Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BOURBON - A local businessman appeared before the town council Tuesday to ask for help with flooding problems at his business on Center Street.
Jay Bates, owner of a mini-storage complex and a larger building used for rental storage, displayed pictures taken after a heavy rain Monday that flooded his buildings with approximately 3 inches of rain water. He said he has experienced flooding around the property in the past but it was much worse than before.
Utilities superintendent Marty Martin said the sanitary sewer line into the building was capped off by his workers last week as it was not used and was an "unbilled service." He said the water line was disconnected about four weeks earlier.
Bates asked if the capped-off line could have been part of the storm sewer serving the property. He suggested running a new drain south to connect into the existing drain, all at his expense. Martin feared the present flooding problems would be made worse for a lower lying house east of the Bates property. He said he would reconnect the sewer drain, which should help the situation.
Council president Bill Keyser agreed with Martin and asked him to investigate Bates' proposed remedy. He added that the flooding problem is made worse by the excessive build-up of paving material on Center Street and the lack of sufficient drainage along the street - all problems he has been attempting to address for his three terms on the council.
Keyser said he received a letter from Senator Mills of Indianapolis in which Mills took him to task for his comments concerning recent budget appropriations and the local representation provided by Sen. Kent Adams and Rep. William Ruppel. Mills wrote that he thought Keyser had been unjust in his criticism of Adams and the funds appropriated for the restoration of evangelist Billy Sunday's Winona Lake home. Mills added that the restoration of the historic home "would benefit the entire state."
Keyser said his criticism was not directed at Adams and he apologized if it was taken to be so. He added that he "will not change his criticism of a system that budgets double the amount of money to rehabilitate a house over what it would spend to help solve a decades old flooding problem."
The Sunday home was budgeted $500,000 for restoration and preservation. Bourbon officials requested that amount to lower and resurface Center Street as well as repair underground drainage systems and water lines along the street. Town officials learned that half that amount will be budgeted for the work.
In other business:
• Nuisance officer Ellen Elliott said she sent several letters to residents living along Main Street asking that tree limbs be trimmed to improve visibility for autos turning onto the street. She said she has had good cooperation from property owners.
• Street superintendent Roger Terry said free compost is still available. Those interested should contact the clerk's office for details.
