He didn't stay to hear the discussion. He didn't stay to comment.

And he didn't get his petition approved or denied by the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday. Instead, the commissioners voted to further consider Rex Hogan's rezoning requests at a time when there are no pending violations.

Hogan petitioned to rezone 5.36 acres from an agricultural district to a residential district. He wants to build rental houses on the property. The property is east of CR 325E and north of CR 100S in Wayne Township.

His other petition is to rezone 4.04 acres from an agricultural district to a commercial district. The property is east of CR 325E and north of CR 100S in Wayne Township. Hogan wanted to use this acreage as a buffer zone.

The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission voted unanimously Nov. 3 to recommend to the county commissioners not to approve either rezoning.

At the beginning of the rezoning hearings before the commissioners Tuesday, Hogan gave each of the commissioners a letter and then left, saying he didn't believe he got a fair hearing before the plan commission. The letter, in part, said that the plan commission's requirements were an undue hardship and that his rezoning request was compatible with the area.

Area Plan Director Dan Richard said that Hogan's violations include having two mobile homes and scattered junk on the property. The plan commission filed suit against him to get him to clean up his property, a suit that was settled. Hogan was supposed to have the property cleaned up by June, but it still is not cleaned up, Richard said. Hogan also got a permit for a storage unit but used the permit to place a residence on the property instead.

In other matters:

• County commissioners approved County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine's contract for 2000. His salary will be raised from $70,000 for to $72,000. The county council must still approve the contract.

• County Assessor Sharon Thompson said the company assessing the county's land values for the 2000 reassessment, Indiana Assessment Service, is requesting the performance bond on their contract with the county be waived. Instead, 10 percent of the monthly payments will be held until the project is complete.

The commissioners approved waiving the bond but told Thompson to watch the work and money closely.

• The commissioners approved Gordon Vanator to be on the Warsaw School Corp. prevailing wage committee as recommended.

• The commissioners will meet Nov. 6 and July 3 in 2000 instead of Nov. 7 (Election Day) and July 4. The commissioners also approved next year's holidays for county employees.

• County Administrator Ron Robinson presented several quotes for equipment for the dispatch center for the commissioners to approve. The commissioners approved approximately $17,500 for a large Word Systems recorder; new chairs for a total of $3,582.90; and $19,250 for a 911 mapping system from CSI Law Enforcement Inc., Indianapolis.

• County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson recommended Null's subdivision, off CR 850E, north of North Webster, be accepted into the county system. It was approved.

• Ladson announced the county has received a grant to install passive controls at railroad crossings across the county. The grant was for $34,000 and the passive controls, which include crossbucks and stop signs, will be put up as soon as possible.

Ladson also told the commissioners the county received a couple of awards by the Asphalt Association for their paving projects. Ladson and a county commissioner will attend the awards banquet in Indianapolis Dec. 7.

• The speed limit on CR 250E, between Old Road 30 and New Road 30, was lowered from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour.

• Commissioners approved the snow policies for this winter for the highway department as recommended by Ladson. Start time for snow plowing will begin at 4 a.m. under normal snow events. All plows will be sent home with the drivers for the months of December, January and February. Barrels of sand will be placed at fewer intersections this winter than last because the sand barrels weren't used frequently. [[In-content Ad]]