July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
XPLEX headache continues
Portland Board of Works
Along with the city's expenses, something may be growing at the former site of XPLEX Extreme Competition Park, rural Portland.
Members of the Portland Board of Works approved a contract Thursday with an Indianapolis company to determine if wetlands are growing at the defunct sports park.
R.W. Armstrong will be paid $40,594 for the work. This isn't the first time the city has had to pay for environmental problems at the former park site.
The city regained control of the park after its owner, Glynn Barber, had financial problems and ceased operations. Since then, the city has had to pay to fix an erosion problem and to determine where existing wetlands were disturbed.
The newest problem was discovered in June. David Bourff of R.W. Armstrong, said Thursday afternoon that he, and officials with the city of Portland, Indiana Department of Environmental Management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met in late June at the site. They did a site inspection and determined that certain parts of the park need to be studied.
Bourff said a wetland may have formed or may be forming in the center of the dirt track, which is located at the north end of the park. He said construction could have caused a new wetland to develop there. R.W. Armstrong officials plan to check for ground saturation or inundation, test the soils and look for vegetation that grows in wetlands. A report from this study is expected to be complete in about a month, he said.
After this work is completed, R.W. Armstrong employees will study other areas where the park has been impacted by construction.
R.W. Armstrong will then decide how to handle the impact construction has had on the park and the bodies of water at or near the former park site.
Randy Geesaman, city clerk-treasurer, said the city will try to get reimbursed for the delineation work by the engineering company that worked on XPLEX or by Barber.
The city previously hired R.W. Armstrong to determine where existing wetlands were destroyed by construction. Barber never reimbursed the city for this expense or for the cost of fixing a pond erosion problem.
In other business Thursday, board members awarded a $21,592 contract to Watson Excavating, Redkey, to extend city sewer services to four homes along Blaine Pike.
Watson was the lowest of the 12 bids. The homes located between Bittersweet Lane and county road 150 South are currently on septic systems. The property owners have been notified that they must hook up to the new line.
Work is expected to begin immediately and take one to two weeks to complete, Geesaman said.[[In-content Ad]]
Members of the Portland Board of Works approved a contract Thursday with an Indianapolis company to determine if wetlands are growing at the defunct sports park.
R.W. Armstrong will be paid $40,594 for the work. This isn't the first time the city has had to pay for environmental problems at the former park site.
The city regained control of the park after its owner, Glynn Barber, had financial problems and ceased operations. Since then, the city has had to pay to fix an erosion problem and to determine where existing wetlands were disturbed.
The newest problem was discovered in June. David Bourff of R.W. Armstrong, said Thursday afternoon that he, and officials with the city of Portland, Indiana Department of Environmental Management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met in late June at the site. They did a site inspection and determined that certain parts of the park need to be studied.
Bourff said a wetland may have formed or may be forming in the center of the dirt track, which is located at the north end of the park. He said construction could have caused a new wetland to develop there. R.W. Armstrong officials plan to check for ground saturation or inundation, test the soils and look for vegetation that grows in wetlands. A report from this study is expected to be complete in about a month, he said.
After this work is completed, R.W. Armstrong employees will study other areas where the park has been impacted by construction.
R.W. Armstrong will then decide how to handle the impact construction has had on the park and the bodies of water at or near the former park site.
Randy Geesaman, city clerk-treasurer, said the city will try to get reimbursed for the delineation work by the engineering company that worked on XPLEX or by Barber.
The city previously hired R.W. Armstrong to determine where existing wetlands were destroyed by construction. Barber never reimbursed the city for this expense or for the cost of fixing a pond erosion problem.
In other business Thursday, board members awarded a $21,592 contract to Watson Excavating, Redkey, to extend city sewer services to four homes along Blaine Pike.
Watson was the lowest of the 12 bids. The homes located between Bittersweet Lane and county road 150 South are currently on septic systems. The property owners have been notified that they must hook up to the new line.
Work is expected to begin immediately and take one to two weeks to complete, Geesaman said.[[In-content Ad]]
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