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Art won't be displayed in the county courthouse because of fear of setting a precedent.
Tuesday, Kosciusko County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell told the county comissioners the Art Education Association of Indiana wants to display artwork in the county courthouse during the first week of March. They are asking counties all over the state to allow the art to be placed.
However, Kosciusko County Administrator Ron Robinson said that while the art may be a worthy idea, if they do that, they would have to allow organizations like the Ku Klux Klan to put up a display. No motion was made by the commissioners, killing the idea and any chances of art going up in the courthouse.
The county commissioners must give approval for any displays, presentations or similar items to be placed or held in the county courthouse.
In county highway matters, superintendent and engineer Rob Ladson presented the commissioners with the plans for the bridge 290 project, on Venetian Drive, Syracuse. The replacement project bids will be opened Feb. 11 as will the bids for bridge 286, CR 100S, Warsaw, and for highway department trucks.
Ladson told the commissioners that Margaret and Hesitation drives, near Syracuse, have been maintained by the county in the past but are not on the state inventory maps. The commissioners approved to accept them into the county highway system.
They also accepted Brandywine subdivision, near Barbee Lake, into the county system for road maintenance; approved snow removal for Greystone subdivision, off Chapman Lake Road, for the first year; and approved an ordinance for the stop signs in Paddlebrook Pond subdivision, near Nappanee.
Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine told the commissioners that since the work release program moved out to the former hotel on Center Street, Warsaw, the program has brought in $1.1 million to the county.
"The value there is unbelievable," said commissioner Ron Truex.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved Robinson's request to purchase furnaces for the work release center to replace them as needed at a cost of $900 per furnace.
• Tabled a request by John Wade to vacate a triangular right of way 118 feet by 45 feet by 126 feet. The right of way is at the corner of Pierceton Road on Cherry Creek Lane adjacent to lot one in Kelly Creek Addition. Wade had a request also Tuesday before the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance for the right of way to let the illegally placed foundation remain where it was placed closer than the allowed setback of 35 feet from the road right of way. If the BZA approved the variance, commissioner Ron Truex said there was no need for them to approve the vacation.
• Approved for Ellsworth Everest to serve as the county's interim emergency management director until the position is filled.
• Approved the reappointment of Joan Darr and Dr. John Jones to the Kosciusko County Board of Health for another four-year term each.
• Approved Dr. Mark Jensen's medical contract for 2003 to serve as the county jail doctor.
• Approved the contract between the county recorder's office and ACS for microfilming.
• Elected Ron Truex to be the commissioners president for 2003.
• Approved for Ron Sharp to serve as a proxy for the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission members if they cannot attend a meeting.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are chairman Ron Truex, middle district; Avis Gunter, southern district; and Brad Jackson, northern district. They meet at 9 a.m. every other Tuesday in the county courthouse, Warsaw.
