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Until a long-term fix can be figured out for the traffic congestion at Leesburg Elementary, the Kosciusko County Commissioners on Tuesday approved an ordinance prohibiting a left-hand turn from Armstrong Road into the school any time.
Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty presented the ordinance for the no left-hand turn off Armstrong Road into the school to the commissioners for their approval.
“We’ve had some issues there. We’ve met with the sheriff’s department, also the school just to come up with some sort of resolution to relieve some of the traffic congestion at this point,” he said. “I’m not sure that this is a long-term fix, but we’re trying things that we can to improve safety at that intersection.”
After the ordinance was unanimously approved, Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell said, “Steve, I hope that there will be further work done to try to see if there’s not a better way to maybe make that happen with the school.”
Moriarty responded, “Any time we have an opportunity like this just to kind of see, we need to alleviate it for right-of-way, like an immediate kind of relief, and then try to look for a long-term fix. I think the school has been very willing to look at that and so has the highway department and anything we can do as well.”
Commissioner Bob Conley said he has two grandchildren who go to school at Leesburg and he’s fully aware of what Moriarty is dealing with.
“I’m not convinced, like you, that this is the solution, but let’s try something along the way, see if we can help them out, until we get to the point where with you and the sheriff and the school can get something worked out there,” he said.
Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith stated, “Just to echo what Steve is saying, this has been an ongoing problem. We have been working diligently with the school. This is a good first step, I think, eliminating that traffic right there. It’s not going to fix the problem entirely. There is some work the school probably needs to look at doing on their property, maybe adding a lane or changing their protocols.”
He said there’s a lot more kids being dropped off and picked up by their parents than he ever remembers when he was in school.
“But, it is reality that we need to address and we’re working (on it). I appreciate you approving that (ordinance) as a good first step, and we’ve been working closely with the county highway to do what we can on that end. But we do field a lot of complaints regarding this issue,” Smith stated.
In another matter, Moriarty presented a right-of-way service agreement between the LPA (local public agency) and the consultant, USI Consultants Inc., for right-of-way services for bridge #123. He said county attorney Ed Ormsby had reviewed the agreement.
The bridge is on Packerton Road, just south of Pierceton Road, across Cherry Creek.
The commissioners approved the agreement unanimously.
Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board President Rob Bishop requested the commissioners approve a letter of support for the Leesburg Trail Project for the town of Leesburg to apply for the Community Amenities Program (CAP). CAP is a grant initiative aimed at assisting with community projects that enhance quality of life and is derived from the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative funds the state gave OrthoWorx.
The trail's purpose is exercise for people and safety for kids walking to Leesburg Elementary School as it would connect there. The planned path is estimated to be 8 to 10 feet wide and would begin on Ind. 15 and end at the school.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said he met with Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe Monday to walk through the details of the project.
“I think this is another nice project that we can be able to get that connectivity from the town of Leesburg to the school, and the township trustee and the fire department there, so I think these are the things we’re trying to do. Some of those CAP (projects) really create these amenities in our small communities throughout the county,” he said.
No financial commitment from the county was needed at this point, just the letter of support, which the commissioners approved.
Finally, Chief Probation Officer Tammy Johnston requested permission to apply for a $10,000 Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education (KCODE) grant for the re-entry court. The funds will go toward travel for the re-entry court team for their annual conference, as well as drug testing for the re-entry court participants, she said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the request.
The next commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Sept. 23 in the old courtroom of the county courthouse.
