KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The Kosciusko County Council met last night, Aug. 11, to discuss the county’s economic standing and Lakes and Streams. Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation President George Robertson came before the commissioners to give an economic quarterly update. Robertson said it wasn’t a big year for expansion, but the last three have been …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — The Kosciusko County Council met Thursday, July 14, to discuss money transfers and to hear nonprofit organizations budget presentations. A representative from each nonprofit organization that is funded, or partially funded, by the county gave a presentation as to why their organization needs a budget increase. Kosciusko County Historical Society asked for a …read more.

WARSAW — The proposed amendment to the wheel tax was turned down in the Kosciusko County Council meeting on Thursday, June 9. The amendment would have lowered the cost of registering trailers in the county from $40 to $15 or $25 depending on the weight of the trailer. More details on the proposed amendment can …read more.

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Council met Thursday, May 12, to discuss grants, the wheel tax and “courtesy” funds. Pertaining to the county wheel tax/surtax, a decision on whether to lower the wheel tax on trailers is required by July 1, so it can be enacted in 2017. The motion set before the council was whether to lower …read more.

WARSAW — The wheel tax, state funds and fund transfers were topics of the Kosciusko County Council’s meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14. Kosciusko County Council President Robert Sanders told those at the meeting the State of Indiana is giving back funds the county has paid in as a “one-time courtesy.” The funds are …read more.

By EILEEN OAKS Outreach And Marketing Specialist, The Watershed Foundation WARSAW — The Clean Waters Partnership steering committee will be meeting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, April 12, at the Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce, 523 S. Buffalo St. Warsaw. The steering committee is working on developing a watershed management plan to address water quality concerns …read more.

WARSAW — An update on the county’s status for the regional cities was among the topics at the the Kosciusko County Council meeting Thursday evening, March 10. Other topics included wheel and surtax status, appropriations and book scans. John Sampson, president/chief executive officer of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, reported on the Northeast Indiana wheel …read more.

WARSAW — Texmo Precision Castings Inc, an orthopedic manufacturer, was approved for a tax abatement at the Feb. 11, county council meeting and the company expansion will begin this year. Richard Helm, attorney for Texmo Precision Castings Inc., once again came before the council for his requested public hearing for the tax abatement concerning property …read more.

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Council met 7 p.m. Jan. 14, to discuss salary ordinances, appropriations and tax abatement. During the meeting, Ed Rock, emergency management director, presented a hefty grant sum before the council for Homeland Security training; bioterrorism preparedness, emergency management preparedness, emergency management alliance of Indiana, District 2 training and hazardous material …read more.

WARSAW — The Highway Department has dominated much spending in 2015, and at last night’s Kosciusko County Council meeting, an additional appropriation was requested. In addition, the 2016 appointments were filled and end-of-year transfers were made.

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Members of the Republican Party met tonight to elect a new chairman to serve District 2 in the Kosciusko County Council. The position was previously held by Jim Moyer, who resigned to pursue a position as assistant surveyor with the Kosciusko County Surveyor’s office last month. After three counts of the ballot, …read more.

WARSAW — The county is two steps closer to being able to issue bonds for the Co-op tax increment financing district after the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission and the Kosciusko County Council approved a bond resolution. The redevelopment commission met in special session at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20. Rob Zeldenrust, representing the co-op, visited and spoke …read more.

WARSAW — Chicken farming, jail nurses and end-of-year fund transfers were topics of discussions at a brief, yet varied, Kosciusko County Council meeting.

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — During yesterday evening’s Kosciusko County Council meeting, numerous presentations were brought before the board, both to educate and to request financial support. Among these were requests from local officials and preliminary presentations by Kosciusko County non-profit organizations. Initial requests included a request from Bob Weaver of the Kosciusko County Health Department. Weaver …read more.

At its June 11 meeting, the Kosciusko County Council had more than a dozen tax abatements to approve. In the case of these agenda items, preliminary approval had already been granted to the organizations. The purpose of these approvals was to make sure that the organizations held up their end of the abatement agreement. The …read more.

An ordinance to amend the wheel tax did not have enough support from Kosciusko County Council members to be enacted. The council has been discussing amending the wheel tax for most of 2015. It voted to introduce an amendment ordinance at its April meeting which would reduce taxes on smaller trailers. Last month, the ordinance …read more.

At its May 14 meeting, the Kosciusko County Council had a final hearing on a three-year tax abatement for AL&J Enterprise. AL&J Enterprise is in the process of purchasing property on US 30, west of Warsaw, that has been vacant for several years. The company plans to renovate the building in move two businesses into …read more.

After a long period of discussion, the Kosciusko County Council voted four to three in approval of a motion to create a wheel tax ordinance that will be voted on at next month’s meeting. The ordinance will set the annual wheel tax to $15 for trailers weighing between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds, $25 for trailers …read more.

Thursday night’s Kosciusko County Council meeting saw the approval of two transfers of funds by the sheriff’s department from insurance payments to the repairs and maintenance fund. Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine explained that two of the department’s vehicles had been in accidents and he wanted to transfer the money in order to pay to …read more.

Thursday evening’s Kosciusko County Council meeting saw Robert Sanders retain his position as council president and councilman Jim Moyer slide into role of vice-president for 2015. Sanders opened the meeting by asking his fellow council members for nominations. Councilman Jon Graber cited Sanders’ and Moyer’s relationships in the area and past performance as reason for the …read more.

At the Dec. 11 Kosciusko County Council meeting, Kosciusko County Commissioner Ron Truex came before the council to request the establishment of a temporary assistant county administrator position, which was ultimately approved. The current county administrator, Ron Robinson, is preparing for retirement, and the commissioners and council felt that an interim assistant administrator would help …read more.

At its Dec. 11 meeting, the Kosciusko County Council granted Warsaw orthopedic manufacturing company Alpha Manufacturing a tax abatement. The abatement was requested at the council’s November meeting. “We’re going to triple the workforce with this tax abatement,” said Alpha’s representative Richard Helm. Alpha Manufacturing is planning a significant expansion project. A planned $5.62 million …read more.

At the Kosciusko County Council’s Nov. 14 meeting, Warsaw-based manufacturing and design company Alpha Manufacturing requested a tax abatement for an expansion of its operation. “We’re going to be tripling the number of employees from this tax abatement,” said Richard Helm of Rockhill Pinnich, representing the company. He reported the new jobs would be created …read more.

“The last time I was before you I talked about what a great couple of years it’s been,” George Robertson, Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation president, told the Kosciusko County Council on Oct. 10. Robertson went on to report that unemployment had dropped once again. However, this poses a problem for some local employers. “Our employers …read more.

At the Oct. 9 meeting of the Kosciusko County Council, iDNA, a subsidiary of Wildman Business Group, was granted its requested tax abatement. A 10-year abatement was requested at the council’s Aug. 14 meeting, when Josh Wildman came before the council and announced his business was expanding its product line, buying new equipment and planning …read more.

IDNA Brands, a subsidiary of Wildman Business Group and the company behind the popular Sportula product line, has requested a tax abatement from Kosciusko County Council. Josh Wildman came before the council at the Aug. 14 meeting saying the company was expanding its product line, buying new equipment and planning to hire more employees. The …read more.

At a special meeting of the Kosciusko County Council on July 24, local communications company R.R. Donnelley received the tax abatement it requested at the July 10 meeting. No members of the public were in attendance to object. The motion for abatement passed unanimously. John Pierog of R.R. Donnelley went before the council two weeks …read more.

At its July Meeting of the Kosciusko County Council, the council received Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation’s second quarter report, reviewed the proposed budgets for many local non-profit organizations and reviewed tax abatements for R.R. Donnelley. “We’re number two in terms of projects,” said KEDCo president George Robertson, echoing Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Dave Behr’s report …read more.

Who wants to pay more taxes?! (silence.) Ok, more taxes for everyone! That was last night’s Times Union lead story. It wasn’t worded that way, it said “there were no public comments” and so the County Commissioners increased your property taxes to the maximum rate to generate money for road repairs and “general purposes….” Did …read more.

At a special meeting of the Kosciusko County Council on June 19, the council passed a wheel tax ordinance with a vote of 5-1. Attendance at the meeting must have been an all-time high. The courtroom chambers were standing room only. People from all over the county came out to voice their opinion on the …read more.

Kosciusko County Council will meet in a special public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19, for a final vote on a new wheel tax and surtax ordinance. If enacted, the taxes would cost county motorists an additional $25 per year for every registered vehicle under 11,000 pounds – such as passenger vehicles and motorcycles. …read more.

Jon Fussle was the lone nay vote for a new wheel tax for Kosciusko County. The vote was taken during Thursday night’s meeting of the Kosciusko County Council. Last month, county leaders proposed the implementation of a wheel tax to help offset the county’s disbursements of operating funds that far exceeded receipts. During last night’s meeting, …read more.

At the joint Kosciusko County Council/Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting, held Thursday night, it was reported that the disbursements of the county’s operating funds have exceeded annual receipts. Earlier today, we reported that enactment of a wheel tax will most likely be voted on at the Kosciusko County Council’s Thursday, June 12, meeting. The new tax would …read more.

At the Kosciusko County Council meeting on Thursday, May 8, Kosciusko County Commissioner Ron Truex came before the council to express that Kosciusko County was in dire straits financially. Umbaugh, a financial advisory firm out of Indianapolis, has been working with the county to identify problem areas in the budget and recommend strategies to rectify …read more.

At the Kosciusko County Council meeting on the evening of May 8, Kosciusko County Commissioner Ron Truex presented the council with some disturbing data. “I’m once again coming to you guys to ask for money for the highway department,” he told the council. “We’ve got enough money to do about a third of what we …read more.

County Councilman and commissioner candidate Jon Fussle hosted a county-wide clean-up effort on Earth Day called “Campaign Clean-Up.” Fifteen supporters and volunteers worked in Silver Lake and in Warsaw along a stretch of County Road 100 East on Tuesday. Almost 1,000 pounds of trash were collected in a 3-hour period. “It is amazing how much …read more.

Kosciusko County Councilman and candidate for Kosciusko County Commissioner Jon Fussle is hosting a “County-Wide Cleanup Campaign” on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22. Fussle is taking a non-traditional approach as he campaigns this election season by hosting a clean-up day and is encouraging the public’s support and participation. Fussle began the “Clean-up Campaign” when running …read more.

The public hearing for a 10-year tax abatement requested by Biomet at last month’s Kosciusko County Council meeting was approved at the council’s April meeting. Biomet’s expansion, which includes the purchase of several parcels of land, is expected to create 150 jobs over five years. Richard Helm, the attorney representing Biomet at the council meeting, …read more.

Jon Fussle announced his candidacy for Kosciusko County Commissioner in the May 5 Republican primary. The 35-year-old Fussle is currently serving his second year on Kosciusko County Council. “I’m running for commissioner to bring openness and transparency to the office, to bring vision and to help take on the challenges facing this county,” said Fussle. …read more.

At the March County Council meeting on Thursday, as the meeting drew to a close, things took a rather nasty turn regarding an electronic correspondence written by councilman Jon Fussle. “It came out of nowhere,” Fussle told StaceyPageOnline.com. “That meeting was great until they chewed me out.” On March 10, Fussle sent out a personal …read more.

Biomet is asking the county for a tax abatement to expand its Warsaw campus, which is a multi-million dollar plan. At the Kosciusko County Council meeting this evening, Biomet legal counsel Richard Helm said, “We’re here for a tax abatement,” explaining that the medical device company plans to buy two tracts of land near its …read more.

Budgetary concerns were the main issues raised at the Kosciusko County Council meeting last night. After approving a handful of transfer items, county highway superintendent Scott Tilden came before the council to address the immense costs of dealing with the harsh winter. Tilden projects that by the end of the year his department could be …read more.

Kosciusko County District 4 Councilman Jon Garber announces he will be seeking re-election as councilman during the primary on May 6. Garber, a Republican, was elected in a special May 2012 caucus to fill the vacated 4th District council seat that came open upon the death of councilman John Kinsey.  Garber is a 1971 graduate of …read more.

The Kosciusko County Council handled more end of the year housekeeping at its meeting on Dec. 12. To start Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert requested a total of $11,610.84 be transferred from the repairs and maintenance account to cover insurance payments for repairs to some of the sheriff department’s vehicles. The motion was approved. Representing …read more.

“We’re more or less cleaning things up tonight,” said councilman Robert Sanders regarding the business affairs handled at the Kosciusko County Council meeting Thursday night. Most of the county business was small funds transfers. Sheriff Rocky Goshert requested a transfer $75.95 from insurance to cover maintenance on a transport van. He also requested a transfer …read more.

Budgets were the primary issues discussed at the Kosciusko County Council met at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the Kosciusko County Courthouse. Several budgets were the primary issues addressed. First, County Highway Department Superintendent Scott Tilden requested a transfer of $78,555 from miscellaneous to other equipment. The transfer is due to issues with …read more.

(Photo by Stacey Page) Road construction will begin this week on the Zimmer Road roundabout. The Kosciusko County Council was informed Thursday night that the repair work will require traffic delays while the work is done. The roundabout, which was completed in November 2012, has been collapsing (See related story). The project was awarded in …read more.

With a vote of 4 to 3, the Kosciusko County Council Thursday night approved a 10-year abatement for Louis Dreyfus — which included 2013-2014 abatements plus a retroactive abatement for equipment placed in 2009. Steve Snyder, legal counsel representing Louis Dreyfus, noted the 2013-2014 abatements would help grow more industry in the county with two …read more.

Nine non-profit agencies made budget presentations to the Kosciusko County Council last night. Most of them projected increases to their budgets as federal and state funds decrease, adding additional stress and reductions on the services they provide. Budget increases for 2014 across the board totaled $70,915. Among the nine non-profits present last night were Kosciusko …read more.

During the Kosciusko County Council’s meeting July 11, Pictometry narrowly received approval with a vote of four to three, following a debate over its cost-effectiveness. County assessor Laurie Renier had asked for an additional appropriation of $214,869.20, the estimate for the first flight. With a program called Change Finder, the assessor’s office will be able …read more.

The county is hoping to make $1 million in road improvements and its hoping to use Economic Development Income Tax funds to do it. Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden requested approximately $1.1 million for proposed road work at Tuesday’s Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting. During last night’s Kosciusko County Council meeting, commissioners Ron Truex and …read more.

Kosciusko County Treasurer Sue Ann Mitchell told the county council Thursday night that property tax bills are in the mail and, “We’re trying to make it as easy as we can for people to pay.” Kosciusko County property owners should be receiving their property tax bills in the mail within the next few days. Property …read more.

During the Kosciusko County Council meeting Thursday night, Shelly Heckert of the Kosciusko County Solid Waste District presented a slideshow account of 2012 in review. Since the county provides funds to the KCSWD, the presentation served to show how the money was spent. That included putting a new facade on the building at 220 S. …read more.

Long-time Kosciusko County Councilman Tom Anglin received a standing ovation at the conclusion of Thursday night’s regular council meeting as his councilmates and fellow county office holders bid him farewell. Anglin opened the last meeting of 2012 noting it was also his last meeting as an elected official. “Since I’ve been on the council since …read more.

Five people are vying for three county council at-large seats. Republican incumbents Robert (Bob) Sanders (R) and Larry Teghtmeyer (R) are vying for the seats against Democrats Joshua Bartman and Lee Ann Brown and Republican Jonathan Fussle. Meet The Candidates Robert Sanders has been a Kosciusko County resident since 1979. He is the president and …read more.

Employees of the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau will be held to a 2 percent salary increase in 2013, despite a recommendation for a 3.35 percent increase. Kosciusko County Councilman Jim Moyer raised the issue during the council’s regular meeting when Jo Paczkowski, treasurer of the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission presented …read more.

Kosciusko County Council heard a proposal at their regular meeting Sept. 13 in regards to a Pictometry project, which would utilize aerial photographs to keep track of improvement changes for use in the reassessment process. The assessor’s office had previously used Pictometry in November 2010 for use in the 2012 General Reassessment and hope to …read more.

Kosciusko County Treasurer Sue Ann Mitchell approached the county council during their regular meeting, Aug. 9, seeking two transfers. The first was $9,000 toward the general part-time fund so the treasurer’s office could pay part-time help while they still need to fill two full-time positions. Secondly, Mitchell requested $26,235 be transferred from the general treasurer …read more.

Representatives for a dozen nonprofit organizations in Kosciusko County came before the Kosciusko County Council Thursday night to give brief descriptions of their programs and explain why the funding is necessary. The most in-depth presentation of the evening was given by George Robertson, president of Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. Robertson said the $177,000 KEDCo is …read more.

In a meeting filled with presentations from non-profit organizations and tax abatement reviews, it was a discussion on a seemingly minor appointment which brought the most discussion among the Kosciusko County Council. A request by the Pierceton Library board to appoint Helen Hall to the board sparked discussion among councilmen on the true interest and …read more.

Mentone Town Council met Monday night and voted against the newly amended county burn ban by continuing a ban on personal fireworks usage in the town limits. Mentone Town Council President Tim Croy notified StaceyPageOnline.com after the meeting saying the board is ” … upholding our decision to ban all open burning and fireworks, due …read more.

Rich Gaul of Warsaw has been approaching the Warsaw Common Council for the last two months asking them to educate themselves on Smart Meters – also called Advanced Meters – and ban them from the city. Gaul says Smart Meters are a health issue, security risk and an privacy invasion. He also says the meters …read more.

By PAUL MORALES After an extended debate, the Kosciusko County Council approved county prosecutor Dan Hampton’s request for a lump sum payment to one of his employees. A paralegal assistant in the office also functions as a deputy prosecutor and is currently paid at a paralegal’s salary. Hampton maintained that paying her as an attorney …read more.

By STACEY PAGE Editor [email protected] Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton appeared before the county council last night to ask for $41,000 of his budget to be reallocated to update security and surveillance equipment in the jail. According to Hampton, a new law now requires all interviews of in-custody persons to be video and audio taped …read more.

Jon Garber of Claypool won the District 4 County Council seat that was vacated by the death of John Kinsey. A Republican caucus of eligible precinct committeemen was held Tuesday May 1. Garber, raised in Kosciusko County, is a 1971 graduate of Warsaw Community High School and 1976 from Indiana University with a degree in political science. He returned …read more.

By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer [email protected] Kosciusko County Republican Chairman Randall Girod has announced three separate caucuses to fill vacancies to elected positions. Two of the caucuses will be held May 1, the third will be May 5. The vacancies are for Kosciusko County Council District 4, Franklin Township Advisory Board and Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board. The …read more.