9 ditch assessments will increase

Maintaining Wayne County’s legal drains comes with more and more costs.

Projects are necessary to keep water flowing smoothly, but excavation costs have skyrocketed when work is needed. With that in mind, Gordon Moore, the county surveyor, proposed raising drainage assessments for nine watersheds. Wayne County’s commissioners approved the 25% increases during their Feb. 12 drainage board meeting.

Each ditch watershed has its own budget fund that pays for that ditch’s maintenance and repair projects. Assessments maintain the funding for each ditch and enable repairs and cleanings when necessary.

All parcel owners within a watershed pay the assessment based on parcel size. Most pay the minimum, which is $5.

Ditches with increasing assessments are:

• King, south of Webster.
• Quigg, southeast Richmond
• Russell, north of Centerville.
• O’Brien, northwest of Richmond.
• Harrison, south of Fountain City and east of U.S. 27.
• Hinshaw, east of Williamsburg.
• Knollenberg, west of Fountain City.
• Eldo Cain, west of Economy.
• Wynfield, Wynfield subdivision.

An assessment for the Scott ditch along South 37th Street in Richmond will continue but will not increase this year.

Maps of legal drain watersheds can be found using the “map” function under “property search” on the county’s GIS website.

EDIT guidelines

Valerie Shaffer, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, presented commissioners changes to the guidelines for companies applying for economic development income tax grants.

The changes were approved by the EDC board Feb. 3 and by commissioners during their regular Feb. 12 meeting.

A company will be eligible for an EDIT grant if the average wage for new and retained jobs is 110% of the county’s average wage. That’s currently $26.58 per hour. Companies that have a few lower-paying jobs still receive grant consideration with the change. The new guidelines also give the EDC board discretion to deviate from grant considerations based on a project’s merits.

Shaffer presented an Indiana Economic Development Corporation chart showing Wayne County with the highest average wage, $24.16, in its 10-county region. Commissioners were happy to learn that and to see the average wage exceeded Morgan, Johnson and Madison counties around Indianapolis.

Broadband letters

Four broadband service providers requested letters of support from commissioners as they apply to receive federal funding through the state. Indiana has received $850 million for expansion of services to unserved and underserved addresses.

Mainstream, Charter, Comcast and Frontier all were submitting proposals by the late-afternoon deadline Feb. 12.

Commissioners voted to support all four attempts. Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said that the county needs at least one company’s effort to be successful.

Bridge projects

Brandon Sanders, the county engineer, updated commissioners on two ongoing bridge projects. The old bridges on Sample and Heiney roads have both been removed, with work beginning on the new structures.

Commissioners approved the plan for the Bridge Avenue project.

Commissioners also approved a change order for $1,183.50 on the South G Street project. The increase covers adding smaller stone to a gravel access path that will be kept.