Plymouth High School’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) chapter celebrated outstanding achievements at the District competition held on Saturday. Several students excelled across various categories, with many earning spots to compete at the State level.
A brass quintet from the South Bend Symphony Orchestra will be giving a free concert Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 7:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Plymouth.
Marshall County will continue to have a Plan Director for the immediate future as the Commissioners passed one agreement and heard another to allow Ty Adley to stay on in the interim while the county searches for his replacement.
PLYMOUTH — On Nov. 26 Aaron Ganshorn, 45, of Plymouth was taken into custody on an active warrant for child molestation issued by Marshall Superior Court 1. He was taken to the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — Select members of the PHS Speech team competed at the two-day Glenbrook Speech and Debate Tournament on Nov. 23 and 24. This tournament is the largest regular-season speech and debate competition in the nation.
Plymouth placed second in the speech section falling to Arch Bishop Mitty from California. Claire Lewandowski and Dariel Herrera placed 2nd in Duo, while Herrera also took home 5th place in Drama. Semifinalists included Olivia Burch in Humor, Olivia Burch and Dylan Buchanan in Duo, Waylon Pitts and Rylan James in Duo, Claire Lewandowski in Drama, Angel Oviedo in Drama, and Lyli Seidelman in POI. Quarterfinalists included Katie Fritz in Informative and Tyler Travis in Extemporaneous Speaking. Others competing were Cora Hanes in Informative and Madelyn Hutchings in POI and Duo. This is the first time Plymouth has earned a team trophy at Glenbrook since 2003.
PLYMOUTH — Plymouth City Attorney Jeff Houin presented the Plymouth Common Council with an amended request to amend the project list for the Oak Road/US 30 TIF district.
At the Council’s last meeting, Houin presented the request with a substantial donation to the Marshall County Career Innovation Center to help pay for fixtures in the new Center that will provide career courses in such fields as early childhood education, culinary arts, and precision machining. The Council was unwilling to pass the resolution stating that they had already pledged a significant sum and felt the schools had a larger tax base than the city and should find another way to fund the project. The plan included the money to hire an outside contractor, enFocus, to oversee contracts and help with grant requests. The company has already done grant work for the city and would help to prepare project applications. The contract would be through 2025 at a total of $66,000. The Council voted 5-2 to accept the changes and the matter will now have a public hearing during the next Redevelopment meeting.
On Aug. 29, at 11:15 a.m., a Marshall County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Deputy conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle in the area of US 31 and 9A Road.
The driver of vehicle was identified as 34-year-old Maurice Rene Burks II. Burks was found to be driving while suspended with a prior conviction. He was transported to the Marshall County Jail and booked for driving while suspended with a prior conviction. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Indiana State Police.
The Culver Town Council members opened bids for the water and sewer extension infrastructure work as it pertains to The Dunes project during their meeting on Thursday, August 22.
Town Attorney Sean Surrisi opened the two bids received. Rieth Riley Construction bid $3,243,397 while CMD submitted a bid of $1,318,298.50.
Surrisi noted that all related documents were submitted properly with the bid process.
The council unanimously approved a motion to take the bids under advisement for consideration of approval in a future meeting. Until then, the bids will be reviewed by Town Manager Kevin Danti and Utility Superintendent Bob Porter.
PLYMOUTH — On the evening of Aug. 25 at approximately 11 p.m., multiple officers with the Plymouth Police Department executed a search warrant on three separate motel rooms at the Economy Inn.
During the execution of the search warrant, a loaded handgun, suspected methamphetamine, suspected crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia were located. The subjects associated with the rooms were identified as Bobbie Jo Hawkins, 47 of North Judson, Brandon Knox, 31 of Walkerton, and Christopher Stringfield, 38 of Seffner, Florida.
All three subjects were taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail. Hawkins is facing felony charges for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine or narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance, and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia. Knox is facing felony charges for possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine or narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance, and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia. Stringfield is facing additional felony charges for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of a syringe, maintaining a common nuisance, and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety will meet tonight where they will open quotes for police vehicles and open quotes for electric vehicles for the Street Department. The electric vehicles will be paid for with a grant.
A street closure request will be presented by the Koontz Lake Brewing Company and the board will consider an extension proposal from Republic Services.
Department heads will also provide updates as necessary.
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety will meet at 6 p.m. ET tonight followed by the Plymouth City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The council members will review the amended golf cart ordinance, and take action on the salary ordinance for appointed officers and employees, fire and police personnel for 2025. A salary ordinance for elected officials will be reviewed on first reading.
Baker Tilly officials will present the 2024 capital affordability plan to the council members and updates will be given on ONE Marshall County and the comprehensive plan.
Both meetings will be held in the second floor Council Chambers room in the Plymouth City Building at 124 N. Michigan Street in Plymouth. Those interested in attending the meeting in person should enter the building through the Garro Street entrance.
Two people were arrested Sunday, August 18 just before 5 a.m. ET after deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department were called to the area of the Pretty Lake apartments for reports of an occupied suspicious vehicle parked in the parking area.
CEO of the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation Greg Hildebrand made a presentation to the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission during their recent meeting on his office’s activities saying that there had been $170 million in capital investment in the county that had a $20 million effect on payrolls.
Representatives from Thieneman were before the Bremen Town Council members during their recent meeting to discuss aspects of the proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant and asked to collaborate with all involved to bring down prices.
PLYMOUTH — Sheriff Matthew Hassel is pleased to announce that five Marshall County D.A.R.E. students were honored this year for winning their school’s D.A.R.E. Essay.
MARSHALL COUNTY — During the attorney report for the Commissioners meeting Monday morning, the Commissioners discussed and questioned the legality of the Council’s actions toward the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) during their meeting last Thursday.
In response to an additional appropriations request made by Plan Commission Director Ty Adley, the Council approved a motion to require Adley to seek Council President Jesse Bohannon’s approval for legal and advertising expenses prior to incurring such expenses until a Solar Moratorium is placed by the Commissioners. The Council also approved the establishment of ordinances supporting their actions to be considered during the July meeting.
After being questioned over the weekend regarding the actions of the Council, watching the meeting online, and doing some preliminary research – Attorney Jim Clevenger is researching the issue more.
He noted that he is unsure how the County can tell landowners that the proposed use of their land requires a BZA hearing and approval and then make it such that the landowner can’t even seek that approval.
Attorney Clevenger is also investigating the limits of the Council’s “statutory authority” to dictate the actions of the Plan Commission or BZA by restricting funding for certain uses.
The applicant pays public hearing notice fees and the Plan Commission or BZA schedules a public hearing within a certain time frame – Attorney Clevenger questioned whether the County can take that money and not follow through with the intended purpose.
The Plan Commission or BZA does have the right to deny a request or put conditions on it – but for them to fail to advertise or schedule a hearing violates the established process. Attorney Clevenger is unaware of any state statute or law that permits the Council to do that.
Attorney Clevenger also noted that if the Plan Commission or BZA need legal advice, it is contemplated within the statute that they are allowed legal counsel.
Attorney Clevenger noted that to place such financial restrictions on the Plan Commission and BZA based on the expressed desire to stop industrial solar rather than a financial constraint also causes potential legal concern.
He indicated that he does not understand why the additional appropriations request for funds to use for legal and advertising wasn’t approved in the first place.
He added that the statutory scheme of the Plan Commission and BZA is to perform the functions of their jobs; and it appeared to him that the Council was attempting to ban solar through restricting the actions of the Plan Commission and BZA.
Attorney Clevenger informed the Commissioners that there is a current State Statute that prohibits local governments to unreasonably restrict the use of solar energy.
As he reviewed the Council’s activities he noted that they might have been “arbitrary and capricious” in their actions. He said that in his view the actions were not appropriate, but he could not advise the Commissioners as of Monday morning if the actions were actually a legal violation.
He did note that the Council’s actions are unprecedented to his knowledge. He added that there is a balance between what local government can legislate to a landowner and he anticipates that land use for energy will be an issue considered during the legislative session in 2025.
Attorney Clevenger questioned the authority of a local government to require a legal process that they deny financially. He will do more research on the appropriateness and legality of the Council’s actions.Commissioner Kevin Overmyer and Mike Burroughs voiced their desire for Attorney Clevenger to continue his investigation of the matter.
