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County Coroner Tyler Huffer and his chief deputy, Alicia Mediano, presented information about the LOSS program to the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday.
“When I first came to office, we had 28 overdoses. This past year we had 11, so we’re seeing huge improvements across the county, and we’re seeing it across the state as well. What you guys are doing locally is helping us out with having less overdoses,” Huffer said.
The 11 overdoses last year were 10 males and one female. He said that was a huge improvement and they’re always striving for a lower number.
Last year, there were 12 suicides, which Huffer said was similar to other past years.
“But we are starting a new program called the LOSS program. Other counties have this as well,” he said.
Mediano said the coroner’s office usually sees people on their worst days.
“And suicides, we know that survivors of the suicide are actually at a higher risk of having a suicide themselves. In our county we know that we take the pro-active stance on mental health, so this is something that our coroner’s office knows that we can do to help with that,” she said. “So this is a program that throughout the entire state they have often have these organizations, so we’re bringing that here to Kosciusko County.”
LOSS is an acronym for Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors. Mediano said it’s an organization made up of two different groups - professionals such as Mediano and Huffer and peers.
“These peers will be deployed to these unfortunate situations where these resources, they’ve lived this, they’ve gone through this, they’ve survived this and now they’re able to help provide that support for their peers ... so we’re very excited to bring this. We know it’ll be a huge asset to our community,” she said.
Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell asked, “Is this something that you are including veterans in as well, I assume?”
“Absolutely,” Mediano responded.
Mitchell said a great outreach then would be through the American Legion.
“We’re always trying to reduce those numbers because these people are our friends, our community members, our kids, grandparents, parents so it touches all of us and we want to reduce that number,” Huffer said.
In another matter, county attorney Ed Ormsby presented the commissioners with another resolution Tuesday to assign another tax sale certificate to the city of Warsaw.
At the commissioners’ Feb. 10 meeting, he presented them with a resolution to assign a tax sale certificate to the city of Warsaw for a 0.64-acre tract of ground at East 715 W. Market St., known as Tinkey Oil property.
Tuesday’s tax sale certificate was for 0.92 acres adjacent to the 0.64 acres and it’s also referred to as the Tinkey property.
“The city would like to have that certificate assigned to them so that they can access, hopefully, clean up funds for the property,” Ormsby said.
The resolution was approved 3-0.
In other business, the commissioners approved:
• A contract with the Jack Lowry Group to continue the renovations of the old county courthouse, as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. She said they have two offices on the main floor that have not been renovated in some time. The proposal for the recorder’s office is $30,200 and includes carpeting and painting. For the auditor’s office the proposal is $54,325. There’s an additional $7,000 to remove, prep and resurface the walls for the two offices that have wallpaper covering in them.
“Once we complete these two offices, that puts us in a pretty good place as far as the other offices. We’ve got a couple years before a couple more offices would need to be done,” she said.
• For Kosciusko County Highway Department (KCHD) Superintendent Steve Moriarty to advertise on Feb. 25 and March 4 for Community Crossings Matching Grant work on Packerton Road and Armstrong Road. Those would be brought before the commissioners to be opened on March 24.
• An agreement between the LPA (Local Public Agency) and United Consulting for construction inspection for the HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) $50,000 grant for sign replacement countywide, as requested by Moriarty.
• A new uniform contract between Cintas and the KCHD, subject to review by Ormsby, as requested by Moriarty. He said it was a great savings for the KCHD and is for five years.
• Moriarty’s request to take six KCHD employees to Illinois for training for chip and seal and distributor training.
• Kosciusko Area Bus Service General Manager Kristin Rude’s request for a bus wrap for KABS’ deviated fixed route primary bus for $4,766 from Split Road Media, the lowest of three bids. The goal is to increase visibility and community awareness of the new Lake City Loop with the bus wrap. The other two bids were $5,730 from Blue River Digital and $9,000 from Allegra. Funds for the bus wrap are covered by a grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
• Community Corrections Director James Henry’s request to apply for a $7,500 advance grant through the Indiana Office of Court Services. He said it will pay for some additional training in 2027 and, if they receive enough funds, they will start a clothing closet to hand out to participants as they come in during inclement weather if they don’t have hats, gloves, etc.
• A memorandum of understanding for $3,600 between the Kosciusko County Health Department and 1 Eighty Digital, as requested by Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver. He said 1 Eighty Digital takes care of his department’s social media platform, Facebook and advertising. “It pretty much focuses on our prenatal clinic at the health department,” he stated.
• To adopt a resolution accepting the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan update, as requested by Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter. “This is a five-year continuing thing that occurs,” he said. A grant paid for the plan update.
After the county’s acceptance, the plan will be taken to the incorporated towns in the county for their adoption.
• To sign the Economic Growth Region 2 Workforce Development Elected Officials agreement after Ormsby said he’s reviewed it and it was good for them to proceed. A presentation on the agreement was made at their Feb. 10 meeting, and the commissioners approved it, subject to Ormsby’s review.
• Accepting the Area Plan Commission’s recommendation to vacate the east-west alley, two north-south alleys and one north-south platted right-of-way in the unincorporated town of Wooster, as requested by the Zorn Family Living Trust. Center Street was originally included but was pulled off, Area Plan Director Matt Sandy said.
• Accepting the Area Plan Commission’s recommendation to rezone 4.2 acres from an Agricultural to an Agricultural-2 district, as petitioned by the Langshire Farm. The property is off of Ind. 13 in Washington Township. The 4.2 acres of land will be split off from a total of 34.11 acres for a home.
• Amanda Fretz to serve a four-year term on the North Webster Public Library Board from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2030.
• Approved a letter of support for Freedom Fest, which is scheduled for June 5-7, as requested by County Recorder Deb Wright, who also serves on the Freedom Fest Committee.
