Government offices in Starke County will soon have an extra security measure in place. Continue reading
Starke Commissioners Reject Communications Invoice, Suggest Committee to Address Radio Woes
The Starke County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to reject an invoice for repairs to the county’s radio system. They agreed vendor J&K Communications did not adequately fix the system as promised and contend they used existing equipment without authorization. J&K has since told the commissioners they need to spend an additional $4,000 on a new VHF antenna to ensure adequate county-wide coverage. Continue reading
Starke Officials Still Working on Proposed Truck Route Ordinance
Starke County officials are still refining a proposed truck route ordinance before scheduling a public hearing on the measure.
The measure under consideration restricts routes for vehicles with a gross weight of more than 36,000 pounds to specified county-maintained roads or highways. Continue reading
Starke County EMA Director Continues Radio Research
Starke County Emergency Management Agency Director Jacob Lippner is still gathering information about what needs to be done to repair the county’s emergency radio communications system. Continue reading
Starke County EMS Refining Electronic Claims Submission
The electronic billing process Starke County EMS is using to submit claims to BlueCross BlueShield is going well so far. Continue reading
Late Winter Storm Kept County Highway Crews Busy
Winter operations picked up for the Starke County Highway Department last month. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners they had five snow events in March. The most significant occurred on March 15th, with up to 11 inches of snow recorded in a few areas of the county. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Approve Additional Erie Trail Access
The volunteer organization that’s responsible for promoting and maintaining the Erie Trail between North Judson and Bass Station has received approval to add more access points to the route. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Consider Truck Route Ordinance
The Starke County Commissioners have taken a first step towards adopting a truck route ordinance. It restricts routes for vehicles with a gross weight of more than 36,000 pounds to specified county-maintained roads or highways. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Superintendent Touts Proposed Pavement Upgrades
Starke County officials hope to leverage money from the state to improve the county’s road infrastructure. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler is working on a long-term truck route proposal, under which all routes in the county would be within a mile of a highway or hot mix road. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Seek Answers to Radio Woes
The Starke County Commissioners want another vendor to evaluate their radio system and determine what needs to be fixed to make it operational county-wide. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Pass Responsible Bidder Law
Starke County now has a responsible bidder law on the books. The county commissioners adopted the measure Monday evening following a brief public hearing. It sets clear and objective criteria contractors must meet in order to be eligible to bid on public works construction projects. Continue reading
Public Hearing Tonight on Proposed Responsible Bidder Ordinance
Members of the public will have a chance to weigh in on a proposed responsible bidder ordinance for Starke County during this evening’s county commissioners meeting.
The measure is also slated for adoption tonight. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Superintendent Discusses Heavy Truck Ordinance
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler hopes to present a first draft of a proposed heavy truck ordinance for county roads to the commissioners at their April 3 meeting. He’s working with a committee to draft a plan to outline a system of hot mix truck routes for the county. The goal is to have an accessible route within one to two miles of anywhere. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Advance Responsible Bidder Ordinance
The Starke County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on a proposed responsible bidder ordinance during their March 20th meeting. The measure is also slated for adoption that night.
Such policies set clear and objective criteria contractors must meet in order to be eligible to bid on public works construction projects. Continue reading
Lack of Snow Saves Starke County Money
Starke County had no snow events in February. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says the little bit of snow that fell recently didn’t linger long enough to send plows out. He told the commissioners Monday that translates into big savings for the fuel budget. The Starke County Highway Department used about 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel last month, compared to 12,000 in February of 2016 and 14,000 the previous year. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Award Bridge Design Bids
The number of structurally deficient bridges in Starke County is dwindling. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners last night five of the seven bridges are scheduled for repair and completion this year. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners to Consider Responsible Bidder Ordinance
The Starke County Commissioners will consider adoption of a responsible bidder ordinance on first reading when they meet tonight. Such policies set clear and objective criteria contractors must meet in order to be eligible to bid on public works construction projects. Continue reading
Starke Council Schedules Public Hearing on Tax Rates
The Starke County Council will conduct a public hearing on a couple of tax rates when they meet this evening. They’re required to seek input on the cumulative capital development and cumulative bridge funds. The hearings are the first item on the agenda for their 5:30 p.m. meeting. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Superintendent Presents Asset Management Plan
The Starke County Highway Department has a replacement schedule for vehicles and heavy equipment. Superintendent Rik Ritzler shared the asset management plan with the commissioners last week. Continue reading
Mild Winter Adds Up to Savings for Starke Highway Department
The mild winter should make for a more productive summer for the Starke County Highway Department. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the commissioners last week things have leveled off since December in terms of ice and snow. Continue reading
