Commissioners Approve Fox Farm Road Stop
February 3, 2021 at 1:15 a.m.
By Amanda Bridgman-
County Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty asked the county commissioners’ permission Tuesday to install the new sign and stop traffic on Fox Farm Road.
Moriarty told commissioners his department does their due diligence and doesn’t just “put up a stop sign anywhere.” He cited studies done by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), crash data provided by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office along with the department’s employees watching the area.
“This one definitely could help the safety of the intersection,” Moriarty said. “Traffic will have to stop at the T.”
Moriarty said motorists traveling south on North CR 150W are already required to stop at the Fox Farm Road intersection; however, many “roll through it,” leading to collisions and “a lot of close calls.”
“That’s a major change for that intersection,” Commissioner Bob Conley said. “It’ll be interesting.”
Moriarty said they will put lights on top of the new stop sign to get people’s attention, along with placing two stop sign ahead signs up.
The commissioners unanimously approved Moriarty’s request.
In another matter, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said construction for the new security measures at the entrance of the Justice Building will begin Feb. 15 and last that entire week.
That entrance will be closed to the public while work is being done, and people will be redirected to enter at the south entrance off of Center Street.
The project has been in the works for a while, McSherry said, which includes installation of bulletproof glass for the security guards as well as a baggage x-ray system that will be able to show the contents inside people’s belongings.
Pending no problems with the construction, McSherry said the main entrance is expected to be reopened Feb. 22.
Also Tuesday, the commissioners:
• Approved a request from County Auditor Michelle Puckett to tap into rainy day funds to assist in the purchase of new radios and pagers for the county’s fire departments.
The new radios and pagers are needed to be compatible with the county’s new tower system, she said, and Kosciusko County Emergency Management Director Ed Rock is spearheading a grant that could pay up to $1.2 million to help with the purchase. However, because of the county’s tower project, the county has the ability to purchase the radios at a deeply discounted rate.
Rock has not applied for the grant yet, but that application is due Feb. 12. Puckett said they went to the county council and asked permission to tap into the rainy day funds to purchase the radios at the discount and then they will be repaid. She said the council had no problem with it.
County Commissioner Brad Jackson said Tuesday he’s concerned that there’s no “cap” on the price. The $1.2 million was thrown out there by McSherry, who noted that the amount depends on how many departments request new radios and pagers, and how many radios and pagers they request.
• Agreed to continue the $100,000 commitment the county made with Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. for the small business relief funding program. In 2020, the county committed to putting $100,000 toward the fund that provides loans to small business in hopes to get a return and then be able to make future loans to other businesses. It is a revolving loan fund, Puckett said, that needs to be requested for participation in each year.
• Approved a $17,290 request from McSherry to use Security Alarm Systems (SAS) and install panic button upgrades to the Justice Building for the judges’ and court reporters’ desks.
McSherry said that technology was installed in the old courthouse two years ago and connects the buttons with dispatchers.
• Approved a request from Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed and Lindsey Grossnickle to apply for the fourth year of a grant for the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) program.
Reed told commissioners the grant is for $80,000 to continue to support the program that the late Superior Court I Judge David Cates started three years ago.
JDAI has been around for more than 20 years and focuses on moving low-risk youth from secure detention into community-based alternative programs.
• Heard from Moriarty his department was awarded just shy of a million dollars in January from the Community Crossings grant. He’s going to advertise bids to pave five miles of roadway in February, with bids to be due by 9:15 a.m. March 2.
• Heard from County Treasurer Rhonda Helser that the amount of interest the county’s bank accounts accrued in 2020 was $402,160.07, which is down from $823,033.84 in 2019.
Conley said she’s done good work during an uncertain year.
The next meeting of the Kosciusko County Commissioners is 9 a.m. Feb. 16 in the old courthouse courtroom.
Latest News
E-Editions
County Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty asked the county commissioners’ permission Tuesday to install the new sign and stop traffic on Fox Farm Road.
Moriarty told commissioners his department does their due diligence and doesn’t just “put up a stop sign anywhere.” He cited studies done by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), crash data provided by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office along with the department’s employees watching the area.
“This one definitely could help the safety of the intersection,” Moriarty said. “Traffic will have to stop at the T.”
Moriarty said motorists traveling south on North CR 150W are already required to stop at the Fox Farm Road intersection; however, many “roll through it,” leading to collisions and “a lot of close calls.”
“That’s a major change for that intersection,” Commissioner Bob Conley said. “It’ll be interesting.”
Moriarty said they will put lights on top of the new stop sign to get people’s attention, along with placing two stop sign ahead signs up.
The commissioners unanimously approved Moriarty’s request.
In another matter, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said construction for the new security measures at the entrance of the Justice Building will begin Feb. 15 and last that entire week.
That entrance will be closed to the public while work is being done, and people will be redirected to enter at the south entrance off of Center Street.
The project has been in the works for a while, McSherry said, which includes installation of bulletproof glass for the security guards as well as a baggage x-ray system that will be able to show the contents inside people’s belongings.
Pending no problems with the construction, McSherry said the main entrance is expected to be reopened Feb. 22.
Also Tuesday, the commissioners:
• Approved a request from County Auditor Michelle Puckett to tap into rainy day funds to assist in the purchase of new radios and pagers for the county’s fire departments.
The new radios and pagers are needed to be compatible with the county’s new tower system, she said, and Kosciusko County Emergency Management Director Ed Rock is spearheading a grant that could pay up to $1.2 million to help with the purchase. However, because of the county’s tower project, the county has the ability to purchase the radios at a deeply discounted rate.
Rock has not applied for the grant yet, but that application is due Feb. 12. Puckett said they went to the county council and asked permission to tap into the rainy day funds to purchase the radios at the discount and then they will be repaid. She said the council had no problem with it.
County Commissioner Brad Jackson said Tuesday he’s concerned that there’s no “cap” on the price. The $1.2 million was thrown out there by McSherry, who noted that the amount depends on how many departments request new radios and pagers, and how many radios and pagers they request.
• Agreed to continue the $100,000 commitment the county made with Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. for the small business relief funding program. In 2020, the county committed to putting $100,000 toward the fund that provides loans to small business in hopes to get a return and then be able to make future loans to other businesses. It is a revolving loan fund, Puckett said, that needs to be requested for participation in each year.
• Approved a $17,290 request from McSherry to use Security Alarm Systems (SAS) and install panic button upgrades to the Justice Building for the judges’ and court reporters’ desks.
McSherry said that technology was installed in the old courthouse two years ago and connects the buttons with dispatchers.
• Approved a request from Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed and Lindsey Grossnickle to apply for the fourth year of a grant for the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) program.
Reed told commissioners the grant is for $80,000 to continue to support the program that the late Superior Court I Judge David Cates started three years ago.
JDAI has been around for more than 20 years and focuses on moving low-risk youth from secure detention into community-based alternative programs.
• Heard from Moriarty his department was awarded just shy of a million dollars in January from the Community Crossings grant. He’s going to advertise bids to pave five miles of roadway in February, with bids to be due by 9:15 a.m. March 2.
• Heard from County Treasurer Rhonda Helser that the amount of interest the county’s bank accounts accrued in 2020 was $402,160.07, which is down from $823,033.84 in 2019.
Conley said she’s done good work during an uncertain year.
The next meeting of the Kosciusko County Commissioners is 9 a.m. Feb. 16 in the old courthouse courtroom.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092