By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – At a 15 minute Wabash County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday morning, County Highway Superintendent John Martin updated the board on the progress of Bridge 510 construction. He advised that the support piers are poured and the main deck of the bridge will be poured at 8:30 am Thursday. Martin also said that the work at Bridge 510, located at the Wabash Street and Harrison Avenue intersection, is “moving along pretty well.”
Martin also requested a bid date of April 4th at 9:30 am for the aqueduct removal over 700 West. As reported at last week’s meeting, the chunk off the old aqueduct broke off and hit a truck last September forcing the closure of the road. According to Martin, the aqueduct is on private property but the homeowners cannot remove the structure themselves.
Sheriff Bob Land then reported to the board the there are 86 inmates currently housed in the Wabash County Jail with 33 overflow inmates housed in Miami County. Land also notified that board that the department will soon advertise the sale of a 2007 Dodge Charger sheriff’s cruiser that was recently replaced by a new model.
Wabash County Planning Director Mike Howard updated the board on the 2016 Ortho photography upgrade project which is going on in the entire central part of the state. Board President Barry Eppley told MiBash News that the photography helps businesses, agencies and individuals in Wabash County. While the state helps fund part of the project, the outstanding balance for Wabash County is $25,000, to which the commissioners approved out of the county’s CEDIT fund. Howard and the board agreed that perhaps the county should receive reimbursement from some of the local entities who benefit from the photography. According to Eppley, the new photography will be much more detailed than the last time the project was done in 2007.
Stan Bagley, President of the Laketon Area Regional Sewer District Board, also requested Michael Wallis replace Claude Markstahler on the board which is overseeing the sewer project in the area. The board approved the replacement. Bagley told MiBash News that the sewer project is Laketon is going well and the end date for all the hook ups is June 1st. He added that the board is trying to keep the costs for local residents down. Many people who had septic systems will go from paying nothing to around $59 per month for sewer service. The sewer project helps prevent failing septic tanks in the area from spilling their waste into the river.