Covered bridge restoration eyed (2/2/05)

GENEVA — Members of Geneva Proud want to repair the covered bridge here.

Geneva Proud member Dennis Overdorf updated the Geneva Town Council Tuesday on his discussion with Adams County Commissioners on Monday about the work that needs to be done to the covered bridge on Adams County road 950 South, just northeast of the Geneva town limits.

“There is a hole in the floor and some graffiti,” Overdorf said, adding that the bridge was built in 1860.

He said Geneva Proud members want to get the bridge placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This distinction would help the group apply for an Indiana Department of Transportation enhancement grant to repair and update the bridge.

Also Tuesday, town marshal Rob Johnson reported deputy marshal Duane Booth announced his resignation, effective Feb. 24. Booth is leaving the Geneva Police Department to pursue a law enforcement position with a private industry in Indianapolis.

The department is currently taking applications for the full-time position.

In other business, council members voted to hire Madison County Council of Governments as the grant administrator for the Red Gold housing project. MCCG, which was the administrator for Red Gold’s housing project at its Orestes location, will be paid $25,000.

The council also hired Prince/Alexander Architects for $19,784 to serve as the architect for the project. Red Gold also worked with Prince/Alexander at its Orestes location.

Red Gold recently received a $500,000 grant from the Indiana Housing Finance Authority to replace 20 mobile homes currently used as migrant housing at its Geneva plant.

The town is the fiscal agent for this grant.

Also Tuesday, Johnson reported he purchased a 2004 Chevrolet Impala and 2003 Chevrolet Impala for the police department.

The 2004 car was purchased for $18,497.50 from Valley Chevrolet in Bloomington that is involved in a state program to sells cars to police departments in the state. The 2003 car cost $13,900 and was purchased from Blue Line Motors of Westfield. He also purchased approximately $6,000 in police equipment for the cars.

Johnson said he plans to sell the department’s 2001 Chevrolet Impala and 2000 Ford Crown Victoria.

In other news, council members:

•Approved the $21,645 purchase of a portable pump from Allied Pump of Columbus, Ohio.

The town previously rented a similar pump from this company and spent approximately $11,000 between August of 2003 and January of 2005. This pump is used by wastewater and water department employees to remove water from lift stations and the wastewater treatment plant while making repairs.

•Heard town clerk-treasurer Doug Milligan report the town is on Federal Emergency Management Agency’s list of towns that want to become eligible for funding assistance to pay for employee overtime and damages that occurred during the Jan. 5 ice storm and flooding a week later. Milligan estimated the total between $8,000 and $10,000. This amount would pay for the town’s employee overtime for branch removal and sandbagging efforts and damage to a lift station.

Milligan plans to meet with FEMA officials on March 3. If the request is approved, FEMA will pay for approximately 75 percent of the town’s total.

•Approved a conflict of interest resolution allowing Councilman Mike Schwartz to abstain from voting on items pertaining to the Red Gold housing project. Schwartz is the co-owner of Limberlost Construction and may be interested in bidding for the planned construction job.

•Heard town manager Steve Hampshire report he recently checked on a drainage problem with Councilman Lew Wingler.

At the council’s January meeting, Elanor and Bill Morris, 310 Spring St., said they believe a ditch was built illegally across from their home causing water from a 10-acre property to flow to a drain that can’t handle that amount of water. The water then backs up and runs onto their property.

Hampshire said he believes the planned Winchester Road drainage project will remedy their problem.

•Heard East Line Street resident David Booher report he is having some drainage problems at his home.

“Over the past few years the flooding has been getting worse,” Booher said.

Timmons told him town officials would take a look at the area and get back with him.

•Approved a three-year contract with D&T Trucking of Decatur for the town’s trash collection. The current $7 monthly fee per residence for this service will remain the same, Milligan said.

•Accepted a $9,000 quote from Spectra Tech of Noblesville for cleaning and spraying of an epoxy coating on four manholes.

Hampshire said this lining will stop groundwater from getting into the sanitary sewer through the manholes.

•Heard Limberlost wetlands manager Ken Brunswick suggest the soil removed during the Winchester Road drainage project should be used around Kofax Diamond, the field where the Geneva Cardinals baseball team plans to play this summer, to keep it from flooding.

Council members told Brunswick they plan to have an engineer look at the current levee around the field to see if more dirt could be added.

•Announced their next meeting will be held Tuesday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]