WARSAW — Members of ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) in Kosciusko County will celebrate Earth Day (as well as National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month) by cleaning up a two-mile stretch of road they've adopted on CR 400S late Wednesday afternoon.

The road extends east of SR 15 south of Warsaw. Wednesday’s work is one of four they do each year and today's project starts at 5:30 p.m.

Donnie Barton, a representative of ABATE, said they've been doing the work since 2008.

Barton and other ABATE members attended the Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday and spoke about the importance of motorcyclists being out on the roads with the arrival of spring weather.

The commissioners approved a proclamation for Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, which begins May 1.

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By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Commissioners will soon host a public meeting to discuss the planned city-county parking garage in downtown Warsaw.

The county's been studying the idea for more than two years and has acquired property along Fort Wayne Street, north of the courthouse, for the proposed parking garage.

But no final, definite vote of support has happened yet.

The commissioners were asked on Tuesday at their meeting about their thoughts going forward. None of the three voiced strong opposition, in part because of the need for more parking.

Commissioner Cary Groninger said the county is already short about 100 parking spaces for its own employees, and also cited heavy foot traffic at the Justice Building. 

Officials estimate 7,000 to 10,000 people visit the Justice Building each month.

“Those are a couple of things that are just a real need that we see, and with the additional growth that's happening in the downtown, parking's going to become more and more of a premium," Groninger said.

“We're trying to get out ahead of that curve," he said.

The county's use of federal ARPA money in recent years, he said, has allowed it to set aside money for other projects.

“We have a nice, healthy balance in our EDIT fund that we're able to do this with cash and wouldn't have to borrow any money,” Groninger said.

He also said the county is also looking at eventually using the recently refurbished parking lot north of the jail for future Justice Building expansion — a move that would lead to more parking demand.

Commissioners Bob Conley and Sue Ann Mitchell said they're both still studying the issue.

“We have to be very careful. We have to know that if this moves forward, it has got to be paid for in full,” Mitchell said.

“There is no way that we can go into debt in order to support that,” she said.

A date for the upcoming public meeting has not yet been announced.

Officials said they are aware of some opposition from the public, much of which has been aired online.

“It's a big, difficult decision, and input is welcome — I welcome anybody to share with me what their thoughts are with solid facts, why we should or shouldn't move forward,” Mitchell said.

Conley said Saturday at a candidate forum that he has not yet made up his mind on the issue.

Conley faces Don Wiesehan for the southern district commissioner in the May 5 Republican primary.

Wiesehan said he currently opposes the plan.

If elected, Wiesehan would not take office until January.

The commissioners said they don't have a timetable for deciding whether to support a parking garage, but it appears a vote could happen later this year.

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WARSAW — Kosciusko County, seeking to construct a parking garage with the city of Warsaw, will move forward with eminent domain after the owner of a downtown property balked at the idea of accepting a purchase price that would have been based on the average of two appraisals.

The land includes the Ameriprize Financial, which is east of a county parking lot and west of South Buffalo Street.

Eminent domain the the power of a government or an authorized entity to take private property for public use, even if the owner does not wish to sell.

County attorney Ed Ormsby introduced the subject at Tuesday's meeting of the county commissioners.

The commissioners had minimal discussion on the issue. The decision was unanimous.

You can see the entire county commissioner's meeting here. The discussion about the parking garage starts at the 4:23 mark.

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WARSAW — The debate over whether to rezone 550 acres from agriculture to Industrial 3 that would have opened the door for a data center near Leesburg was rejected by the Kosciusko County Commissioners by a 3-0 vote on Tuesday morning.

[caption id="attachment_108766" align="alignright" width="279"] A few of the many opponents at Tuesday's meeting wore anti-data center caps. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The commissioners were given a unanimous recommendation against the rezoning from the area plan commission and heard more than an hour of debate Tuesday on the matter, for those and against.

The debate pitted whether to allow a massive data center that could generate upward of $30 million in tax revenue for the county against the desire by many residents to preserve the agricultural environment and way of life.

Many of those opposed to the plan said they were not opposed to the concept of a data center but were strongly opposed to the location, while the attorney for Prologis, Steve Snyder said the land northwest of Leesburg was the ideal location because of its proximity to a NIPSCO substation that connected three massive transmission lines.

He also discounted the idea offered by some that Prologis should find a new location and run electrical lines to it. He argued it would be expensive and incredibly time-consuming.

Snyder also pointed out that even if the rezoning was approved, the plan would still need approval for an exception by the county board of zoning appeals, which would review performance standards.

Attorney Jack Birch, representing those opposed to the rezoning, told the commissioners that the 8-0 Recommendation by the plan commission stood out as one of the most important considerations.

Two of the three commissioners, Cary Groninger and Sue Ann Mitchell, said they spent a lot of time researching the issue. They also said that otherwise they normally support economic development and business plans.

The location and public opinion seemed to carry a lot of weight.

"The rezoning of property should be denied because it's not a reasonable and prudent location for this type of development," Mitchell said.

"This unique, challenging project and the limitations and problems associated with the current proposed location have not been overcome by the petitioner. In light of these considerations, I concur with my fellow commissioners," Groninger said.

Bob Conley echoed the words of Valparaiso's mayor, where a similar plan was considered.

"Our citizens have spoken. Our area plan department has spoken, and now our county commissioners are speaking," he said.

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WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a disaster declaration following Friday's storm that swept through areas north of Warsaw.

Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter estimated that 115 homes were damaged by the microburst that stretched from Whispering Pines mobile home park to Chapman Lake and north of Pierceton.

A county disaster declaration gives public officials the power to respond to a disaster and request assistance.

Residents are strongly encouraged to report damages to the state of Indiana online at in211.org to assist in tracking the extent of these damages. 

Area Plan Director Matt Sandy also points out that repairs and/or reconstruction involving damaged structures may require a local permit from the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission.

For details on the permitting process, call the County Area Plan Commission at 574-372-2304.

Permits can be applied at the Area Plan Commission Office in Warsaw or online at Kosciusko.in.gov.

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WARSAW — The hiring of a new Kosciusko County Health Officer was approved by the Kosciusko County Commissioners on Tuesday.

The county health board nominated Dr. Eric Waldo, of Mentone, for the position.

County Attorney Ed Ormsby said the county commissioners interviewed Waldo on Jan. 4 after receiving the recommendation.

The Times-Union reports Waldo was born and raised in Indiana and joined Kosciusko Medical Group in July 2011. He earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2008. He is a full-time hospitalist at Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital.

Waldo replaces Dr. William Remington who stepped down Dec. 31.

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WARSAW — Kosciusko County Commissioners approved an ordinance that strictly prohibits possession of deadly weapons and also cracks down on the use of cell phone in the Justice Building.

The proposal was sought by local judges.

The ordinance includes exceptions for weapons for law enforcement officers, elected officials, officers of the court and authorized security personnel, the Times-Union reported.

The ordinance also bans the use of devices used to record audio or video or to take pictures in the Justice Building, except at a public meeting governed by Indiana’s Open Door Law

The ordinance also prohibits the possession of cell phones on the second floor of the Justice Building.

A violation of the weapon or phone ban may result in a fine of up to, but not more than $2,500 for a first violation and up to, but not more than, $7,500 for a second or subsequent violation.

To read the Times-Union's full story, click here.

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WARSAW -- Winona Lake is in line for its first electric vehicle charging station.

Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) is applying for grant money from the U.S. Department of Transportation with the goal of establishing 20 to 25 locations across Kosciusko, Marshall, St. Joe and Elkhart countries.

The grant covers 80 percent of the cost and the host would be expected to cover the rest.

The proposed location in Winona Lake would be in the parking lot of the town hall.

Hosts can be government entities and companies whose parking lots are available 24/7 …  According to Leah Thill, MACOG’s director of sustainability.

Thill said they’re hoping to add charging stations in towns like Winona Lake, Argos and Middlebury that otherwise would not likely see the service made available.

The only two electric charging stations currently available for public use in Kosciusko County are near the courthouse in Warsaw.

Convincing the public to embrace electric vehicle options is still a work in progress.

About 90 percent of those who purchase an electric vehicle have a charging station at home.

Public charging stations provide a good backup, she said.

"We think there is a chicken and the egg issue," Thill said. "If we can bring charging (into the public square) we'll be able to see the cars that are already here and being charged at home and will reveal a good option that's here."

Thill was in Warsaw asking for (and receiving) support from the Kosciusko County Commissioners for a non-binding letter of support for the grant.

Anyone interested in hosting a charging station is encouraged to contact MACOG.

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WARSAW -- Kosciusko County Commissioners provided backing and some money Tuesday for a request to add 182 homes along East Webster Lake to the Tippecanoe-Chapman Regional Sewer District.

The commissioners approved a $40,000 “loan” to get the process going.

County Attorney Ed Ormsby, who also sits on the sewer district board, said the board fully supports the move.

The $40,000 request now goes to the county council

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