of-way and very clearly is in the right-of-way,” Snyder said.

Snyder requested the fence be allowed to remain as it is, and he presented a proposed encroachment agreement which provides for a waiver and idemnification to hold the county harmless from any damage to the fence and requires the removal of the fence in the event it interferes with any proposed expansion of that street.

The agreement will be recorded and show in the title with the property, he stated.

Moriarty requested Snyder include the mailbox, because it’s too close to the road, and the curbing.

Snyder said he would add those two things if the agreement was approved, which it was.

• Discussed the rededication of vacated roadways in Long’s Park and first addition to Long’s Park at T52 Lane in North Webster, as presented by Snyder. After approximately 20 minutes of discussion, and hearing a concern from the commissioners that the request was putting the “cart before the horse,” Snyder withdrew the request.
• Approved the vacation of the northern half of an alley and part of a right-of-way in Wooster for Alex Valentine, as presented by Area Plan Director Matt Sandy. The alley is between Van Ness Road and Main Street and the northern half of the platted right-of-way is between Main and Wooster Road.
  The Area Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the commissioners that the vacation be approved.
• Approved the Johnson Controls planned service agreement for $13,483, as presented by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. She said it was an annual contract.
• Approved the furniture quote for the joint courts secretarial area from KDA, Fort Wayne, as requested by McSherry. The amount is for $20,619.14.

The other quote was from Furnishings out of South Bend for $24,247.34.

The courts want to replace the existing cubicals, which are shorter than they should be.

• Approved signing the contract with Schenkel Construction for the Justice Building renovations. The bids were previously opened and Schenkel was awarded the bid as being qualified and the lowest bidder for the project. County attorney Ed Ormsby had reviewed and approved the contract.
• Approved the 2024 nonprofit agreements with Stillwater Hospice and Kosciusko Community Senior Services with the caveats the county council wanted.
• Approved Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mike Mulligan’s request to accept the 2024 Comprehensive Hoosier Highway Injury Reduction Program grant funds. For Click-It-Or-Ticket Click It To Live, the county received $19,000; for DUI Task Force, $8,000; and Stop Arm Violation Enforcement, $13,000.
• Recognized Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell for receiving the Order of Kosciuszko award at the Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony at American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw.
• Announced the next commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5.