The Kosciusko County Council voted to approve ARPA committee recommendations and to appropriate funds to begin hydrological and geotechnical studies of the Webster Lake dam after a presentation from the Webster Lake Conservation Association (WLCA).

WLCA representative Mike Weirich told the council the group had secured a written proposal from an engineering firm and that the study is time sensitive because of winter weather. "To start this study, WLCA needs to send a retainer payment in the amount of $20,000," Weirich said. He said the firm's lump-sum quote for hydrological and geotechnical studies was $186,400 and that the work is needed to support a facility plan for an anticipated conservancy district and to inform ongoing litigation with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Weirich said the dam remains listed as a high-hazard structure and that prior DNR repairs had not resolved all concerns. He also said about 84 parcels sit downstream of the dam and that replacement or substantial repair is likely. WLCA told the council it had raised roughly $180,000 in donations and that the association would need the county and other partners to complete engineering and legal work.

Council action and appropriations
Council members moved and seconded approval for the WLCA request; the motion passed. County auditor Alyssa Smucker presented two additional-appropriation requests the council considered together: $128,469 for repaving of 200 South (a separate ARPA project for roadway resurfacing) and $186,000 for the Webster Lake matter. The council approved both additional appropriations. Weirich and WLCA representatives said they would use a $20,000 retainer to begin engineering work immediately and bill the remainder in installments as the firm completes phases of the study.

Why it matters
WLCA and the county said the studies will provide data the association and engineers need to evaluate repairs or replacement, to support a conservancy-district facility plan and to strengthen WLCA's position in mediation and litigation with DNR. WLCA representatives said the conservancy-district process could take multiple years to create and another year or more before it generates funding, but the engineering work is an urgent step.

Numbers discussed
- WLCA reported a $20,000 retainer required to begin work and provided a lump-sum estimate of $186,400 for hydrological and geotechnical studies.
- County staff presented additional-appropriation amounts for approval of $128,469 (200 South repaving) and $186,000 (Webster Lake); the council approved both appropriations.
- WLCA said it had already raised roughly $180,000 in donations and planned to apply those funds toward engineering, conservancy-district pre-engineering, legal fees and litigation costs.

Next steps
WLCA and county staff will finalize the contract with the engineering firm and WLCA indicated it could remit the retainer immediately once county reimbursement or approval is in place. County staff said contract and appropriation paperwork would be processed so work could begin as soon as scheduling and weather permit.