Bainbridge officials worry about road salt

BAINBRIDGE -- Bainbridge Utility Director Jim Nelson told town council members there could be shortage of road salt this winter.

Nelson says the cost for salt has risen from $50 to over $150-160 per ton. He explained he received a phone call from the North Putnam Community Schools asking about obtaining salt.

"They haven't been able to get any and the price is astronomical right now. There is a real shortage all over the country," said Nelson.

He added that his biggest concern is the county using up all their salt because the Town of Bainbridge shares the same storage facility.

"We'll be up there at the first of December to fill our truck as full as we can get it," he said.

He warned board members Naomi Barker, Bonnie Osborn and Richard Cope they could receive phone calls this winter complaining about the amount of salt on the roads.

"There may be a good reason," he said. "There may not be enough."

Nelson also told the board he was beginning to work on a plan to upgrade the sewer plant's disinfection process.

"We have to give IDEM a plan. We have a couple of years but we need to look at the cost. The longer we wait the more expensive it will get," said Nelson. He expects to have some cost estimates in the next week.

Nelson added that he and two other workers would be trimming trees in town for the next two weeks.

Bainbridge Town Marshal Rodney Fenwick reported the town had a great Halloween.

"We didn't have quite as many kids as in the past, but they were all really good. We didn't have any problems," he said.

Fenwick reported making 31 traffic stops during October, two reckless driving, one driving while impaired and one driving while suspended offenses. His department investigated one personal injury accident and five property damage incidents.

In other business the Board President Richard Cope told the group that a town employee spent 30 hours building bleachers and town resident Kenny Brewer brought down his flatbed truck and hauled them to a new location.

"We need to give him a big thank you. And, we should do the same to Joe Thompson, who cleaned up the depot and cut down all the weeds," added Cope.

Town Clerk Jason Hartman reminded the board that two appointments to town boards would expire on December 31. The board voted for Brian Rhoden to remain an at-large member of the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The second position is on the Park Board. Jamie Tennis' term will also expire in December and she is not interested in remaining on the board. That appointment was tabled.

The board discussed an animal control ordinance and a nuisance ordinance. Both require more changes before being read. They did add the duties of building inspection and code enforcement to the job duties of town employee Charlie Boller.

The Bainbridge Town Council meets on the second Wednesday of the month at town hall.