County highway moving forward on several projects

Often bogged down by a lack of road money in recent years, the Putnam County Highway Department is currently seeing some progress on a few projects throughout the county.

Highway co-supevisor Jim Smith reported at Monday's Putnam County Commissioners meeting that the department has moved forward with work since the County Council approved $150,000 last week for a repaving project at county roads 250 West and 250 North.

The appropriation from the County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT) was made dependent upon the commissioners also allocating $50,000 from the Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT).

The commissioners expressed no problem with spending money on the roads.

"I still think they ought to take about half of the Rainy Day Fund and put it in roads," Commissioner Gene Beck said.

Smith said with work going at its current pace, paving on the project should commence by June 1.

The fate of further repaving projects will be determined when the council determines how to spend the remainder of the CAGIT money the state recently turned over to Putnam County.

Other news from the highway included that the Bridge 10 project in Russell Township is "99 percent complete." County officials had a final walk-through with the Indiana Department of Transportation on Tuesday afternoon.

A culvert project on Heritage Drive is progressing, but slowly, with structural problems and compaction problems hindering progress. The county hopes to have the section of road reopened by the end of June.

Department officials also wished to remind property owners there is to be no cutting of trees in the county's right of way. Citizens who want to know the extent of the county's right of way should contact the highway department at 653-4714.

In other business, the commissioners:

* Approved the 2013 cost sharing agreement with West Central Solid Waste District for $2,350.

* Approved renaming the road from Ballard Lane to the Putnam County Airport operations buildings to Vernon E. Bothwell Sr. Lane.

* Will advertise for applicants for an airport board nomination. Interested parties should have a resume and letter of interest to the Putnam County Auditor's office by Monday, June 11. The new appointee will be chosen at the Monday, June 18 commissioners meeting.