A proposal from the county to CSX could change several railroad crossings in the town of Syracuse.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented a letter to the commissioners for their approval to be sent to Amanda J. DeCesare, project manager – public projects, CSX Transportation Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. She said the letter is about closing an access road at an industrial site in Syracuse.
Commissioner Brad Jackson elaborated more on the letter, saying “right now you get out of the industrial park ... you have to go through town, a lot of tight curves. The railroad crossings we do have, you can’t really cross with a semi ... so what we are trying to do is move the access road to the west.”
He said they had two different options they were looking at.
The letter from the county states “Kosciusko County proposes to build an access road that provides Polywood Inc. and future developments a connection southward from the industrial site to our County Road 1300N. This access would include a new at-grade signalized crossing across CSX railroad.”
It also states that the county proposes the elimination of a substandard at-grade crossing at Oak Street. The county also would discuss closure of the private Hoopingarner crossing in exchange for the new signalized crossing.
Jackson said railroad companies usually want to close two crossings in exchange for a new one.
The letter was unanimously approved.
In other business, the commissioners approved:
• A bid from Kelley Chevrolet, Fort Wayne, for a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT for $10,750 after a discount and trade-in for the county health department.
Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver said Local Health Maintenance Grant money in the 2019 budget will pay 100% for the replacement vehicle. The grant is from the state and originates from the collection of tobacco taxes.
The other bid was from Lakeside Chevrolet, Warsaw, for $11,320.70 after discount and trade-in.
• Setting a bid date for bridge No. 9 reconstruction at 9:15 a.m. Oct. 29, as requested by Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden. It’s on Husky Trail over Deed’s Creek.
A bid date for the 2020 annual county highway supplies at 9:15 a.m. Nov. 12.
• For the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office to apply for a Stop Arm Violation Enforcement Grant for $8,000 from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. First Sgt. Chris McKeand said the continuation grant “allows our officers to be out following the school buses, being in the school zones. It operates in the morning hours when the school buses are activated; it operates in the afternoon when they’re activated. It allows the guys overtime to go do that.”
• The appointment of Carolyn Zimmerman to the Milford Library Board.
