More hydrants needed, house fire victim tells city

Nothing like a firsthand experience to help make your point.

Range Line Road resident Kevin Williams recently lost his home to fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 18, so he knows from which he speaks.

Wednesday afternoon, he visited the Greencastle Board of Works to urge that the city install more fire hydrants in the area east of the Round Barn Road-Range Line Road intersection.

“As you all probably know, I lost a house recently,” Williams told board members Trudy Selvia, Craig Tuggle and Mayor Bill Dory.

“The trouble is,” Williams added, “there is no fire hydrant nearby.”

He said the area in which he resides includes 41 city water customers, and needs a minimum of three hydrants to provide adequate fire protection.

Williams said one fellow homeowner, Tim Cash, is about 1.5 miles from the nearest hydrant. “And he has a big house, I lost a small one.”

When firefighters arrived at the Williams residence, 1819 E. Range Line Rd., at about 2:40 a.m., the home was fully engulfed in flames. By all reports, Williams was lucky to get out safely.

Board of Works members voiced concern at the issue Williams raised.

Selvia, who has been on the board through multiple mayoral terms, said in all her years the need for additional fire hydrants has never been a matter that’s come before the Board of Works.

“I’d like to table this,” she said of the issue, hoping to obtain more information, details, cost estimates and all to make an informed decision at a future meeting.

Mayor Dory pledged “a commitment to look into this,” adding, “apparently we’ve got a gap (in fire protection).”

The matter was tabled by unanimous vote.

In other business, the Board of Works:

-- Agreed to lower the fine imposed against J & C Custom Homes, Danville, by City Building Inspector Pat Thibodeau, to $1,100, removing an additional $2,500 fine originally sought.

J & C, represented by Brian Bennington, is building a house at 1043 Shadowlawn Ave., the first home project it has undertaken in Greencastle. Thibodeau had assessed fines for failure to have inspections made on the backfill and under slab plumbing before the concrete slab was poured for the garage and house.

Tuggle made the motion to reduce the fine to $1,100 by removing a third fine since it was imposed at the same time.

-- Heard City Attorney Laurie Hardwick report that a settlement has been reached between the city and McCullough Excavating and Civil Engineering Consultants (CECON) on the tennis court repair and improvement project at Robe-Ann Park. Basically the agreement splits the difference in cost between the city and contractor. The original contract was $273,000, with McCullough receiving $191,872 in the settlement and CECON essentially waiving a $7,500 fee.

“Does this put all of this to rest?,” Selvia asked Hardwick.

“It resolves all issues,” the city attorney responded.

On a motion by Tuggle, the board approved the settlement agreements unanimously.

-- Accepted on the recommendation of Fire Chief John Burgess and the Board of Captains to move probationary firefighter Jake Armstrong to fulltime status on the anniversary date of his hiring, Jan. 19.

-- Allowed a $789.60 sewer leak adjustment on the monthly bill of Steve Whitman, 86 Briarwood Ct. A defective pressure fitting was said responsible for the leak. Whitman will pay the water bill but the sewage portion of the bill will be deleted.

-- Allowed a $921.20 sewer leak adjustment on the monthly bill for CNR Quality Rentals after a “major leak” at the apartments at Kirkwood Drive and Albin Pond Road. CNR will pay the water portion of the bill but will not be responsible for the excess water billed as sewage.