A proposal to create a walking/bicycling trail from Washington to Loogootee was presented to the Daviess County Council Wednesday morning. Greg Jones of the Southern Indiana Development Corporation told the Council that the State of Indiana had $5 million in grant money in its “Next Level Trails” Program.
The first phase of the Daviess-Martin County Trail would run from the west side of Loogootee through Cannelburg to Montgomery’s Gasthof area. The trail is projected to be 8 ft wide and would be limited to walkers and cyclist. No motorized vehicles or horses would be allowed on the asphalt trail.
Jones told the Council that amenities like the trail draws people to an area, and Daviess County, with its extremely low unemployment rate, needs more people. Jones said the County’s share of the projected costs would be $500,000 over a two year period. Jones will return to the Council in October with a more firm plan.
In other action at the council meeting…
The Council approved changes in the Sheriff’s Department Retirement policy. The changes raised the period of employment to qualify from 8 to 10 year, increased the life insurance, added a provision for early retirement, and tweaked other aspects of the current plan which dates from 1973.
The Council also heard from Matt Meredith on the runway expansion program at the Daviess County Airport. Meredith said an agreement to close the little used county road on the north edge of the airport would allow the project to be completed faster, and save $800,000 in costs. Meredith also said that business usage of the airport continues to grow.