A decision on whether to issue financial bonds to construct a new Bartholomew County Highway Garage on East 25th Street near Petersville could be made as early as tonight.
A proposal to issue $8 million in bonds to construct a new highway garage east of the Clay Township Fire Department was introduced by the three county commissioners during the county council’s July 2 work session.
Afterward, commissioners chairman Larry Kleinhenz said he was approached by constituents expressing concern that construction of a new highway garage will result in a new tax.
That is not going to happen, Kleinhenz said Monday.
“We are not interested in financing improvements to our highway facilities through a new tax,” Kleinhenz said.
The commissioners are convinced they can fund the facility out of existing revenue, he said.
Kleinhenz and fellow commissioner Rick Flohr expressed optimism Monday that a motion to issue bonds for a new highway garage will be introduced tonight when the council holds its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m.
“They have reason to be optimistic,” council president Mark Gorbett said. “There was a consensus (from the council) in favor of bonding expressed during the work session.”
However, county council members have been digesting a considerable amount of information since last week, and have made inquiries they want answered before considering a motion, Gorbett said.
Subsequently, the council president said he cannot say for certain that a vote will be taken this evening.
“But I am sure there will certainly be a healthy discussion,” Gorbett said.
Over the past several years, the council has expressed a dislike for bonding. Besides a desire to avoid long-term debt, members have cited the fact that the county has nine remaining years to repay bonds for the 2011 Bartholomew County Jail expansion.
Those are reasons why Gorbett said he anticipates council members may attempt to set the amount as low as $6 million.
Extensive council discussion is anticipated regarding possible alternative means of paying the balance of construction costs in case the bids come in higher than the bond amount, Gorbett said.
If the bond is approved, the next step would be to enter into a contract with attorneys to set up the bond, commissioner Carl Lienhoop said.
There is already sufficient money collected through economic development income taxes to hire an architect, Kleinhenz said.
Besides $500,000 for design work, upfront costs listed in the commissioners’ written plan also include about $150,000 to purchase the land.
The 66-year-old current highway garage, located at 2452 State St., was described as functionally obsolete for current needs and equipment in a 2017 structural assessment conducted by DMZ Indiana, an Indianapolis-based engineering and architectural firm.
No alternative for remodeling the existing facility was presented when the assessment was provided to the commissioners.
Reasons cited by the commissioners for relocating the facility to a 11.25-acre farm field near Petersville include anticipated lower construction costs, obtaining more space, avoiding major disruptions of current highway operations and less-restrictive regulations outside the city limits.
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A county highway garage bond discussion is listed near the end of the agenda for tonight’s regular meeting of the Bartholomew County Council.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. on the fourth floor of the county’s governmental office building, located on the northwest corner of Third and Franklin streets.
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