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The county carries a lot of different insurance, and Monday morning the Kosciusko County Commissioners approved annual insurance renewals with some changes.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the commissioners with the annual renewal of the county’s property and liability insurance, workman’s compensation and cyber liability. The renewal date is Friday, May 8.
She said the expiring premium is $919,951.
“You have recommendations: Increasing the civil rights deductible from $15,000 to $25,000, an annual savings of $49,559; and increase the auto physical damage deductible from $1,000 to $2,500, an annual savings of $17,455. A side note to that is, that quote is based on 196 units, and we have a recommendation for property deductible from $10,000 to $25,000, an annual savings of $6,847,” she explained.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said, “I know that looking at those deductibles and trying to find a happy medium of how we can save money but yet not make our deductibles too big. I think that the civil rights deductible savings of about $49,500, based upon history or history claims, made sense that we make that increase in deductible from $15,000 to $25,000.”
He said he felt like the increase in the auto physical damage deductible from $1,000 to $2,500, with an annual savings of $17,455, also made sense based on historical data.
“We’re trying to be as frugal as we can with those dollars. I would suggest that we approve the renewal with the increase of both the civil rights and the physical auto (damage), but not accepting the property deductible increase ... that remains at $10,000,” Groninger stated in making the motion to approve the renewals.
The motion passed 3-0.
Airport Support
Later in the meeting, Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King was on the agenda to present a request for Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) funds from the county for $500,000.
Though King was not at the meeting, Groninger said he knows the request will also be made to the county council at their next meeting, May 14.
“The last several years, the county has been using $500,000 of our EDIT funds for the Warsaw Airport. I talked with Nick last week. They identified a runway project that they kind of broke into three different phases. This will be the second phase of the three phases,” Groninger said. “It’s the main runway. There’s just some bad stress cracks in, that they’re having to (address). This $500,000 will be used to upgrade that runway. That’s one of the things that when they talked with the pilots and the corporate users out there, this was a top priority that they would want to see addressed.”
He said the city has been working to improve that runway a piece at a time because it is a big project. He made a motion to approve the $500,000, which is in the EDIT budget and spending plan.
“I think it’s an opportunity for us to show our support for the airport, but yet not have to go all the way to the taxing authority or a thing like that,” Groninger said.
County attorney Ed Ormsby said the request for the $500,000 for runway 09-27 “is in accordance with the memorandum of understanding that the commissioners did approve last summer for the $500,000 to be used out of the Economic Development Income Tax funds. So this is in accord with that MOU that you guys already approved.”
The motion passed.
Opioid Funds
County Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell reported the county’s opioid committee held a meeting and agreed to spend unrestricted opioid settlement funds for the jail body scanner to finish out what was needed financially for it.
“We believe that’s good use for the money. Obviously, keeping drugs down. Having no drugs in the jail is paramount to our liability and those people’s safety,” she said.
She made a motion to approve the recommendation from the opioid committee to support financing the jail body scanner for $115,000. The motion passed 3-0. There’s money already appropriated that will be used to help with that purchase.
The additional appropriation for those funds will go before the county council at their next meeting, May 14.
Health First
Health First Kosciusko Coordinator Liz McCullough gave the commissioners an update on Health First.
“Health First Indiana is an initiative created by Senate Enrolled Act 4, legislation passed by the 2023 Indiana General Assembly that transforms public health. The legislation provides funding so counties can determine the health needs of their community and implement evidence-based programs focused on prevention,” she explained.
In 2024, Kosciusko County had $968,000 received from the state. That increased in 2025 to $1.8 million, which McCullough said allowed them to do a lot of different programs. But in 2026, it was cut down to $474,000.
As far as partnerships, she said in 2024 they partnered with 17 local organizations in the county. That increased in 2025 to 27. So far in 2026, they have six partnerships. McCullough said they have some more in the works.
“We were able to provide a county health plan that we created, and the information is available on the Health Department website,” she said.
Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe then presented her 2026 first quarter Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) report and various programs born out of HELP.
In other business, the commissioners approved:
• An invoice from J & K Communications for $14,379.26 to repair the antennaes, along with the coaxial cables and other miscellaneous items, at the north communication tower site, as requested by McSherry.
“We feel like this was possibly due to weather, the high winds that we had earlier in April,” she said. “It has been turned over to the insurance. Our deductible is $10,000. I’ve not heard back from them yet, but I recommend that this be approved for repair.”
• Two different contracts, as presented by Community Corrections Director James Henry. One was for $8,936.88 for two Tasers from Axon Enterprise Inc. and the other was for $22,000 for five body-worn external devices from Utility Associates Inc.
• An increase in bulk copy fees in the recorder’s office from 15 cents to 20 cents per page, as requested by Recorder Deb Wright. The cost was set in 2017, but the office hadn’t increased it since then. The state sets the maximum rate that can be charged. A previous study indicated the cost per page is closer to 43 cents.
• The annual documents Kosciusko Area Bus Service needs in order to proceed with their 2027 federal and state grant application with the Indiana Department of Transportation, as requested by KABS General Manager Kristin Rude.
The documents include the authorizing resolution, local financial certifications and capital use assurances, 5333(b) Labor Warranty, certification of use of project equipment and facilities, pass-through agreement, categorical exclusions and certification and assurances.
The grant applications will be submitted by the deadline, which is May 15, she said.
• The appointment of Tammy Stoneburner, Mentone, to the Bell Memorial Public Library Board of Trustees to replace Larry Yeiter, who moved out of the library service area late 2025. The current term ends Dec. 31, 2026.
The commissioners’ next meeting will be at 9 a.m. May 19 in the old courtroom of the county courthouse.
