The controversy over whether streets and sewers in two subdivisions in Crothersville were built to specifications and should be accepted by the town is no longer a point of contention. The town council last Tuesday unanimously voted to accept the east end of Walnut Street and Main Street Circle as a part of the town’s street and sewer system.
The Walnut Street question has been argued for over 40 years when Waldo ‘Bud’ Marshall developed the extension of Walnut Street from Preston to East Street. No records have been found if the sewer was installed correctly or if the now gravel roadway has sufficient base.
Main Street Circle is a bit more recent issue when developer Paul Scholl began building homes on the eastern end of Main Street in the late 1990’s. No records can be found of whether the sewers installed and in use are installed corrected and whether the paved street is up to town code.
“Are they up standard?” town council president Lenvel ‘Butch’ Robinson asked. “We don’t know because there is no documentation. Don’t we need that?”
Town engineer Brad Bender of FPBH told the council, “You can go through the exercise of running a camera (through the sewer) but it is a moot point because they are both (Walnut Street and Main Street Circle) connected to the town’s sewer system. You are collecting a fee for the sewer’s monthly use just like all of the other sewer utility users in town. They are paying the same rate as everyone else.”
“For all intents and purposes, they are already a part of your sewer system,” Bender said, adding, “Besides, if they are not, who do you go back on (to fix them)?”
The developers of both projects are deceased.
After the vote to accept both streets, Bender said he would begin the process to add the additional roadways into the town’s inventory which would increase road and street fuel tax funding from the state.
On another matter, Bender said that the Stormwater Grant project to clear the western portion of Hominy Ditch and install bigger culverts at Bethany Road, Parke Avenue and South Kovener Street is again delayed.
Work was scheduled to have begun on replacing the Bethany Road Culvert in the middle of September, but other than erecting warning signs, no work has been done.
“O’Mara Paving, (the winning bidder) is simply overworked with state highway paving contracts,” said Bender. He said the culvert replacement can take place in colder weather, but that resurfacing may have to wait until the asphalt plants re-open next spring.
In another paving matter, Bender said that he plans to have specifications drawn up in December for the recently awarded state Community Crossing grant of over $400,000,
“There will be a lot of communities seeking bids for paving next year and we need to be at the front of the line,” said Robinson.
Bender said if specs are drawn in December the town can go to bid and award in January for the spring 2018 paving season.
Crothersville Water utility Superintendent Chris Mains said that the town water tower maintenance project is drawing to an end.
“The inside of the tank has been coated and we are waiting on that coating to cure before installing the mixer to keep the tower water circulated. It all should be finished this week,” he said.
In other matters the council:
•Learned from Trena Carter of ARa that the community has been awarded $120,000 for home repairs under the community housing grant. “We expect that six homeowners should be assisted,” said Carter. “We are awaiting grant documents to determine who.”
•Approved getting bids to raze and clean-up a home site at 614 Bard Street removing an abandoned mobile home. The parcel is on this month’s county delinquent property tax sale showing $5,472.86 owed in back taxes.
• Established Trick or Treat night in Crothersville on Tuesday, Oct. 31, from 6-8 p.m. Residents welcoming youngsters should turn on their front porch light.
