Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation Project Director Terry Sweeney requested from the county commissioners some funding in the Economic Development Income Tax economic project budget for an impact study on extending utilities from the town of Syracuse to South Shore. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — As the property formerly known as South Shore Golf Course on SR 13 south of Syracuse gets developed, it’s going to need utilities.

Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio and Project Director Terry Sweeney requested Tuesday, Dec. 19, from the county commissioners some funding in their Economic Development Income Tax economic project budget for an impact study on extending utilities from the town of Syracuse.

“This is a request to partially fund an impact study to help assess the return on the investment for extending utilities down to South Shore from Syracuse,” Sweeney said. “It would be split evenly between the town of Syracuse, the developer and then the county. This came about through a joint meeting of some members of both the County Redevelopment Commission, the developers, (state Rep.) Dave Abott and the town of Syracuse council members and some of their redevelopment commission.”
Sweeney said it’s been a “healthy” discussion and it was thought extending the utilities made some sense, but “we need to know the numbers in order to make an informed decision.”

The impact study will simply let them know if the utility extension makes sense or if it doesn’t.

“It doesn’t do anything more than that, just provides information so that the decision-makers at the county, the developers and the town of Syracuse can figure out what makes sense,” Sweeney said.

The county’s portion for the study is $13,333.33 out of the economic development fund. Sweeney said Tio said there was about $45,000 left in that fund.

Commissioner Cary Groninger said, “I think this is an important investment for the county to make, to try and figure out how we can better utilize that property, getting utilities out to that particular property is going to be key on his ability to be able to develop, and then, in turn, increase the assessed value of that area.”

He made a motion to approve using the economic project funds for the study. Commissioner Bob Conley seconded it, and it passed 3-0.

The commissioners also approved the 2024 KEDCO service agreement between the commissioners and KEDCO for economic development services. The contract is for $300,000, payable over 12 months.

Tio said, “We presented that a few weeks ago. No changes to the language of the agreement. It’s the same template we had for (2023). I appreciate the ongoing partnership with the county in our economic efforts.”

In other business:

• Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty requested to buy a paver from McAllister’s through Sourcewell. Total cost is $598,149 and will be purchased in June when it comes in, he said. The money for the paver will come from EDIT funds. The commissioners approved the purchase.

• Kosciusko Area Bus Service (KABS) General Manager Steve Lockridge presented the quarterly operating expense plan for Section 5311 Rural Transit. He said they were requesting $86,802 from the federal operating funds and $43,401 from the state match for a total of $130,246. The commissioners approved the claims.

• Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board President Rob Bishop presented the commissioners with the contract for the blueways and greenways master plan with TSW (Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group). The master plan contract will be paid out of a combination of American Rescue Plan Act funds, grant funds from Winona Lake and maybe some Community Foundation funds for the contract of up to $100,000.

The commissioners approved the contract for the master plan.

The contract with Triad Inc. for the Chinworth Bridge trail extension is still being worked out.

• Andrew Ferrell, Purdue Extension, presented the 2024 contractual service agreement between Purdue Extension and the county, which the commissioners approved 3-0.

• Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mike Mulligan presented an $8,000 grant application for the Driving Under the Influence Task Force and a $13,000 grant application for Stop Arm Violation Enforcement. Both were approved.

• County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the EDIT capital improvement plan for 2024, 2025 and 2026, which was approved. The county is required to have the three-year plan.

She also presented a proposal from J & K Communications for warranties on the county’s public communications safety equipment and software. The commissioners approved the purchase of the warranty for the software only for five years.

• Area Plan Director Matt Sandy presented a rezoning request from Eric and Cara Erlenwein to rezone property from agricultural to agricultural-2. The property is in Turkey Creek Township on CR 900N, about a quarter of a mile east of Ind. 13. The Area Plan Commission recommended the commissioners approve the rezoning, which they did. There were no remonstrators.

Sandy also presented a contract renewal with Emans Engineering for drainage reviews. The contract is for $750 per review. The commissioners approved the contract on a month-to-month basis.

• The commissioners elected Conley as president for 2024 and Groninger for vice president.

• Commissioner Brad Jackson remembered former Commissioner Eddie Creighton, who died in November. Creighton was elected to three terms as commissioner.

“I had the honor of working with him. He was a really good man. He’s probably one of the wisest men that I knew. And what actually made me think of that is, back when we started, they didn’t used to do a pledge or a prayer before the meeting. And I suggested we do a pledge, hoping that eventually we’ll get a prayer in there, and Eddie is the one who said why don’t we go ahead and do that,” Jackson said, adding that he had a lot of good memories of working with Creighton and he learned a lot from him. “He had a huge impact on our community and a great legacy. He’s a good man.”

The Jan. 2 commissioner meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 16.