County to implement spraying program for brush control

The county may embark on a four-year plan of custom herbicide application to Putnam County right-of-way.

The plan was presented to the Putnam County commissioners by Lex Dalton of The Daltons, Inc., out of Warsaw.

For an annual cost of $31,000, one-fourth county roads will be treated over the next four years.

After that, re-application will be done as-needed.

Dalton emphasized that this does not replace mowing and trimming roadsides, but will help curtail future growth and keep the need from getting out of hand.

The commissioners approved the plan, although the money still needs to be allocated by the Putnam County Council, which meets on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

County Highway Supervisor Mike Ricketts also reported that the county recently turned in its application for the Community Crossings matching grant program through the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Working with Civil Engineering Consultants, county officials found $932,760.62 worth of work for which to apply under the program.

As a 50-50 match program, this would leave the county with a $466,380.31 price tag, should INDOT improve the entire project.

One such project is County Road 375 North near Heritage Lake. The highway department recently put stone on the blacktop road, simply to fill in holes until it can be fixed properly.

Ricketts said the county is waiting to hear about the Community Crossings before proceeding with this work.

The highway department also received praise during the meeting for some recent work in the Heritage Lake area.

A resident of the area discussed a washout near Exit 57 that the county repaired, as well as fixing a hole in the road near Exit 46.

In the latter case, Ricketts said a pipe ended up needing to be replaced.

In other business, Michael Clampitt of North Salem State Bank was present to finalize the terms of the loan the county is taking out to pay for new 911 software.

The county and bank had already agreed in principle to the deal, but no term had been set.

"If you want to do the longer term, you will not be penalized for paying it off early," Clampitt said.

With terms as high as 10 years, the commissioners ultimately settled on seven years, with the hope of actually paying it off in five or fewer.