Dubois County to pursue purchase and reconfiguration of Holland trash site; paves, bridge repairs and sign-removal policy flagged

Dubois County commissioners on May 18 authorized staff to prepare a purchase agreement and legal description for a parcel adjacent to the Holland trash site after reviewing offers from a private owner and discussing safety and operational benefits.

The highway supervisor said the county received two options: a $20,000 offer for the existing fenced area or $25,000 to buy a squared/rectangular parcel that would provide a buffer for machinery access and safer ingress and egress from the county road. Commissioners agreed, in principle, to pursue the rectangular parcel and asked county staff and the county surveyor to draft terms, finalize a legal description and negotiate purchase details before bringing a formal agreement back to the board.

The board also finalized administrative steps for highway work this summer. The county highway engineer presented Form 96 final-acceptance paperwork for six paving contracts awarded earlier to local contractors, with work set to begin on or after June 1. Bridge work was reviewed: Bridge 78 (600 West) remains fully closed for a rigid deck overlay with a projected reopening in early June; bridges 107 and 240 are also scheduled for deck pours this week, and an in-house crew completed a deck pour for a small bridge on Dubo Road and anticipates reopening that road later in the week.

Separately, commissioners discussed county right-of-way signage. Highway staff described repeated operational problems caused by commercial and private yard signs placed in the right-of-way, including hazards to mowing and equipment. Commissioners expressed support for a working policy allowing highway crews to remove signs that obstruct maintenance or create safety risks, hold collected signs at the highway department for two weeks for owner retrieval, and dispose of unclaimed signs. The board cited Indiana Code 9-21-4-6 as authority for highway jurisdiction over signs and markings in the right-of-way.

The meeting record shows the board approved having the chair sign a damage settlement form from CenterPoint Energy stating the county would not claim repair damages on a small parcel off State Road 162 after cleanup by the utility.

Next steps: staff will draft the Holland site purchase agreement and legal description, post final paving and bridge schedules to the highway department web page, and formalize a sign-removal practice for the highway department to follow. The board asked staff to include closure and traffic-control notices with any road work affecting travel.