City studying role in YMCA project
By MARK MURDOCK | KPC Media
AUBURN — The Auburn Board of Works accepted a bid for engineering work for projects related to the YMCA of DeKalb County expansion at Indiana Avenue and C.R. 36-A Thursday.
The board approved the low bid of $18,600 from Engineering Resources of Fort Wayne, which will work on a model of the proposed changes needed for the city’s role in the project.
The YMCA got preliminary approval last week for more than $900,000 in Regional Cities Initiative funds for the project, which will include soccer and football fields, a training center and walking trails.
The city’s contribution has four major parts, including raising Indiana Avenue, a storm water outlet to a detention pond on the YMCA property, water service to the property and installing a larger storm water drain.
The priority is making sure taking in more storm water there won’t cause a problem elsewhere.
“The main item for the sewer is they’re going to analyze our entire lifting system all the way to the First Street storm water pump station,” said city engineer Steve Klein. “We want to know the impact, from the higher levels all the way to the lower levels at the pump.”
The board also gave approval for Klein to take bids for a storm sewer project that will run the length of Worth Road. The project is the “last piece of the puzzle” in helping to solve flooding issues in Norland Park, Klein said. It is the city’s last storm water project for the Betz Road watershed.
The city has applied for a grant to repave and put new lighting along the road next year. Mayor Norm Yoder expressed appreciation to residents of the area for their patience.
Water Pollution Control Superintendent Dave Lochner received an OK to take bids for a new closed-circuit television truck for the department. Lochner said the department is using a 1985 truck, and its television equipment is obsolete. Replacement parts for the equipment are no longer available, Lochner said.
The closed circuit can help identify the exact location of a problem in sewer lines to help the department resolve the problem more quickly, Lochner said.
A supervisory control and data acquisition maintenance contract was approved for Donohue and Associates of Indianapolis. The system regulates the water pumping and filtration processes. Donohue originally installed the system, and it’s a logical solution to have the same firm maintain it, according to water superintendent Randy Harvey.
The board approved the promotion of Chad Weimer to first-shift sergeant with the Auburn Police Department.
Jeremiah Otis of Jeremiah’s Brewed Awakenings had his request approved to close a portion of West 6th Street from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, for a family picnic event.
Street closures were not possible for a color run at J.R. Watson Elementary School, Police Chief Martin McCoy said, but he said he would have officers in the area to help with directing traffic and keeping participants safe. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m.
