Kosciusko County commissioners approve routine purchases, sign on to trail grant pass‑through and back park project

The Kosciusko County Board of Commissioners on March 10 approved a series of routine measures — from equipment purchases to board reappointments — and signaled support for two community projects as it wrapped up its regular meeting.

Among the actions the board approved was the county’s participation in stage 3 plans for a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) sign‑replacement project, a boat lease with the Wallasea Lake Association, and the purchase of a 2024 Jeep Cherokee for the detective division for $35,900. County Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty asked commissioners to sign HSIP plans that will replace many existing posts with breakaway posts; commissioners approved the request.

County Attorney Ed Ormsby told the board that a new national opioid settlement, titled the “6 remnant defendants settlement,” has been reached with several regional distributors and related entities, totaling $97,625,000. “The county is able to participate,” Ormsby said, and recommended that commissioners authorize signature pending his full review; the board approved that authorization.

County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented two equipment items for the county’s corrections kitchens: a cooler unit repair quoted at $11,616.03 from Professional Food Equipment Services, and a recommended replacement of a 25‑year‑old tilt pan, for which the board accepted a Glosson Hobart quote of $32,001.96. The sheriff emphasized the tilt pan’s daily operational role and safety concerns, calling it “absolutely needed.” Commissioners approved both items.

The board also reappointed Mike Duold and Rosa Ritchie to four‑year terms on the Lakeland Regional Sewer District board. Emmons Engineering’s annual contract and several other routine contracts and bookkeeping items were approved.

On community projects, Tracy Ford, executive director of the Syracuse (listed in the transcript as Syracuse Lava Sea Trails), said the county submitted a federal EDI community project application with Kosciusko County serving as the governmental pass‑through. Ford said the application target range was about $1.8 million to $2 million for the Wawasee South corridor — roughly 2.2 miles — to extend trails and improve safety along State Road 13. Commissioners voted to accept the county pass‑through role.

Amy Roe and Rick Patton requested the board add the Enchanted Hills HOPE (Healthy Outdoor Park Equipment) project to the county’s CAP grant list and provided a request for roughly half the project cost — about $245,000 — to be covered by CAP funds. Commissioners approved providing a letter of support.

Other items approved included disposal of obsolete surveillance equipment via the sheriff sale/public bid process, travel approval for IT staff to attend training conferences, and permission to apply for a 2027 reentry court grant through the Indiana Office of Court Services (amount sought: $123,750). The board closed the meeting by reminding the public of a statewide tornado drill at 10:15 a.m. and scheduling its next meeting for March 24.

The county attorney noted that the county’s share of the opioid settlement “is not yet known” and will depend on participation and later calculations. Several dollar figures (for the HSIP grant amount and some project totals) were presented in the meeting record exactly as spoken and were not fully clarified during the meeting; the commissioners did not amend those amounts on the record. The board took no vote on final acceptance of any funds tied to the opioid settlement distribution at this meeting.

The meeting ran through routine business and concluded with thanks to presenters and an adjournment until the next regular meeting on March 24.