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County still awaiting Community Crossings announcement
If Putnam County is approved for a $1 million Community Crossings grant, officials know who will be doing the work on the 12 miles of county roads.
Having reviewed the bids received during the first Putnam County Commissioners meeting of April, County Highway Supervisor Mike Ricketts on Monday recommended the low bid of $1,253,021.56 submitted by Milestone Contractors of Terre Haute.
However, the Commissioners have to wait on the announcement from the Indiana Department of Transportation before moving forward.
“We can’t really award to Milestone yet until we see if we can get the Community Crossings grant,” Ricketts said.
More than once in the past, the county has successfully received INDOT funding for such projects. In fact, last year’s funding paved portions of the four roads set for work this year — Bainbridge-Roachdale Road, West Walnut Street Road, Lonestar Road (County Road 150 West) and Broad Park Road (County Road 1000 East).
This round of Community Crossings announcements is being delayed, just like the second round of funding in 2020.
Should the plan be funded by the state, the county would have to pay 25 percent of the cost of the projects.
County officials remain hopeful, with Ricketts even saying that because the bid came in under budget, he may request that Milestone do some additional work on West Walnut.
Ricketts was also given permission to sell several pieces of equipment, including a distributor truck, paver and tandem dump trucks, on the website govdeals.com.
It will be the first time the county has sold equipment on the site, though Ricketts said he has made previous purchases there.
“Used equipment right now is bringing good money, and that’s why I’m wanting to put it online,” Ricketts said.
In other news, the Commissioners:
• Heard a request from Lynn Rekeweg of Jefferson Township to repave County Road 550 South between 1000 East and the Hendricks County line.
Rekeweg explained that people who live in the Belle Union area use the road to cut over to the Little Point exit of Interstate 70, but the road is in disrepair.
“Every once in a while you’ll see a car that’s sitting off the side of the road there from damage from hitting one of the potholes,” Rekeweg said. “I’m surprised the county hasn’t been contacted about that.”
Ricketts said that he does not have the full seven-year road plan worked out yet after almost no paving was done last year with the county bracing for revenue losses from COVID-19.
However, the 0.43-mile stretch of road is not currently on the agenda for 2021.
• Heard from Rex Parker of County Road 800 South in Jefferson Township. Parker has been unhappy with the state of a ditch on his property.
While no immediate resolution to Parker’s problem was established, the discussion brought about the larger discussion of the county’s need for a drainage board.
A drainage board has been discussed multiple times in the county, though it’s never gained much traction.
By state law, the county should not be without a drainage board. It should either be composed of the three commissioners or a five-member panel comprised of one commissioner and four appointees.
County Attorney Jim Ensley recalled the last discussion of such a board three or four years ago.
“There were a lot of people in here complaining,” Ensley said, “but when they found out a drainage board meant a drainage tax, they stopped complaining.”
The Commissioners appear poised to revisit the issue at an upcoming meeting.
• Are seeking a new appointee to the Putnam County Cemetery Board.
Longtime member Steve Fenwick has resigned, effective April 7.
• Approved a request by Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory to place a wayfinding sign on the south side of the courthouse lawn.
Other such signs around the city have been placed in the city right-of-way, but given the nature of the courthouse property, there is no right-of-way.