City unveils streets slated to be resurfaced this fall

Seven Greencastle streets will be getting an extreme makeover, asphalt edition, this fall.

Those streets were unveiled Wednesday evening when the Greencastle Board of Works and Public Safety awarded the resurfacing bid and notice to proceed to Wabash Valley Asphalt, Terre Haute.

Wabash Valley submitted the low bid on the 2012 road resurfacing project at a total price of $168,812.96.

Money for the project comes from the city's Cumulative Capital Development Fund, Local Road and Street funds and Motor Vehicle Highway funds, Mayor Sue Murray noted.

Streets selected for resurfacing this fall by Greencastle Department of Public Works Superintendent Brad Phillips are:

-- Liberty Street, from North Jackson Street to Gillespie Street.

-- Columbia Street, from North Jackson Street to College Avenue.

-- Berry Street, from Locust Street to Crown Street.

-- Judson Drive, from Indianapolis Road to Canterbury Drive.

-- Castleton Drive, from Albin Pond Road to the end of the cul-de-sac.

-- Arlington Street, from Washington Street to Seminary Street.

-- Fillmore Road, from State Road 240 to the city limits.

Board member Trudy Selvia praised Phillips' recommendations as focusing on the streets that appeared to be most in need of repair.

"He knows his streets," Mayor Murray responded, telling the group at City Hall that Phillips actually has started his list for next year already.

Meanwhile, in action relative to the Albin Pond Dam project, a $49,840 change-order was approved on the project being undertaken by JDH Contracting, Plainfield.

An area of unforeseen and undetected sandy and silty soil will need to be removed and replaced by compacted clay to assure stability of the section where the dam is to be rebuilt.

The city has received more than $500,000 in grant money to undertake the dam project, and has enough leeway to fit the change-order into that budget.

Noting that a couple of people have questioned the necessity of the Albin Pond Dam project, board member Selvia said, "This shows it was a clear issue, and this needed to be done. It was inevitable that the dam was going to be an issue."

City Attorney Laurie Hardwick agreed.

"There were leaks," she said, "plus the state told us we had to do it."

In other business, the board:

-- Opened bids on Phase II of the owner-occupied rehab program portion of the Stellar Communities Grant. Emmert Group Inc., Brazil, presented the lone bid on the work for homes at 5 E. Liberty St. ($52,280) and 309 S. Jackson St. ($43,225). Comparison of the bids and the budget indicates there "will need to be quite a bit cut" from the projects listed. The bids were taken under advisement.

-- Sewer adjustments were approved for Elizabeth Thomas, $503.07 for portions of two months involving a non-stop running commode; Dale and Kathy Moore, $1,693.86 for a period overlapping two billings due to a broken four-inch water main at their apartment building; and Jim York, an $854.70 adjustment for a water leak at the home of Wynette Phillips. Only sewer bills were adjusted, not water bills.