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Two weeks after opening five bids for the Justice Building reconstruction, the Kosciusko County Commissioners are still looking them over.
Asked about them at Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Cary Groninger said, “Because there was such a variety of price ranges, discrepancies, we’re still (engaging) with the contractors, making sure we get a wise choice with the contractor selection. We’re hoping to make that decision at our next commissioners meeting and get that work started. But we’re not doing anything today with it.”
He said they were originally hoping to make a decision Tuesday, but they’re still meeting with contractors to make sure they’re comparing apples to apples.
In August 2025, part of the facade and soffit of the Justice Building collapsed, but luckily no one was hurt.
On June 2, the following total base bids were opened: Buckeye Construction & Restoration Ltd., Waterford, Ohio, $1,799,708; Hagerman Construction, Fort Wayne, $1,100,900; Wells Masonry Restoration Inc., New Palestine, $1,792,908; Structural Waterproofing and Restoration LLC, Memphis, Tenn., $698,000; and Berglund Construction Co., Chesterton, $1,150,000.
The next commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 30 in the old courtroom of the county courthouse.
In other business:
• Kara Shively, juvenile probation officer, asked for permission to receive $2,500 from United Way of Kosciusko and Whitley Counties to pay for user subscriptions for RePath, which was granted.
“We’ve been able to work out with RePath, if we pay for one user log-in, they’ll give us two free for a year. This will allow for three users in the Probation Department to utilize the RePath platform,” she said.
County Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell said it looks like a great efficiency tool for the Probation Department and something that could make their jobs a lot easier and everyone else’s compliance a lot easier.
• Area Plan Director Matt Sandy presented a petition from Anthony Blanchard to rezone property at 11256 N. CR 450E, Syracuse, from agriculture to agriculture-2. He said there is some Ag-2 property directly to the south of Blanchard’s property. By rezoning it to Ag-2, Sandy said Blanchard wants to split the property a little further. The recommendation from the Area Plan Commission was unanimous to rezone it.
Attorney Steve Snyder, on behalf of the petitioner, said the proposed plat will create two lots immediately adjacent and north of the existing Ag-2 classification.
“The owner simply is ready to divide this further. Downsize. Build his new house. All compatible with what the immediate area is,” Snyder stated.
With no remonstrators, the commissioners approved the recommendation of the Area Plan Commission to rezone the property.
• Kosciusko County Auditor’s Office Chief Deputy Becky Dye gave the annual report on the county’s TIF (tax increment finance) district balances.
“These are TIFs with no debt. The Dreyfus debt has been satisfied, first of the year, so there’s no debt in that anymore,” she said.
As of May 1, the 30 West TIF has a cash balance of $313,969.30; the Dreyfus TIF, $511,199.04; Van Buren-Maple Leaf TIF, $322,717.61; Co-op Mentone TIF, $352,817.65; Leesburg TIF, $446,171.83; and the Trupointe TIF, which does have debt, has a cash balance of $128,137.45 and the balance of the bond is still $913,000.
• Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Cori Humes gave the commissioners an update on what’s happening at the KCCVB, which serves as the county’s destination marketing organization, promoting why the county is a great place to visit with the hopes that people ultimately live, work and play here.
