Two weeks ago, Kosciusko County Commissioner Brad Jackson asked that the two sides in the Tippecanoe Lake sewer dispute seek common ground. At Tuesday’s commission meeting in Warsaw, steps were taken toward making the project a reality.

Kenneth Jones, CEO of Jones Petrie Rafinski, gave a summary of every study done on the issue since 1970 without regard to who commissioned the study, at the request of Steve Snyder, an attorney representing residents in favor of forming a conservancy district.

The point Jones made was that each study came to essentially the same conclusion: The residents of Tippecanoe Lake need a sewer system.

Snyder said, “I think what Ken has indicated is that this particular project has been studied to death for 48 years, always with the same conclusion: It’s time to put in a public sewer system. At this point there is no need for an additional study.

“Commissioning another study, whether through you (the county commissioners) or whomever, seems to be cumulative and the same results are going to happen. I would suggest that getting behind the pending application for the conservancy district is the appropriate thing to do at this point, rather than having another study that would add months or years to the process.



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“Let’s go for it. It’s already on file.”

Following Jones and Snyder, Joe Tynan spoke. Tynan is among the organizers of the conversancy group. He spoke with Jackson regarding the commissioners’ opposition to the formation of a conservancy, favoring the formation of a rural sewer district (RSD).

Tynan said that according to state statute, the only way residents can get sewer service for themselves is to form a conservancy, and only the commissioners can authorize the formation of a RSD. If the commissioners would agree to put one in place, Tynan predicted the conservancy would dissolve.

There was discussion regarding the inclusion of Chapman Lake in the RSD proposal. Residents there are in the beginning stages of forming a separate conservancy district, and those at Tuesday’s meeting believe including Tippecanoe and Chapman lakes residents in the same RSD would be more cost effective for both groups.

Jackson asked county attorney Chad Miner to work with Jones on the particulars of forming an RSD, and come to the 9 a.m. Feb. 20 meeting with a plan.

Another option is to consider tying into  the Lakeland Sewer District to the north.

“Assuming that a decision is made to proceed with an expansion of the district at Lakeland or to form a new one, it starts with a petition from the elected officials,” said Jones. “I could work with Chad (Miner) to put together the exact steps that the commissioners would need to take to accomplish filing that petition.”

Jackson said, “I can’t promise I’d vote for the RSD, but I’m pretty sure it would pass.”

In other action:

• Amanda Landis, Kosciusko Area Bus Service, asked the commissioners to approve the purchase of two new buses. The vehicles would replace a pair of 9-year-old buses, and are financed through grants. The commissioners approved the request.

• County Clerk Ann Torpy asked for and received money to store about 700 boxes of vital records in a secure facility.

• County Auditor Marsha McSherry asked that an addendum to the county employee safety manual be approved. The request was granted.

• Sherriff William “Rocky” Goshert asked for help in applying for grants from the K21 Health Foundation and the state attorney general’s office.

The money would be used to start a drug rehabilitation program to be modeled after a program in Dearborn County. Goshert and Auditor Michelle Puckett will work on the applications.

• Charlie Green was named Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month. Green served with the Air Force from 1951-53. He was presented a plaque by the commissioners and Veteran Affairs Officer Rich Manor.