Kosciusko County Commissioners proclaimed May to be Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month at their meeting Tuesday. Pictured (L to R) are Commissioner Cary Groninger; Rhonda Hardy and B.J. Summers, American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE); and Commissioner Bob Conley. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — County attorney Ed Ormsby presented a resolution to the county commissioners on Tuesday, April 9, amending and restating the county’s vacation policy and amending the personal paid leave policy for county employees.

After the commissioners unanimously approved the resolution, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said she knows there’s a lot of interest in the changes.

“We want to get this in the hands of the department heads and employees. There will be a department head meeting scheduled for Thursday morning at 8 a.m., however, I recommend that all department heads attend to get this information. HR will be there as well to help answer any questions they might have. It will be distributed to the employees through their department heads,” she said.

In introducing the resolution, Ormsby read the applicable portions of it. He said the personal paid leave policy of the county employee handbook is amended such that “new hires begin accrual of personal leave upon the second month of continuous employment, instead of upon the seventh month of continuous employment.”

The resolution and the policies are effective retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024.

It also includes a section on vacation benefits that “in essence, adjusts the vacation days that are available for the employees as shown in the attachment.” Ormsby said.

County Commissioner Cary Groninger said, “I know that this is something we’ve been looking at for some time. I appreciate Marsha and Ed gathering information we needed to be able to put something together here we feel like is a holistic plan for our vacation policy for our employees here at the county, to stay competitive, to retain and attract new employees here at the county.

So, I’m excited to see this move forward.”

In other business, the commissioners:

• Proclaimed May as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month as requested by American Bikers Aimed Toward Education. Commissioner Bob Conley read the proclamation, which the commissioners signed.

• Approved a change order for the Justice Building renovations totaling $20,528, as requested by McSherry.

• Approved the bid from Turf Master for $15,776 for a mowing contract for 2024 for the county’s Justice Building, courthouse and “everything that goes along with these buildings,” as presented by McSherry.

She said the county has used Turf Master in the past and she recommended the commissioners accept their bid for the contract.

The other bid was from M & D Lawn Care for $15,940 for the year.

• Approved for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office to apply for the 2024 Improving Adult and Youth Stabilization and Community Reentry Program grant for up to a maximum of $825,000 over two years and for the 2024 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grant for up to $833,000 once the application period is opened up.

Chief Deputy Chris McKeand presented the grant applications to the county council on Thursday and will present them again to the council this Thursday for a vote.

Both federal grants are through the U.S. Department of Justice and are for the Kosciusko Community Recovery Program. Both grants are nationally highly competitive grants, he said. There is no match required from the county.

“We’re getting ready to work toward implementing the (resource) navigator’s position. Once that’s in, these grants are actually going to go towards contractual services for peer recovery coaches and mental health to actually facilitate the program back in the jail,” McKeand said.

• Approved Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter’s request to use $20,304 in grant funds to take the next step in the county’s multi-hazard mitigation plan that former director Ed Rock started about two years ago.

Funds will be used to enter into an agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering for them to do the county’s update on the plan. The plan will include all hazards, including tornados, flooding, chemical spills and more.

• Approved for County Assessor Gail Chapman to purchase a second vehicle for her office with funds she has available out of the sales disclosure fund.

The commissioners left her up to her whether to purchase a new or used vehicle. The county council heard the request Thursday and will vote on the request at their regular meeting this Thursday.

• Announced the next commissioners’ meeting will be at 9 a.m. April 23.