With original town wells in need of replacement or renovation, Crothersville officials began looking at different sources to supply the town’s water needs. Currently the town utility operates two water wells and has tied into both Jackson County Rural Water from the north and Stucker Fork Water Utility of the south for back-up water needs.
Originally, engineers were exploring going exclusively with Stucker Fork. But when the town’s well west of the wastewater treatment plant was shut down for cleaning, town utility workers found that the Scott County based water utility could not adequately supply the town’s water needs fast enough.
There’s an 8-inch water main coming up from north of Austin along the east side of US 31, going under the Muscatatuck River and then under I-65 before it ties into Crothersville water infrastructure, said Mason Boicourt utility director. “When we shut down the highest producing well for cleaning, it took over 12 hours to fill the high tower from the Stucker line.”
That amount of time is prompting local officials and engineers with FPBH to re-evaluate alternative water sources.
Boicourt told the town council at their Jan. 3 meeting that the well at the water treatment plant at Countryside Park won’t sustain the town’s water needs by itself. So if the southern well goes down (as it was for cleaning) other sources need to be found.
In the early preliminary stages, engineers are considering a second well near the wastewater treatment plant if the aquifer will sustain the needed volume.
“We are all in the very early stages of thought for a viable, affordable alternative,” he told the council.
Boicourt also reported that the past summer’s crack filling of paved streets went well. Sections of five streets— which had been among the first milled and re-surfaced through a state of Indiana CCMG grant— were beginning to show some use and age cracks.
“Keeping our re-surfaced streets repaired will help us in getting future CCMG grants,” he said.
Boicourt reported that the town spent about $2,800 in equipment rental and material to seal about 1.5 miles of town streets. The crack sealing took town utility workers less than a week to complete, he said.
In other first meeting of the year council matters, three ordinances received final reading and will be a part of the local laws.
One ordinance amended the stop signs allowing for a yield sign at the intersection of Rider Avenue and Park St to become a stop sign.
A second ordinance now prohibits overnight parking in town owned parking lots.
The third ordinance regulates hours of use and types of activities at the town’s three public parks.
The three ordinances can be found on page 5 of the print edition of the Times and on the newspaper website www.crothersvilletimes.com.
In other matters, the council agreed to allow the Helping Hoosiers 4-H Club to meet at town hall with an elected official to learn about the function of town government.
The council approved contributing $500 towards to the construction of a legacy wall to be constructed at school. The FFA sponsored project is expected to cost $40,000 and will be funded by the purchase of engraved bricks. Application forms can be found at town hall. The deadline for ordering an engraved brick is Jan. 16.
In first of the year appointments, the council reappointed Duane Davis as Homeland Security representative and reappointed Curt Kovener to represent the community on Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation.
Regular council meetings will be the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.