Tippecanoe County drainage board approves Circle K site, church expansion, ARPA addendum and fee increases

The Tippecanoe County Drainage Board on Nov. 26 approved construction for a proposed Circle K fuel-and-convenience store in Romney, granted construction approval for an expansion of Forever Grace Church, endorsed an addendum reallocating ARPA funds and setting a $500 minimum for easement compensation, and adopted an amendment to the board's uniform fee schedule.

The board's actions were taken by voice vote during a meeting dominated by routine contract and project approvals. ‘‘It's a proposed Circle K, gas station and convenience store,’’ said Adam Farsino, engineer of record with McFarland Johnson, describing a 4,000-square-foot store with 12 gasoline and three diesel fueling positions and a site plan that combines underused commercial and adjacent residential lots. Justin, the project's design engineer, said the team rerouted an existing Dollar General storm sewer around the site, routed discharge to Wea Creek and provided detention basins on the west side of the property.

Board members moved and approved construction per the Burke Engineering memo dated Oct. 29, 2025. Staff later presented a stormwater best-management-practice maintenance agreement for the Circle K site and advised the developer to record the maintenance agreement with the county recorder after the meeting.

David Marquardt, professional engineer with BS Engineering, presented a master-plan expansion for Forever Grace Church in Mount Morency, Tippecanoe County. He said the current plan includes a chapel expansion and additional parking and that the detention basin was sized to accommodate a future second expansion. ‘‘This is kind of a master plan as the church, has 1 expansion planned in this project, and then we'll, at some point in the future, do another expansion off that,’’ Marquardt said. The board approved construction per the Burke memo dated Nov. 26.

Staff presented Addendum 1 to an interagency agreement tied to ARPA funds for a Buck Creek/Culvert and wastewater project. Staff explained bids exceeded the project budget, prompting a build-operate-transfer (BOT) procurement in hopes of completing the project within available funds; the addendum charges the county commissioners with administering BOT contracts and makes the drainage board's funds available to the project. The addendum also sets a $500 floor for right-of-way and easement compensation as a de minimis threshold while retaining the option for land donation. ‘‘It sets $500 is the floor for acquiring easements and such,’’ staff said. The board approved the addendum by voice vote.

The board also debated and adopted Resolution 2025-05-DB to amend the uniform fee schedule. Zach (staff) traced the fees'history: the Phase 2 sediment/erosion-control review fees were established in 2005 and drainage review fees in 2016 and neither had been adjusted since those dates. Citing inflation and recent budget shortfalls, staff recommended a roughly 20'25% adjustment to fees used for plan review, on-site inspections and post-construction oversight. Staff reported the office ran into modest operating shortfalls in recent years and recommended the increase to keep the program solvent. A member moved to adopt the resolution and the board voted to approve it.

Other routine items approved during the meeting included three contract amendments (Hoffman/Lumen/Masson; Christopher B. Burke Engineering LLC; BFNS Inc.), two maintenance bonds (Greater Lafayette Kennel Club, bond no. 9131465, $48,000; Barrington Lake Section 3, $39,233.70 for Matt West Excavating), the BMP maintenance agreement for the Circle K site, the board's 2026 meeting dates, and a petition to reduce a statutory drainage easement from 75 feet to 30 feet for property owned by Steve Shreckengas north of Cal Bur Road; staff said the petition was consistent with prior board practice and recommended approval.

Votes at a glance - Minutes: approved (voice vote). - Contracts: three contract rate adjustments approved (Hoffman/Lumen/Masson; Christopher B. Burke Engineering LLC; BFNS Inc.). - Circle K (Romney): construction approval per Burke memo (approved); stormwater BMP maintenance agreement (approved). - Forever Grace Church (Mount Morency): construction approval per Burke memo (approved). - Maintenance bonds: Greater Lafayette Kennel Club (no. 9131465), $48,000 (approved); Barrington Lake Section 3 (no. 1118917), $39,233.70 (approved). - Addendum 1 to interagency agreement (ARPA/BOT and $500 easement floor): approved. - Resolution 2025-05-DB (uniform fee schedule amendment): adopted (approved). - Petition to reduce drainage easement (Shreckengas): approved.

What's next Several approvals require follow-up administrative steps: the Circle K maintenance agreement must be recorded in the county recorder's office; commissioners will administer contracts for the BOT procurement; and staff will implement the updated fee schedule. The board closed the meeting, offered holiday wishes and opened the floor for public comment.