The Starke County Commissioners will meet tonight where a public hearing is set for the UTV Ordinance. The county’s ordinance authorizes and regulates the use of Recreational Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs or side-by-sides) and Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) on certain county roads. A copy of the ordinance is available in the Starke County Auditor’s office in the Starke County Annex Building No. 1 on 53 E. Mound Street in Knox.
Starke County Treasurer Gives Information on Website Opportunity
Starke County Treasurer Kasey Clark approached the Starke County Commissioners last week to discuss an opportunity to create a website to make property records available online.
She explained that the county could have a website designed to grant taxpayer access to information from the treasurer’s office, assessor’s office and auditor’s transfer history. The information could include the property owner’s tax bill, property assessment information, or how much in taxes has been paid or how much is owed. Tax bills could be reprinted for records or for information for payment.
Starke County Treasurer Discusses Tool to Collect Delinquent Property Taxes
Starke County Treasurer Kasey Clark discussed with the commissioners last week a tool that is being pushed by AIC (Association of Indiana Counties) officials to help collect delinquent property taxes.
According to Clark, the organization members came up with the idea of capturing state income tax refunds to pay delinquent property taxes. She said $1.5 million is not collected in the county every year and believes it could be a good tool to gather the funds.
Koontz Lake Conservancy District Officials Looking to Clean up Koontz Lake
The Koontz Lake Conservancy District members are looking to improve conditions in Koontz Lake.
Representative Matt Wolfe told the Starke County Commissioners last week that they are looking into watershed management by controlling water runoff from farmland, golf courses and residences into the lake. This will help curb the weeds and algae that are killing native plants in the lake. District members will discuss ditch maintenance with County Surveyor Bill Crase.
Information Tidbits from the Starke County Commissioners and Starke County Council
The Starke County Commissions and Starke County Council members discussed a few items during their meeting this week.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked for fund transfers with extra money in the gas, oil and lube fund in order to update and maintain gravel roads, buy more road equipment and cover a shortfall in the liability insurance. He said this action is usually done every year. About $57,500 was transferred toward road equipment and other line items to support liability insurance and other maintenance.
Starke County Commissioners Pass Second Reading of UTV Ordinance
The Starke County Commissioners passed the UTV ordinance on second reading.
County Attorney Marty Lucas clarified the wording of “county highway” in the ordinance. He said the wording is a little aged, but it means county road and does not reflect any permission on the state highways to operate UTVs. Highways such as U.S. 35, U.S. 30, State Road 8, State Road 10, State Road 39 and U.S. 421 that run through Starke County are the jurisdiction of the state or federal highway system.
Starke County Council, Commissioners to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Council members will consider several fund requests this evening.
They will have a presentation of a refund from NIPSCO and consider transfer requests from the auditor’s office and the clerk’s office. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler will present transfer and additional appropriation requests and the sheriff’s budget will be discussed along with Sheriff Bill Dulin’s requests for fund transfers. The council members will also consider the 2018 salary ordinance and receive information from Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director Charlie Weaver. Continue reading
Second Opinion Sought on Possible Starke County Intersection Improvements
Three intersections have been studied for potential upgrades in Starke County, but the highway superintendent wants a second opinion.
Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners this week that he is enlisting the help of officials from Purdue University’s Local Technical Assistance Program to decide how to go about improving these intersections. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Continues with Traffic Studies
The Starke County Highway Department is continuing an effort to conduct traffic studies in order to collect data for a proposed U.S. 30 freeway that will travel through northern Starke County.
A coalition is putting together suggestions to present to INDOT that would include benefits to Starke County in a U.S. 30 freeway proposal between Valparaiso and Fort Wayne. In that stretch, the only way to get across U.S. 30 would be with an overpass, and the only way to get on will be at an interchange. Continue reading
Starke County Ambulance Calls Still a Concern
The Starke County Commissioners remain concerned about the number of transfers by Starke County EMS personnel.
EMS Director Travis Clary reported to the commissioners on Oct. 2 that the percentage of transfers dropped from 35 or 25 percent to 10 percent in September.
Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie said the number of transfers were down to seven percent in October. Continue reading
Veteran’s Day Flag to be Given to Collector after Observance
The Starke County Commissioners considered a request from Matthew J. Foster to fly an American Flag at the Starke County Courthouse at the war memorial on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, and retire that flag the next day to give to a Starke County soldier.
Foster plans to give it to E7 Sergeant First Class Ronald James Lardino II. Sergeant Lardino is a Knox native and has spent the past 17.5 years in the U.S. Army. His service includes two combat tours in Iraq and one tour in Kuwait. He is currently stationed in Georgia. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Approve Proposal for Elevator Project
The Starke County Commissioners reviewed a proposal from the Skillman Corporation for plans for a new elevator at the courthouse.
The construction manager’s fee was set at $12,750 while another $32,250 was approved for other construction manager and general condition fees.
The construction of the elevator is expected to begin in spring 2018 and take three or four months to complete.
Starke County Highway Department to Try Product in Cold Mix Asphalt
Starke County Highway Department crews will be working with a new product to include with the cold asphalt mix.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler explained to the county commissioners Monday night that they have been chosen by a vendor to use an additive to the cold mix asphalt that could help it cure quicker and provide a product that would last longer. Ritzler said the vendor has adapted a hot mix version of this additive to work with cold mix. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Consider First Reading on UTV Ordinance
Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas presented the commissioners with a proposed ordinance that would authorize and regulate the use of Recreational Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs or side-by-sides) and Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) on certain county roads and highways.
The Starke County highway superintendent has the authority to restrict the passage of these vehicles on certain roads at his discretion for safety purposes. Proper signage will be displayed. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Commissioners will meet tonight where an ordinance regarding off-road vehicles will be considered on first reading.
Now that the county was awarded a grant to update the courthouse elevator, the commissioners will review a proposal from the Skillman Corporation to move forward with the project. Continue reading
Starke County Election Board Plans More Research, Before Agreeing to Voting Machine Upgrades
Starke County Election Board to Meet Today
The Starke County Election Board is meeting this morning. As the county continues to prepare for future elections, upgrades to its voting machines may be considered. Vendor MicroVote is proposing to rebuild the machines for a total cost of about $66,000.
Starke County Council’s Concerns with Coroner Brought to County Commissioners
Emergency Radio Problems Continue in Starke County
Problems persist with Starke County’s emergency radio system. Several months ago, the Koontz Lake Volunteer Fire Department was having trouble communicating with dispatchers. On Monday, it was the Knox Volunteer Fire Department that was having problems, according to County Commissioner Donnie Binkley. Continue reading
Starke County U.S. 30 Planning Committee to Hold First Meeting Tonight
Potential upgrades to U.S. 30 will be discussed this evening by a group of local stakeholders. The Indiana Department of Transportation may consider upgrading the highway to freeway standards in the coming decade. Starke County has assembled a group of people who’d be impacted by the change, to come up with some recommendations for INDOT to consider.
