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Court Appointed Special Advocates will hold a child abuse vigil on the courthouse lawn April 14 at 5:30 p.m., according to Kosciusko County Administrator Ron Robinson.
Those in attendance will light candles during the event. If it rains, the vigil will be held indoors and flashlights will be used. CASA had to get approval from the Kosciusko County commissioners Tuesday to hold the vigil on the courthouse lawn. The commissioners unanimously approved.
In other business:
• The county commissioners approved a request by the Kosciusko County Historical Society to hold a reading production in July in conjunction with Downtown Days. There will be three performances featuring 16 characters who came to Kosciusko County in the 1830s.
• A renewal for a grant for the county's victim's assistance program was approved.
• The commissioners approved the host agreement between the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District, Allied Waste and the Claypool landfill. The host agreement is a contract between the landfill, its owner and the district to provide protection and benefits for all parties involved and the surrounding neighbors.
• Mike Miner, attorney for the county commissioners, was directed to write an ordinance that would allow 50 cents from each dog tag purchase to be used for the local animal shelter.
"This has no additional impact on the taxpayer," County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said.
Miner also told the commissioners that he and Robinson could handle the sale of tax delinquency collections.
"That's not rocket science," he said. "Ron and I have sold property for the county before."
After a property has been through a tax sale twice, the county owns the property. Mitchell said there are 64 properties in the second round of the tax sale. Miner said if the county sells the property, they will not have to give 18 percent of the sales to a company that would do the work.
The commissioners agreed to let Miner and Robinson conduct the sales.
• The commissioners approved a contract for the printing of tax bills for $19,800 with Low, South Bend.
"The price has not changed," Mitchell said. "We pay for the postage above and beyond that."
She said, in addition, a letter will be sent with the tax bills explaining the $12,500 personal property tax credit, the tax bill process, a breakdown of where the tax money goes and ditch taxes.
• Appointed J.R. Gaylord to serve on the prevailing wage committee for the county highway's bridge 267 project, off Wawasee Drive. Other committee members include Don Scearce and Jack Kelly.
• Bids for a county highway truck and/or a truck with a chassis were opened.
The highway department is looking for a single axle dump truck. Equipment for the truck would include a belly blade, the actual dumping mechanism for the truck and a salt spreader.
County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson said a recommendation will be given in approximately two weeks.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Eddie Creighton, Avis Gunter and Brad Jackson.
