The Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board met for the first time on Thursday, Aug. 18, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom. Taking the oath of office are from left: Matt Metzger, Aggie Sweeney, Troy Turley, Rob Bishop and Mike Cusick. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The newly created Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board has met for the first time.

The board conducted its first meeting on Thursday, Aug. 18. Rob Bishop, Troy Turley, Matt Metzger, Mike Cusick and Aggie Sweeney make up the board, which commissioners opted to create via an ordinance back in May.

On Thursday, the board took the oath of office and elected its leaders for the reminder of the year. Bishop is to serve as president and Turley as vice president.

Kosciusko County Auditor Michelle Puckett will serve as secretary for the board and handle its money.

She and Kosciusko County Commissioners’ President Cary Groninger spoke at the meeting, giving board members a basic overview of their roles and answering questions.

Puckett told the board it had received a $7,600 donation from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to be used to develop a master parks and trails plan.

The board is required to give an annual report to both the commissioners and Kosciusko County Council, which may either be written out or given in person, she said.

Puckett asked board members if they wanted their personal contact information on the county government’s website as other officials had. Bishop asked if a general parks email could be posted there for contact purposes, which Puckett said she would work on getting put up.

Groninger said it was public feedback that led to the board’s creation.

He suggested that the board get in contact with several entities who could help them with projects, including the county’s Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program Community Coordinator Amy Roe, the Michiana Area Council of Governments and Kosciusko County GIS Director Bill Holder.

Groninger reiterated again that people in the county had really wanted a park board and department.

“We’re just really excited what this can do for our community because we really feel in today’s environment, we’ve got to create a county that people want to live in,” he added. “We’ve got to have these amenities, and recreational activities is one of the top things that people request when they’re looking to where they want to move. Because with the remote work and the other things that we have, it’s really about people can really live where they want to live.”

The board agreed to create a few subcommittees to do research on topics to bring before the full board at meetings. Cusick and Sweeney are to serve on an Indiana Department of Natural Resources subcommittee, and Bishop and Turley on a MACOG one.

Metzger, who also serves on the area Ride Walk Advisory Committee, is to provide other board members with information on that.

The board plans to meet on the third Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom.

After the meeting from left are: Metzger, Sweeney, Turley, Bishop and Cusick.