Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Park Rehab topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DNR punch list, ADA gaps and questionable gravel leave campground reimbursement on hold
Summary
DNR inspectors and the town engineer identified multiple issues at the campground — from missing ADA-compliant RV/van spaces to poor-quality gravel — and the town cannot receive final reimbursement until a punch list is completed and re-inspected.
DNR representatives and the town engineer inspected the campground and parks and flagged several items that must be corrected before final grant reimbursement can be released, the council heard.
Why it matters: The town’s DNR-funded project remains unclosed because inspectors identified noncompliant handicapped parking, sloping and surfacing problems at the campground and incomplete restrooms at the bluff. The clerk said the town will not receive reimbursement until the punch list items are fixed and the site is re-inspected.
What inspectors saw: Speakers at the meeting said DNR required an accessible parking space at the park and another at the campground. The town engineer and residents described the gravel installed as decorative or raw mine spoil — "chunks of coal" and unblended material — rather than a compactable aggregate recommended for accessible parking pads. One resident cited a 'Section 10' rule and gave measurements: an RV-accessible spot was described in the discussion as 20 feet (accounting for space for the vehicle and maneuvering room) and a van-accessible space as 16 feet; participants said the installed spaces measured shorter (one cited 12–14 feet), creating a potential ADA noncompliance risk.
Operational notes and oversight: Town members discussed contractor choices and whether volunteers (including reference to inmate labor at Wabash Valley) should be used for rock work; the town engineer was asked to provide oversight if volunteer labor is used. The clerk said the engineer and DNR will generate a punch list within days and that re-inspection will be required before reimbursement is processed.
Next steps: The clerk and other officials said they expect a punch list from DNR in the coming days and that the town must schedule corrective work and arrange engineer oversight. The transcript records residents offering photographs of the gravel and measurements; the meeting did not record any final vote or contractor selection during the session.
