Landing closer to a deal with Clark Regional Airport
July 24--SELLERSBURG -- The town of Sellersburg was presented with an agreement to donate a .67 acre tract of land to the Clark Regional Airport valued at $42,000.
Sellersburg Town Council members reviewed the deal and were not opposed to moving forward with donating the property, but did not take official action at their meeting Monday.
The property in question is a small portion of land that is needed as part of the relocation of Bean Road, which is being reconstructed as part of the airport's runway extension project.
Sellersburg Town Attorney Jacob Elder said he still needed to contact Board of Aviation Commissioners Attorney Jack Vissing in order to draft an ordinance. He explained in a deal between two governmental entities, no appraisal is needed as long as each entity adopts identical ordinances.
The town is also set to receive a benefit from the reconstruction of Bean Road.
"As part of this, whether we donate the land or not, we're getting a new entrance to our wastewater treatment plant area," said Town Council President Paul Rhodes. "It's a much better entrance than we have now."
Elder said he expects to be able to present an ordinance to the council for adoption at their next meeting.
Memorial Day street fair
There may be a new festival coming to town.
The town council approved a street closure for next Memorial Day weekend in order to bring a street fair back to the town.
Thomas Harris, committee chairman for the WHAS Crusade for Children with the Sellersburg Volunteer Fire Department, offered the proposal at a previous meeting and came back Monday to offer more details on hosting the event.
He said he is working with several locations in the area to provide parking and shuttles to the street fair, both concerns the council had previously raised.
The festival will raise proceeds to benefit the Crusade for Children and is planned for 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend 2013, with the street closure on Utica Street between Hangar Avenue and Broadway Street to begin a day earlier.
The event would feature kids games, live entertainment, food and entertainment booths and fireworks.
Harris will have one more major hurdle before he can move forward with the festival plans. Sellersburg Police Chief Russ Whelan said he needs five homes along Utica Street to grant their approval for the street closure before moving forward.
"I wanted to bring a festival back to the community," Harris said. "It's in the middle of town and that's something that you don't see much of anymore. I wanted to bring it back to the town."
Sellersburg Celebrates!
A donation of $5,000 was approved by the council for its annual Sellersburg Celebrates! festival.
The donation is the same amount the council offered the festival last year and it is set to come out of the town's promotions fund.
This year's Sellersburg Celebrates! festival will run from Aug. 24 through Aug. 26.
Insurance renewal presented
An annual renewal for the town's insurance policy was presented to the council with an increase in the annual costs of about $10,000.
The council will review the policy and is expected to take action on the renewal at its next meeting. The town's current policy is set to expire Aug. 15.
Sewer smell
The town has ceased pursuing a contract with HeatLo to purchase an ozone machine which would help eliminate odor at a wastewater lift station near Silver Creek High School due to poor communication. Sellersburg is currently using chemicals to treat the odor with annual costs at about $25,000.
Municipal Works Director Ken Alexander said the cost for the machine through HeatLo was about $11,000, but will total between $40,000 and $50,000 through the Louisville company with which the town is now working.
"We're doing a trial now to see if it corrects the problem," he said.
The trial period is set to last for two weeks.
Copyright 2012 - The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.