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Policy Changed On Room Usage At Justice Bldg.

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Because of abuses by for-profit organizations from outside the county, the Kosciusko County commissioners approved new rules for the meeting rooms in the Justice Building.

Human Resource Director Ron Robinson presented a rewritten policy at the commissioners' meeting Tuesday for use of the meeting rooms.

The policy recommends that the room be reserved through the receptionist for time periods between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Rooms may be reserved no more than 30 days in advance, and no more than 130 people are allowed in a room.

Other restrictions include prohibiting coffee, cookies and doughnuts. People who wander from meetings into other parts of the building would be escorted out.

The new policies would not apply to county use.

The rooms are heavily used and were designed for the people of the county, Robinson said.

"(The policy) takes the out-of-county for-profit people out of the building," he said.

"I don't want to send out a message to our citizens that we condone everything that goes on in there."

The commissioners also discussed giving the Perry property in Pierceton to Pierceton. The building on the property has collapsed. The land is contaminated from oil and petroleum products.

Previously, the property was auctioned but no one wanted it. The property was seized from the owners when back taxes were not paid.

The town of Pierceton has shown an interest in the property for use as a community center.

In other news, Gordan Evans, with HNTB Engineers, Indianapolis, presented a report for the commissioners' approval. The report is required semi-annually on grants given by the Department of Commerce. The grant was for $310,000.

A new well, pump and building for Turkey Creek are being constructed with part of the grant. The old pump and well were unreliable and would fail. As of Tuesday, Turkey Creek will have a new well that pumps 350 gallons per minute. It was designed to pump 250 gallons a minute.

"There was a test of the well dug earlier and the water was tested, it was good," Evans said.

The complete project should be completed within 60 days.