County council concerned over how to fund bridge upgrades

Oakalla Bridge in Madison Township is permanently closed as the county searches for funding solutions for an aging bridge inventory.

Courtesy photo

County officials know extensive maintenance is necessary on the aging inventory of Putnam County bridges.

They just aren’t sure how they want to go about funding it.

The Putnam County Council recently began inquiring about taking out bonds to repair its bridges, but the concept of borrowing for the most dire needs while also having ongoing bridge repairs did not sit well with all of the seven-member council.

“I need to understand the wisdom behind borrowing money,” Councilman Phil Gick said during the October council meeting on Tuesday. “I’m more interested in figuring out where we’re going to get more money to fix the bridges rather than going into debt.”

That’s the million dollar (actually way more) question facing the council.

The list of bridges either closed or restricted in the county has grown in the last year or two, including repairs or complete closures to more than half of the county’s covered bridges over the course of the last year.

In the meantime, the county is not looking to rush into a bond sale. Auditor Kristina Berish informed the council that a representative from the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) told her that any bond work would have to be finalized by the end of 2023 in order to see any funding in 2024. Otherwise, no funding will be available until January 2025.

Council attorney Trudy Selvia advised that rushing through the bond process in barely two months was “probably too aggressive.”

While the delay in funding might be a bit disappointing to county officials, it also gives the council more time to consider options.

While it is unclear what other options are available, one possible avenue for more Putnam County Highway Department funding overall is raising the county wheel tax and vehicle surtax, a move that has also been under consideration in recent months.

Jason Semler of Baker Tilley has been asked to come before the council for its November meeting for advice on these and other matters.

In other business, the council:

• Adopted the 2024 county budget without discussion, though the matter was extensively explored over the course of two days of budget hearings recently.

Also adopted were budgets for Greencastle Community Schools, Putnam County Airport Authority, Roachdale Fire Protection District, Walnut Creek Fire Protection District, Floyd Township Fire Protection District and West Central Indiana Solid Waste District.

• Approved a $12,000 additional appropriation for pauper counsel in Putnam County Superior Court.

• Approved two additional appropriations totaling $51,500 for the Putnam County Assessor to pay Nexus Group for a ratio study and industrial reassessment.

While the payments to Nexus Group are set to stay the same for the next two years, officials expect the results of the study to net far more in tax revenue.

• Approved a $145,572 appropriation for the Putnam County Airport Authority Board, simply appropriating money not spent last year.

• Approved a $10,000 transfer for Putnam County Animal Care and Control to cover medical bills.

• Approved a pair of transfers for Putnam County EMS, a $14,500 transfer to cover overtime pay and another for $8,300 for supplies.

EMS Chief Kelly Russ was also approved for a $52,000 additional appropriation to repair an ambulance that will serve as a backup to one of the front-line trucks.

“It’s an additional on paper, but I am asking for a reduction out of general for the same amount,” Russ said. “If we get this repaired, it will give us a reserve for every front-line truck.”

The truck in question overheated and caught fire in June, and now has to be replaced.

The council approved the additional, as well as the equivalent budget reduction out of the county general fund.