The City of Warsaw has agreed to cover the extra costs for Bridge 18 over Tippecanoe River, Kosciusko County Commissioners heard this morning. Commissioner Ron Truex said county and city officials got together to discuss the joint project – specifically to determine who would be responsible for which costs – after a supplemental agreement was introduced at the Dec. 15 commissioners meeting. The agreement added another $74,500 to the cost of widening the bridge on CR 300N and adding a walkway to help kids get to school. The extra cost is due to environmental regulations to protect a species of mussel unique to the river, requiring the creation of one acre of additional wetlands and seven years of monitoring the habitat. Also this morning, commissioners approved the Community Collaboration Plan for the Community Corrections program. Drug Court Coordinator Barry Andrews said the plan, which is required by the state for budget reasons, eliminates duplication of services with other departments. For example, he said, the Kosciusko County Probation Department currently provides home detention for felony-level offenders, but that function will be assumed by Community Corrections. Probation will still oversee home detention for misdemeanor offenders, he said.
