Greentown, Indiana Public Records

Howard Superior Court 1 and Superior Court 2 (phone: 765-456-2213 and 765-456-2214) have general jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic violations, civil cases, family law matters, and small claims cases up to $10,000. Traffic infractions and minor misdemeanors are frequently processed through Superior Court. Indiana offers the Mycase.IN.gov portal, the statewide online court records system, where Greentown residents can search for case information by party name, case number, or attorney, view dockets, and access certain filings for cases in Howard County courts. The system provides free access to case summaries, though some documents may require in-person requests. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $1.00 per page plus a $1.00 certification fee per document. The Howard County Clerk's Office, also located at the Courthouse (phone: 765-456-2201), maintains court records and can provide copies upon request during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Assessor's online database, accessible through the county website and the statewide Indiana Gateway portal (indianagateway.com), allows users to search properties by owner name, address, or parcel number to view current and historical assessment data, property characteristics, and aerial photography. The Howard County Recorder's Office, located at 220 North Main Street, Room 35, Kokomo, IN 46901 (phone: 765-456-2205), is responsible for recording and maintaining deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, military discharge papers (DD-214s), and other documents affecting real property in Greentown and throughout Howard County. Indiana law requires most real estate documents to be recorded with the County Recorder to establish public notice. The Recorder's Office provides online access to recorded documents through a subscription service or pay-per-view basis via the county's document imaging system; users can search by grantor/grantee name, document type, or book and page reference. Howard County also maintains a GIS mapping system with parcel viewer capabilities accessible through the county website, providing aerial imagery, parcel boundaries, zoning information, and links to assessment data for properties throughout Greentown.

Within Greentown itself, the largest employers include Eastern Howard School Corporation, which operates Eastern Elementary School and Eastern Junior-Senior High School serving Greentown and surrounding townships, local retail and service businesses along State Road 22 and Main Street, and several agricultural operations in the surrounding area. The median household income in Greentown is estimated at approximately $52,000 to $58,000, somewhat below Indiana's state median but consistent with small-town rural communities. Howard County's economy overall is heavily influenced by advanced manufacturing, particularly automotive components and specialty metals, with Kokomo serving as the economic engine for the region. Greentown benefits from its proximity to Kokomo's employment base while maintaining its distinct small-town character and lower cost of living. Recent development has included residential construction and improvements to town infrastructure, though growth has been modest compared to suburban areas near larger metros. Agriculture, particularly corn and soybean farming, remains economically significant in the areas surrounding Greentown, and several residents are engaged in farming or farm-related businesses.

The Greentown Marshal's Office, located at 204 West Main Street, Greentown, IN 46936 (phone: 765-628-3122), provides primary law enforcement services within Greentown's corporate limits. Citizens can request copies of police reports and incident records by visiting the Marshal's Office during business hours or submitting a written request. The Marshal's Office handles local patrol, traffic enforcement, and initial response to incidents within town boundaries. The Howard County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 219 North Appleton Street, Kokomo, IN 46901 (phone: 765-456-2323, website: www.howardcountysheriff.com), provides law enforcement services to unincorporated areas of Howard County and supports Greentown's Marshal's Office when needed. The Sheriff's Office also operates the Howard County Jail and maintains records of arrests and detentions throughout the county. To search for arrests and jail bookings, the Howard County Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate roster accessible through their website, which displays current inmates' names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and sometimes booking photographs. Public records requests for law enforcement documents in Indiana are governed by the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, codified at Indiana Code 5-14-3-1 et seq., which requires agencies to respond to requests within a reasonable time and permits agencies to charge reasonable copying fees. Certain records, such as ongoing investigations and confidential informant information, may be exempted under Indiana Code 5-14-3-4. Written requests should include specific details about the incident date, case number if known, and parties involved.

The Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records Office, located at 2 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (phone: 317-233-2700, website: www.in.gov/health/vital-records), maintains statewide birth records from October 1907 forward. Birth certificates cost $28 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, with online ordering available through VitalChek for an additional processing fee, typically processed within 10-15 business days. Death certificates are similarly available from the Howard County Health Department for deaths occurring in the county, or from the Indiana State Department of Health for all Indiana deaths from 1900 forward, at the same fee structure as birth certificates. Only qualified applicants (immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with tangible interest) may obtain certified copies, and government-issued photo identification is required. Marriage licenses are issued by the Howard County Clerk's Office at the Howard County Courthouse, 220 North Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46901 (phone: 765-456-2201). The marriage license fee is $18 if couples complete a premarital education program, or $60 without the program. Marriage records are public and maintained permanently by the County Clerk. Divorce records are maintained as court records by the Howard County Clerk where the dissolution was filed, accessible through the same Mycase.IN.gov portal as other court proceedings, with certified copies available for the standard court copying fees.

Howard County does not impose a general business license, but specific activities such as food service, health facilities, and certain contractors require permits from the Howard County Health Department or Building Department. Fictitious business name registrations (Doing Business As or DBA) are filed with the Howard County Recorder's Office at 220 North Main Street, Room 35, Kokomo, IN 46901 (phone: 765-456-2205), and must be registered if operating under any name other than the owner's legal name. The filing fee is approximately $30 and registrations remain valid indefinitely but should be renewed if business information changes. For corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and other formal business entities, registration is handled by the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The INBiz portal (www.inbiz.in.gov) provides free online searches of all registered business entities in Indiana, allowing users to look up corporation and LLC status, registered agent information, principal office addresses, and officers or members. New entity formation can be completed online through the same portal, with filing fees ranging from $95 to $150 depending on entity type. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements and lien searches are also filed with the Indiana Secretary of State and searchable through INBiz. Business personal property tax is assessed by the Howard County Assessor's Office (phone: 765-456-2207), and commercial real estate assessments can be searched through the same online property database used for residential properties.

Greentown voters are served by the Howard County Clerk's Office, which administers elections for all of Howard County from the Howard County Courthouse, 220 North Main Street, Room 9, Kokomo, IN 46901 (phone: 765-456-2201, website: www.co.howard.in.us/departments/clerk). Indiana residents can register to vote online through the Indiana Voter Registration Portal at indianavoters.in.gov, which is maintained by the Indiana Secretary of State. Registration must be completed at least 29 days before an election. To register, applicants must provide their Indiana driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number, along with proof of residence in Howard County. Greentown holds municipal elections for its Town Council, with council members serving four-year terms; the most recent municipal elections were held in November 2023, with the next scheduled for November 2027. The Town Council consists of five members who handle local governance, ordinances, and budget matters. Greentown does not have a mayor; instead, a Town Council President presides over meetings. Greentown residents can find their assigned polling place by using the Indiana Voter Portal (indianavoters.in.gov), entering their address to view polling location, sample ballot, and registration status. Indiana provides significant public access to election records: voter registration lists are available for purchase by campaigns and parties, campaign finance reports are searchable through the Indiana Campaign Finance Database maintained by the Indiana Election Division, candidate filings and declarations are public records maintained by the county clerk, and precinct-level election results are published by the Howard County Clerk following certification. In the November 2024 presidential election, Howard County reported approximately 60-62% voter turnout among registered voters, with approximately 32,000 votes cast county-wide. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Greentown and Howard County voters will decide several significant races: Indiana does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (next Senate race is 2028), but all nine U.S. House seats including Indiana's 2nd Congressional District which includes Howard County will be on the ballot. State legislative races will include Indiana State Senate District 18 and Indiana House District 23, both of which serve portions of Howard County. County offices up for election in 2026 include Howard County Sheriff, County Assessor, County Clerk, County Recorder, County Treasurer, County Surveyor, County Coroner, County Commissioners, and County Council members, all serving four-year terms. Indiana voters may request absentee ballots (called "vote by mail" in Indiana) for specific reasons including being 65 or older, absence from the county on election day, disability, or serving as an election worker. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Howard County Clerk's Office by mail, in person, or online through indianavoters.in.gov no later than 11:59 PM on the day before the election (for mailed ballots, applications should be submitted earlier). Completed absentee ballots must be received by the County Clerk's office by noon on election day.