Commissioners Deny One Petition, Approve AnotherKosciusko County Commissioners followed the recommendations of the Area Plan Commission on a pair of petition hearings presented Tuesday at the final county commissioners meeting of the year.
They denied a petition by Jeff Heffelinger, who asked the county to vacate the 20-foot-wide EMS B60D Lane, that runs behind his home on EMS B61L Lane. The road hasn’t had significant traffic in years, and a previous owner had placed a shed on the lane as well. There are stairs that encroach on the right-of-way as well. The road provides access to a little-used public beach.
The shed is in violation of county code, and Heffelinger, represented by attorney Steve Snyder, sought the road vacation rather than moving the shed.
Brad Jackson, northern district commissioner, suggested Heffelinger petition the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals for an exception for the shed to stay in place.
Commissioners also approved rezoning a seven-tenths of an acre plat on Ind. 13 from agricultural to commercial. Edward Woenker wants to use a wooded area in the rear of the property, about a quarter mile south of East CR 500N, for a stormwater retention pond.
In other news, the commissioners:
• Approved a 46 board and department head appointments for 2019.
• Signed a three-year contract with Purdue University related to services and information provided to the county’s Purdue Extension office.
• Agreed to allow the sheriff’s department to pursue a state Department of Natural Resources grant for boat patrols, storage and maintenance and other related expenses. The county has received the grant each year for more than two decades.
• Changed the county’s online payment system to a Value Payment Systems service. The three-year contract will make it cheaper for citizens to pay taxes online.
• Signed an interlocal agreement with Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor’s Bureau that will permit the county auditor to serve as the controller for the group.
• Chose commissioner Cary Groninger to serve as president in 2019.
The next county commissioners meeting will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 8.
