An inter-local agreement between Elkhart and Kosciusko counties was approved at Tuesday’s Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting in Warsaw.

The agreement is for a highway safety improvement program. The program will be used for signage and $800,000 will come from federal funds through Indiana Department of Transportation. The money will be allocated accordingly for both counties. The agreement is through Michiana Area Council of Governments.

The money will be used to replace outdated, existing signs in each county. Kosciusko County has more than 12,000 signs and approximately 1,000 signs will be replaced, according to Scott Tilden, county highway superintendent, and each sign costs about $125. The highway safety project is expected to begin next year, with bid letting to begin in March.

Also, the Tippecanoe-Walnut Creek Initiative was discussed. Jon Garber and Theresa Sailor asked the commissioners for support for the project. The Tippecanoe-Walnut Creek Watershed sits in Kosciusko County; approximately 70 percent of the land is in the county. The watershed is the second watershed for the head of the Tippecanoe River; the first is the Tippecanoe-Grassy Creek Watershed. The watershed has been working to improve water quality since 1997 under the leadership of Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation. Indiana Department of Environmental Management began encouraging TWF to approach key stakeholders in Walnut Creek Watershed about partnering to do the same type of initiative for the Tippecanoe-Walnut Creek Watershed.

The two asked for support for assessment of the water quality of the county, but was not seeking funding from the county. A grant for approximately $200,000 is being sought from IDEM. The planning grant will prioritize water quality concerns in the watershed and identify solutions. The matching requirement is 40 percent. The pledged in-kind match from Warsaw is $11,756, with an additional cash match of $5,000. The grant announcement and award will not come until October 2015. The commissioners agreed to sign a letter in support of the project.

Clerk of Court Ann Torpy asked for voting precinct boundary lines to be changed in a newly annexed section of the city of Warsaw. The change will not take effect until Jan. 1. A new subdivision is being built in the new annexed part of the city, located on Pontiac Drive west of Warsaw in Wayne Township; the annexation took place earlier this year. By state law, commissioners must sign an order.

An amended zoning for petitioner Jeremy Young was approved. The 27-plus acre property is located near CR 800N and SR 13, north of North Webster. The property will be rezoned from agricultural to commercial, commissioners voted.

Angie McClurg and Nick Yardes’ request for a property vacation in North Webster was approved. The petitioners represent Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and asked right of ways be vacated in five areas of Epworth Forest.

A small portion of property in the county will be deeded to Winona Lake. Winona Lake Town Attorney James Walmer said 1.3 acres has been used as a right of way. It was discovered the county owned the property when the town was working on the greenway project. Under state statute, the property must be deeded to the town.

The next regular meeting is at 9 a.m. Sept. 9, in Warsaw. Commissioners are President Brad Jackson, Bob Conley and Ron Truex.