The Daviess County Commissioners are inviting the public to the official ribbon-cutting celebrating the completion of the Courthouse renovation project. The ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 3 pm, September 16. The public will have an opportunity to tour the Courthouse after the ceremony.
In regular business, County Highway Superintendent Chris Winkler told the Commissioners that the paving on Old U.S. 50, west of the Washington city limits to the Indiana Southern Railroad track, is now completed. Winkler said the Highway Department will chip and seal the road surface from the tracks to the dead end at the White River. Winkler said that despite ample signage marking the dead end at the river, several people still run through the end of the roadbed. Winkler hopes that the change of surface will remind people that the old highway does not cross the river at that point. Winkler also reported that paving on Edwardsport Road north of Washington has a few more days of work, including application.
The commissioners also discussed the extension of the bond for mining across County Road 200N. County Attorney Grant Swartzentruber told the Commissioners that he believed that an extension to the end of September was advisable, with the possibility of another extension to the end of October to work out issues with the coal mine company. Swartzentruber said he did not want to say much about the extension since the matter might end up in litigation. The Commissioner agreed to extend the road bond until the next Commissioners’ meeting on September 23. The Commissioners did report that the coal company has laid out a run-around road, but it is still only dirt. Commissioner Nathan Gabhart and Highway Superintendent Winkler will inspect the run-around route next week.
In other business, the Commissioners established a policy requiring all county departments and offices to run computer purchases through the IT Director, and the Commissioners passed an ordinance allowing for the sale of surplus items the County has in storage.
