Bainbridge discusses salt storage

Saturday, November 12, 2011

BAINBRIDGE -- Much like another year of frost, an old issue has crept into the agenda at the Bainbridge Town Council meeting Wednesday night: salt storage.

Jim Nelson, utilities manager, said the town now has less salt readily available than before. The town's old truck had a salt box that held five to six tons of salt, but the new truck, purchased a few months ago, can only hold two tons of salt.

The town has more salt available to it, but it is stored along with the county's salt. To get more, the town has to drive to Greencastle and back, which can be hazardous in poor weather conditions.

"We've talked about a salt box for years," Nelson said.

The utility board suggested building a storage shed somewhere on the town hall property, near the concrete slab which may be used for the town's recycling receptacle.

The board liked the idea, however, there have been no estimates and plans drawn out for the building and will not approve an idea until there is a better idea of how much the project will cost.

Regardless, the shelter would not be built this year.

Jim Ensley, town attorney, also reported to the board regarding the agreement he was able to make with Land and Son regarding the town's walking trail. Land and Son has agreed to fix the walking trail according to workman's standards and the contract, but it will not be able to do so until the spring. Ensley also reached a personal guarantee with the owner, meaning that even if the company were to declare bankruptcy, the man would still be responsible for the work.

Clerk/treasurer Jason Hartman said he was able to contact the Putnam County Humane Society regarding the contract the town had with it.

In the contract, the town would take any animals it had caught or found to the shelter to be spayed or neutered, and the town would then release the animals.

The town was still under contract for about three months when the shelter closed. However, Hartman was told the shelter would reopen in the coming months, and at that time it would still work for three more months.

"At that point they would fulfill the balance of the contract," Hartman said.

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