Government

Tippecanoe County is seeking federal assistance to pay for damage caused by heavy rains over the past month.

County commissioners approved a declaration of local disaster emergency Monday morning.

Smokey Anderson, director of the Tippecanoe Emergency Management Agency, says the flooding resulted in more damage than most residents might think.

Area residents can voice their opinions about a proposed annexation at a special meeting of the West Lafayette City Council tonight.

The plan would double the size of the city.

Some homeowners in the affected area have expressed concerns about an increase in property taxes.

City officials say most will pay a dollar or two per day more, but that comes with city services.

Top state lawmakers will meet at the Statehouse this week to establish the General Assembly’s top priorities for this summer’s study committees.

The Indiana Legislative Council, which governs the legislature when it’s not in session, is meeting earlier than usual this year. Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) says it’s partly to encourage study committees to begin their work earlier as they face what he says is “an inordinate number” of topics.

The head of the Tippecanoe County Highway Department is reducing her request for additional money to address a backlog of road projects.

Opal Kuhl says she is only asking for $1-million, down from the original request of $2-million.

She says the decrease is possible by putting off some work until next year.

Kuhl says the extra money would be taken from the Economic Development Income Tax and not out of the county’s General Fund as she originally requested.

A fee increase is in store for West Lafayette residents. Council members approved an overhaul of the city’s trash code, including a monthly rate increase from $9 to $16.

The new code also gives residents a shorter window to leave their trash containers on the curb. Residents can put their containers out starting at 5 p.m. the day before collection and must remove them by 11 p.m. after pickup.

Councilor Steve Dietrich (R-At Large) says he fought to make an exception for yard waste.

Following a trip to Turkey last week, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN) says he does not support the use of American troops on the ground in Syria. He was part of a delegation that also stopped in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Donnelly says he visited with refugees at a camp on the Turkish border and spoke with opposition leaders as well. They told him they don’t want U.S. men and women on the ground.

“They said, ‘All we want is the tools to create success here.’”