The Tippecanoe River clean-up project is closer to becoming a reality. That was the message provided to the Kosciusko County Commissioners this morning.

According to information provided in a recent study of the river, there are 111 blockages in the river. Blockages include tree limbs and other debris that are preventing the water from flowing. The result has been local flooding, especially in the Center and Pike lakes in Warsaw and along the Barbee Chain of Lakes.

The river clean-up project will be broken up into segments and includes removal of limbs and debris.

Bids for the project are approximately $110,000. So far, $45,000 is available to pay for the project and the county has also applied for a Lake and River Enhancement grant.

The clean-up project is expected to start at the west county line moving east. Over 30 miles of the river will be completed. The entire area of over 30 miles of the river in the county will be cleaned. “We can’t use heavy equipment,” said Ed Rock. “We can only use hand tools.”

A committee will select a bidder this week. Once a bid is awarded, the project may begin as early as this year or not until next spring, Rock said. Property owners will be notified prior to work beginning.
“There’s no guarantee it will fix the problem (flooding),” Rock said of the clean-up efforts, but feels confident removing blockages will help. “We just have no history to prove it.”

In other news, software for the sheriff department’s squad cars got preliminary approval at the meeting. The software will cost $12,900 of which $10,000 will come from a state grant. The software is used in squad cars to connect with the county’s software data base.

Sheriff Rocky Goshert said the software continually goes down in the cars. The new software will keep the computers from crashing. Six squad cars will be outfitted with the new software.

Laban Andrew Weaver of Warsaw was named September’s Veteran of the Month at Tuesday’s commissioners meeting. Weaver served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1969, with one year in Vietnam. Weaver, right, is pictured with Rich Maron, left, the county’s veterans service officer. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

Laban Andrew Weaver was chosen Veteran of the Month. Weaver served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1969. A Warsaw resident, he served in the Vietnam War one year and received a Purple Heart and other service medals. A pastor, he works at Warsaw Wesleyan Church. He has worked for Wesleyan churches for over 40 years.

A data sharing agreement with Pictometry was approved. The agreement is between Kosciusko County, Michiana Area Council of Governments and Marshall County. Pictometry is an aerial imagery oblique photography company. The photos are used for property assessments. The cost of the project is $12,000, which MACOG will pay.

Renovation work will begin on the roundabout at Zimmer Road and Old U.S. 30 in Warsaw this week. Structural issues are the reason for the renovation work. Work will be paid for by the engineer of the project as well as Indiana Department of Transportation. (See related)

The first phase of chip and seal work has been on several county roads, said highway superindentent Scott Tilden. Phase two is expected to start soon.