Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith warns the public about an increase in scams. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — There are a lot of scams happening, Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith told the county commissioners at their meeting Tuesday, June 17.

“We try to be diligent, put them out on our Facebook to alert the public. But I guess the message to the citizens would be … if it seems it’s not right, it probably isn’t, and always call rather than just paying somebody something because they say you owe them money as it relates to traffic tickets,” Smith said.

One of the most recent scams had to do with real estate property. Smith said, “It seemed like some properties were being targeted that were owned by somebody that didn’t have an address here in Kosciusko County but owned the property. It was appealing to these scam artists enough to try to get quick cash.”

It got to the point where realtors were even putting their signs up on the property, he said, even though the property owner wasn’t selling it. “People pretending to be these owners just to try to get a quick sale. They’re targeting ones that don’t have liens on them,” Smith stated. “The recorder’s office has been kind enough to work with some of these people to work through some of that.”

He reiterated if something seems off, it probably is. “Call us or your local police agency for further guidance. We’re trying to stay on top of it with our Facebook and all the avenues that we have, but those things are happening and we’re trying to be on top of it as much as we can,” Smith concluded.

Kosciusko County Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver asked the commissioners for approval of a funds processing rule.

“When the Health First Kosciusko takes in funds, or takes in applications for funding, we’d like to have a policy of just how that moves through the various offices and various people that make decisions on approval or denial,” Weaver said. “With the help of the commissioners and (Health First Kosciusko interim coordinator) Liz (McCollough) and me, we’ve come up with a good proposal. It’s concise, a page, but we think it’s a good one.”

He said it goes from the coordinator to the health officer and the commissioners. “We wanted the commissioners to see it early so a decision could be made before it goes through the rest of the process. This one does that for us, and I would ask for approval to use these guidelines when we get a fund proposal,” Weaver stated.

Commissioner Bob Conley said, “I think that’s a good way to delineate and know exactly who’s doing what and when. And if something comes up that’s inappropriate, we don’t feel is necessary, we can shut it off before it goes too far.”

He made a motion to approve the policy and Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell seconded. Commissioner Cary Groninger said he appreciated Mitchell serving on that committee, noting she was very instrumental in getting the rule put together. The motion passed 3-0.

County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the county’s Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan. “This is part of the designated facilities in the public right-of-way. We do assessments to make sure – like at the meetings we have the hearing improved, so you see that at the bottom of your agenda. We make sure our handicapped entrances are all as they should be under the ADA requirements,” she said.

They’ve been working on the plan and had a lot of help, including from the Michiana Area Council of Governments and the Kosciusko County Highway Department, McSherry stated. In order to get grants and federal funding, she said the county has to have its ADA Title VI in place and up to date, “so this is just updating it.”

Tuesday’s presentation opens up the plan for public review. The commissioners will then be asked to adopt it at their July 1 meeting.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved signing the memorandum of understanding between the county and the city for the $500,000 budgeted in the county’s 2025 Economic Development Income Tax fund for the Warsaw Municipal Airport, as requested by Airport Manager Nick King. Since the commissioners approved the MOU at their June 3 meeting, King worked with the city and county attorneys and got the MOU drafted. “This document directly mirrors the document that we signed last year. All the changes are what the funds are being dedicated towards, and that is the rehab of our east-west 9-27 runway,” King said.

After the commissioners approved the MOU, King reported the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners approved the MOU at their June 10 meeting and he will present it to Mayor Jeff Grose for his signature at Friday’s Board of Public Works and Safety.

• Heard from Purdue Extension Educator Shannon Shepherd they’ve offered eight programs so far through the county’s Health & Wellness Program. She said they’ve had anywhere from 100 to 158 individuals attend and complete those eight programs. The smallest program they’ve done is the Get WalkIN program with 59 participants complete it. Of those 59, 11 got in 1 million steps or more. Shepherd said she thought that was double what they had in the past.

She recognized the 11 county employees who got in 1 million steps or more with a certificate of completion and a little gift from the county. The million steppers, and the number of steps they got in, were: Jessica Schell, 1,934,745; Ronda Wiesehan, 1,511,838; Michelle Hyden, 1,346,636; Monica Medina-Conde, 1,223,232; Shane Bucher, 1,213,437; Eric Sorensen, 1,125,830; Michelle Hollar, 1,118,372; Cheryl McGettrick, 1,105,876; Scott Collins, 1,098,127; Amanda See, 1,073,182; and Kelly Moorman, 1,006,305.

• Heard updates from McSherry on various projects. In the public defender’s office, she said the drywall is up. They’ve been working in the county clerk’s office and were probably getting the drywall up in those areas Tuesday. The plan is to have the work done by July 1 so the public defender’s office can move in.

There’s a tree on the north side of the county courthouse that, per the county’s building assessment, is too close to the building and electrical lines. McSherry said, “Hopefully, they’ll be arriving this week to take that tree down.” Also, some renovations to the county courthouse will probably start the second week of July in the surveyor’s office and two county surveyor’s offices.

• Approved a petition for a vacation for Dennis Bogart, as presented by his attorney Steve Snyder. There were no remonstrators.Area Plan Director Matt Sandy said the vacation is in Turkey Creek Township in Thornburg subdivision off CR 1290 North. The Area Plan Commission unanimously recommended that the petition be approved.