The Starke County Commissioners held a meeting earlier this week, on July 21st.
The meeting minutes were shared by the Starke County Auditor as follows:
Pursuant to adjournment comes now the Starke County Commissioners and meet in regular session in the meeting room of the Starke County Annex #1, Knox, IN at 9:30 AM, with all members present. The following proceedings were held to wit:
IN RE: EMS RECEIPTS AND REPORT
Nancy Coad reported receipts from Merchants and Medical in the amount of $546.01 and from O’hare in the amount of $419.60. She reported total receipts for the month of June in the amount of $97,134.11.
Jim Garner, EMS Director, submitted his monthly report.
Mike VanDeMark wants to look into building a new building for the Grovertown EMS building. He thinks it would be too much to invest in the current building as it is in pretty bad shape. He is looking into any county owned property in that area. They want it to be north of the railroad tracks.
Jim asked permission to use the meeting room on the weekends for training. Don Binkley moved to approve seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
Jim bought a golf cart out of EMS donation funds for use at the Park Department. He would like to use the park’s Polaris for EMS. Aime Flora and Gwen Rentz are both agreeable to this. It would still belong to the county.
Gwen was in the room and Mike asked her if she was agreeable to this and she is.
Don Binkley moved to allow with the park being responsible for repairs on the golf cart seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
IN RE: SALARIES FOR TREASURER AND DEPUTY TREASURER & RECONCILLIATION
Kelly Graham, Treasurer, came before the commissioners for approval to request a $6,000 pay increase for the Treasurer and a $4,000 pay increase for her deputy. Don would like to discuss pay raises with the council before making any decisions.
Mike stated that in the last 5 years the cost of living has gone up 40%, but salaries have not. He would like to review salary changes across the board and feels the annex employees are underpaid. He does not feel it is a fair working wage.
Kelly reported that she has a Team meeting with Crow every other Monday on the progress of the reconciliation.
IN RE: PARK EMPLOYEES’ JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Aime Flora submitted job descriptions for her part time employees and is requesting a pay scale range depending on the job.
Mike VanDeMark moved to approve seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
IN RE: SURVEYOR’S DEPUTY SALARY, KRBC & BASS LAKE PARADE
Gwen Rentz, Surveyor, is requesting that her deputy’s salary be brought to the same as other deputies in the county. She stated she didn’t request a raise for herself because she wanted her deputy to get the increase.
Don believes it should be a 3% raise across the board for everyone including the Surveyor and the highway department.
Mike VanDeMark moved to approve increasing the salary of the Surveyor’s deputy to what the other deputies are making subject to the county council seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
Gwen asked about the KRBC appointment and was told Bill Crase wanted to keep his seat on the KRBC and the KRBC Board thinks he is a good fit. Bill said there is room for the Surveyor to be there.
Gwen reported that she is doing the Bass Lake parade and inviting everyone in county government to be a part of this along with the 250 committee.
Don wants Government covered up on the banner and so does Charlie Chesak.
IN RE: NORTH BEND TOWNSHIP CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Lynn Vessley, North Bend Township Trustee, submitted her Capital Improvement Project for the commissioners’ approval.
Don Binkley asked if the audit report had been cleaned up and she stated that the report was on the previous trustee, but she is working with the state on getting it cleaned up.
A question came from the public asking if the School House was included in this project, and Lynn reported that the School House was a separate project and that she had added things in her budget for this.
Mike VanDeMark moved to approve the 5-year plan seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
IN RE: SAN PIERRE AND RAILROAD TOWNSHIP
Katherine Chaffins, Railroad Township Trustee, submitted an affidavit wanting to change the 3-acre commons area of San Pierre to Railroad Township. She feels everything is explained in her affidavit.
Don Binkley moved to allow her to move forward seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
IN RE: TEXT MY GOV ALERTING SYSTEM
Tori Chessor, EMA Director, met with the marketing specialist of Text My Gov and they want to know if we can use the phone numbers on file. People can opt out if they don’t wish to receive these notifications. If we don’t use the program, we won’t be able to set up specific areas to alert. We will be able to set up groups. They are leaving it up to Tori on advertising.
They will work with us on graphics.
To sign up, you can go to the EMA web page or the EMS web page.
It is live, but no texts have been sent out yet.
The commissioners would like yard signs at the government buildings with QR codes on them along with the link.
Mike VanDeMark asked if there was a way to chart the growth monthly so the taxpayers know that it is worth it. Tori said she would track and let the commissioners know.
Bernadette Manual asked if election could use—such as notifying of early voting, election dates, etc. Tori stated that they are only signed up for emergencies and it would cost more to add that. Taxpayers had stated that they don’t want too many texts, only emergencies.
Tori further stated that she has been working with the Sheriff and EMS on what they would like added in the way of emergencies.
Don Binkley moved to approve seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
IN RE: SUSAN LANGE COMPLAINT AGAINST HER NEIGHBOR
Susan Lange wanted to report a complaint against her neighbor running a trucking business on his property. She went to the Planning Commission in September and it is zoned agriculture. She wants to know how he can run a business. The neighbor told her it is not a business, but she said he has numerous trucks and 2 fueling tanks. He told her the gas tanks were for mowers but one of the tanks is very large with no protection around it and it is approximately 15 feet from her property. She submitted pictures to the board.
There is also a washing station for the trucks and he rents out the trucks. She is worried about ground water contamination—hazardous chemicals in her well water.
The planning commission told her to just get along with her neighbors.
She further stated that he has 6 employees. She has been to the Health Department, the DOT, etc. and they all told her to talk to the Planning Commission.
He also has 2 shipping containers on the property and he is only allowed to have one.
She has lived here for 17 years and he came after. She never would have bought in that location if she knew there was going to be a trucking company.
She has been to the Planning Commission and called them numerous times. Now he is putting a gravel service there as well.
These operations are going on from 4 AM to 5 PM. Sometimes even in the middle of the night. Other neighbors are also complaining and no one is giving her answers. The planning commission isn’t doing anything. The coming and going causes all the neighborhood dogs to bark all night. She is paralyzed and very ill and she can’t take all the stress. She is requesting that the commissioners look into this.
Public comment stated that he only has about 2 ½ acres and he has all this stuff on that small area of land. He stated that he lives 2 miles away and she is being too kind about it. He also stated that it lowers her property value and if the fuel runs over it would also go into the well water. Mike VanDeMark stated that the Planning Commission is restructuring and will be able to address this. He further stated that she definitely has legitimate issues.
Susan stated that the business is in his mother’s name with the business listed on her land, but it is on his property not hers.
Mike stated that the Planning Commission needs to work on what is allowed as a business as it is a very gray area right now.
Susan said she is not stopping as it is impacting her house. She is worried about her home structurally, because sometimes she feels like she is in an earthquake.
Mike said they will start working on this now that they know the situation.
Susan said she feels nepotism is involved. Don Binkley stated that there is no nepotism in the county.
Public comment asked if the BZA has to notify neighbors if a property is rezoned and was told yes.
Greg, the property owner involved, said he was told by the planning commission that everything was fine except the 2nd storage unit. Susan said the 2nd unit is still there.
Charlie Chesak said that Mike would look into this.
IN RE: KOONTZ LAKE EASEMENT
Patrick Russell was on the agenda and wanted a phone call as he couldn’t make the meeting due to his work schedule. The commissioners asked that he come to the next meeting as they want to talk to him in person.
Tom Camire submitted information regarding the easement. He stated that people are actually encroaching on the easement.
Don Binkley stated that they are working on all of these easements.
IN RE: DEAD TREE ON COURTHOUSE LAWN AND NEW TRUCK FOR MAINTENANCE
Rick Green, Maintenance, reported that there is a dead tree on the south side of the courthouse and he would like to cut it down. He will plant another tree by the bison. Mike VanDeMark moved to approve cutting down the tree seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
Rick also requested a new truck. He explained how he travels all over for maintenance—all 3 ambulance garages, the park department, the government buildings—and sometimes has to go to Valparaiso to pick up supplies. The bed of his truck is rusted through with big holes.
Mike VanDeMark stated that his truck is pretty rough and Rachel Oesterreich at the highway has none she is cycling out. Mike feels we should consider this at the end of the year if there are funds left over. The commissioners would like Rick to start looking into the new truck.
Don Binkley requested that he preferred local purchase.
IN RE: VENDOR CLAIMS, PAYROLL CLAIMS AND MINUTES
Regarding vendor claims, Mike VanDeMark asked if the attorney claim included both claims, the one denied last time and the new one. He was told yes. Don Binkley moved to approve the claims seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
Mike VanDeMark moved to approve the payroll claims seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
Mike VanDeMark moved to approve the 7-7-25 minutes seconded by Don Binkley with 3 ayes.
Don Binkley moved to approve the 7-18-25 special meeting minutes seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes. Mike filled Charlie in on the issues with Toto Road which the special meeting was about, and what their short-term solution is.
IN RE: PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT
Don Binkley moved to appoint Dale Turner to the Planning Commission board seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
IN RE: PUBLIC EASEMENT AT BASS LAKE
Jim Garner, EMS, stated that the public easement that emergency vehicles also use is being taken over by public parking. He was told to contact the sheriff, because it can’t be blocked and there should be no parking.
Jim will talk to Rachel about putting no parking signs at this location.
IN RE: ELECTION EQUIPMENT
Bernadette Manual, County Clerk, asked about updating her election equipment. The commissioners stated that they already approved it to go to the council, so it is up to them to approve, and they are letting the council decide where to pay it from if they approve the equipment update.
There being no further business to come before the board, Don Binkley moved to adjourn seconded by Mike VanDeMark with 3 ayes.
