Bainbridge working toward building comprehensive plan

BAINBRIDGE--With a new sidewalk leading to Bainbridge Elementary and some new sidewalks going in on Main Street, the town of Bainbridge continues to move forward with improving the town by starting to build a comprehensive plan.

At the Wednesday town council meeting the council voted to start work on a comprehensive plan to help establish were the town would like to be in the next 20 years.

Bainbridge received a grant to fund the making of the comprehensive plan several months ago and has taken the first steps to start construction of the plan. Brian Neilson of GAI consultants will be working with the town to bring the comprehensive plan together. A core group will be formed to help in deciding what should be in the future for the town. More information on the plan will be available in future issues of the Banner Graphic.

While plans for future town improvements will be discussed, the town is still implementing changes where it can.

In recent months sidewalks have been added going to Bainbridge Elementary. This is from a Safe Routes to School grant the town received and was laid by OLCO Inc. out of Batesville, Ind. The sidewalks are now finished and some finishing touches are being added.

"They did an excellent job," Town Council President Chuck McElwee stated. "Been very pleased with the work done."

Along with the sidewalks to the school, some Main Street sidewalks will be revamped in the near future.

Last month Bainbridge offered the businesses on Main Street the chance to redo the sidewalks in front. The town offered to pay half the cost due to ownership issues of the sidewalks. Three businesses took the offer. No specific date for beginning of construction is available.

While it is smooth sailing when it comes to sidewalks, the issue of parking lot paving still prevails. Bainbridge town council was made aware that Land and Sons still had not fulfilled the requirements of a court order that included the repaving at East Point Park and at the town hall parking lot. This court order had a specific time frame to be completed, if Land and Sons had not completed the work to the town's satisfaction they could owe more than $16,000 to Bainbridge.

Over last weekend the East Point Park parking lot had been redone, but only a small section of the town hall lot had been completed. Town Attorney Jim Ensley advised the council that they could go forward with court proceedings if the project was not completed on a day of the town's choosing. He suggested that two days be given to Land and Sons to decide when to complete the task. If it was not completed on the scheduled day, Bainbridge should report to the court.

"You're never going to get the money though," Ensley said after giving his legal opinion.

The council agreed with Ensley's assessment and will be following his suggestion. Town Clerk-Treasure Jason Hartman will once again be trying to contact Land and Sons to get this project finished.

McElwee presented another subject concerning property and utilities to the other members of the council. This concerned the takeover of providing utilities to Northfield Subdivision from Cole Energy.

Cole Energy is no longer able to afford providing certain utility equipment for any new homes in the subdivision and came to the town with a trade off.

If the town would be willing to be the provider of the utilities and equipment, Cole Energy would give a parcel of land in the subdivision to it. McElwee believes this land can be used as a "greenspace" and would be good for that area of town. Council member Bonnie Osborn showed some hesitance with the deal and what it might mean for the town utilities.

She went on to ask if the gas utility was in any shape to take on a project like this and was informed the utilities board had already approved of the contract between the town and Cole Energy in a meeting. With that the council decided to approve the contract.

In other business:

-The first reading of two ordinances was done. One was Utility Reconnection Guidelines, the other was for 2014 Salary and Wages.

- The Bainbridge Improvement Society expressed its thanks to the community with its support of the Jonah Fish Fry and the garage sale.

- A community Thanksgiving will take place at the community center on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m. It is a free dinner.

The next Bainbridge Town Council meeting will be on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.