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Speed limits near Old Ind. 15 and Armstrong Road will be reduced.
Kosciusko County commissioners approved an ordinance establishing the new limits Tuesday. The speed limit on Old 15 from Leesburg corporate limits to a point 750 feet south of Armstrong Road will be 30 mph.
On Armstrong Road from Old Ind. 15 going east, the speed limit for the first 800 feet will be 30 mph. Drivers must drive 45 mph from 800 feet east of Old 15 to 1,690 feet east.
The commissioners also approved a new regulation for county EMS signs.
The Kosciusko County Highway Department will furnish and install EMS road marker signs on all EMS lanes that the county maintains. Standard county road marker signs will be used by the KCHD until the EMS road markers deteriorate. The signs will then be replaced.
Special EMS road marker signs and posts will be furnished for all EMS lanes that the county does not maintain. Those signs and posts will only be replaced when existing road markers deteriorate.
The responsibility of installing the road marker signs obtained from the KCHD falls on the property owners along the EMS lanes not maintained by the county.
The commissioners then approved KCHD procedures for road right-of-way drainage. Guidelines for right-of-way drainage were never really established before, KCHD Engineer Robert Ladson said.
The objective of the procedure is to keep the roads in the best possible condition with tools and resources available and to keep side ditches in the county right-of-way in working order.
"We're doing our best to make a commitment to get the problems with the roads solved," Ladson said.
Any property owners who are affected by re-establishment of a side ditch will be contacted by the KCHD prior to the re-establishment. If a KCHD representative cannot reach the property owner, a letter will be sent at least 10 days prior to the side ditch being re-established.
The letter will describe the work being performed, state if a mailbox needs to be permanently or temporarily relocated, and provide a phone number to contact the KCHD.
"It's more beneficial to contact the property owners up front and let them know about the procedure," Ladson said.
The KCHD is authorized only to maintain and operate within the road right-of-way.
In other county news, attorney Mike Miner will draw up a lease with the Animal Welfare League and the county. The county will pay the AWL $30,000 a year to maintain the animal shelter. The animal control officer's salary will also be paid. The AWL will pay the county $1 a year to lease the building.
AWL takes control of the animal shelter Nov. 1.
"I talked with someone who volunteers with the animal shelter and they were thrilled with the change," Commissioner Brad Jackson said.
In its final business, the commission held public hearings on property rezoning. Two approvals were given, one case was held over and two cases were denied.
