Joe Hornaday
The Greensburg Board of Public Works and Safety met this week to discuss potential change orders to the Lincoln Street Project, fuel prices and other details at the regular meeting.
According to Street Commissioner Mark Klosterkemper, it was within the Lincoln Street plans for a temporary signal at Barachel Lane and Lincoln Street, and a second one at Tenth Street and Lincoln. The project has conflicted with storm and water lines and the problems needed to be addressed with changes in the plans. The change orders amounted to just under $27,000, which Klosterkemper said constituted about one-tenth of one percent of the total project cost.
“So far it’s been minimal,” Klosterkemper explained about the change orders.
The changes were approved unanimously.
The Board of Works next took a look at gas prices, and potentially locking the city into a specific price for city departments. While the board continued to look for the best price and cheapest rates, the members could not initially come to an agreement on whether it was best to lock in a certain rate or continue to let the prices float. Locking in a price would mean the department would also be paying a premium. The option to lock in a price will be available indefinitely for the Board of Works.
“And you’ll never catch it after the fact,” Klosterkemper said of a retroactive approach to getting a good price. “You have to just weigh the factors and what your concerns are.”
As long as the price is floating, there will be a discount for the department.
“Either way, you’re gambling,” board member Darrell Poling said.
The board ultimately agreed to let the price float for now.
Klosterkemper continued with the board, and updated them regarding the $850,000 that had been borrowed from the Vandalia Road Project to supplement the Lincoln Street Project. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) had this week awarded the city about $850,000 for the Vandalia Road Project, which was good news for the city in that the numbers balanced out. Decatur County Tourism had also provided a grant in the amount of $4,000 for the purchase of better barricades for city events for the department.
City engineer Gary Murray next came before the Board of Works seeking approval for the “Welcome to Greensburg” sign that will sit on the State Road 3 right-of-way near Lincoln Street across from Don Meyer Ford. The sign will be an eight foot tall stone, and was accompanied at the meeting by an agreement with INDOT for maintenance, making the city responsible for upkeep. The board approved the INDOT agreement. Murray also explained to the Board of Works that the city was continuing to save money due to his work as an inspector on the Lincoln Street Project. About 80 percent of the time he spends out on the project is being reimbursed by INDOT.
Greensburg Police Chief Brian Heaton was next before the Board of Works to request the upgrade of Lt. Fred Huser and Lt. Dennis Blodgett to shift supervisor level. Both men took on several additional responsibilities with the new positions, which were approved unanimously by the board. Heaton also asked for $3,189 to purchase 2010’s training ammunition for the GPD, which would help maintain firearms certifications for the police. The money was in the budget but required authorization from the board, which was approved.
Before adjourning, the Board of Works briefly discussed a personnel matter at the Greensburg Police Department regarding the disagreement between an employee and the administrators about a discrepancy in the amount of days he or she had off in 2009. The disagreement stemmed from a bookkeeping mistake, and will be addressed next month by the board.
The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Works is set for 5 p.m. on Monday, March 1 at City Hall.
