Fixing a water main leak and patching potholes were two of the major items of business handled by the Crothersville Town Council during recent meetings.
A leak in the Stucker Fork line at the Muscatatuck River Bridge had been gushing around 110,000 gallons of water a day, according to town council president Ardell Mitchell.
The line from the Scott County based water utility was installed several years ago as a back up for Crothersville water supply in case there was a problem with the local well or treating facility. Crothersville is responsible for the line from a meter near the north edge of Austin.
Water through the Stucker Fork line serves the local industrial park. Water has been re-routed through Crothersville lines and the industries are served for the time being by the local utility.
Mitchell said the usual consumption is about 250,000 a day. “During the peak of the leak we were running 360,000 gallons through the meter,” he said.
A joint where the underground line meets a flexible line under the river is suspected as leaking.
Saegasser Engineering of Scottsburg was hired to engineer the repairs. Mitchell noted that Strand Engineering, the firm which originally designed the water line from Scott County to Crothersville declined to submit a proposal to design the repair work.
Three contractors submitted proposals to make the repair. R.L. Vuckson of Scottsburg submitted a proposal of $2,800, Lawyer Excavating of Seymour proposed $3,650 and Brooks & Earl of North Vernon enter a $4,800 proposal.
The council approved Vuckson to make the repairs.
Crothersville Street Superintendent Errol Isenhower noted that over the past three years the town has spent $18,000 to patch potholes in town streets.
Isenhower proposed purchasing a “hot box” trailer which will allow town workers to drive to an asphalt plant, load up to two 2-tons of hot mix asphalt, and return to town to make repairs. The trailer has a heating unit to allow the asphalt to remain pliable and usable over several days, it as explained. In addition a roller would be required to compact asphalt.
Isenhower explained that he researched similar equipment had located a “hot box” and roller in nearby Flat Rock, Indiana for $10,000.
“We can buy the asphalt and install it ourselves a lot cheaper than contracting repairs,” said Isenhower.
The town council approved the purchase of a hotbox and roller, equipment to make permanent repairs to pavement, at a special meeting last Thursday night.
The purchase will be made from Robertson Paving in Flatrock. The hot box will cost $4,500 and the roller will cost $5,500.
In other matters, the council approved the dates for the spring Large Trash Pick-Up.
The area of town south of Howard Street and east of the Railroad will have large trash collection on Tuesday, May 11; the area north of Howard Street and east of the railroad with have large trash pick up on May 18; the area of town west of the railroad will have large trash collected on May 25.
