XPLEX eyes completion of drainage (9/26/05)

With its first year of events almost completed, a local extreme sports park is still working to finish its drainage infrastructure.

Jay County Commissioners, meeting as the county drainage board, discussed the situation at XPLEX Extreme Competition Park with the general manager, the county surveyor and the owner of a farm next to the park.

Robert Burkey, who owns farm ground to the west of XPLEX and south of Oakwood Mobile Home Park, said this morning that “what they’ve done (in the area of drainage) is good. It’s what they haven’t done ...,” said Burkey, who noted that a large detention pond northwest of Moser Engineering has not been completed.

Ryan McCombs, general manager of XPLEX, said today that drainage work will resume on drainage and other infrastructure after the final motocross race of the year on Oct. 23.

An old railroad bed will be cleared out, allowing for better surface water drainage, and a berm dividing the motocross area at XPLEX from Oakwood will be enlarged, with bleachers placed on the berm.

The pond will also be completed, McCombs said.

“We’re going to be moving a lot quicker now,” said McCombs, who noted that work on the drainage portion of the XPLEX project has been slowed by a contractor who was also working on Wal-Mart projects in Portland and Muncie.

“I’m not against this project. I think it will be good for the community,” said Burkey, who was involved in the discussions when the original drainage plans were approved in 2004. “But let’s do it right.”

After McCombs and Burkey left the meeting, Commissioners Milo Miller, Gary Theurer and Faron Parr briefly discussed the county’s drainage ordinance and whether more specific timetables and punishments for non-compliance should be added. In the case of XPLEX or any other project, the commissioners said they are not aware of any time restrictions or deadlines for completion.

The commissioners asked Jay County surveyor Brad Daniels to give a report at the next drainage board meeting about the ordinance.

“I think maybe we do need to put some teeth in (the drainage ordinance),” Miller said.

Also this morning, the commissioners heard Daniels report that Wal-Mart had amended drainage plans for its new Supercenter site in Portland without receiving approval for those new plans.

The commissioners approved the modified plans, which made a minor change in the path of re-routed storm and sanitary sewer lines.

Daniels also said that a problem at the site with raw sewage pooling on the ground has been fixed. The sewage leaked from the old sanitary sewer line that had been re-routed, but not completely sealed off.

The pipe has now been sealed, and the sewage has been removed, Daniels said.[[In-content Ad]]