County leaders were urged to proceed with the sale of county-owned land to the north and west of Carroll Manor to Indiana Packers Corporation in a letter to Carroll County Commissioners and Council by the Carroll County Agriculture Association Board of Directors. Dean Scott, representing the association, presented the letter to commissioners at their Monday morning meeting. He encouraged them to put differences with the council aside to "do what is best for the county."

The letter read, in part, "IPC has expressed interest in expanding its property and operations to include a supplemental business to its slaughter operation. This location is adjacent to the current property and north of the Carroll Manor."

"It is time for the county officials to move forward on this project," it continued.

Commissioner Bill Brown clarified commissioners requested a plan to proceed with a potential sale from IPC more than a year ago. A plan was never received.

"We've been much more active than Packers has been on this," he said.

Scott said IPC was waiting for the county to approach them about purchasing the land.

"They are ready to move forward on it," he said.

It was noted by commissioners two private appraisals are being done to determine the cost of the land. Neither appraisal was commissioned by the county. Commissioners' attorney Barry Emerson recommended commissioners send a letter of interest to IPC. He advised that any land sale would have to be approved by the county council if the appraised price was equal to or exceeded $50,000.

Emerson further stated an engineering sketch of the design, what foliage would be included, what the landscape plan would be and what sort of economic stimulus would be realized by the county among other information should be required before a sale was completed.

Emerson said commissioners have been wrongly accused of "dragging their feet" in this matter. He added that he did not understand why IPC has not approached commissioners recently about the purchase of the land.

Commissioners agreed to send a letter of interest about a land sale or swap to IPC.

County road extension of SR75

Highway superintendent Ron Francis announced the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has awarded $1.2 million to the county to begin road construction to connect SR75 with the Hoosier Heartland Highway. The "Water St." project would be built to state and federal standards north from Camden, however would be a county-owned and maintained road. County grant match would be $230,000 set aside in the 2008 Economic Income Tax Development (EDIT) ordinance for the project, recently adopted by commissioners.

Francis said in a follow-up interview the award would fund preliminary engineering services for the project, create an "S" curve to link CR75W and CR50W and widen a bridge on CR50 north of CR650N. He said just that portion of the total project, which is estimated to cost $8 million total, could be finished in 2015. Francis said INDOT could connect the new highway to CR50W before the Water St. project construction begins. He said economic development would be enhanced in the area by completing the first phase of the project.

Other highway business

Engineering proposals for Bridge #147, on CR1100N near the Landings, were opened. Francis will review each proposal and report.

The culvert on CR825N, east of Yeoman, was removed. A new culvert will be installed within the next two weeks.

Chip and sealing in Ockley, Owasco, on county roads 800S and 550S west of Pyrmont, 500S near Prince William and 350W from SR18 to Xenia Bridge was completed. Work on Illinois St., CR525N and Sleepy Hollow will begin soon. Residents were encouraged to contact Francis at with road areas that need to be patched.

Francis said the Wilson Bridge project is near completion. Paving is completed however guardrails, painting and ditch and should dressing must be finished before the bridge can be opened to traffic.

Francis said the highway department would assume responsibility to remove trash and debris from the bank of the Tippecanoe River at SR18 if the DNR will not. Commissioner George Mears said he sifted through some of the trash for identifying information but was unsuccessful. He said he would assist in trash removal.

Other business

Carroll County Family Clinic will use the courthouse lounge Aug. 28 for a meeting.

Carroll Car Club will use courthouse grounds Aug. 30.

Delphi VFW will have a sign on the courthouse grounds Aug. 3-10 to advertise a dinner.

DCHS athletic department will use the southwest corner of the courthouse grounds Sept. 6, 13, 20, Oct. 4, 25 and Nov. 1 and 22 in the mornings to sell chicken as a fundraiser.

The next meeting will be Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.

Drainage Board

County surveyor Wayne Chapman said drainage at the dairy near Cutler was connected to the county drain successfully. He said drainage should be improved for residents living east of the construction site.

Chapman said FEMA awarded 75 percent of the cost of damages incurred during recent rain damage. He said the county spent approximately $17,334.91 and was reimbursed $13,001.18.

Six work orders were received in May and June.

The next meeting will be Sept. 2 at 8:30 a.m.