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Bids for the demolition of the buildings on the corner of Center and Lake streets for the Justice Building expansion project were opened Tuesday by the Kosciusko County commissioners.
The bids, in the order they were opened, were: Warner & Sons, Elkhart, $876,725; Richard Brothers, South Bend, $748,366; G&G Hauling & Excavating, Warsaw, $578,000; Richard Ness Excavating, Huntington, $599,826; Martin Service Systems, Fort Wayne, $750,000; Indiana Earth Inc., Osceola, $582,030; Kelcon, Warsaw, $772,772; and Cripe Excavating, Syracuse, $572,500.
The bids will be reviewed and a written recommendation will be made to the commissioners to be approved Jan. 18.
The county's lease agreement with the Kosciusko County Justice Building expansion project corporation and a recommendation to the county council to set up a fund for the expansion project also were approved.
Dottie Hoffer was appointed by the commissioners to the Bell Memorial Public Library board, Mentone. Reappointed to the TIF district board were Willis Alt, Beth Huffer, Dana Krull, Will Schieler and Brad Tandy.
Robert Murphy, a grant writer with R.P. Murphy & Associates, asked the commissioners to be the applicant for an Indiana Department of Commerce grant. He said Hideaway Hills is in the process of setting up a not-for-profit corporation to improve their sewage treatment plant. There are 155 mobile home lots and six apartments that will be affected. The estimated range for the improvement will be between $200,000 and $450,000.
The proposal is due Feb. 4 and the application for the grant is due April 7. Murphy said the county would have no responsibilities except for handling several checks. Only counties or cities can accept grant money from the Indiana Department of Commerce.
Commissioner Avis Gunter asked what would happen to the tax assessment on the property if they go not-for-profit.
Murphy said only the sewage plant would be not-for-profit. He also said that prior to putting any sewage equipment in, a study will be completed.
The commissioners approved the request as well as a letter for R.P. Murphy & Associates to begin their environmental study.
Rob Ladson, county highway engineer and superintendent, asked the commissioners to repeal an ordinance placing a stop sign at the railroad crossing on CR 50W near the Dome Pipeline facility. The railroad crossing now has lights and gates and the stop sign is no longer needed. The commissioners approved.
Because of possible problems one of the county's health care networks is having, the commissioners, at the request of County Administrator Ron Robinson, authorized Robinson to sign an agreement with another health care network if the need arises.
Marsha Engle's petition to vacate a right-of-way east of CR 700E and north of CR 400N, in Tamarack Hills in Tippecanoe Township, was tabled. The attorneys representing Engle and remonstrators will meet to try to hammer out an encroachment agreement instead. The commissioners will either review the agreement or hear the request again Feb. 1.
In final business, at the request of the area plan commission, the commissioners approved renaming May Street in Tippecanoe Township to May Lane.
