Starke County Commissioners Seek Part-Time Inspector, Data Entry Assistant

  
 
The Starke County Commissioners are looking to fill a part-time position that will be shared between two departments. The applicant will serve as a part-time building inspector and assist with data entry to help update the county codes and ordinances. The need for a part-time building inspector was pointed out recently when Terry Stephenson was off work due to illness and work he normally handles could not be done. County commissioners discussed the matter and decided to hire someone to handle both roles. Members voted unanimously to advertise the opening for the position.

Starke County Commissioners Approve 2014 Holiday Schedule

  
 
Starke County employees will get a long weekend next year to celebrate Christmas. December 25, 2014 falls on a Thursday. The Starke County Commissioners approved a holiday schedule that includes closing the courthouse at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014 and remaining closed through the following Monday. Commissioner Jennifer Davis says that decision was reached after consulting county employees as to their preference. The rest of the county’s holiday observances will remain the same.

Starke County Commissioners Proceed Carefully With Utility Vehicle Ordinance

 
 
Starke County Commissioners are proceeding carefully with the drafting of an ordinance to allow utility vehicles on county roads. They chose to separate gasoline powered vehicles like John Deere Gators and Kawasaki Mules from the policy they recently passed to allow battery operated golf carts to be driven on county roads. County attorney Marty Lucas is researching policies from other jurisdictions and hopes to have a draft recommendation for the commissioners to consider when they meet on Monday, Dec. 2. The intent of the proposed ordinance, according to the commissioners, is to allow utility vehicles with steering wheels, roll bars and seatbelts that are properly insured to be operated on roads while still restricting all-terrain vehicles like 3- and 4-wheelers.

Public Health Meetings Scheduled in Knox and Hamlet

 

 
 

Members of the public are invited to community forums this week in Knox and Hamlet aimed at addressing the health care services and needs of Starke County residents. Commissioner Jennifer Davis is spearheading the effort to assess and address the continuum of care by identifying gaps in existing services. She says the information gathered at the meetings will be used to organize a plan for needs in the future. The first of three meetings took place last week in North Judson. A second meeting is scheduled tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in downtown Knox. The third session will take place tomorrow evening at the Oregon-Davis High School cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.

Community Health Meetings Scheduled in Starke County

Jennifer Davis
Jennifer Davis
The Starke County Commissioners have scheduled three separate community health meetings to address the health care services and needs in Starke County and the public is invited to attend. Commissioner Jennifer Davis said the goal is to assess and address the continuum of healthcare service needs in the community, and to accomplish that goal, she said they must identify the resources that are currently available and any service gaps that may exist. Davis said the information will then be used to organize a plan for health service needs of Starke County residents.

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Boa Shores Issue Raised at Starke Commissioners Meeting

  
 
A Boa Shores resident approached the Starke County Commissioners at their meeting this week with a complaint against a fellow resident of Boa Shores. Guy Tardi told the commissioners that another resident has been claiming the “Boa Shores park,” an area technically part of the county right-of-way, as his own private property, preventing residents from using it for picnics and other events.

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Starke EMS Seeking New Ambulance; Matter Goes to Council

Paul Mathewson
Paul Mathewson
The Starke County Commissioners this week gave the EMS department permission to request a new ambulance from the council. EMS Director Paul Mathewson approached the commissioners along with Mary Lynn Ritchie of the department. Mathewson explained that he would like to increase the number of shift captains as of the first of the year, and he has been working with Council President Dave Pearman on the next steps to get a new ambulance.

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Starke Commissioners Adopt Anthem Health Insurance

 
 

The Starke County Commissioners during their regular meeting yesterday morning approved a motion to adopt a new health insurance plan with Anthem, dropping their previous contract with Cigna. Debbie Rykovich and Holly Horan approached the commissioners and explained that Signa provided a third proposal at their request and told the commissioners that they need to decide whether to renew Cigna or take the core option from Anthem. In addition, the commissioners were faced with the choice of whether or not to offer plan options.

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Starke County Commissioners Hire Veterans Service Officer

 
 

Starke County Veterans Service Officer Terry Turner can remove the “interim” from his title. The county commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to make him the permanent replacement for Gordon Richie. He resigned from the part-time position in September due to health issues. Turner has been serving in an interim capacity during Richie’s medical leave and was one of two candidates interviewed for the opening. Turner has been working toward obtaining the necessary certifications to better serve area veterans. Commissioner Kent Danford cast the dissenting vote.

 

Starke County Commissioners Approve Limited Golf Cart Ordinance

 
 

Starke County now has a golf cart ordinance on the books. The policy only applies to golf carts and not to other types of all-terrain vehicles. The commissioners plan to address the operation of Gators and other types of utility vehicles on county roads in a separate ordinance. The golf cart ordinance requires an operator to possess a county-issued small vehicle permit and carry liability insurance on the vehicle. Permits can be obtained for a cost of $25 each from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office after the vehicle is inspected. Starke County will also honor permits issued by Marshall County. The permit is unique to a single vehicle, which must have brakes in good working condition and an INDOT approved slow-moving vehicle sign. Additionally, golf carts must be equipped with a rear-view mirror, manufacturers serial number plate, front and rear reflectors and working rear brake lights visible from at least 500 feet. Continue reading

County Council Appoints Park and Recreation Board Committee

Bass Lake Beach
Bass Lake Beach

Bass Lake Beach is closed for the season, and overnight camping will not be allowed at the campground during the winter months. That’s the decision of the Starke County Commissioners. Richard Callahan will continue to manage the two attractions. The county council is in the process of establishing a park and recreation board to oversee the management of the beach and campground and other non-municipal parks. For now a study committee chaired by county councilman Tony Radkiewicz and comprised of councilman Marvin McLaughlin, commissioner Kathy Norem and county attorney Marty Lucas will decide how to proceed with setting up that panel.

Groundbreaking Scheduled for New Sheriff’s Department and Detention Center

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Detention Center.

Starke County officials will break ground for the Starke County Sheriffs Department and Detention Center east of Knox on State Road 8 on Thursday, Nov. 7. The public is welcome to attend the hour-long ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. The new 146 bed facility will more than double the capacity of the existing jail, which can hold up to 63 prisoners. The project was prompted by a federal lawsuit due to overcrowding at the jail.

“We’re housing an average of 15-20 prisoners a day in other jail facilities and have had up to 30 Starke County prisoners in the Pulaski County Jail. We are desperate to get this project done,” Sheriff Oscar Cowen said. His term as sheriff ends in 2014, and he’s not eligible to run for reelection due to term limits.

The project timeline calls for completion of the work in two stages. The sheriff’s department will be done by May of 2014, and the detention pods and 911 center will be finished by April of 2015. Bids for the project came in at $13.1 million.

Starke County Commissioners Award Jail Construction Bids

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.

The bids awarded for construction of the new Starke County Jail east of Knox on State Road 8 total $13.1 million. That cost includes the base bid and two of the key alternates that were contingent on funds being available. The first alternate adds 36 beds to the initial proposal for a total of 145 beds. The second alternate includes the relocation of the county’s E-911 service to the new facility.

The county commissioners stress these construction costs represent a maximum amount, as discussions are ongoing between the project design and engineering firm, county officials and the contractors about ways to further reduce costs. One example cited during the meeting was using a less expensive type of ceiling material that is still adequate to meet the county’s needs.

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Starke County Commissioners Set to Award Jail Bid

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.

The Starke County Commissioners are set to award bids for construction of the new jail east of Knox on State Road 8 when they meet this evening. The commissioners opened the bids on Oct. 10 and took them under advisement so they could be sure they met the specifications outlined in the pre-bid documents. The bids were submitted in 10 different categories: general trades and sitework, masonry, drywall and acoustical, flooring, painting, kitchen equipment, detention equipment and security electronics, fire suppression, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical. A large number of contractors submitted bids for the work, including some who submitted combined bids; that is, a combination of categories, such as masonry, flooring and painting, at a discount.

The work on the project is due to begin next month and wrap up in the spring of 2015. Construction can continue through the winter months since an existing building is being modified.

Starke Commissioners Approve Boa Shores Addition

  
 
The Starke County Commissioners this week approved a motion to allow an addition to be made to the Boa Shores area near Bass Lake. The Woodland Shores subdivision does not include lake access and is located off of County Road 625 East, and according to a representative of the planning commission, the drainage requirements of the county have been met and a public hearing was previously held with no objections voiced.

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Starke Commissioners Review County Jail Bids; Decision to Be Made Later

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
A large number of people attended yesterday morning’s opening of the bids for the new Starke County Jail facility, including representatives for DLZ, Skillman Corporation and the Building Corporation. The county commissioners officially stopped accepting bids for the work shortly after opening the meeting, but it was noted that one contractor is filing a protest because he felt “excluded” from the bid process.

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Starke Commissioners Again Table Road Vacation Request in Monterey Resorts

  
 
The Starke County Commissioners once again tabled a discussion regarding the proposed vacation of a road in Monterey Resorts at the request of Leroy Gudeman. He approached the commissioners with a request that they vacate Lemon Street on behalf of his client, stating the road is not developed and there’s “nothing there.”

Gudeman said he had published a notice in the newspaper in time and said he has proof of its publication. He said everything is in order for them to proceed with vacating the road, and all adjoining properties have been given notice. The properties would be extended to where the road was located.

No one in the audience offered any opposition, and Gudeman asked that the commissioners approve his request. However, Commissioner Kathy Norem said they would approve his request at the next meeting.

Starke County Commissioners Declare October Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 
 
October is officially Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Starke County, after the county commissioners this week signed a resolution proclaiming it so. Wendy Elam with the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse approached the commissioners with the proclamation and explained that we must all join together to support victims of abuse and end abuse of any kind, and to create zero tolerance in our communities for such behavior.

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