County Looks To Promote Character

Character is the inward motivation to do what is right, whatever the cost.

Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners approved a resolution pledging "their commitment to character and to doing all in our power to become known as a County of Character by promoting character in our schools, businesses, homes, churches, government, media and community groups, and we urge the leaders of each of these jurisdictions to do likewise."

Rollin Swanson, a member of the Syracuse-Wawasee Character Council, presented the resolution to the commissioners. He said the character council was approved by the Syracuse Town Council. Character councils exist in many cities across the country including Cincinnati, Elkhart and Indianapolis.

The character program promotes 49 ideas of what is considered good character, he said. More than 100 area businesses have the book "Achieving True Success: How To Build Character As A Family" to help them promote the 49 good character qualities. The faith community, he said, will use the book in their churches, and local radio and newspapers are also helping to promote good character.

A different good character quality will be promoted each month for 49 months. The June good character is neatness. Other good characters include alertness, benevolence and generosity.

The book does not include biblical text but there are more advanced books available that are biblical in context.

"I got a very good response from the community," Swanson said of the books.

Individually, the books are $12, but when Swanson purchases them in large quantities, he can get them "cheap," he said. He wants to get the character-building books to people who cannot afford them and is working with Combined Community Services to do that.

He said he's also working on getting some of the material translated to Spanish for the Hispanic population in the county.

In other business, the county commissioners:

• Approved the State Board of Animal Health contract. In exchange for $1,000, the county will provide various disease testing for cattle in the county.

• Approved a request by Jim Walmer, representing Max Fisher, to remand a zoning request back to the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission.

Walmer said Fisher wants to explore other possibilities with the rezoning.

Fisher's petition was to rezone approximately four acres from an agricultural to a commercial district. The property is on the north side of Ind. 14 and east of Ind. 13 in Jackson Township.

• Approved accepting the roads in South Shore Green Subdivision when and if they meet the county's road standards.

• Approved purchasing the rights to an easement on a boat lot on Rainbow Lane in Enchanted Hills for $1,500. The property owner is not relinquishing ownership of the property. According to Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson, a bridge was constructed several years ago with a portion of the wing wall of the bridge being constructed on the boat lot. He said he's not sure the county got the right to do that. County attorney Mike Miner said buying the rights to the easement is the easiest way for the county to handle the situation.

• Heard the county will receive a refund of approximately $56,000 on June 30 from the state for its public defenders.

Kosciusko County Commissioners are Avis Gunter, Ron Truex and Brad Jackson. They meet at 9 a.m. every other Tuesday in the county courthouse, Warsaw.