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Since the Kosciusko County Commissioners agreed to close the railroad crossing at CR 450E and vacate the road, the county will get three benefits in return.
Indiana Department of Transportation will put up flashing lights and gates at CR 325E and Van Ness Road. CSX also will give the county $20,000 to help close off CR 450E. The road will not be vacated and the crossing closed until Van Ness Road in Wooster and CR 325E crossings have their lights and gates, which will be in approximately one to two years.
In December, Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson presented the county commissioners with a proposal to close the railroad crossing at CR 450E, just south of US 30. By closing the crossing, lights and gates would be put up at CR 325E by the state.
In addition, Yvonne Beyer petitioned to vacate CR 450E, south of the railroad tracks to Wooster Road. Beyer owns the property on both sides of CR 450E south of the crossing.
The petition was tabled in December to Tuesday so more information could be gathered.
Tuesday, CSX Public Safety Coordinator Jay R. Kern said if the county closes the CR 450E crossing, CSX will give the county $20,000 to do any road work necessary to close the crossing. With any remaining money, the county can do with the funds whatever they choose.
Charlie Murphy, a remonstrator, said his main concern was that if CR 450E was vacated, farmers in the area would have a harder time getting their equipment to and across U.S. 30.
"We see a lot of traffic on that road," he said.
Another remonstrator, Bryan Keim, said he does some hay farming and uses CR 450E "quite a bit." If the road is closed, he'd have to drive his farm machinery down Wooster Road which would be problematic, as there are many parked cars along the road.
Beyer said if the railroad crossing is closed, she wants CR 450E closed too, because otherwise it would become a dumping ground.
Commissioner attorney Mike Miner asked if the extra money left over from the $20,000 CSX will give the county could be used to address the Wooster Road problem. Ladson said the $20,000 would be more than enough and the extra money could be used to do something on Wooster Road - including the possibility of widening the road.
"This is a tough decision," said commissioner Brad Jackson, "I assure you." He proposed the county close CR 450E if lights and gates were put up at CR 325E and Van Ness Road first instead of just CR 325E as originally proposed. The proposal also included CSX giving the county $20,000.
Kern and a man representing INDOT agreed.
In other business:
• County treasurer Stephanie Esenwein gave the annual board of finance report.
She said investments totaled more than $13 million. Interest in the sweep account was more than $1 million in 2000 but just more than $800,000 in 2001. She said if the economy doesn't change soon, sweep accounts may lose their profitability. However, when she contacted the state, the state recommended the sweep accounts be kept as is for now.
Esenwein said she'll work on the sweep account this spring and summer to see if they can get a better investment next year.
Commissioners Avis Gunter and Jackson elected commissioner Ron Truex to serve as the board of finance president for 2002. Truex was not present at Tuesday's meeting.
• The commissioners approved signing the contract between Purdue University and the Kosciusko County Extension Office.
Also approved was the signing of the notice of appointment of Mike Barnett as the new Veterans' Service Officer; Truex to represent the commissioners at Kosciusko Development Inc.; Vic Virgil, Charlie Haffner and Walter Church to serve on the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals; the emergency shelter grant for the Beaman Home; a covered bridge certification that lets the state know the county has no covered bridges; and the 2002 drug grant, estimated at approximately $93,000.
• County Administrator Ron Robinson presented two contracts to the commissioners; both were approved.
One was a contract with Building Control Systems, Fort Wayne, for maintenance and repair of the heating systems in the county courthouse and the old part of the Justice Building. The other was with MacAllister Engine Power, Fort Wayne, for service and inspection of the power plant inside the new Justice Building.
• Sue Ann Mitchell, county auditor, presented the conflict of interest forms for the commissioners to sign; said the statements of wages and compensation are prepared and are on display at the south entrance of the courthouse; and the annual report will be available at the next commissioners' meeting Jan. 29.
• The state has approved the county highway department's bridge inspection contracts with USI. The commissioners approved signing the four-year contracts.
Ladson said USI has done an "excellent" job for the county in the past. This year, he said, the county has more bridges on their list but the cost per bridge is down to $501.68. The county has approximately 103 bridges. Eighty percent of the fee is covered by the federal government.
"It is mandatory to have (them) inspected," Ladson said.
• The commissioners also approved vacating approximately 31-1/2 feet of the lower half of First Street on Tippecanoe Lake in Tippecanoe Township. The vacation, as petitioned by Jane and Byron Kauffman, was approved on the condition that the Kauffmans provide an easement for a dry hydrant or for emergency services to get to the lake if needed.
