Commissioners Say Eastern Time

Opinions registered over the last couple of weeks lean toward the county "switching" to Eastern time, according to Kosciusko County commissioners.

Because of the poll, they will not petition the U.S. Department of Transportation for a change to Central time.

"If we don't petition, we'll be on Eastern time," said commissioner Ron Truex during Tuesday's meeting. "Pubic opinion polls do not carry much or any weight. County residents leaned slightly toward Eastern time. We're not going to petition."

The U.S. Department of Transportation provided counties with several guidelines to determine their preferences. They are:

• The focus of business supplies and product destinations;

• The sources of radio and television broadcasts;

• The location of transportation hubs, including airports, bus and passenger service;

• The nature of the economy, whether it is declining or growing; and

• The existing time zone in nearby areas that draw people for education, health, recreation and worship.

Several rezoning and vacation of public way requests also came before the commissioners.

The commissioners approved a Mastercraft Construction petition to rezone .434 acres from agricultural to residential, overturning an Area Plan Commission recommendation to deny the request.

Property owner Jeremy Makinson wants to divide the outlot. He has built a house on part of the property, on the west side of Lakeview Boulevard in Wayne Township. The lot was marked for the development of a lake and eight acres is a wetlands.

Three Melody Acres residents, who originally signed the petition against the rezoning, appeared to support the plan.

Plan Director Dan Richard said, however, that there were many remonstrators at the APC meeting earlier this month.

The final decision about splitting the lot will be up to the Melody Acres property owners, and has to go before the plan commission again for final plat approval. According to subdivision covenants, if one owner votes against a replat, the lot will remain intact.

The commissioners denied a vacation request by Mary Elizabeth Lewark to vacate an unplatted portion of High Street after adjoining property owners spoke against the idea.

Both Don Jenkins and Russell Shaffer said they would not be able to access their property if the vacation was approved.

The commissioners approved a permit to proceed with a portion of the Lake Wawasee trailhead, as requested by Steve Kelly.

The commissioners also:

• Approved a request by Albert Eugen to rezone eight acres from an agricultural district to a residential district. The property is on the north side of Epworth Forest Road and east of Hoss Hill Road in Tippecanoe Township. Eugen was represented by real estate developer Ken Leatherman.

North Webster will provide sewer service to the development.

• Approved a request by Ron and Gloria Baumgartner to vacate a portion of "old" Eli Lily Road.

• Heard Max Courtney, Lowell Owens, Bruce Woodward, Bill Warren and Larry Teghtmeyer will serve on the redevelopment commission.

• Heard from county administrator Ron Robinson that costs of carpeting the basement and courtroom of the courthouse will cost $20,000. There will be additional costs to carpet the assessor's office.

• Approved costs of $7,800 to "clean up" the Civil War memorial on the southeast corner of the courthouse.

• Approved an interlocal agreement with the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor's Commission to provide accounting services at no charge.

• Approved personal property software contracts as requested by County Assessor Laurie Renier.

Renier also presented quotes to purchase laptop computers for township assessors/trustees.

Commissioners are Avis Gunter, Ron Truex and Brad Jackson.