More Monday meetings

 The previous post mentioned that the Court House digital sign would be dedicated during Little Cousin Jasper Festival. On Thursday the mason built most of the base.

In addition to the Commissioners' meeting, there were two other public meetings on Monday. In the afternoon the Drainage Board met. The meeting began with a public hearing about a ditch that empties into Newton County. It drains 3300 acres and has 22 feet of fall over five and a half miles. Part of the bottom has been scoured and the current bottom is below the original bottom. The banks are very steep and may start eroding. The Board approved cleaning the ditch and establishing a $3 per acre reconstruction fee and a $2 per acre maintenance fee.

The plan to provide water west of I-65 from DeMotte has had a change in plans and the Board was asked to approve a new drain crossing. During the discussion it was revealed that the new line will run under a road that separates Jasper and Newton Counties. The Board pointed out that the project will need approval from Newton County because counties are responsible for boundary roads on the east and south sides. (The water line will serve the rest areas along i-65. At least one is being closed for reconstruction.)

The Board heard an update from the Dunn's Bridge project that included a hydrology report claiming that the project would reduce runoff. Grass fields have slower runoff that fields planted in corn or soybeans. At its July meeting the Board gave conditional approval for the project and at this meeting it gave final approval.

In the evening the Rensselaer Park Board met. It had a quorum for the Park Board, but not for the Park Corporation part of the meeting. The discussion meandered, but there were some interesting tidbits. There is one more tournament planned for the Blacker Fields, at the end of October. RBI Baseball, which uses Staddon Field, would like a five year commitment for the field because it is seeking funds to make improvements. There was discussion on how the Park Department could protect itself from increasing costs if it made that commitment. After school starts next week, the LaRue Pool will remain open on weekends and Tuesdays and Thursday evenings until the end of August. Porkburgers did not sell well during the tournaments. It seems that many visitors do not know what porkburgers are. The site originally prepared for the new activities building has been abandoned and a new site prepared. The original site had a water main under it and upon reflection, it was decided that a different site was better. The concrete pad for the new site was poured on Wednesday. A memorial fruit tree will be planted this fall near the new building. And finally, the south restrooms in Brookside are getting a new shell.