Vandenberg County commissioners approve contracts, raise health-department card limit and discuss Pigeon Creek log jam

VANDENBERG COUNTY, Ind. — The Vandenberg County Board of Commissioners on April 1 approved a series of contracts and routine items, including a $1.36 million consulting contract for Oak Hill Road reconstruction, a grant to the county health department, and a professional services agreement to start a jail-based mental health program. Commissioners also spent more than an hour on the Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission’s start-up, and on a log jam affecting Pigeon Creek that crosses county lines.

The meeting opened with unanimous votes on consent and action items. Commissioners approved a consulting contract with RQAW Corporation for inspection services on Oak Hill Road reconstruction between Lynch and Saint George for a not-to-exceed $1,357,444.62 (of which $491,280 will be paid with federal funds). They approved a grant from the Indiana Department of Health (agreement number 91512) providing $89,796 for a disease investigation specialist, and they agreed to increase the Vanderburgh County Health Department’s credit card limit from $5,000 to $10,000 while also approving a department vendor list for recurring online payments.

Why it matters: the Oak Hill Road contract moves a major reconstruction project into the procurement phase with a substantial federal funding component; the public-health grant funds a specialist to support communicable-disease work; and the credit-card policy change raises the department’s card limit and formalizes vendor use for online-only charges.

Commissioners also approved a professional services agreement with Southwestern Behavioral Health to begin operating an on-site competency restoration/mental health unit within the county jail ahead of larger construction of a new facility. Sheriff Noah Robinson described the agreement as “the precursor to the mental health unit that will go on online next year when the construction is complete to the new facility,” saying the program aims to “get folks properly medicated and moving their cases along so that they can participate in their own defense.”

Pigeon Creek Watershed and log jam

A large portion of the meeting centered on the newly formed Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission. The commission is beginning to collect a special assessment that county staff estimated could bring in roughly $250,000 in June or July, with one county official later noting that receipts might total closer to a half-million dollars by the end of the year. Commissioners and staff emphasized that the commission is still forming key elements — including a work plan and hiring an executive director — and that start-up expenses such as legal fees and office equipment remain uncertain.

County staff urged caution about private efforts to clear a log jam on Pigeon Creek. The site lies near the Vanderburgh–Warwick county line, and staff said federal and state permits may be required for some removal methods. “It’s an unfunded mandate,” one county official said, explaining that the commission must follow permitting requirements for actions in waters of the state; staff also said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Indiana DNR have permitting roles for some removal techniques. Staff said property owners may be able to manually remove logs themselves under some circumstances but that use of explosives or heavy equipment would trigger federal and state permit requirements.

Other actions and approvals

- The board approved a $1,925 advertising contract with Lamar Advertising to add two billboards promoting Burdett Park shelters (one on Diamond Avenue and one on South 41). Parks staff said this is an addition to four previously approved billboard placements and that funds were reallocated within the marketing budget.

- The board approved a $2,500 agreement with Wathan Environmental Services LLC for beaver abatement at Burdett Park to address flooding that has limited parking for events.

- Commissioners approved a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) annual report to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management; county staff said, “The report is due today, and we’ll get that submitted once it’s signed.”

- The board authorized third-party radon clearance testing by Environmental Management Consultants LLC (EMC) at the old courthouse after a mitigation system was installed by Popham Construction.

- Veterans Memorial Coliseum Preservation Foundation bylaws were approved to advance the group’s application for 501(c)(3) status.

- The board held a public hearing and gave final reading to vacation ordinance CODOT-V-04-25-001, which vacates a drainage easement and lake maintenance/storm-drainage easement affecting Lots 8 and 9 of Vandenberg County Industrial Park at 15015 Thousand 110 Foundation Avenue to allow expansion of Polyram’s facility; project engineer Jim Worley Jr. said drainage plans for relocation of a ditch and part of a detention basin have been approved.

Bids and procurement

The board opened bids for VC25-03-01, milling and resurfacing of county roads, and later read the submitted bids into the record. The three bids listed into the record were:

- E and B Paving LLC: $1,247,279.63 - Jerry David Enterprises, Inc.: $1,273,154.91 - J.H. Rudolph and Company: $1,328,241.40

Commissioners voted to take the bids under advisement.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment of Kathy Glazer to Burdett Park advisory board — approved (Commissioner Gable: yes; Commissioner Canterbury: yes; President Elpers: yes). - Open bids for VC25-03-01 (milling/resurfacing) — motion approved; bids later taken under advisement (unanimous). - RQAW Corporation consulting contract for Oak Hill Road reconstruction (NTE $1,357,444.62; $491,280 federal funds) — approved (unanimous). - MS4 GP report to IDEM — approved (unanimous). - Lamar Advertising contract for two billboards ($1,925) — approved (unanimous). - Wathan Environmental Services LLC beaver abatement ($2,500) — approved (unanimous). - Indiana Department of Health grant agreement No. 91512 ($89,796) — approved (unanimous). - Health department vendor list (credit-card payments) — approved (unanimous). - Increase county health department credit-card limit to $10,000 — approved (unanimous). - Southwestern Behavioral Health professional services agreement (jail mental health services) — approved (unanimous). - EMC third-party radon clearance testing at old courthouse — approved (unanimous). - Veterans Memorial Coliseum Preservation Foundation bylaws — approved (unanimous). - Vacation ordinance CODOT-V-04-25-001 (final reading) — approved (unanimous).

Meeting context and next steps

Commissioners scheduled no additional actions on Pigeon Creek during the meeting, but staff said the Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission will meet again on Monday, April 28, at 10 a.m. in the commissioners’ hearing room. County staff indicated further work will include consultant selection for a watershed work plan, hiring an executive director, and clarifying permitting and property-owner coordination for the log jam removal. One county staff member noted the commission is the state’s first such entity and is navigating start-up responsibilities, funding constraints and legal requirements.