Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BOURBON - The old Wireflex building at the east edge of town should be humming with activity come July 1, when Shells Inc. plans to begin production.
The business, which produces cores for the foundry industry, is moving from its Bremen plant because a bigger building is needed, said Steve Scheetz, human resources manager.
Scheetz said the company employs about 60 people but hopes to expand to 80 to 100 employees.
He said the move will take place in stages, but the new plant should be in full operation by Jan. 1.
The company is not hiring at the moment, but applications are being accepted, he said.
The opening has been delayed while contamination is removed from the area of the former United Parcel Service building, Bill Keyser told the town council Tuesday. The old UPS site is near the Wireflex building.
Utilities superintendent Marty Martin reported on another contaminated site on South Thayer Street and the work being done to investigate the matter by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Martin said a firm hired by IDEM has completed several geoprobes of the area and sent the contaminated soil for analysis.
The area in question became contaminated in 1964 when lines to a storage tank ruptured, soaking the area with several thousand gallons of fuel. Martin said his department became aware of the situation when, while repairing a storm sewer manhole in the area, they noticed a strong smell of gasoline.
The edges of the contamination have been located and it ranges up to 8 feet deep. The site is about 200 feet from the town's well field but does not extend to the well field property. Martin said his department has conducted regular tests of the water and "all of our tests have shown no problem."
IDEM will pay for the initial probe and testing and will issue a report with recommendations for a course of action, if any, he said.
Building inspector Ellen Elliott reported there have been eight applications for the sidewalk replacement project. She said a few walks in town could be classified as hazardous but are not on the list for replacement.
Councilman Ken Workman suggested she issue letters to owners of those walks suggesting they replace them with the help of the sidewalk program. Town attorney Mark Wagner said he believed the town would have the authority to replace hazardous walks if the property owners fail to do so and charge the owners with the cost of the walk.
The walks are being replaced with a standard 4-foot walk but homeowners replacing walks at their expense may make them a width to correspond with existing walks in good condition.
