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Wednesday, June 22, 2022
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Sheriff’s office eyes ballistic shields with use of grant
67$57,1* $ 1(: &+$37(5 ³ 5LFKDUG 2ZHQ RZQHU RI 2ZHQ )DPLO\ )XQHUDO +RPH OHIW DQG &RU\ %HQ] RZQHU RI 7LWXV )XQHUDO +RPH UHFHQWO\ DQQRXQFHG 7LWXV )XQHUDO +RPH KDV SXUFKDVHG 2ZHQ %\ /($+ 6$1'(5 )DPLO\ +RPH 5LFKDUG 2ZHQ ZLOO VWD\ RQ DV IXQHUDO GLUHFWRU IRU 2ZHQ 6WDII :ULWHU )DPLO\ )XQHUDO +RPH LQ 6\UDFXVH DQG 1RUWK :HEVWHU 3KRWR E\ /DX UHQ =HXJQHU The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office is seeking to acquire ballistic shields for officers. At its Tuesday, June 21, meeting, Kosciusko County Commissioners approved plans for the department to apply for a $24,000 grant through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for the shields. KCSO Chief Deputy Shane Bucher discussed the request. Rumors have been swirling of the Titus staff, but the Owen “These ballistic shields will allow for months that Richard and name will remain on the door our officers to rapidly deploy to acKim Owen, owners of Owen and the phone number will re- tive shooter events or any kind of Family Funeral Home in Syra- main the same. terrorist events,” said Bucher. cuse and North Webster, are “I think the crematory is imHe said the grant, for which retiring. portant,” Benz said. “It’s the the county doesn’t need to supOwen is not retiring, al- only crematory in the county.” ply a match, should purchase though he may cut his hours “That’s important. Your loved back a bit as he has sold both one never leaves our care,” funeral homes and the crema- Owen said. Both men are certitory to Cory Benz, owner of Ti- fied crematory operators. tus Funeral Home in Warsaw. Titus started in Warsaw in The K21 Health Foundation Owen will be staying on as fu- 1956 and can track its roots recently granted $200,000 to neral director, managing both back to 1937. Owen opened the the town of Syracuse’s constructhe Syracuse and North Web- Syracuse funeral home in 2005 tion of a new athletic complex ster funeral homes. after starting in the business that will be used by the com“I’m still doing what I love in 1985. “He was already serv- munity. to do, taking care of families,” ing families for 20 years,” Benz Owen said. He’s been a funeral said. director for 37 years and plans “I always looked at this as a to continue. ministry for me, taking care of 7H[W DQG 3KRWRV %\ /$85(1 =(8*1(5 Owen and Benz have been families,“ Owen said. working together as small busiThe North Webster funeral 6WDII :ULWHU ness owners for the last few home opened in 2010; KosciusState Representative David years. Benz made the offer to ko County Cremation Services Abbott and John Lantz, president buy Owen out “when he was opened in 2015. ready,” Benz said. “I think we Letters explaining the sale of the Kosciusko County Animal make an excellent team,” Owen of the business recently went Welfare League, both made brief said. out to those who preplanned presentations to the Syracuse “I chose Cory because we’re their funerals with Owen Fam- Town Council during its regular like-minded. He’s going to take ily Funeral Home. Both Benz meeting Tuesday night, June 21. Due to redistricting, Abbott will care of families. He’s local. He’s and Owen stressed that those not a big corporate investor,” who preplanned their funerals represent Syracuse and North Owen explained. through Owen will have their Webster after the November primary. Abbott told the council this Both share a common his- wishes honored and protected. tory. Owen worked at the same “Those directives will be fol- week he had a tour of the town funeral home Benz trained at, lowed as they were intended,” and was very impressed. He also did a tour with the Department of just at a different time. Benz said. The staff at Owen’s have been offered their current positions, and while some may be cutting their hours back and others increasing them, all of them are staying on. “So you’ll see all the familiar faces,” Benz said. Likens also reported the re%\ .(,7+ .1(33 Those coming to Owen Fam- 6WDII :ULWHU pairs to Medic 78 are nearly ily Funeral Home in Syracuse complete and it should be back in or North Webster may see some During the monthly meeting service by the end of this week.
Owen Family Funeral Home enters a new chapter
20-24 shields. Parks Fund Commissioners also approved an ordinance creating a fund for donations to the county parks department. Commissioners approved plans to establish a county parks department and board at their May 10 meeting. “We already have a foundation that’s looking to want to help fund a master trail plan here in our community, so this is just another step forward to be able to accept those funds and have those funds available when … the board would prepare to do a master trail plan,” said Commissioner Cary Groninger. He noted the fund was only for monetary donations.
In other business, the commissioners: Approved using $203,880.13 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for county IT department requests, most of which will help with cybersecurity. The county’s ARPA committee recommended it and the Kosciusko County Council also approved the funds at its June meeting. Approved allowing Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency Director Ed Rock to apply for a $20,000 grant to be used for training. Approved requests from two landowners to have their properties included in the Tippecanoe & Chapman Lakes Regional Sewer District. Those properties are at
6207 and 6303 N. 300E, Leesburg. Approved purchasing a copier for $10,454 for the county assessor’s office from Adams Remco. Approved three rezoning requests previously approved by the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission at its June meeting. The requests were for: Rezoning two 10-acre parcels along CR 510N from agricultural to agricultural II; rezoning a 1.2-acre tract at CR 700S just west of County Farm Road from agricultural to agricultural II; and rezoning a 38.21-acre parcel along SR 13 from residential to commercial. The commissioners’ next meeting is 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 5, in the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom.
K21 supports development of Syracuse athletic complex The new Harold Schrock fields, located along Kern Road south of the Wawasee High School, will include four baseball/softball fields, a football field, a playground, a paved
walking path and a basketball court. K21 financially partners with projects and nonprofits that are providing greater access to healthy lifestyles in the county.
In 2019, K21 provided $200,000 grants to nine rural towns in Kosciusko County, including Syracuse, to benefit the health and wellness of residents. Continued on page 2
Syracuse Town Council hears from two guests during meeting Natural Resources. He told the council he will be looking for more funding for the DNR, soil and water conservation and Lake and River Enrichment grants. “I’m kind of passionate about that,” he said. Abbott said he was excited to have Syracuse in his district, having spent time on Lake Wawasee as a youth. Lantz introduced himself and gave an update on what the animal welfare league is doing. He said it is currently working hard to rebuild its reputation in the community, rebuilding the board by bringing younger people and has a brand new director.
A new project underway at the animal welfare league is shelter buddies, where children come in and read to the shelter pets. Lantz also reported the shelter had only 30 animals euthanized last year. “We work for the whole county and sheltering is a community issue, it’s a county issue,” he said. He explained how the shelter is funded through fees
paid for animals brought in by Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputies, while the city of Warsaw provides funding. Funds also come through grants and donations. Jeremy Hardy of Commonwealth Engineering, the town’s engineering firm, updated the council on several projects. The council approved a $2,500 right of Continued on page 2
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Tippecanoe Township EMS receives approval for new ambulance
of the Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory Board, Tuesday, June 21, Fire Chief Jeremy Likens presented his request for approval to purchase a new ambulance for the department. He noted a previous quote was acquired in January 2021 for $333,000. That quote went unfilled and was updated recently at $370,000. Delivery time is scheduled for 730 days from order, meaning the ambulance would not be delivered for two years. It was noted that most the funds for the new ambulance, $307,000, exist, with the balance to be acquired prior to delivery. The fire territory board gave its approval for the purchase.
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Additionally, he received a purchase quote for $15,000 for Medic 79. Rather than sell it for that amount, he received approval to keep the ambulance as a third unit. The board also gave Likens approval to purchase a power load system for Medic 79 at a cost of $23,000. This means all three ambulances will be equipped with the power load system, which allows EMTs to easily load patients into the back of the vehicle with less risk of injury to the EMTs and the patient.
During May, Likens reported, the fire territory responded to 72 EMS calls, 23 fire calls and two EMS runs into Noble County, which contracts with Tippecanoe Township. He said this year’s numbers are well above the comparable figures from last year, with 407 recorded runs thus far in 2022. The board and Likens also discussed options to install a new well from which the fire department can draft water. Various locations are being considered, with many varying factors in play. Additionally, Likens said the department is in the process of replacing its phone system.
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