Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell gives the Kosciusko County Commissioners an update Tuesday, Oct. 7, on what services to veterans are closed due to the federal government shutdown. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Due to the federal government shutdown, some veteran services are closed.

Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell gave the county commissioners an update on those at their meeting Tuesday morning, Oct. 7. The federal government shut down at midnight Sept. 30. Shutdowns happen when funding legislation needed to finance the government isn’t passed before the next fiscal year.

“The G.I. Bill hotline will be closed, so anyone that is in the educational system through VA (Veterans Administration) is good. It’s the new applicants that will have challenges, but that hotline will remain closed as long as the shutdown continues,” McDowell said.

The VA Regional Benefit Office will be closed.

“How does that impact the VA, veterans? The 1-800 number – getting information on what the status is of their claims are – is going to be a challenge,” McDowell stated. “That’s going to be closed and that access will not be as readily available to them, and that’s a big, significant piece there, but at the same time, dealing with the SOs in each of the counties can help, if it’s already established, but we’ll continue to monitor that and see how it impacts.”

The public affairs and outreach to veterans will be closed, he said.

“The good news here, and the key to all of this, is the Veterans Affairs health will not be impacted. That means the medical centers, all of the outpatient clinics … will remain open. And the vet centers, that are both at South Bend and Fort Wayne, currently, will remain open,” McDowell reported. “The benefits will continue. That’s probably the biggest thing veterans want to hear, is that the processing will continue. The delivery, including the compensation pension. Education, if they’re already in the system, will continue. And housing benefits.”

The veteran crisis line will remain open 24/7. Veterans can call 988, and then press 1 for veterans.

“As these updates come, I’ll let the veteran community know, but I just wanted to put that out there right now,” he said.

Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty gave the commissioners some road project updates.

He said work on Old 30 will be finished up Monday, Oct. 13, and that will be open at the end of the day. Husky Trail bridge will be completed and open to the public Nov. 30.

“We’ll be ready for those to be open, I know for sure, from the County Highway standpoint,” he said.

He also requested permission to advertise for the annual bids for the highway department. They will be advertised on Oct. 8 and 15, with the bids opened on Nov. 18 and then taken under advisement for review. Bids will be awarded on Dec. 2. The commissioners unanimously approved his request.

Moriarty sought and was granted approval to apply for a 2025 Community Crossings Matching Grant.

“The segments of road that we’re asking to apply for is going to be Packerton Road from Sara Drive down to 800 South. This would continue on the paving project that we did this year from the South County Line to Packerton itself, 800 South,” he said. “And then the next road that we’d like to apply for in Community Crossings would be Armstrong Road from the bridge at Oswego to Old State Road 15. This would continue the project that we did this year, 13 to the bridge at Oswego.”

Commissioner Cary Groninger asked if the Community Crossings grant would require a dollar-to-dollar match. Moriarty said that was correct.

“This is a 50-50 match, and this year it’s back down to a $1 million that they (the state) would be willing to split with us,” he stated.

Additionally, the commissioners approved a financial commitment letter for the grant. Moriarty said the letter will state the county will make sure it holds up its end of the match. The total of the financial commitment letter is $2,057,063.15.

Before Moriarty stepped away from the podium, County Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell recognized Moriarty for the award he recently received at the Association of Indiana Counties. She said he was declared the Highway Superintendent of the Year for the entire state, which generated applause.

“Congratulations, and thank you for all you do,” Mitchell told Moriarty.

At the end of the commissioners’ meeting, they heard an update from Lifewise Academy. They started their first class at Jefferson Elementary School in the fourth grade, and they look to expand further after the Christmas break. A movie titled “Off School Property” will be shown at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at North Pointe Cinemas in Warsaw. Tickets are available through Lifewise.org or at North Pointe. The movie “tells the story about how the Bible was removed from public education. It was like pulling the wrong piece from a Jenga tower. Everything started to crumble. But it also shows how Lifewise is helping to rebuild it, one student at a time, one school at a time,” according to a press release read at Tuesday’s meeting.

In other business, the commissioners approved:

• For Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris McKeand to apply for $21,100 in grant funding for 2026 from the Kosciusko Coalition On Drug Education. “We actually are asking for funding to help offset our budgets in three areas, which are Drug Abuse Resistance Education, our enforcement division and for Jail Chemical Addiction Program for a total of $21,100,” he said.

• A quote of $14,855.10 from J & K Communications Inc., as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. She explained, “About a week ago, we were notified that there was a vulnerability in our firewall for our communication system. We had emergency approval to get this item ordered. I didn’t have a timeline for you today, I apologize, but the equipment has been ordered, and this is to replace and update the current firewall. So, once we get that, then we’ll be able to bring the remote access and the ES Chat back online.”

• Quotes of $121,907.46 and $28,143.69 from Systems Administrator Eric Sorensen for new hardware and software support.

• Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter’s request to apply for three Indiana Department of Homeland Security grants, which opened up last week. They include the Emergency Management Performance Grant for $55,000 for EMA salary reimbursement; Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant for $30,000 for Local Emergency Preparedness Committee table-top exercise and training; and the HMEP Grant for $30,000 for Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow study. For a fourth grant he presented, and was approved by the commissioners, Shuter explained, “The LEPC has asked for me to seek permission to seek grant funding from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation for a spill mitigation trailer and equipment.” The grant would total a maximum of $16,000.

• The grant agreement received from Community Corrections, as presented by County Auditor Alyssa Schmucker. She said the grant is used to supplement the program and totals $342,532. The commissioners also approved for Schmucker to electronically sign the agreement.

• The 2026 interlocal agreement with the Kosciusko Solid Waste Management District for the auditor’s office to serve as the comptroller for the district for $10,000 annually; and the 2026 interlocal agreement with the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission for $500 annually, as presented by Schmucker. The KCCRVC provides funding to the Kosciusko County Visitors Bureau and takes care of the audit, Schmucker said, so an audit engagement letter with Dahms & Yarian needed to be signed by Commissioner Cary Groninger as he is the president of the commissioners for 2025. The commissioners approved the engagement letter.