Commissioners continue investigating drainage issues

An ongoing discussion of drainage issues has the Putnam County Commissioners examining options for what the county can do to address such concerns.

Is a county drainage board in order? Did the county establish now-forgotten drainage issues decades ago?

These questions and others have been on the minds of the commissioners and County Attorney Jim Ensley in recent months.

While Ensley has been told by a state authority that Putnam County should have drainage laws on the books, he can find no such evidence.

As such, officials are moving forward with their investigation of solutions, which has included attending drainage board meetings in neighboring counties such as Montgomery and Hendricks.

The issue was again on the meeting agenda again Monday with Kathy Winslow of Heritage Lake expressing concerns over flooding on her cul-de-sac.

While the commissioners listened to Winslow’s complaints, they explained that they have no solutions at this time.

“We’ve looked into a drainage board,” Commissioner Rick Woodall said. “As of now, we haven’t made any decisions because it’s complicated.”

Ensley added that there are no real solutions the county can offer for an issue such as this on private property until some sort of drainage laws are established.

The commissioners will continue to examine the issue and move forward at a future meeting.

In other business:

• Pending approval by the Putnam County Council, the commissioners authorized $7,500 from the Economic Development Warchest toward building a shelter behind the Putnam County Humane Shelter.

Humane Society of Putnam County President Sandy Grimes had made the request at a previous meeting, asking that the commissioners help with the local match portion of a $29,619 project to build 129-by-30 foot structure that allows dogs to be in the shade even when they are outside.

Grimes reported in May that the shelter was a finalist for a grant and that after grant funding and the county contribution, HSPC would pay for the remaining cost.

• The commissioners opened a pair of bids for repaving 13 miles of county roads this year.

Wabash Valley Asphalt, Terre Haute, submitted a bid of $1,825,550.

Dave O’Mara Contractor, North Vernon, bid $1,695,937 for the work.

County Highway Supervisor Mike Ricketts and Ensley will review the bids and return to the next meeting with a recommendation.

• Ricketts reported that Bridge 240 on County Road 800 North, north of Groveland, was to reopen on Monday.

Ricketts also reported that ditch mowing crews have started their work east of Greencastle, with one moving north and the other to the south.

He also added that the wedging that proceeds chip-and-seal work is set to begin June 18.

• Commissioner David Berry has set up a meeting with Duke Energy regarding possible solutions for upgrading street lamps surrounding the courthouse.

• Woodall reported that work is progressing on the new county employee handbook. However, the original quoted price of $13,000 had been exceeded by $4,000.

“That’s just not going to fly, as far as I’m concerned,” Woodall said.

• Woodall also plans to move forward with pursuing county-issued emails for all employees after a department head’s email was recently hacked.