County hopeful Edgelea project starting soon

After more than 18 months of discussion and planning, the project to repave roads and address drainage issues in the Edgelea subdivision may soon commence, the Putnam County attorney said Monday.

County Attorney Jim Ensley told the Putnam County Commissioners that a few lingering issues regarding the project appear close to resolution.

He first said the problem the county has had in getting concrete numbers regarding terms of the bonds is nearing resolution.

The approximately $1.5 million price tag is relatively low for a bond issuance, Ensley said, so instead of advertising for the project, the county has sent out letters of interest to specific financial institutions.

The response to these letters will provide county officials with concrete numbers they would not otherwise have.

Ensley also said the last day any Edgelea homeowner can file a lawsuit objecting to the project is April 12.

While the vast majority of homeowners are said to be in favor of the project, some have expressed their displeasure over the approximately $625 assessment that will accompany their annual property tax bill.

Ensley told the Banner Graphic that a recent remonstrance hearing, only one homeowner voiced a complaint, and the appeal to lower or remove the assessment was denied.

Under the plan presented by a group from Edgelea in September 2011, homeowners will shoulder 75 percent of the cost of the repaving project, leaving the county to pay an estimated $25,000-$30,000 for each of the next 20 years.

While several commissioners and county councilmen have expressed misgivings over committing the county to the project, the consensus has been that they cannot deny a project in which individuals pay for most of the work on county-owned roads.

Ensley said a couple of other issues of the source of funding remain, and he will discuss these with the Putnam County Council at its Tuesday, April 16 meeting.

Whatever the outcome, Ensley said the picture should be much clearer after mid-April.

"All of it looks like it's culminating to close out pretty quick," Ensley said. "I'd like to see it done by the end of April so we can get started on the project."

In December, the county accepted a $1,505,314.41 bid from Wabash Valley Asphalt to perform the project.