Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BURKET – Burket Town Council heard updates Thursday on projects.
Street Superintendent Brad Bibler said he got in touch with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) about the town’s Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating report to work on the town’s five-year road plan. Bibler is now playing email tag with INDOT.
He also said he has finished putting up stop signs and posts around town. He was able to put up some new street signs in some areas. Council President Ray Bibler said he believes some more stop signs were ordered if Bibler needed more.
Rayburn also said he was leaving it up to Bibler if he thought a 25 mph sign should be put on the other side of the road from Burket Educational Center instead of 30 mph sign.
Resident Rebecca Foerch said there has been a pole there for over 20 years without a sign. Bibler said the post will get painted and a sign will be put on.
Rayburn also said there were two violation letters sent out to a property on Center Street and one on Walnut Street, both for weeds and vegetation. He also talked with a property owner that was fined for having too many unlicensed vehicles on his property. The property owner agreed to pay the fine and Rayburn said he “gave him the option of getting the rest of them out of there and there won’t be any more fines.”
Foerch also brought up there are properties in town that have possible ordinance violation issues.
Rayburn said the town council four or five years ago allowed Kosciusko County Area Plan to come in and take pictures of everything. He said there were things in the town that were never put in the right places, such as buildings across property lines. Area Plan grandfathered things in and Rayburn said it makes it harder to get things taken care of.
Foerch asked why the council couldn’t take pictures of properties with possible ordinance violations and say those are the properties that need to be taken care of. Rayburn said two notices were sent out Thursday and the council does the best they can.
Marvin McClone brought up junk cars around town and wanted to know what the council was planning on doing about it. The topic was discussed several months ago.
Rayburn said he didn’t want to expose the town to liability. He said “the way the rules read, if I go out here and I can tag a car, I can get a tow truck to take that car to someone I contract as a storage facility.”
McClone said if the council did that, they’re in trouble. Rayburn agreed. He said he wasn’t going to expose the town to liability until he has researched the topic.
Rayburn then asked what McClone suggested the council do if they don’t do that. McClone suggested sending the vehicle’s owner a ordinance violation letter giving them 10 days to fix the problem and then if it’s not fixed after that, fine them $25 per day. Rayburn said there is a statutory limit of $2,500 for a lot of things. Rayburn said he’s going to get all the vehicles in town to voluntarily plate their vehicles if they are not already plated. He also brought up some people were grandfathered in.
In other business, the council:
• Heard a complaint about a fire ring possibly in an alley. Rayburn said he would look into it to see if was actually in the alley or on a person’s property. If it was in the alley, he said he’ll ask it be moved.
• Heard a suggestion from Foerch for the town to do something for Thanksgiving or Christmas for people to decorate their houses or porches and give out a prize. Rayburn said the council can see what they can come up with.
• Heard Clerk-Treasurer Katina Webb will meet with Silver Lake Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley for help on Burket’s 2026 budget.
• Heard complaints about potholes in the area. Bibler said he’d take a look at one that was possibly in town limits and get it filled in.
