Morgan County board approves Hilldale Cemetery ditch as urban drain and awards $231,500 contract

The Morgan County Drainage Board on March 16 granted a petition to establish the Hilldale Cemetery ditch lateral as an urban regulated drain and immediately awarded a construction contract to Murphy's Construction Inc. for $231,500.

At a public hearing recessed from the regularly scheduled meeting, the mayor of Martinsville told the board the petition is backed by grant funding and ‘‘it's no cost to any citizens at all,’’ a point the board and staff reiterated during the meeting. Board staff and the county surveyor recommended labeling the channel an urban drain so the county can use narrower easements where appropriate and secure recorded platted easements after construction.

Board staff read a written findings letter that recommended the change under the drainage statute cited during the meeting (IC 36-9-27-9). The findings say statutory notice was given, that more than 50% of the acreage of affected land will benefit, and that the benefit to owners is greater than damages. The board announced the finding and order granting the petition and noted that the decision becomes final unless judicial review is requested under IC 36-9-27-106 within 20 days.

The surveyor described the project path as beginning at the Hilldale Cemetery ditch, running east to a culvert under Artisian Avenue and west to a culvert under I‑69, with a temporary 75-foot construction easement that will be reduced to a 50-foot easement on the platted parcel owned by Grand View Development (parcel referenced 5513300003.00-021). Work planned includes clearing trees and debris, regrading the channel to redirect roughly 92 acres away from the Solder watershed back to the cemetery watershed and installing a larger culvert under a driveway to improve outflow.

Following the findings, the board considered bids for the improvement work. Bids opened Feb. 12, 2026, produced three responsive proposals: Style Design & Construction Inc. at $323,323.32; Murphy's Construction Inc. at $231,500; and PA AF Construction LLC at $275,140. The surveyor and the banning engineer recommended accepting Murphy's Construction's low bid as meeting solicitation requirements. A motion to accept the recommendation carried on a voice vote and the chair declared the contract awarded to Murphy's Construction for $231,500.

Board members and staff emphasized that no additional parcels would be added to assessments and that notice and legal costs associated with establishing the drain would be covered by the grant. The board signed the findings and instructions were given for ministerial follow-up, including recording easements after construction.

The meeting closed after brief announcements about a presentation by the Morgan County Partnership for Water Quality and the annual river cleanup scheduled for the 21st; the board adjourned with no further action.