Local disaster proclaimed following April flooding

More than $200,000 in damage from late April flooding in Putnam County has prompted the county commissioners to sign a local disaster proclamation.

During their Monday meeting, Emergency Management Director Tom Helmer informed the commissioners the county sustained $217,942 in damages during the April 19 flood.

These damages included one destroyed home, five with major damage and 10 others with some level of damage.

County roads also sustained damage in the flood, including a stretch of County Road 600 West in Russell Township near County Bridge 10. The section of road was described by one witness as having been picked up by the rushing waters, then set down in the nearby field.

The commissioners approved the disaster proclamation unanimously.

Signing the proclamation could make the county eligible for state disaster relief funds.

Another source of disaster funding is dependent upon the Putnam County Council at its Tuesday, May 28 meeting.

County Highway Co-Supervisor Jim Smith was granted the commissioners' permission to approach the county council about money for roads in Russell Township from the county's hazardous waste fund.

Through a state law passed in 2012, the county may use up to 10 percent of the fund on road repairs each year. The county tapped into the account last year for $300,000 for Russell Township roads.

At the time of approving last year's funds, councilmen expressed their desire not to tap into the fund each year, lest it be drained of its money.

However, April's flooding came as an unforeseen expense to the county highway department.

In another quandary, the Putnam County Airport was again on the agenda. Airport Board President J.R. Scott told the commissioners that the airport is still in need of funds both for the local match of the runway resurfacing project and to fund the airport's new fixed-base operator (FBO) through the end of the year.

The funding needed is in the neighborhood of $90,000.

The airport has a tentative plan in place to fund the shortfall of the local match. Scott has been working with representatives of First National Bank, who have said the airport board can borrow whatever funds are needed for the local match portion of the project.

While incurring debt is not an ideal situation for the airport, it is a way to get the project funded in time.

Scott said the bid dates for the repaving project are coming up soon, but that the federal sequester could delay the federal funding for the project, which will cover the lion's share of the cost.

The FBO problem is one the commissioners felt more equipped to assist with. Funding the FBO through the end of the year (thus keeping the airport fully operational) comes at a price tag of $29,900.

The county will use Economic Development Income Tax money to fund the remainder of the year.

Before the motion was made to fund the FBO, Commissioner Nancy Fogle said the county may revisit the funding for the repaving project at a later date.

In other business:

* The commissioners made a pair of board appointments.

Jerry Mahurin will represent the Department of Correction on the Putnam County Community Corrections advisory board.

Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tammy Amor will serve on the West Central Indiana Economic Development board.

An appointment also needs to be made to the Putnam County Public Library Board. North Putnam High School Principal Alan Zerkel is interested in the position. While commissioners seemed favorable to appointing Zerkel, they will wait until their May 20 meeting to make an appointment.

* The commissioners accepted a bid from DLZ to do the county's Americans with Disabilities Act compliance work.

* Terre Haute-based Indiana Business Equipment will do a study of the county's copy and printing needs to see if a more unified approach to the devices would save money.

The company did a similar study in 2011, but the county did not act upon the findings.

* The commissioners thanked County Highway Co-Supervisor Clint Maddox for his 26 years of service to the county. Maddox is leaving the county for a job in the private sector.

"That decision wasn't made lightly, obviously," Maddox said.

In his place, Mike Ricketts was approved for a 30-day trial period as bridge foreman and co-supervisor. The commissioners will revisit the matter when the 30 days are complete.