The public will get a first look at plans for a new jail east of Knox on State Road 8 during the July 22 council and commissioners meeting. That presentation is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. at the county annex building.
Sheriff and Council to Split Vehicle Equipment Costs
Starke County Council Approves Commissioners Intern Request
Starke County government leaders will have some summer help to tackle a few big jobs. Council members approved the hiring of an intern from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs for 120 hours of work at $7.25 an hour to be paid from the economic development income tax and commissioners budget. The intern’s responsibilities include helping to codify county ordinances and analyzing the county’s salary and wage structure. Commissioner Jennifer Davis will be his supervisor, and he will work Monday through Thursday. Davis says having an intern with a solid background in governmental affairs represents a win-win for the county, as he will be able to get some valuable hands-on experience and the county will get a lot of value for their investment in terms of the projects he’s been assigned.
Council Approves County Highway Truck Purchases
The Starke County Council has taken a first step toward approving the purchase of three new Freightliner trucks for the highway department. Superintendent Rik Ritzler says that eight of the trucks in the county’s fleet are more than 15 years old, and many have more than 300,000 miles. He says they are becoming more costly to maintain than to replace. Even though the initial replacement cost is $439,672 for three new vehicles, Ritzler says they would last the county several years. Money for the purchase is in the county highway fund; however, the state requires the appropriation be advertised before it can be spent. Council members approved the advertisement and expect to give final approval to the purchase when they meet in June. Ritzler also told the council he plans to implement a fleet management plan and replace a vehicle each year after this.
Starke County Council Approves Jail Mediation Agreement
Starke County Council, Commissioners to Meet This Morning
The Starke County Council and the county commissioners will meet this morning at 9 a.m. to discuss a variety of items, including a schematic design approval for authority to begin design development for the county jail project. The council will hear from a representative of the Skillman Corporation and DLZ, the architectural firm that is handling the design aspects of the facility.
Starke County Council Ratifies Travel Policy
Starke County employees who travel on county-related business are not allowed to accept dinner, drinks or any good or service of value from contractors or vendors. That’s now the official policy of the county, as adopted Monday by the council.
Other revisions to the county’s travel policy include setting mileage reimbursement at the IRS standard mileage rate. Generally travel less than 50 miles from home is considered a day trip, but overnight travel can be authorized if a meeting starts early the next morning. This is done at the discretion of an employee’s supervisor but does require pre-approval. Also, when two or more employees are traveling the same general route for the same general purpose, one vehicle should be used if possible. Reimbursed mileage cannot exceed map mileage for a trip, and other expenses, such as parking and tolls, may be reimbursed if receipts are provided. The policy also sets limits on meal reimbursements, with a maximum of $6.50 for breakfast, $8.50 for lunch and $13 for dinner. Continue reading
Starke County Council Opts to Wait on Wheel Tax
The Starke County Council is waiting to see if a mandatory wheel tax proposal gains traction in the state Senate before voting to implement one locally.
The state Senate is pushing a plan that would require all 92 Indiana counties to implement an excise tax on annual vehicle registrations in order to get their full share of road money. Currently only 45 counties have such a tax on the books. St. Joseph is the only county adjacent to Starke that collects the tax. House members have backed away from the controversial proposal.
Starke Council Approves Payment of Negotiated Attorney Fees for Dotlich Case
Community Services of Starke County Suffering Funding Woes
While donations have been steadily coming in to the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry, Organization Director Joan Haugh said other programs offered by the organization are suffering from a lack of funding. Haugh told the county council this week that they are incurring further reductions in funding from both the state and federal government, primarily affecting their transportation program.
Starke County Approves $100K for Pulaski Inmate Housing
Starke County Council Transfers Nearly $200,000 to Rainy Day Fund
After failing to reach a quorum at their last meeting, the Starke County Council last night met once again before the end of the year to wrap up end-of-year business. Council President David Pearman passed out a spreadsheet detailing county budgets and line items with what the council expected to be leftover funds at the end of the year – funds which, if nothing is done with, would disappear.
Starke Commissioners, Council To Meet Today
After failing to reach a quorum at their last meeting on Dec. 17, the Starke County Commissioners and the County Council will meet once again tonight to wrap up end-of-year business.
Items that had been on the council agenda for the last meeting included a request for funding from Community Services Director Joan Haugh, a third-quarter commissary fund report from Sheriff Oscar Cowen, and a report from the county auditor on anti-nepotism certifications of department heads.
Starke Commissioners, Council Unable To Reach Quorum
Yesterday was a boring day for the Starke County commissioners and the council, as neither body was able to form a quorum. For a variety of reasons including sickness and prior engagements, four members of the county council and two commissioners were absent from last night’s meeting.
A quorum is the minimum number of members of an assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group; in this case, the council requires at least four members while only three were present, and the commissioners require at least two. Only one commissioner, Jennifer Davis, made it to the meeting.
Starke Commissioners To Make Final Jail Site Decision Soon
The Starke County Commissioners this week met with the county council for a discussion regarding the proposed site for the new county jail facility. A huge public turnout filled the meeting room with concerned residents who were uneasy about the idea of having a jail for their neighbor.
Commissioner Kathy Norem explained that they’ve looked at a number of properties over the last several months as prospective jail sites, but the top contender at the moment is a piece of property located at the intersection of State Road 8 and 550 East.
Majority of Starke Commissioners, Council Republican for First Time in Decades
For the first time in several decades, the majority of both the Starke County Commissioners and the Starke County Council are republican, but how much does that really matter? Republican Kent Danford beat out Democrat Dan Bridegroom for a seat on the Board of County Commissioners, and the lone democrat commissioner, Jennifer Davis, said it’s going to be a bit different but they’ll work together to improve the county as best they can.
Starke County Council Discusses Innkeeper’s Tax, CVC
The Starke County Council this week heard from the Convention and Visitors Commission as they discussed the goals of the organizations. Council President Dave Pearman explained that the council and commissioners felt that there have been a lot of unknowns with the commission, such as an unsurety toward their mission, and unsure how their funds are being handled. He said they need to ensure funds are being used correctly and not going missing, but he emphasized that both boards recognized there is a value to the organization if they can get these issues sorted out.
Starke County Council Discusses Levy Growth Options
The Starke County Council this week discussed a number of options available to grow the county’s levy, specifically three options regarding income tax and property tax.
Council President Dave Pearman explained that the state froze levy growth for the majority of Hoosier counties back in the 1970’s, and several counties are now wondering how to go about unfreezing that growth. He explained that the levy was frozen to prevent counties from extending their levy growth beyond the means of their local growth – essentially spending beyond their means.
American Oak To Develop Industrial Park Property
The Starke County Council last week passed a motion to approve a proposed ordinance to allow American Oak to develop property in the North Judson Industrial Park.
Council President David Pearman says this is a great opportunity to expand the development in the industrial park. He says next to the American Oak property is some land with a lot of scrub trees, and American Oak is interested in putting some money into that property.
Starke County Council Approves 0.65 Tax Rate For Jail Project
Council President David Pearman says the motion passed 5–1, and they will now be able to move on to the next step in the process.
