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Commissioners approve equipment purchases, several claims and procedural items in routine session
Summary
The Starke County board approved vendor and payroll claims, certified state paperwork, authorized a used bucket truck purchase and set an auction reserve for the old unit; the meeting also approved a traffic change to a four-way stop and kept the county's take-home vehicle policy.
Starke County commissioners on Monday approved routine vendor and payroll claims, certified state-required paperwork, and approved several operational items including the purchase of a used bucket truck and the auctioning of the county's older unit.
The board approved vendor claims totaling $424,364.56 and payroll for the pay period ending 06/20/2026 of $347,065.01 by voice vote. Commissioners also approved minutes from the 06/15/2026 meeting and signed the annual covered-bridge certification form (state form 56491) noting the county has no covered bridges.
Road department staff presented a used bucket truck found at auction for about $10,000; mechanics had inspected it and staff recommended purchasing and certifying it for county use. "We ran through all of it. It runs nice. Everything works perfect on it," a staff speaker reported. The board voted to proceed with the purchase and to list the county's existing bucket truck on an online auction with a $5,000 minimum reserve to recoup part of the cost.
On traffic safety, staff said LTAP engineers now recommend converting the intersection at County Road 700 East and 200 North to a four-way stop following a recent accident; commissioners approved adding the signs and required traffic-pattern notification.
The board also voted to maintain the county's take-home vehicle policy after employees spoke in favor of retaining vehicles for storm and emergency response.
Votes at a glance - Vendor claims: $424,364.56 — approved (voice vote). - Payroll claims (period ending 06/20/2026): $347,065.01 — approved (voice vote). - Minutes (06/15/2026): approved (voice vote). - Covered-bridge certification (State form 56491): approved (voice vote). - Bucket truck purchase (used unit ~ $10,000 plus fee): authorized; old bucket truck moved to online auction with $5,000 minimum reserve. - Intersection change at County Road 700 E & 200 N to a four-way stop: authorized to proceed with signage and notification. - Take-home vehicle policy: retained (motion passed).
