Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
LEESBURG — Leesburg Town Council approved adoption of the 2026-1 Kosciusko County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan during their monthly meeting Monday.
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires communities to update their MHMP every five years in order to be eligible for future mitigation funding through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The intent of the MHMP is to plan for a disaster before it occurs in order to reduce the physical, social and economic impact of that disaster.
Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter attended the meeting to go over the main points of the plan.
The overall goal is to reduce social, physical and economic losses through coordinated mitigation strategies with three primary goals: lessen the impacts of disasters and enhance community resilience, minimize the loss of life and injuries caused by disasters and promote mitigation activities prior to and following a disaster.
Shuter said adoption of the plan supports lower insurance costs, positions the town for long-term resilience and fiscal protection, preserves and maintains funding eligibility for mitigation-projects and post-disaster recovery, protects residents and infrastructure and aligns with countywide hazard mitigation strategies.
In another matter, Street Commissioner Craig Charlton and council members discussed the need to move forward with taking legal action regarding unpaid ordinance violations.
Council Vice President Mitch Rader said he has a chart in order to track ordinance violations, with information such as the issue date, fine amount, due date and any payments made.
Council said they are having issues with some residents ignoring violation warnings, not paying fines and not responding to phone calls or written communication related to the violations.
In other business:
• Council approved a quote for $1,017 for a new base to replace the street light at 109 W. Van Buren St., which fell over due to corrosion at the base.
• Councilman Tom Moore read the monthly sanitary sewer report. Moore said he reduced the air discharge on the filtering system at the main pumping station in town. He asked that residents let him know if they start noticing any odor.
• Council approved the annual financial report. According to Leesburg Clerk-Treasurer Michael Searfoss, the state requires that this be done at the end of each financial year.
Leesburg Town Council meetings can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/@LeesburgIndiana46538
Information about town ordinances can be found online at https://www.leesburgindiana.com/
The next regular meeting will be 6:30 p.m. April 13.
