Warrick County approves interlocal deal to fix drainage at High Rock curve, pays larger share

Warrick County commissioners on July 13 approved an interlocal agreement with the city to repair a drainage problem at the High Rock curve that blocked reliable vehicle access to the county’s new correctional center.

Byron Sanders of Project Partnerships told the board the city agreed to remove and replace a culvert, dig up the street and pay half the paving, while the county would install a drainage swale on county property and pay the other half of paving. Sanders said the negotiated numbers resulted in the county covering $52,695 and the city $34,920. "We finally got the number that the city said they would accept," Sanders said, explaining several rounds of engineering review and negotiation.

Several commissioners questioned why the split was not 50/50. One commissioner said proceeding before final agreement reduced the county’s negotiation leverage, and another said the county would still benefit because previously unusable acreage near the entrance was now usable after the drainage fix. Sanders responded that county funds already covered contractor payments and that the county would seek reimbursement from the city and credit the amount to bond funds when received.

The board moved and passed a motion to approve the interlocal agreement. The county attorney and other staff had reviewed the agreement prior to the vote.

The decision followed discussion about access and safety: Sanders noted winter ice and earlier flooding had impeded emergency vehicle access, prompting the county to complete the work while equipment was on-site. Commissioners did not amend the dollar split during the meeting.

Next steps: staff said the county would accept the city’s reimbursement when received and apply it to project bond funds.