Jim Smith, the sheriff of Kosciusko County, cautions the public about the rise in scams. Times-Union photo by David Slone.
COUNTY OF KOSCIUSKO Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith informed the county commissioners during their meeting on Tuesday, June 17, that there are numerous scams going on.
We make an effort to be thorough and post them on Facebook to notify the public. However, I suppose the message to the public would be to always call instead of just paying someone because they claim you owe them money for traffic citations, and if something looks wrong, it probably isn’t, Smith added.
Real estate was the subject of one of the most recent frauds. Smith stated, “It appeared that some properties that belonged to someone who didn’t have an address here in Kosciusko County but owned the property were being targeted.” These con artists found it sufficiently alluring to attempt to make quick money.
He claimed that even though the property owner wasn’t selling, it had gotten to the point where realtors were posting their signs on the property. In an attempt to make a speedy transaction, people are posing as these owners. Smith said, “They’re going after ones that don’t have liens on them.” Some of these individuals have been graciously assisted by the recorder’s office in resolving some of that.
“If something seems off, it probably is,” he repeated. For more advice, give us or your local police department a call. Smith came to the conclusion that while those things are happening, we’re doing our best to stay on top of them through Facebook and all the other channels at our disposal.
The commissioners were urged to approve a financial processing rule by Bob Weaver, the administrator of the Kosciusko County Health Department.
“We’d like to have a policy of just how that moves through the various offices and various people that make decisions on approval or denial when Health First Kosciusko takes in funds or takes in applications for funding,” Weaver stated. Together with the commissioners, Liz (McCollough), the interim coordinator for Health First Kosciusko, and I have developed a strong plan. Although it is only one page long, we believe it to be a decent one.
According to him, the coordinator forwards it to the commissioners and the health officer. In order to make a decision before it proceeds through the further steps, we wanted the commissioners to see it beforehand. This one provides that for us, and when we receive a fund proposal, I would request permission to follow these standards, Weaver said.
“I think that’s a good way to delineate and know exactly who’s doing what and when,” Commissioner Bob Conley said. Additionally, we can cut things off before they get out of hand if something inappropriate or unnecessary comes out.
Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell seconded his move to approve the policy. Commissioner Cary Groninger expressed gratitude for Mitchell’s participation on that group, pointing out that she played a key role in drafting the regulation. The motion was approved 3-0.
The county’s Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan was presented by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. This falls inside the public right-of-way’s designated facilities. We do assessments to ensure, for example, that the hearing has improved during meetings; you can see it at the bottom of your agenda. According to the ADA, we make sure all of our disabled entrances are in compliance, she added.
According to McSherry, they have been working on the plan with a lot of assistance, including from the Kosciusko County Highway Department and the Michiana Area Council of Governments. She stated that the county must have its ADA Title VI in place and current in order to get grants and federal assistance, so this is merely an update.
The plan is available for public scrutiny following Tuesday’s presentation. At their meeting on July 1, the commissioners will then be asked to adopt it.
Regarding additional matters, the commissioners:
approved signing the county-city memorandum of understanding for the $500,000 allocated for the Warsaw Municipal Airport in the county’s 2025 Economic Development Income Tax fund, per Airport Manager Nick King’s request. King collaborated with the county and municipal attorneys to create the MOU after the commissioners authorized it at their June 3 meeting. The document we signed last year is exactly the same as this one. According to King, the money is being used for all the improvements, specifically the rehabilitation of our east-west 9-27 runway.
King stated that the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners had authorized the MOU at its June 10 meeting and that he will bring it to the Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday for Mayor Jeff Grose to sign.
According to Purdue Extension Educator Shannon Shepherd, the county’s Health & Wellness Program has so far provided eight sessions. According to her, between 100 and 158 people have participated in and finished those eight programs. With 59 participants, the Get WalkIN program is the smallest one they have ever run. Eleven of those fifty-nine walked one million steps or more. Shepherd stated that she believed that to be twice as much as they had previously.
She presented a certificate of achievement and a little county gift to the 11 county employees who completed one million steps or more. Jessica Schell recorded 1,934,745 steps, Ronda Wiesehan recorded 1,511,838; Michelle Hyden recorded 1,346,636; Monica Medina-Conde recorded 1,223,232; Shane Bucher recorded 1,213,437; Eric Sorensen recorded 1,125,830; Michelle Hollar recorded 1,118,372; Cheryl McGettrick recorded 1,105,876; Scott Collins recorded 1,098,127; Amanda See recorded 1,073,182; and Kelly Moorman recorded 1,006,305.
heard McSherry’s updates on a number of initiatives. “The drywall is up in the public defender’s office,” she remarked. They were likely putting up the drywall in those locations on Tuesday while they were working in the county clerk’s office. In order for the public defender’s office to move in, the work is expected to be completed by July 1.
According to the county’s building assessment, a tree on the north side of the county courthouse is too close to the structure and electrical cables. “Hopefully, they’ll be coming this week to take that tree down,” McSherry added. Additionally, the surveyor’s office and two other county surveyor’s offices will likely begin renovations to the county courthouse during the second week of July.
granted Dennis Bogart’s request for a vacation, as submitted by his lawyer Steve Snyder. No protesters were present.The vacation is located in Turkey Creek Township, which is part of the Thornburg neighborhood off CR 1290 North, according to Area Plan Director Matt Sandy. The petition was unanimously approved by the Area Plan Commission.
