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Two highway department projects were declared an emergency Tuesday by the Kosciusko County commissioners.
The first project is on CR 900W.
According to county highway department engineer and superintendent Rob Ladson, a guardrail along a large portion of an open ditch is about ready to slide away and take the road with it due to erosion.
To stabilize the problem, Ladson said, rip rap had to be used. The cost to buy, deliver and place it is approximately $15 per ton.
"The dollars seemed in line," Ladson said.
The second project is at CR 200S and Ferguson Road.
An outlet to a retention pond was plugged, causing flooding and threatening homes, so, Ladson said, they got a contractor to look at the project immediately.
A huge cavity was found to be forming under the road which could cause the road to collapse in the future.
No estimate for the project was available.
Ladson said he does have the money in emergency funding for both projects.
County Road 350N also was discussed by the commissioners.
The county received a letter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in which the DNR wants to upgrade CR 350N to pavement from Ind. 5 to Ind. 13. If the county is interested, Ladson said, he would need to send a letter to the DNR.
Previously, the DNR wanted to close the road altogether to protect the wetlands and wildlife in the area. The highway department was in favor of closing the road but the commissioners decided to leave the road open but do nothing with it.
Now, the DNR wants to upgrade and improve the road, which commissioner Brad Jackson said is hypocritical of them.
Jackson said at the previous meeting, the DNR tried to paint the commissioners as anti-environment, but now that paving the road suits their purposes, it's fine to pave it.
Ron Truex, commissioner chairman, said Ladson should send the DNR a letter saying the commissioners support the rebuilding of the road at the county's standards. Jackson added that the county will accept it at the county's standards but the county won't put any money into it. Jackson also asked to see the letter before Ladson sent it on to the DNR and Jackson may add more to the letter.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Heard from Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine that the Indiana Department of Corrections has paid the county approximately half of the $160,000 IDOC owes the county for housing the state's prisoners.
• Heard from county administrator Ron Robinson that the two trees on the south lawn of the county courthouse by the sidewalk will have to be cut down. They are dying and large limbs from the tree are falling off and may be a hazard. Two new trees will be planted in their place.
• Heard from Bill Momeyer that the county's mapping Web site is up and running now and can be found at www.kcgov.com
Any property in the county can be accessed by the public on the site instead of going to the plan commission, auditor or assessor.
"It's been our goal for many years," he said.
• Approved Warsaw Community Development Corp.'s request to use the courthouse lawn Oct. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. for their annual trick-or-treat night.
• Heard from county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell that the county will receive a 2003 County Achievement Award for their work on the work release center.
Avis Gunter, commissioner, said the credit goes to the commissioners before them who had the foresight to begin planning for the work release center.
