Council allocates $400,000 riverboat funds for Goose Run slide and approves $155,654 restricted‑fund repair for Shike Road
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Summary
After an engineering update and a public resident appeal, the council approved $400,000 from riverboat funds for the most urgent Goose Run slope repair and authorized a $155,654 restricted‑fund contract to fix a Shike Road washout that risks isolating homes.
Dearborn County Council approved two highway repairs on Nov. 24 after a presentation from Highway Superintendent Tim Gravy and public comment from residents of Goose Run.
Gravy described three slide locations on Goose Run with a consolidated estimate of about $1.385 million to repair all three; he identified ‘slide 1’ as the most urgent and estimated its cost at roughly $400,000, including soil nails and slope stabilization. Council debated timing, contract procurement and budget impacts, then voted to allocate $400,000 from riverboat monies to get slide 1 under design/contract to avoid winter failure.
Separately, Gravy described a washout on Shike Road (a single‑access roadway) posing isolation risk for residents. The repair—pinning, shot rock and short retaining measures—was estimated at $155,654 and identified as eligible for restricted riverboat funds; the council approved that appropriation by voice vote.
During public comment, resident Michael Meisel urged council for a multi‑phase, transparent plan for Goose Run, citing engineer reports dating to 2017 and ongoing traffic increases. Meisel and council members discussed asset‑management prioritization; the council said the highway department is commissioning engineering and prioritized the most urgent slide now.
What happens next: highway staff will pursue design and bidding for slide 1 and the Shike Road contract; the riverboat appropriation will be carried into the 2026 budget as needed to fund construction.
