Members of the Starke County Board Commissioners and County Council met Tuesday evening in a special session with representatives of IU Health Starke Hospital to discuss options available for operation of the healthcare facility. The County leases the aging building at the corner of U.S. 35 and Culver Road to IU Health, which operates the hospital.
Representatives of Indiana University Health Starke Hospital will meet next week with members of the Starke County Board of Commissioners and the County Council to discuss the future and continued use of the facilities leased from the County. The current lease expires in 2016.
“We are committed to be here, we want to stay here, but we also know that improvements are going to have to be made along the way, particularly in relationship to the building” stated hospital CEO Linda Satkoski. Continue reading
We continue today with our interviews with the Knox city candidates for elective office in the spring Primary on May 3rd.
Mark Smith is the President of the County Council and has been coroner in the past. He is the owner of M.C. Smith Funeral Home in Knox.
Smith noted the improvements made in past administrations, including the highway project through Knox, Gateway Project, renovation of the old depot, and others. He said he feels we’re not progressing now, as we did then.
Here is the Capital Assets Study as presented to the Commissioners and Council by RQAW Consulting Engineers and Architects of Indianapolis:
The jail is in need of immediate renovation to upgrade and update systems. Currently the roof requires replacement and there are problems with one of the roof top air handling units. The lighting has been upgraded since our inspections took place.
The jail is overcrowded and in need of expanded capacity.
“Starke County has to have a road map, we can’t pay everything out of the Cummulative Cap fund,” said Starke County Commission President Dan Bridegroom to open this week’s Capital Asset Management work session.
He and Council President, Mark Smith, assembled members of both bodies to consider the preliminary report from the consulting firm hired to identify Starke County’s short and long term needs.
Is Starke County going to get out of the ambulance business? That was one of the questions several County Councilmen and one Commissioner attempted to answer this week.
Getting out of the ambulance business was only one of the proposals made in a session on upgrading the county’s ambulance capabilities to Advance Life Service (ALS) status.
After being understaffed for years, the Starke County Treasurer’s office may finally get a full-time clerk. Two treasurers have pleaded for help, but the request was never granted.
Treasurer Linda Belork came before the Starke County Council this week asking for the full-time help. Again, she was denied on a 4-2 vote. Council President, Mark Smith, explains that part of the action.
A contingent from Indiana University Health Starke Hospital attended the Starke County Council meeting Monday night. Among those in attendance were CEO Linda Satkoski, Vice President of Operations, Dave Hyatt, and the hospital’s attorney, Jim Kaminski, plus several Community Board members.
The purpose of the appearance was to solicit comment to a document sent to the Council concerning the lease of the hospital by IU Health LaPorte Hospital. Five years into a lease that is set to expire in 2016, the hospital hierarchy is interested in forming a government committee to monitor short and long term plans for the health facility.
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, came before the County Council this week. He asked the members to appropriate the money received from the County economic income tax collections and use the funds appropriately.
Over $1.2 million dollars is appropriated for County bridges. Weaver explained why the bridge funds come from economic income taxes.
“One-half of the economic development income tax monies collected goes into bridges,” explained Weaver. This is an agreement that was reached some number of years ago when it was realized that the cumulative rate, which the County had always adopted to maintain bridges, was insufficient to maintain the bridges.”
The amount of collections received for the County’s use in 2011 is $200,000 less than what was received in 2010. Those County Commissioner’s economic funds can be used in conjunction with the Economic Development Foundation. Weaver was asked how the $200,000 revenue reduction would impact things he has on the drawing board.
“The amount that goes to the Economic Development Foundation would be less than what it was last year. We’re stretching it. We’ve got some projects in mind that we need to do and we’re trying to prioritize those as the most fruit comes to bear. When we have a project that is going to create jobs, we’re going to put the money there.”
The County Economic Income Tax is divided one-half for bridges, three-eighths for Starke County Economic Foundation work, and one-eighth for Starke County government.
Financing for video and audio communication between the Starke County Jail and County and City courts was approved this week by the Starke County Council.
The County’s share of the $6,000 cost is one-third. The other two-thirds will come out of the Knox City Court, and the Prosecutor’s Pre-Trial Diversion fund.
Starke County I.T. Director, Bob Smith, came before the Council members to explain the set up of the equipment that will be provided by Vermillion Systems of Walkerton.
Newly elected Starke County Council members, Dave Pearman, Tony Radkiewicz and Mitch Semans, attended the Association of Indiana Counties Newly Elected Officials Seminar. The all day event was held January 22nd at the Crowne Plaza, Indianapolis Airport.
The conference was attended by more than 200 county elected officials from all over Indiana. Seminar training included such topics as: Open Door Law & Access to Public Records, Overview of the Department of Local Government Finance, Tax and Assessment Issues, main Revenue Sources & Debt Financing, Purchasing and Public bidding, Employee/Employer Issues, State Board of Accounts Overview and the Basics of County Budgeting.
The various functions of the AIC include lobbying the Indiana General Assembly on behalf of counties, serving as liaison among counties, state and federal agencies as well as providing technical assistance and training to county officials and employees.
The Starke County Council has re-organized for the new year. Mark Smith was retained as the President and Mitchell Semans was elected Vice President.
Marty Lucas was retained as Council Attorney, Dave Pearman was named to the Kankakee Iroquois Regional Planning Commission, Mark Smith will stay on the Starke County Economic Development Board, Judy Benninghoff is a hold-over on the Starke County Planning Commission Board, Tony Radkiewicz, Sr. was selected for the Starke County Environmental Management board. Judy Zerniak was retained on the P.T.A.B.O.A. Board and Katie Dedloff was again selected for the Starke County Library Board. Kenny Wallace was named to the Alcohol Beverage Commission Board.
Three of the four Starke County Councilmen going off the board at the end of the year attended their last meeting December 20th. Dan Awald was not present. Bill Dulin is one of the Council members leaving, after 2 years on the board.
“I enjoyed getting to know people on a personal basis and trying to deal with them through this side of it,” Dulin replied after being asked his feelings as he leaves office. “It was pretty enjoyable and I’m grateful to be able to serve on the Council the way that we did.”
Bill Dulin will be replaced by David Pearman.
The Starke County Republican elected officials were sworn into office last night in the Starke County Circuit Courtroom. Superior Court Judge Patrick Blankenship swore in Judge Kim Hall. Judge Hall then swore in the rest of the candidates.
“It was a wonderful evening and a great opportunity to place these fine folks under oath to faithfully and impartially perform their duties,” said Judge Hall.
Four new Starke County Council members will be taking office January 1st. After 12 years, Bruce Fingerhut decided to not seek re-election this year.
“I’d say just working with all of the people in the County,” said Fingerhut on his most proudest accomplishment. “I’ve enjoyed meeting the folks and I was trying to think of all the names of the different Councilmen that Chuck and I have served with over the last 12 years (Chuck the last 16) and I’ve gotten to know some really nice folks. Starke County is a great place to live and I’m going to continue to live here and enjoy it and spend more time working on the Trail.”
Wednesday, we hear from Bill Dulin who has been on the Starke County Council for only two years.
The number four story of 2010 is the Republican resurgence in Starke County.
Long a bastion of Democrat government, the Republicans rode the wave of national sentiment to local success. The major impact will be felt on the Starke County Council where the Republicans won three of four seats up for election. Tony Radkiewicz defeated longtime council member Chuck Estok, Mitchell Semans defeated Becky Ferch in a seat that had been held by Dan Awald, and Dave Pearman defeated E.J. Rogers in the seat held by Bill Dulin.
Judge Kim Hall beat back a challenge by former Judge David Matsey by a wide margin.
The state races went Republican, as did the U.S. Senate Race that saw Dan Coats return to the senate by a wide margin. Democrat Representative Joe Donnelly was returned to his seat with a narrow victory over Jackie Walorski, and Democrat Nancy Dembowski got by Frances Ellert for the 17th District House seat. Both candidates, though, blamed the votes that went to the Libertarian candidates for their defeats.
The Republicans gave notice in Starke County that the GOP Party is back, and to be reckoned with in the future.
Four County Councilmen are being replaced in January. Chuck Estok, Bruce Fingerhut, and Bill Dulin attended their final meeting last week. Dan Awald, who is the fourth Councilman being replaced, was not in attendance at his last meeting.
Following the meeting, Ted Hayes talked with the three who were in attendance, starting with Chuck Estok, who has served the longest at 16 years. Ted asked the veteran Democrat Councilman what he is most proud of during his long service to the citizens of the County.
When the Starke County Commissioners and Council get together tonight, they will be questioning Prosecutor Julianne Havens about claims submitted for the purchase of law enforcement equipment. Havens, who will be leaving the office at the end of the month, told the Commissioners in a special meeting December 10th, that she had to “speed up” her commitment to various law enforcement agencies because her timeline had shortened after her defeat in November.
Some of the equipment reportedly has already been purchased without the claims being approved.
Health insurance coverage for Starke County employees was discussed this week by the County Commissioners, Starke County Council President, Mark Smith, and Council-elect member, Mitchell Semans.
Orientation for newly elected officials in Starke County will be held Tuesday, December 21st, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. A tentative agenda will be emailed to all existing department heads who are invited to attend.
New Council members are David Pearman, Mitchell Semans, Anthony Radkiewicz, and Marvin McLaughlin. They will be going into office after January 1st. Also invited to attend is newly elected Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff.
