BROWNSTOWN
From a new location for a town department to new lights added to a street, improvements continue in Brownstown.
During a meeting Monday night, Brownstown Town Councilman Mark Reynolds, who serves as the council’s street department liaison, said dirt work and site prep are finished on the 0.25-acre site on town property near the Brownstown Park entrance along West Bridge Street.
He also said some ruts near a tree were fixed to smooth out the ground, drains and pipes were installed to hook up gutters and some trees on the back corner of the property were cut back.
The original cost from S and J Excavation and Concrete of Brownstown was $13,600, but fixing the soft spot was an extra $1,200.
Reynolds said once the building plans are submitted to the state by the contractor, Daviess County Metal Sales, those will be shared with subcontractors for the electric and HVAC work.
Construction could start in March and be completed in a couple of weeks, depending upon the weather.
During its second meeting in December, the council approved a contract for $98,755 for the pole barn-type structure. That includes $5,500 in construction design and permit fees for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security building plan review division.
The project will be financed with the $140,000 the town will receive once the sale of the former town hall building at 200 W. Walnut St. to the Brownstown Township Fire Protection District is complete.
The street department and garage are presently housed in the back portion of that building.
The council put the building up for sale in July after moving the town hall and the police department into a newly renovated building at 116 E. Cross St. on May 18. That building previously housed The Jackson County Banner newspaper office and was renovated to make it safer, secure and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After the council gave unanimous approval in December to accept the fire protection district’s counteroffer of $140,000 based upon some terms and conditions, town attorney Travis Thompson drafted an interlocal agreement between the town and district.
Clerk-Treasurer David Willey said the fire protection district board doesn’t have alternate counsel, so it was OK with county attorney Susan Bevers reviewing the agreement.
The board’s next meeting is set for Monday, and members will consider approval of the interlocal agreement. Thompson said he would share the updated agreement with Willey for board members to review.
If the agreement is signed, the Brownstown Volunteer Fire Department will take over the former town building on the southwest corner of Poplar and Walnut streets. The fire department is adjacent to that building.
The terms and conditions include having the COVID-19 testing site in the building relocated and splitting the cost of having the building professionally cleaned, allowing the street department to remain no longer than six months after the closing of the agreement at no cost and stopping the fire department’s monthly rent of the upstairs of $350 once the agreement is signed.
The Jackson County Health Department moved the COVID-19 testing site to the senior citizens building at 124 N. Main St. on Dec. 29 and said the space used in the former site would be professionally cleaned.
The town owns the senior citizens building and allows the seniors to use it, but they are not meeting because of the pandemic.
In other matters, Willey said the Ewing Depot is still available for rent, and the building recently was winterized.
Also, Reynolds reported two new LED streetlights were installed on Beech Street, and he has received positive feedback from residents in that area.
After the final coat of asphalt was applied to the street, the original partnership company, SCIDCO LLC of Port Orange, Florida, asked the town to accept it and the south end of Ashland Street.
In December, the council approved a contract to have Duke Energy install the new streetlights at a total cost of $1,100.26 to be paid for by SCIDCO.
Thompson said the streetlights needed to be paid for, ordered and installed before the town could accept the street.
If the town ends up accepting the street, it will be added to the inventory, and snow removal and maintenance can be offered.