Zinc Mill Road project expected to get spring start

Monday, April 20, 2020
Zinc Mill Road will soon undergo a $1.8 million facelift from South Street to State Road 240.
Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

A $1.85 million project to upgrade and widen Zinc Mill Road on Greencastle’s southeast side is expected to see a springtime start, city officials said.

At its recent April meeting, the Board of Works awarded a $128,000 contract for engineering services to Civil Engineering Consultants of Greencastle on the Zinc Mill Road project that will widen and improve the roadway from State Road 240 to South Street.

The Redevelopment Commission has agreed to fund the engineering effort along with the 20 percent matching portion of an Indiana Department of Transportation grant for construction.

That $1,853,604 construction contract has been awarded to Frank Feutz Contractors Inc., Paris, Ill., the same company that did the recent work on Indianapolis Road and had previously been the contractor on the 2011 Percy Julian Drive project.

The Zinc Mill Road project will widen the two travel lanes, adding curb and gutter and include storm sewer improvements. A sidewalk will be added along the west side of the road with a section of People Pathways along the east side.

“The road will be a little wider than it is now,” Mayor Bill Dory has said, “although not by much.”

City Attorney Laurie Hardwick has settled all right-of-way issues along Zinc Mill Road, including acquisition of 24 small parcels – ranging from a quarter-acre to .0002 of an acre -- for the improvement project that runs from State Road 240 to South Street.

Hardwick said the project is expected to begin this spring. All paperwork needs to be filed with INDOT by May 1.

Meanwhile, the board, meeting via speaker phone at City Hall, also agreed to a $76,739 contract with A. A. Huber & Sons, Greencastle, to replace the HVAC system at the fire station.

The replacement was one of two options for the fire department work. A second option, bid at $11,000, would have replaced only the compressor on the roof at GFD, leaving the rest of the 1976 system intact.

Fire Chief John Burgess urged the board to replace the entire system, thus allowing for better energy-efficiency. He noted that the system needs to be downsized after originally being designed to heat the old City Hall building as well.

When the project was put out for bids last fall, no bids were received, although an Indianapolis firm later offered to do the work for a cost exceeding $120,000.

Since no bids were received at the original letting, City Attorney Hardwick said the Huber contract would qualify as a “special purchase” under Indiana statute.

Funding for the project most likely will come from public safety money, Mayor Dory said, suggesting that a replacement of the fire chief’s vehicle could be out off until next year.

In other business, the Board of Works, comprised of Mayor Dory, Trudy Selvia and Craig Tuggle:

• Approved a three-year contract with Jack’s Trash Service, Greencastle, to haul sludge for disposal from the wastewater facility at $550 per load. Mayor Dory noted that Jack’s is a cheaper and local option than the city is currently using. Jack’s was also awarded a grit hauling contract at $100 per month for dumpster use and $175 to haul materials.

• Heard that an amendment to the Republic Trash contract is expected to be considered at the board’s May meeting. Changes to the curbside recycling portion of the contract will be considered, as well as items relative to customer service, City Attorney Hardwick said. The new contract will be sent to Republic for its review and will likely come before the Board of Works in May.

• Heard the mayor report that bids were received on mowing services for the city. Six bids were received, including one from a Terre Haute firm. No one bid on everything in the contract, Mayor Dory noted, adding that no bids were received on weed-eating at the cemetery, which he called “not surprising.” It might be worthwhile to bid out scattered sites, Dory said, adding that ideas will be discussed with department heads in coming days.

The Board of Works’ next meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 at City Hall

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  • Does anyone know what the status is of recycling at the waste site on Columbia Street? They have stopped taking recycling. Do they plan to start up again? What are options for those that live in the county where curb recycling is not an option?

    -- Posted by 3m50 on Wed, Apr 22, 2020, at 12:24 PM
  • 3m50, last I knew there were recycling drop off dumpsters in Cloverdale and coatesville. Sorry I don’t have any more info on the Greencastle location.

    -- Posted by techphcy on Wed, Apr 22, 2020, at 2:38 PM
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