The Starke County Election Board heard evidence from witnesses Wednesday morning challenging the address of residency of Tom DeCola as it appears on his candidacy paperwork as a Republican candidate for Starke County Treasurer.
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Starke County real estate tax payments are due November 13. Treasurer Kasey Clark says payments can be left in the drop box outside the Starke County Treasurer’s Office in Knox or at one of six local banks.
Starke County real estate taxes are due Tuesday, May 10. Payments can be dropped off at the County Treasurer’s Office in Knox or at one of six local banks. Continue reading
Friday’s candidate filing deadline brought a flurry of activity in Starke County. A total of six Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination for the Commissioner District 3 seat held by Republican Kent Danford. He is not running again. Candidates include Karen Tibbs, Anthony R. Bailey, Robert G. Manning, Tony Minix, Kenneth Arnett and Joseph Woods. The winner will face Republican Charles Chesak in November. Continue reading
Starke County real estate tax payments are due Tuesday, Nov. 10. They can be paid in person at the treasurer’s office or dropped off at one of several local banks. Continue reading
Starke County inkeepers taxes are now payable to the county treasurer’s office each month. The forms that need to be submitted with those payments are available on the county’s website, and any questions can be directed to the treasurer’s office. Payments were previously submitted to the state. Continue reading
Starke County residents will see a specific fee on tax statements in 2014.
Treasurer Kasey Clark told WKVI that the solid waste fee will be on the spring tax statement. She said the fee, which is around $20 in some cases, will be a separate item on the tax bill and will be due when the regular property taxes are due in her office in May.
With the Starke County Treasurer’s Office once again open and ready to receive payments, Treasurer Linda Belork wants to remind Starke County residents that tax payments are due in just over a week.
Though there was some confusion in the treasurer’s office in October when the Starke County Commissioners closed the office after Belork was reinstated to her position, Belork explained that tax payments have been coming in at a steady pace. She said a lot of people have been calling the office to ensure they are, in fact, open, and others have resorted to using the outside night drop as well, allowing taxpayers to make payments on the weekend and after hours.
The Starke County Commissioners, Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork and their counsels were to appear in Jasper Circuit Court yesterday for a hearing, but it was continued without a date.
County Attorney Marty Lucas said that the Jasper County prosecuting attorney found that the Starke County Commissioners were in compliance with Judge John Potter’s order when they reopened the Starke County Treasurer’s office and gave Linda Belork full access to all records, computers and keys to the office. The commissioners had previously closed the office because Belork was not working under a surety bond and Judge Potter found that to nullify his order reinstating Belork to office.
Lucas indicated that since Judge Potter’s ruling has been followed, the special hearing was continued.
A race has developed in the Democrat Primary in Starke County. Current Treasurer, Linda Belork, and Interim Treasurer Kasey Clark have both filed for the May 8th election.
Judy Benninghoff filed this week for a Democrat Council at Large seat and Dan Bridegroom filed for District 3 Commissioner on the Democrat ticket. Continue reading
On August 11th of last year, Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork was served a restraining order removing her from conducting her duties as treasurer of the county. The restraining order was issued after the three county commissioners voted to remove her from office following the announcement to the public that there were irregularities in some 2009 accounts.
A hearing will be held in Jasper County today on Linda Belork’s request to have a court-imposed Temporary Restraining Order removed allowing her to return to her duties as the Starke County Treasurer. Belork has been out of the office since August 13th after being removed by the County Commissioners following the issuance of a State Audit showing thousands of dollars in discrepancies.
The money has been found, but Belork has been blocked by the order from returning to office. Objecting to her return are the Starke County Commissioners. Judge John Potter will be seeking pertinent information from Belork’s attorney, Ethan Lowe, and Martin Lucas, attorney for the commissioners, during today’s hearing.
The case stems from the removal of Belork as the treasurer of Starke County in August. She was dismissed by the commissioners when a State Board of Accounts audit turned up discrepancies of several thousand dollars in the office. Since that time, all the money has been accounted for and the defendant is seeking to have the court reinstate her back into the office. Today’s appearance by the lawyers is set for 10:30 a.m. before Judge John D. Potter. This is only a status conference with no testimony being heard.
Last week the Starke County Democrat Party named Kasey Clark as the Interim Treasurer of the county following Belork’s removal from office.
Kasey Clark was sworn in last night as the Interim Starke County Treasurer. Clark, who has been running the office since Linda Belork was removed in August, was selected by the Starke County Precinct Committeemen in a caucus last night at the Knox Community Center. Clark won the caucus over Connie Miller of North Judson.
Before the vote each of the women gave a speech listing their reasons for running for the office. Clark repeated part of her address following the vote.
There will be a Democrat Caucus tonight to select a replacement for Linda Belork, but the replacement will not be called the Treasurer of Starke County. Linda Belork, with counsel, appeared before Judge Kim Hall yesterday seeking an injunction against a Democrat caucus being held to fill her position by the precinct committeemen.
Judge Hall ruled that because State Statute does not guide him in this motion he would fashion a ruling on the testimony. The judge interviewed Attorney Ethan Lowe as well as Democrat Chairman Ken Wallace. When completed, Judge Hall ruled that a caucus could proceed tonight, but that the person selected would be referred to as the Interim Treasurer. As the Interim Treasurer, the candidate would have the full authority of the Treasurer’s position to make decisions and sign documents.
Two candidates are seeking the opportunity to fill the Starke County Interim Treasurer’s position in tonight’s Democrat Caucus. The appointed person will fill the term of Linda Belork until a Jasper County Court settles a suit between her and the Starke County Commissioners. If Belork wins the court case, she will reclaim the office and the caucus winner will vacate the position. If Belork loses the suit, the caucus winner will automatically have the Interim designation removed from her title, and the candidate will become the Treasurer.
There will be a Democrat Caucus tomorrow night to select a replacement for Linda Belork, but the replacement will not be called the Treasurer of Starke County. Linda Belork, with counsel, appeared before Judge Kim Hall in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning seeking an injunction against a Democrat caucus being held to fill her position by the precinct committeemen.
Judge Hall ruled that because State Statute does not guide him in this motion he would fashion a ruling on the testimony. The judge interviewed Belork’s Attorney, Ethan Lowe, as well as Democrat Chairman Ken Wallace. When completed, Judge Hall ruled that a caucus could proceed tomorrow night, but that the person selected would be referred to as the Interim Treasurer. As the Interim Treasurer, the candidate would have the full authority of the Treasurer’s position to make decisions and sign documents.
The attorney for Linda Belork has notified Starke County Democrat Chairman, Kenny Wallace, that he, on behalf of his client, is challenging the right of the party to hold a caucus Thursday night, December 1st to name a new Starke County Treasurer.
Belork was removed from office by county officials in August when a State Board of Accounts report noted funding discrepancies totaling thousands of dollars. Those discrepancies eventually were resolved, but Belork was never reinstated to the office.
The Starke County Precinct Committee persons have been notified that the Democrat party has decided to permanently replace Linda Belork in the office of Starke County Treasurer. Belork was removed as Treasurer on August 11th by the Starke County Commissioners because of a state audit that pointed out financial discrepancies. The county also filed suit against the bonding company, Ohio Casualty, which subsequently canceled Mrs. Belork’s bond.
