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Markle’s Novae Parkway is expected to be closed for repair for a two-week period in September.
Utility Superintendent Rick Asher updated Markle Town Council members Tamra Boucher, Jeff Humbarger and Mark Hamilton regarding plans to proceed with this work at the town council meeting on Wednesday evening.
Novae Parkway is one of the main roads in the developing business district west of Markle, and one of four of the town’s roads identified in urgent need of repair. The bulk of the project will be funded by funds from CEDIT funds provided by Huntington County.
Asher advised that the work is being scheduled for September, and is expected to take two weeks. The road will be closed to all traffic during this time to enable the early completion of the job. All traffic will be diverted north to County Road 300N to keep on paved road. The contractors working on the project will work longer hours to also help facilitate the early completion of the project.
It was noted that this road is a main access route for several businesses, and the shortest possible disruption is therefore highly desirable.
Road construction will begin at Ind. 224 and extend north to Tower Drive, where the town of Markle will begin its own, separate paving project.
The Town of Markle will also install a new traffic light at the intersection of Ind. 224 and Novae Parkway, at a cost of $565, to assist the smooth flow of traffic.
Asher also noted that North Central Co-Op is planning to construct a fuel depot in the northwest side of the Markle Industrial Park, and this will also result in an increase in truck traffic on Novae Parkway.
In a separate item but also related to the businesses on Novae Parkway, council renewed Novae Corporation’s tax abatement on its original property and approved an additional abatement on upcoming development of a drainage and parking area on the Novae premises.
Bids on the town’s re-advertised maintenance work on Novae Parkway, Tracey St., Scott St. and Windridge Drive were discussed.
E & B Paving and Wayne Asphalt were the lone two bidders on this occasion, and Asher confirmed that both conformed to requirements.
E & B Paving’s bid of $89,106 was approved, being the lower bid of the two. Wayne Asphalt’s bid was for $92,714.
Under “Public Questions and Comments” Boucher temporarily vacated her seat on council to request either a partial or full vacation by the town of an easement on her property.
The easement is located along the west boundary of the Boucher property, bordering the property owned by the Legge family, and ending at the utility easement at the south end of the property.
The area covered by this easement does not include the “obstruction” which became the center of recent dispute between the Bouchers and the Legges, which required a hearing before the Wells County Drainage Board to resolve.
Boucher advised that when her house was built by the developer it wasn’t located in the center of the property. She now wishes to add a multi-purpose room next to her garage, and this will extend toward the easement, purely because of the way the building is situated.
Asher confirmed that there were no utilities in the easement, and council members subsequently voted 2-0 (with Boucher taking no part in the vote) to grant a full vacation.
Town Marshall John Markley noted that all town officials, including council members, should be receiving National Incident Management System (NIMS) training to help them to prepare for emergency management situations.
This is to be looked into, to ensure that everyone will be on the same page should the need arise.
Asher also raised the issue of town residents experiencing difficulties with Longview cable television lines being left lying in their yards.
The problem appears to arise when Longview establish temporary feeds to a location, and then being “slow” to “clean up” later. Any such issues are to be reported to Town Clerk-Treasurer Carolyn Hamilton, and she will take up the issue directly with Longview.
It was also noted that such issues need to be recorded by the town as they may become an additional factor for consideration when Longview’s contract with the town comes up for renewal.
Hamilton advised that she hopes to have a draft of the town’s 2009 budget prepared for the July council meeting. She requested any changes to line items to be given to her by June 30, 2008.
John Caton from Fleis and Vanderbrink Engineering appeared before the town council to introduce himself to the “new” (elected to the council from January 2008) council members Humbarger and Hamilton.
Fleis and Vanderbrink has performed several engineering projects for the town in recent years, and Caton expressed his company’s wish to assist again in the future, should the opportunity arise.
In other business council members:
— Approved 93 vouchers totaling $98,975.94 for payment.
— Noted that the town’s Employee Handbook needs to be reviewed and possibly updated. It was agreed that this should be done before the appointment of a new town manager (to replace Darcy Long), and council members agreed to look through the current handbook.
— Were advised that GENCOM Communications are ready to start work on erecting a telecommunications tower on the east end of the lot it leases from the town on Tower Drive.
— Were advised that work has begun on the lining of sewers on Hoover Lane and the alley between Logan and Scott Streets.
— Were advised that work is continuing on the proposed noise ordinance for the town.
The next meeting of the Markle Town Council is scheduled for July 16, 2008.
frank@news-banner.com
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