03/04/14 Greg Wendling from USI updated the County Commissioner on the St. Joe Valley Metronet project. The bid process is set for April 7th and the Common Construction Wage Scale meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. He noted that the entire project along US 31 will be in the right-of-way, primarily on the west side.
Wendling also talked about the 7th Road project. Phend and Brown was lower bidding on the construction project at nearly $5.2 million. Although they are ready to get started, the County is waiting on INDOT to invoice them for their 20% of the project before the notice to proceed can be issued.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger said the judge notified him last week of ITAMCO’s decision to accept the county’s final offer to resolve the condemnation case. Their offer was for the original appraised value and damages and an additional amount of $9,150 for a total of $135,000…a major reduction of their request which were as high as $250,000.
The mitigation site, a parcel owned by John Banning is going through the environmental process and “going well” according to Wendling. He anticipates having the draft report in the next week or two. Wendling said, “Once this is approved, it will move quickly towards an offer.”
