South Gibson Star-Times

Front Tuesday, October 25, 2022 South Gibson Star-Times A-2 ···· JOB VOTE N BILENAN···· FOR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 2 NOVEMBER 8TH PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT RACHAEL HILEMAN "I'm not asking to move the stop sign. I'm asking for a relaxation of the ease- ments," he said, adding he would repair and maintain the sidewalk at his own cost. The board agreed the stop sign would have to be moved if the sidewalk was installed, and that would be at town expense. DeLong also suggested that a piece of sidewalk at his home might make pedestrians continue walk- ing through his neighbors' yards, essentially continu- ing the path of the sidewalk. Regardless, the details of the potential sidewalk would be irrelevant because, by ending at the next yard they would automatically lack ADA compliance, which town attorney Sandra Hicks said violates the law. The contractors know this, said Hicks. Fehrenbacher's previous sidewalk also needed to end at a street, but the town was unaware of the northside sidewalk. If he would find a way to resolve the issue, the coun- cil could sign a contract with him to resolve the town of responsibility of the side- walk into the future in case, for example, the home was sold. The contract would state that with the town waiving the six foot requirement, should they need to remove sidewalk to get into the util- ities easement, the mainte- nance and responsibility for repair would be on the home- owner. For the moment however, the project to make the 'side- walk to nowhere' cannot move forward. SIDEWALK Continued from page 1 Fort Branch sewer project to move forward By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The town of Fort Branch will receive $2.5 million from Gibson County redevelop- ment board toward sewer projects, according to Clerk Treasurer Stacy Elpers. The project is an effort to get off an early warning sewer ban that could inhibit new construction, and the $2.5 million covers the first phase of the project. Engineer Eric Smith had previously told coun- cil members he was first concerned about sealing up some of the infiltration in the system so the town could determine the right size of expansion. Smith said engineers iden- tified many collection issues when they performed smoke testing, and by closing off those places, they could see how much more is needed. The sewer system is affected less by daily ups and downs than by wet weather inflow, he said. It's the wet weather peaks that are often contributing to the numbers that have caused the early warning sewer ban. Economic development funds of $2.5 million will allow Fort Branch to support further industry, whereas right now, they may not be able to handle new busi- nesses that want to come in along the US -41 corridor and use Fort Branch's water and sewer. It will also absorb the costs so the residents aren't paying increased water bills up front to support potential industry. In other Fort Branch news: • Lisa Gilpatrick of Kennedy Drive reported a speed limit sign in that area has been hit, and potentially needs replaced • John Clutter of Hull Street has a ditch through the middle of his yard and wants to put in a culvert, but did not know if it fell into the town's easement. Town Attorney Sandra Hicks will look at the right-of-way at the courthouse to be sure. He would have to follow the new development standards to install the culvert. "You're not going to make the situation worse," said Councilman Scotty DeLong. • Mark Fehrenbacher brought back the Bridge of Honor project to ask if it's possible to put a mirror there, but several years ago, according to Clerk Trea- surer Stacy Elpers, the town investigated it, and was told it would blind drivers. • Lisa Dunkel of Fort Branch Community Pride told the town more than 100 runners have signed up for the Zombie Run in Fort Branch this Saturday. She also asked the town if her son, Matt Dunkel, could do some painting that needed done at the park. The town approved; especially as he volunteered to do it at his own cost and match the current trim. • Due to an increase in gasoline, Fort Branch Police Department added an addi- tional $5,000 from their police vehicle fund to their gasoline fund. was made of wood and created three years before Indiana was a state. Fleetwood focused on the techno- logical improvements, like a state- of-the-art 9 -1-1 system, an inkless fingerprint scanner, four video arraignment rooms, and the abil- ity of one officer to have eyes on all the rooms in the layout at one time. He commended the collabora- tion and teamwork of the county's workers. "The job should be better and safer for staff and safer for the inmates as well," Bottoms said. JAIL Continued from page 1 County Councilman Jer- emy Overton discussed the affordable plan the county had come up with to address the American Civil Liber- ties Union's lawsuit at the groundbreaking for the new jail Oct. 21. Sheriff's Office Mem- ber George Ballard, who has served as owner's rep- resentative on the jail proj- ect, hands the microphone to Commissioner Warren Fleetwood for comments at the groundbreaking on the new detention facility Oct. 21. The new facility is being built on ground adjacent to the current building. American Auto Sales salvage saga continues By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com A salvage saga continues in Fort Branch after American Auto Sales, which is on US -41 in Fort Branch, allowed their salvage license to lapse, but recently renewed the license. Town council members made complaints to the Secretary of State that Amer- ican Auto Sales operates as a salvage yard without a salvage license, with only a car sales license. Furthermore, the salvage operation is in violation of the town's junk ordinances, and with the license lapsing, the town argues the property is no longer grandfathered in to any kind of compliance. The two owners of the property are Bonnie Racine, the ex-wife of the manager Maxwell Racine, and Amy Phelps, the current significant other of the manager, accord- ing to the town council in May. Manager Maxwell Racine attended the meeting in May — Councilman Bob Reinhart had communicated with the manager the year before when the manager told the council he would clean up the prop- erty. The property has been given multiple clean-up ordi- nance violations for garbage, junk and grass over the course of the last year. Reinhart has said Racine isn't operating the business as an auto dealer—he doesn't even have water on the prop- erty. The board believed by complaining to the Secretary of State, they might investi- gate the possibility of revok- ing the auto sales license. Now, with the salvage license renewed, town marshal Darrell Parker said he does not believe he can continue to ticket what is considered a salvage business for junk. Councilman Reinhart said he believes a salvage yard or an auto sales business would have to do business and not just stash cars. "I know he went and got a salvage license. I don't know if it makes it a junk yard or not," Parker said. "It's everything against our ordinance," Reinhart said. "He let his license lapse. I don't think he can grandfather in with a new license." Clerk Treasurer Stacy Elpers said he's probably violating a state standard by not having running water. Council President Sandy Birch said she looked into the standards and he has to have an operating sink, not neces- sarily water service. However, there's a state statute about unsafe buildings, and a town safe building ordinance this might fall under. The town will continue look- ing into the matter. A rendering from Garmong and RQAW shows an approximation of how the finished Gibson County Sheriff's Office and jail will look.

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