Bats prompt urgent council action for bridge project

Regulations that protect bats required Wayne County to urgently pay a bridge project invoice, and that required a special Wayne County Council meeting March 14.

Indiana Department of Transportation regulations adapted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service require any tree removal for transportation projects occur between Oct. 1 and March 31 when Indiana bats and northern long-eared bats are inactive. Tree removal is required for the South G Street bridge project in Richmond to enable equipment access during construction.

With a $1.5 million invoice in hand and April 1 approaching, the county needed to pay before INDOT would give contractor Milestone the go-ahead to clear trees. Paying was complicated because rising construction costs left a funding shortfall the county planned to cover with leftover jail bond money that was not yet available to pay the invoice.

Therefore, the special council meeting. At that time, $730,000 was transferred from other bridge project funds into the South G Street bridge project’s fund. That money will be repaid to the other funds when jail bond money is available.

All five council members in attendance supported the transfers, which passed 5-0.

The Indiana bat was declared endangered in 1966, and the northern long-eared bat was listed as a threatened species in 2015.

Auditor’s updates

Auditor Mark Hoelscher told council members that he has halted implementation of handling claims digitally with his vendor.

He said he still thinks the plan would benefit the county and is assessing several options open to him.

Hoelscher also told council he will take a medical leave, but said he would be available by phone to continue running his office.

GOP caucus

The Wayne County Republican Party will conduct a caucus April 2 to select a District 1 council representative.

Bob Chamness, who died March 3, was reelected to his third four-year term in the 2022 election. Twelve precinct chairs will vote during the 6 p.m. meeting at Republican headquarters, 20 S. 10th St., Richmond.

District 1 encompasses precincts on Richmond’s east side to the state line and northwestern Richmond precincts.

Anyone interested in serving as council’s District 1 representative should file at the voter registration office on the second floor of the county courthouse, 301 E. Main St., Richmond, more than 72 hours before the caucus, according to Gary Saunders, the party chair.