Starke Commissioners Approve Deed for CR 300 E, SR 8 Project

Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver
The Starke County Commissioners met in a special meeting yesterday morning at 10 a.m. to approve and sign documents to allow the County Road 300 East and State Road 8 improvement project to continue. Commissioner Kent Danford and County Attorney Martin Lucas were unable to make it to the meeting, but Lucas was available via speakerphone to add his input to the discussion.

Charlie Weaver, executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, told the commissioners that the paperwork they are discussing is to approve and accept a deed for a portion of land required by the county in order to proceed with the project, and he said they would also need to execute the sales disclosure form for the property. Lucas explained he reviewed the documents and recommended they approve them to move forward.

Weaver said the property owner, Neil Singleton, was “willing but reluctant” to sell his property, which is required by the county in order to improve the south half of the intersection of County Road 300 East and State Road 8 to improve access to the industrial park. He said the project first entails the construction of a new drain – work for which Weaver said the county has already received permits to allow them to build in wetlands and the flood plains.

The commissioners passed a motion to approve and accept the deed and to execute the sales disclosure form, and the project can now continue. Weaver said they have a construction window of 90 days, but he hopes to have the work done in as little as 30 days. The project will increase the size of County Road 300 East and provide acceleration and deceleration lanes as well.