Blackford County highway staff brief commissioners on right‑of‑way work, fiber installs and pipe rehab; claims approved

Blackford County highway department staff told the Board of Commissioners that a consultant for the RWE Prairie Creek wind project will perform non‑intrusive road testing and that a telecommunications contractor is seeking permission to place fiber optic cable in multiple county rights of way.

The county’s highway superintendent described the RWE request as road‑profiling and ground‑penetrating work to map pavement shape and conditions; the work would be performed by American Engineering Testing. Staff said tests are limited to a few road sections and that bonds have not been required for testing work.

The superintendent listed specific locations where fiber‑optic installation is planned: 900 East between State Road 18 and the county line; 700 East between SR 18 and the county line; 300 West north and south of SR 18 for about one mile; 400 North; 200 West north and south of SR 18 for one mile; 600 North between 2 West and 350 West; 5 North between 2 West and 350 West; and 450 North at the county line. Staff asked the board to allow the work in county right of way.

Staff also described a small structure rehabilitation on 200 South (structure number 89). The proposal calls for installing a new pipe and surrounding it with about two inches of a concrete mixture after surface work; staff estimated the project cost at $30,960 and said the concrete installation would be expected to last decades (staff cited a practical life “about 50 to 75” years, and suggested up to 75–100 years under typical conditions).

Separately, staff read a draft resolution that would expressly authorize the highway superintendent to execute INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) contracts and related documents on behalf of Blackford County. The draft resolution also included language ratifying prior agreements executed by the superintendent. The text of the draft names the Board of Commissioners as the county’s executive body and refers to INDOT’s request that written authority be provided when not all board members can sign INDOT documents.

Highway staff reported that only one firm, SJCA, submitted a letter of interest for two federally funded bridge projects (referred to as bridge 56 and 57). Staff said other firms submitted rejection letters and that the county will need to coordinate next steps with the selected firm.

Staff also reported repeated instances of contractor vehicles operating off designated routes during a flat‑road project and said the county tracked fines and violations; staff estimated the total assessed for off‑route truck activity at about $9,000 and asked commissioners whether they had questions about enforcement.

On routine financial business, the board received two motions on consent: approval of regular claims totaling $287,879.77 and approval of payroll totaling $538,710.07. Meeting audio shows motions to approve those items; the minutes later reflected that the claims and payroll motions carried.

What happens next: staff asked the board to authorize the right‑of‑way work and requested guidance on whether bonds should be required for testing, and asked direction on next steps for the bridge procurement and for enforcement of off‑route trucking violations. The draft INDOT authorization resolution was read into the record for commissioners’ consideration and potential future action.

Speakers and attributions in this item are drawn from department reports and appear in county meeting minutes; direct quotes were not used because speakers were not named with full, attributable names in the transcript.