WASHINGTON —
The Washington City Council Monday night learned from city Waste Water/Storm Water Superintendent Scott Rainey and a Bernardin, Lochmueller and Associates engineer that the long-anticipated Combined Sewer Overflow Project is complete.
Rainey explained that a subcontractor had backed out of the project causing a delay and it took a while to get back on track. He also said not all plants in the wetland are growing yet because of this year’s hot, dry weather, and the wetland has not been tested because there hasn’t been sufficient rain. However, everything is under warranty, so if problems do arise they’ll be covered.
“We have every confidence the system will work,” Rainey said.
The BLA engineer said everything that had been tested was working properly. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Environmental Protection Agency are satisfied with the completed project, he added.
“After talking with BLA and Scott, I’m confident we’re where we need to be with this,” said Mayor Joe Wellman.
Bids were opened for the demolition and removal of all structures at 2121 Oak Grove Rd. Don Gress Construction bid $3,327 for the work, and Rex Gress and Sons bid $3,800. The council voted to forward the bids to the Board of Public Works and Safety, which later approved the low bid.
“We’ve worked with both contractors quite a bit, and they’re both good to work with,” said city Building Commissioner Chris Wimmenauer.
In other business, Pete Parsons was reappointed to the Washington Economic Development Commission for another two-year term.
The mayor reported the city has lifted the water-conservation restrictions. He said water use decreased and the aquifer level has risen slightly. However, he stressed it’s still a good idea to conserve water for everyone’s benefit.
Wellman also said he was happy to announce the city won three Times Herald Readers’ Choice awards: one for Eastside Park as Best Place to Take a Visitor; one, a tie between Eastside Park and WaterWorld as Best Place for a Child’s Party; and one for the Fourth of July festival as Best Event.
Board of Public Works & Safety
Judy Thomann with BLA, explained a request for an amendment to the ADA contract with BLA to provide additional services not to exceed $48,300. BLA was contracted to do a field survey to determine what’s needed to make the city’s intersections ADA compliant; the study does not include buildings. Thomann said it documents barriers for handicapped individuals.
“When it’s all done you’ll have guidelines to prioritize problems so you know what to work on first,” she said.
Wellman added it’s an unfunded federal mandate, so money for the project will come from the EDIT fund. The board approved the amendment.
Board members also approved an amendment to the U.S. 50 Relocation Project with BLA that will adding lighting, possibly similar to the Main Street lights, at the new interchange.
Wellman said lighting wasn’t originally included in the contract, but it was decided to add it since the interchange will be the entrance to the city from I-69 and should be a well-lit, good first impression.
He said the cost will be covered 80 percent by the project grant.
A request by St. Vincent DePaul administrators to make the street in front of their parking lot at 815 E. Main St. a no-parking area was discussed. Street Commissioner Ernie Evans said he’d looked at the situation and agreed it would improve safety by creating a better line of vision for drivers trying to pull out of the parking lot. Sections of curb could be painted yellow and no-parking signs placed, he said. The plan was approved.
A salary/position change was approved that will reclassify Lucas Arney from apprentice lineman to first-class lineman in the city’s Electric Department.
The final change order with Bowen Engineering for the Long Term Control Plan project also was approved.
Local News
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Washington Mayor Joe Wellman swears in the city’s newest police officer, Daniel Wilkins. A Washington native, he’s the son of John Wilkins and Karen Wilkins. He graduated from Washington High School and Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. The 26-year-old patrolman had been a WPD reserve officer since November 2011. Wilkins worked at Walmart for almost four years, with the last nearly three years in asset protection, which piqued his interest in police work. Andrea McAnn
Discussion
City CSO project complete
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Republicans to vote on new trustee
Republicans from Washington Township will meet today to vote on a new township trustee.
Fifteen committee chairmen from Washington Township will vote at 8:45 a.m. today to fill the position following the death of Albert “Pete” Showalter, who died on April 13. -
North, Owens 'Play' hard
North Elementary School celebrated its field day Friday with games, ice cream, inflatable fun houses and Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders.
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B-R to graduate 41
Barr-Reeve High School will hold its 48th commencement exercises on May 25, in the high school gymnasium at 2 p.m. Again this year, the graduation will be an afternoon affair.
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Police Report
CITY REPORT
Thursday
1:03 a.m. - Karen Hulsey, of 511 S. Meridian St. reported a subject possibly hiding the bushes behind her residence. She stated she didn’t see anyone, but could hear coughing. -
School board approves new handbooks
Members of the Washington Community Schools Board approved the 2013- 2014 school handbooks. Elementary, junior high and high school student handbooks will now be more streamlined with one another. One major change to the handbooks will be a stricter attendance policy for students. Currently, students in the school district can have 10 unexcused absences per semester.
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Unchained Gang roars into park
The Daviess County Unchained Gang will be hosting its 11th annual motorcycle show and swap meet Saturday at Eastside Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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DECA to sponsor dodgeball tourney
Members of the Washington High School DECA Chapter will be hosting a DECA Dodgeball Tournament on Tuesday in the Hatchet House beginning at 6:30 p.m.
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Area Briefs
Road paving in Washington
The Indiana Department of Transportation is advising motorists to be aware of temporary lane restrictions on Bus. 50 in Washington. Beginning on or after Monday, May 20, crews will be spot paving throughout the city. Work will be accomplished one lane at a time and utilize flag persons to control traffic through the work zones. Work activities are scheduled to take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day with all paving operations anticipated to be complete by May 24. Inclement weather will cancel the work operation for the day.
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Police Report
CITY REPORT
7:56 p.m. - A complainant on E. Nat'l Hwy. reported there was a truck popped open playing very loud music. -
Police Report
CITY REPORT
Wednesday
2:19 p.m. - Dave Waters, 200 1/2 SE 7th St., reported that someone had broken into his storage building and broke the windows out of the vehicles stored there. Waters also said that someone had smashed in the roofs on many of the vehicles. Extra patrol was requested. - More Local News Headlines
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Republicans to vote on new trustee
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