As the Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District (TCRSD) continues to move forward, property owners are asking to be a part of it.
Tuesday, Steve Henschen, with Jones Petrie Rafinski, the engineering firm for the sewer district, brought another request by a property owner to join TCRSD along with a bit of good news on the interest rate for the Revolving Loan Fund.
Henschen said the application for inclusion of territory into the sewer district originally started from the property owner, Norma Monk, 14 EMS C31.
“This is one of those unique properties where her and her adjoining neighbors weren’t included in district territory, presumably because they weren’t fronting waterfront property. But, we have a sewer line that has to go right by her house and her road to serve the other properties further south there,” he said.
He said it’s a very low cost inclusion to the project.
“Because of where we are with the funding, we’ll now have to get concurrence from the funding agency to include her in the project. But the first step we have to do is ask the Commissioners to approve inclusion of this territory,” Henschen said.
The sewer district’s engineering committee and board approved the request. After the Commissioners’ approval, Henschen said it will be forwarded to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to make it official.
The Commissioners approved the inclusion 3-0.
“We expect to have more of these coming in the future,” Henschen said.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said he heard they had some additional good news from the state Revolving Loan Fund.
“Excellent news,” Henschen stated. “In fact, we are on schedule for closing of all the financing on Oct. 20 and 21 with the two different funding agencies, so it’s USDA Rural Development Funding and State Revolving Fund. State Revolving Fund came through recently and said instead of a 2.25% loan for 35 years, it’s 0% interest. That helped reduce the rates so those rates are roughly around $88 a month, which is right in the target range where the district hoped to be.”
He said construction is expected to begin in November.
Groninger said, “It’s great that they stepped up and supported the project for our community.”
In other business, the Commissioners approved:
• For Kosciusko County Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver to apply for the annual Local Health Maintenance grant. The Health Department has received the grant for about 35 years and it comes in two parts. This year, the county is eligible to receive $48,859 and $34,596.
Weaver also was approved to use $50,000 from the state to continue offering Covid testing with the Bowen Center.
• The bid from Lexur Appraisal, of Dayton, Ohio, for $182,100 for three years to do the county’s commercial and industrial appraisals. Lexur was the only bidder and bids were opened Sept. 13. If Lexur is asked by the county to do any additional work, there will be additional charges.
• A request from Bob Momeyer, county systems administrator, to replace three servers in dispatch and sheriff’s office for $8,058.75 and $13,260 to move the software and data from one set of servers to the other.
• The appointment of Bob Momeyer as the cyber incident state reporter and Alan Alderfer to the Public Defender Board.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry is checking on an appointment for the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council.
• The purchase of filing cabinets for the veteran service officer’s office totaling $8,974.50 from KDA, as recommended by McSherry.
A second bid was from Business Furnishings for $12,974.49.
• The county communications plan and a memorandum of understanding between the county and political subdivisions within it for the usage of the Commissioner-owned radio subscriber units on the countywide EF Johnson P-25 Phase 2 700 MHz system, as presented by McSherry.
• Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty’s request to set a date for the annual bid opening as Nov. 7, with advertising scheduled for Oct. 5 and 12.
The Commissioners also approved his request to open up for contractors to bid for snowplowing in District 2 (northeast corner of the county). The contractor who did the snowplowing for years has opted not to continue with the process. Packets of information can be picked up at the Highway Department.
• Rezoning the Hull property at CRs 750S and 700E from public use to agricultural. The owners want to convert an old church into a residence. There were no remonstrators and the Area Plan Commission favorably recommended the rezoning.
• Rezoning the Wilson property on Ind. 13, south of North Webster, from agricultural to commercial. There were no remonstrators and the Area Plan Commission favorably recommended the rezoning.
Retiring Director Dan Richard was given a standing ovation for his 45 years of service to the county and each of the Commissioners thanked him for his work. Assistant Director Matt Sandy takes over as director Oct. 1.
Richard said, “I will miss Kosciusko County. I won’t miss so much the job and I won’t miss Mr. Snyder. I will miss the individual. I’ll miss all of you guys. The people is what made it so good working here and I will miss that. I’m looking forward to doing things that I want to do, but I really have to give Kosciusko County thanks for the last 45 years. They have done everything for me. Everything I have I owe to Kosciusko County and you guys are the best and you will continue to be the best.”
The next Commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Oct. 11.
