The Starke County Commissioners have revised their nepotism policy to mirror state law. The county has had an ordinance on the books since 2011 to address favoritism granted to relatives without regard to merit. The changes bring the county’s policy in line with a state law that’s since been passed. County attorney Marty Lucas says it defines a relative as a parent or stepparent, a child or stepchild, a brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister, niece or nephew, daughter-in-law or son-in-law. For purposes of the ordinance, an adopted child is the same as a natural child. Brother and sister includes brother and sister by half-blood. It otherwise leaves the ordinance the same. Lucas says this change will make potential legal challenges to the law easier to defend. The policy only applies to county government employees who work in the same office or department.
