Bethany Road design moves forward

Clark County

Discussion

January 20, 2012

By DAVID A. MANN David.Mann@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Fri Jan 20, 2012, 01:21 AM EST

JEFFERSONVILLE — Surveying related to the Bethany Road reconstruction project has been completed.

Dominick Romano Jr., engineer with the firm Bernardin, LochMueller & Associates, Inc., updated the Clark County Commissioners on the project during a meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The next step in the design phase of the project will be to have various utility companies come out and survey the area to identify potential problems, Romano said. Further, an environmental review is also being conducted, as the project is receiving federal funding.

The $2.06 million project aims to reconstruct Bethany Road, between Ind. 62 and Ind. 403.

MORE BUSINESS

• With a 3-0 vote, the commissioners agreed to seek a performance grant for the Clark County Emergency Management Agency. The competitive grant, totaling $3,623, is awarded by the state of Indiana. No local match is needed, said Brad Meixell, Clark County Office of Emergency Communications administrator.

• The commissioners unanimously agreed to a $950 per week contract with Roger Hardy for information technology services. Hardy replaces Matt Dyer, who’s been hired as the city of Jeffersonville’s IT director. Incidentally, Hardy formerly held that job.

The contract is good for only 30 days, during which time the commissioners will advertise the job opening.

• An ordinance designating the commissioners as the county’s purchasing agent was approved unanimously. Attorney Greg Fifer said that ordinance was needed because of a recent change in state law that requires local government to designate a purchasing agent and create a purchase order system.

• Jill Oca, a certified public accountant working for the county, will look into how much the county is netting by accepting prisoners from the Indiana Department of Correction. The state pays the county $35 per day to house prisoners at the Michael L. Becher Adult Corrections Complex.

Commissioner John Perkins said Oca should look into whether the deal is helping or hurting the county’s finances.

• The commissioners unanimously approved $80,380 to cover roof repairs at the Clark County Government Building. About $36,300 of that is going to the roofing contractor and $44,000 is going toward structural repairs.

• About $25,000 was approved to purchase 26 new narrow band radios for the Clark County Highway Department. Superintendent Jim Ross said the equipment is used in county trucks and snowplows. The newer technology should provide better communication and cover a lot of dead spots in the county, he said.