March 27, 2018 at 12:28 a.m.
Answer on Millers Branch is unclear
Jay County Commissioners
Answer on Millers Branch is unclear
Jay County Commissioners are still looking for a definitive answer to the question of whether the Army Corps of Engineers has authority over Millers Branch, which has been the source of on-going issues with flooding in downtown Portland.
Choice One Engineering, Portland, has told local officials the Corps has jurisdiction and would have to sign off on any Millers Branch changes.
Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Indianapolis, does not seem to think that’s the case.
And in a recent conference call, the answer from the Corps was “vague.”
“We are asking (Butler, Fairman and Seufert) to clarify that,” commissioner Barry Hudson said Monday.
Commissioners are now asking BFS to look into the possibility of creating detention ponds on city-controlled land in Portland Industrial Park in areas that would not affect protected wetlands.
BFS “is going to come back with some thoughts on what could be done,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman. “More will come on that.”
However, an earlier engineering study for the City of Portland by the firm of Jones and Henry concluded in 2015 that creating a detention pond large enough would be cost prohibitive. Instead, that firm’s recommendation was to re-route Millers Branch to the east.
Hudson also said that Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman had agreed to ask the Corps if its current feasibility study could be expanded to include not just that part of the Salamonie River within the city limits but also Millers Branch and the Little Salamonie River.
Commissioners continue to be optimistic about a project involving not only the county and city but Indiana Department of Transportation that would improve drainage north of Portland near Oakwood Mobile Home Community by routing surface water west to the Wehrly Ditch via a larger tube under U.S. 27.
“I think it’s going to be a go,” said commissioner Mike Leonhard.
Choice One Engineering, Portland, has told local officials the Corps has jurisdiction and would have to sign off on any Millers Branch changes.
Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Indianapolis, does not seem to think that’s the case.
And in a recent conference call, the answer from the Corps was “vague.”
“We are asking (Butler, Fairman and Seufert) to clarify that,” commissioner Barry Hudson said Monday.
Commissioners are now asking BFS to look into the possibility of creating detention ponds on city-controlled land in Portland Industrial Park in areas that would not affect protected wetlands.
BFS “is going to come back with some thoughts on what could be done,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman. “More will come on that.”
However, an earlier engineering study for the City of Portland by the firm of Jones and Henry concluded in 2015 that creating a detention pond large enough would be cost prohibitive. Instead, that firm’s recommendation was to re-route Millers Branch to the east.
Hudson also said that Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman had agreed to ask the Corps if its current feasibility study could be expanded to include not just that part of the Salamonie River within the city limits but also Millers Branch and the Little Salamonie River.
Commissioners continue to be optimistic about a project involving not only the county and city but Indiana Department of Transportation that would improve drainage north of Portland near Oakwood Mobile Home Community by routing surface water west to the Wehrly Ditch via a larger tube under U.S. 27.
“I think it’s going to be a go,” said commissioner Mike Leonhard.
“That’s been an issue for decades,” said Huffman.
At the recommendation of Jay County Clerk Jon Eads, commissioners unanimously established polling locations for the May primary election.
Here’s how the polling sites break down:
•Voters in Dunkirk 1 and 3 and in Knox Township will vote at West Jay Community Center, located in Dunkirk City Park.
•Voters in Redkey will cast ballots at Redkey Faith Ministries, 9811 E. Indiana 67.
•Voters in Penn Township will cast ballots at the Pennville Community Building in Pennville Park.
•Voters in Jefferson, Greene and Pike townships will cast ballots at the Jay County Scout Complex, 4681 W. 450 South.
•Voters in Jackson Township will cast ballots at Union Chapel Church, 6200 N. 375 West.
•Voters in Wayne precincts 1, 3 and 4 and Noble Township will cast ballots at the Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St., Portland.
•Voters in Wayne 2 will cast ballots in the auditorium at the Jay County Courthouse, 120 N. Court St., Portland.
•Voters in Wayne 7 will cast ballots at the First Church of the Nazarene, 920 S. Shank St., Portland.
•Voters in Bearcreek Township will cast ballots at the Bryant Community Center, Bryant.
•Voters in Madison Township will cast ballots at the Madison Township Fire Station, 5816 E. North St., Salamonia.
•Voters in Wabash Township will cast ballots at Trinity Catholic Church, 7321 E. Indiana 67.
In other business, commissioners:
•Indicated that a study of livestock operations at the Jay County Retirement Center is still underway. “It’s looking like that’s an operation that has a loss,” said Huffman.
•Referred a question about vacation pay for county employees who are terminating their job to the county’s personnel committee.
•Opened quotes from several auto dealers for a new police cruiser and new SUV for the Jay County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Dwane Ford will review the quotes, compare them to the specifications provided and bring a recommendation back to the commissioners at a future meeting.
At the recommendation of Jay County Clerk Jon Eads, commissioners unanimously established polling locations for the May primary election.
Here’s how the polling sites break down:
•Voters in Dunkirk 1 and 3 and in Knox Township will vote at West Jay Community Center, located in Dunkirk City Park.
•Voters in Redkey will cast ballots at Redkey Faith Ministries, 9811 E. Indiana 67.
•Voters in Penn Township will cast ballots at the Pennville Community Building in Pennville Park.
•Voters in Jefferson, Greene and Pike townships will cast ballots at the Jay County Scout Complex, 4681 W. 450 South.
•Voters in Jackson Township will cast ballots at Union Chapel Church, 6200 N. 375 West.
•Voters in Wayne precincts 1, 3 and 4 and Noble Township will cast ballots at the Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St., Portland.
•Voters in Wayne 2 will cast ballots in the auditorium at the Jay County Courthouse, 120 N. Court St., Portland.
•Voters in Wayne 7 will cast ballots at the First Church of the Nazarene, 920 S. Shank St., Portland.
•Voters in Bearcreek Township will cast ballots at the Bryant Community Center, Bryant.
•Voters in Madison Township will cast ballots at the Madison Township Fire Station, 5816 E. North St., Salamonia.
•Voters in Wabash Township will cast ballots at Trinity Catholic Church, 7321 E. Indiana 67.
In other business, commissioners:
•Indicated that a study of livestock operations at the Jay County Retirement Center is still underway. “It’s looking like that’s an operation that has a loss,” said Huffman.
•Referred a question about vacation pay for county employees who are terminating their job to the county’s personnel committee.
•Opened quotes from several auto dealers for a new police cruiser and new SUV for the Jay County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Dwane Ford will review the quotes, compare them to the specifications provided and bring a recommendation back to the commissioners at a future meeting.
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