No guarantees were given to proponents of the Burnett’s Creek Arch project about how the county will proceed with the bridge project at the Carroll County Commissioners Monday morning meeting. The group asked county leaders for a commitment to rehabilitate the stone bridge, located on Towpath Rd., northeast of Delphi, rather than replace it. Commissioners did not grant that request.

“We can’t give that commitment,” commissioner Pat Clawson said. “If it costs the county more to rehabilitate than to replace it, then replacing it would be considered an option.”

Phyllis Moore, spokesperson for the Carroll County Historical Society, said the Arch should be “revamped” on the south side rather than be totally replaced. She added that the historical group collected money to purchase land for a park, which was included in the original project plans. Moore also indicated that a group of Native Americans, who had historical ties to the structure, could be called upon to secure additional funding for the restoration.

Commissioners president Loren Hylton explained that the project is currently in the “design phase.” He said any additional funding for the project from an outside source, which would enhance the county financial contribution to the project, would be welcome.

According to expenditures listed for the project in the auditors’ office, the county has spent $132,656.30 since 2003, all for engineering work.

Highway engineer Paul Couts explained in a follow-up interview that the project is not the usual 80/20 federal project because there is not enough federal construction money available. He said currently the county would be responsible for 45 percent of the total cost of the rehabilitation and the federal government 55 percent. If no more federal money is allocated, the county will need at least $692,057 in addition to what has been expended to complete the project.

According to Couts, the total expected cost for the project is $1,809,311. There is $1,000,900 available now from the federal government. The total contracted amount for design is for $240,641, including $116,354.13, already paid to engineers. Couts said the engineering contract could be cancelled if it is decided the project should not continue on its current path.

Commissioner Bill Brown said during the meeting that the commissioners have discovered in other instances that the cost to rehabilitate structures is less than the cost to replace. He added that although there are no current plans to build a park at the bridge site, in part due to neighbors’ opposition, plans could change.

“The people won’t last as long as the bridge,” he said

The matter is on the agenda for the March 15, 1 p.m. joint meeting between the commissioners and the county council.

Highway department

Couts explained that the county highway department replaced more than 36 mailboxes in 2009 due to snow plow, and snow-thrust, damage. He presented the current policy, adopted in 2005, which dictates that in most instances, mailbox faces must be at least three feet and six inches offset from the edge of the pavement for replacement consideration if damaged by snow removal activities. Couts said the policy has been liberally interpreted in the past two years, which has resulted in added expense for the department. Commissioners urged Couts to adhere more closely to the description of circumstances in which the county will replace a mailbox in order to avoid cost overruns.

Ground water monitoring

Former commissioners’ attorney Barry Emerson said he learned from a letter dated September 2009, which was delivered to the wrong address and only just received by him, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has required the county to continue to monitor ground water, for an unknown length of time, at the site of the county jail. Commissioners voted to comply with IDEM’s directive.

Although no cost for the continued monitoring was stated, according to auditor’s records the county has spent $78,293.53 on the project since 2004. Auditor Beth Myers said the funding came from the cumulative capital improvement fund.

Employee Health Plan

Industrial Federal Credit Union was unanimously chosen to provide Health Savings Accounts for county employees who choose to take advantage of the program. It was noted that IFCU offers a slightly higher interest rate than other banking institutions which solicited the county’s business. An IFCU representative will meet with employees, which will be organized by Myers, to explain the program.

Trash transfer station

Long-time trash transfer station operator Russ Smith’s resignation, effective March 31, was accepted. Myers said she will determine when the job can be posted after consideration of Smith’s accrued vacation time.

Other business

A request by the county historical society to extend the current lease to allow the museum to operate in the courthouse until 2016 was tabled. The lease presented by the historical group will be reviewed by commissioners’ attorney Kurtis Fouts. A decision is expected to be made about the proposal at the March 15 commissioners’ meeting.

Clawson was appointed to a common construction wage committee, in the event the Delphi Community School Corporation proceeds with renovation plans after a March 8 public hearing.

Carroll County Sheriff Tony Burns will use the courthouse lounge for training March 10.

Delphi Chamber of Commerce will use the courthouse grounds and rotunda for the annual Easter Egg Hunt April 3. A sign will be posted on the courthouse lawn from March 29 to April 2 to advertise the event.

German Baptist New Conference will use the 4-H building April 24-25.

A Cinco de Mayo celebration, organized by the Diversity Taskforce, a committee of Carroll County at the Crossroads, sponsored in part by Delphi Main Street Association, will be held on courthouse grounds May 1 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The courthouse rotunda and facilities will also be used.

Payroll for $153,065.54, county general claims for $111,719.45, other county operating claims for $52,818.79 and highway claims for $112,085.16 were approved.

The next meeting will be March 15 at 9 a.m.

A joint meeting with the county council will be held March 15 at 1 p.m.