Starke County Surveyor's Office

09/01/2026

08/19/2026

08/13/2026

🌧️ STORM & DRAINAGE NOTICE

With all of the recent storms and heavy rainfall—and more rain in the forecast—the Starke County Surveyor’s Office is asking residents to please report any drainage obstructions you may notice.

If you see an obstruction in a ditch that is holding back or restricting the flow of water, similar to the picture attached to this post, please contact our office so we can look into it.

📞 Surveyor’s Office: 574-772-9135
📞 After-Hours Emergency: 574-806-3011

If we are on the other line and you receive our voicemail, please leave your name, contact information, and the location of the obstruction.

Providing a road name, nearest address or intersection, and any other details that will help us locate the problem is greatly appreciated.

We appreciate residents reporting drainage concerns they may encounter, as timely information can help our office respond to storm-related obstructions as quickly as possible.

Please stay safe during the continued storms and rainfall.

08/11/2026

PUBLIC STATEMENT REGARDING JULY 16, 2026

Since taking office, I have made transparency and accountability priorities of the Starke County Surveyor's Office. In the past, when questions or allegations have been raised concerning myself, my deputy, or this office, I have chosen to address them openly rather than allow speculation, incomplete information, or inaccurate statements to shape the public's understanding.

Recently, public records have been requested concerning the Deputy Surveyor’s payroll, vacation, sick, personal, compensatory/flex time, and other employment records. One of those requests specifically sought records for July 16, 2026, the day Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 visited Knox.

Because questions may arise regarding the Deputy Surveyor’s presence at the Big Boy event that day, I want to provide the facts directly and transparently.

On July 16, I was participating in the Big Boy event on my own time and was not on county work time. I was manning a non-profit booth during the event and did not have my county work cell phone with me.

During the day, the Deputy Surveyor made several brief visits to the booth. Some of those visits were for legitimate Surveyor's Office business. Because I did not have my work phone with me, she walked across the street to communicate with me regarding office-related telephone calls, emails, and other matters that required my attention. During those times, she was performing duties associated with her position as Deputy Surveyor.

There were also times when I asked her to help me organize the money drawer at the booth. When she assisted with that, she used flex time and a portion of her lunch period. She was not being paid by the County to assist with the event during those periods.

Simply seeing the Deputy Surveyor at the booth does not tell the complete story of what she was doing or whether she was on county work time at that particular moment.

I believe public employees should be accountable for their time, and I have no objection to legitimate questions or lawful public records requests. I also believe our employees deserve to have the complete and accurate facts available when questions are raised about their conduct.

I will continue to be transparent with the citizens of Starke County, even when doing so means addressing uncomfortable subjects publicly. I would rather provide the facts directly than allow assumptions, rumors, or incomplete information to become accepted as fact.

My responsibility is to the citizens I was elected to serve, and I will continue operating the Starke County Surveyor's Office with transparency, accountability, and professionalism.

Gwen Rentz
Starke County Surveyor

07/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HzKARq184/

Registration is now open for INFB’s 2026 Drainage School! 💧

This year’s program focuses on special tax assessments related to drainage, encroachments, updates to Indiana drainage laws and more. Whether you prefer to join in person or virtually, this event is open to farmers, attorneys, public officials or anyone interested in learning more about the drainage of land in Indiana.

Learn more and register at INFB.org/Events

06/07/2026

A huge Thank You to everyone who came out today and helped make this event such a success!

Special thanks to Bryan Boggs, Property Manager at Kankakee Fish & Wildlife Area, for partnering with the Surveyor’s Office and helping make this opportunity possible for our community.

A very special thank you goes to Sara with the Woods on Wheels exhibit. Sara traveled nearly four hours each way to bring this incredible educational forestry experience to Starke County. We truly appreciate her dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to share her knowledge with visitors of all ages.

Thank you as well to Photos by Danny, his wife, and son for generously donating their time today. Danny once again shared his photography talents to help capture another great event here in Starke County, and we are grateful for his continued support of our community.

And finally, thank you to everyone who attended. We were pleased to see such a nice turnout and hope you enjoyed learning more about Indiana's forests and natural resources through the Woods on Wheels exhibit.

Events like this are only possible because of the support of dedicated partners, volunteers, and community members. Thank you all for making today a success! 🌲🚛📸👏

05/26/2026

Attached is a list of licensed land surveyors for those needing surveying services or assistance with property line questions.

Please note that our office does not perform land surveying services and does not get involved in private property disputes.

The Surveyor’s Office is responsible for overseeing and maintaining more than 640 miles of regulated drains throughout the county.

05/22/2026

Please be advised that County offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

Normal operations will resume on Tuesday morning.

We wish everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend as we honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

05/12/2026

Due to a lack of quorum, there will not be a Starke Marshall Drainage Board meeting tomorrow, May 13.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate everyone’s understanding.