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Grant would add sidewalks around most of Robe-Ann Park
A proposed Community Crossings grant project could create sidewalks around the perimeter of much of Greencastle’s Robe-Ann Park.
The city’s Board of Public Works and Safety heard Thursday that Mayor Bill Dory and other city officials are putting final touches on a grant application that is due today.
The mayor reminded the board that the governor had put the second round of Community Crossings funding on hold earlier this year and was now soliciting applications.
Hoosier communities are eligible for a state match up to $1 million annually with the city having to match 50 percent of the cost of the planned road improvements, which in Greencastle include:
-- Tenth Street from Round Barn Road to the city limits, improving storm drainage, adding sidewalks to the west side of the street and doing curbs and pavement work.
-- Wood Street from Washington to Tennessee Street, adding sidewalks to the west side of Wood from Washington to Seminary (a sidewalk already exists from Seminary to the park’s Wood Street entrance) while improving storm drainage and doing curb and pavement work. Part of the pavement work there will be an overlay, the mayor said, since it is not a bad as the rest of the area.
-- Tennessee Street from Wood to Bloomington Street, including sidewalk work along the south side of the park, storm drainage and pavement work.
Mayor Dory said the work in that area could be considered a pre-emptive strike since Wood and Tennessee streets figure to be heavily used by local drivers when the state undertakes its U.S. 231 repair project either in 2021 or 2022.
“Those streets can expect to see increased traffic when the U.S. 231 project gets under way and people start seeking shortcuts around the community,” Dory said.
He said city officials looked at what streets give the city “the most bang for our buck,” indicating that some other streets don’t have suitable traffic counts to qualify for the grant funding.
Meanwhile, if the city doesn’t receive a grant in this cycle, it will apply again in January, the mayor said, noting that the city’s share of the proposed project will come from work already budgeted for 2021.
The Indiana Department of Transportation opens Community Crossings applications twice a year. Due to COVID-19, this year’s second round of calls for projects was postponed in July, but Gov. Eric Holcomb recently announced that the matching grant program will resume and the new application deadline is Oct. 23.
Counties with fewer than 50,000 residents and cities and towns with less than 10,000 residents contribute 25 percent of the matching funds, with larger communities contributing 50 percent. To be eligible, all local units of government must have an approved Asset Management Plan and provide a funding match.
In other business, the board:
-- Approved a recommendation from Fire Chief John Burgess and the GFD Board of Captains to grant full firefighter status to probationary firefighter Jonathan Newgent, effective Nov. 14. Asked by board member Craig Tuggle if Newgent, son of former Chief Bill Newgent, had met all the qualifications, Chief Burgess said undoubtedly. “He (Newgent) pretty much grew up in the firehouse,” Burgess said.
-- Approved a recommendation by Police Chief Tom Sutherlin and the GPD Board of Captains to grant full police officer status to probationary officer Angela Taylor, effective Oct. 23.
-- Heard Fire Chief Burgess report that the new aerial tower truck could be received as early as April or May, “knock on wood.” The company building the truck, Sutphen Corp. in Ohio, has had difficulty getting all the necessary materials, Burgess said. “The worst-case scenario is we probably have it by July,” he said. “We can’t wait to see it.”
-- Heard Police Chief Sutherlin report that his department is still awaiting delivery of three new Ford Explorers from Andy Mohr, Plainfield. Purchased for a total of $168,267, delivery of the vehicles is being held up pending completion of all the necessary paperwork. “I have the money,” City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar said, noting that it was borrowed at a low 1.47 interest rate. “Oh, I told them you have the money,” Sutherlin responded. “Hopefully next month,” he said of delivery.
-- Heard Chief Sutherlin report that his department has taken delivery of its new body cameras, which the Board of Works had approved for purchase. Officers are learning the evidence.com software and working with the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office, which will have direct access to the body cameras’ output via its own account. “That’ll be nice,” Sutherlin said. “We won’t have to worry about burning a DVD or flash drive and taking it to them.” The new body cameras could go into use as early as Monday.
-- Heard Wastewater Supt. Oscar King report that more than 30 manholes have been replaced in a $40,000 project expected to help alleviate storm water infiltration. The work “also took out some bumps around town, I noticed,” Mayor Dory said.
-- Agreed to move the easement Duke Energy has for a utility pole in the parking lot behind the fire station. The pole has an underground feed to the fire station. Recent work has changed the footprint of the easement.
-- Approved a sewer leak adjustment for the Lewis Spiker family at 36 Beveridge St. A faulty toilet caused water to run, resulting in a $601.20 sewage bill. The Spikers will pay for the water used but were granted the adjustment for the sewer bill.
-- Heard that special meeting might be necessary to award the bid on the city sidewalk project. A pre-construction meeting last Monday saw several bidders express interest, the mayor said.
Board members Dory and Tuggle were joined for the October meeting by fellow board member Trudy Selvia, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick and Clerk-Treasurer Dunbar.