Dubois County Commissioners Receive Mid-States Corridor Meeting Feedback

The Dubois County Board of Commissioners held their regular meeting on Monday morning with a special focus on upcoming maintenance projects and public response about the recent Mid-States Corridor meeting. 

In his report to the Commissioners, Dubois County Highway Superintendent Steve Berg discussed a series of staffing adjustments being made to address staffing shortages that have resulted from recent retirements. Berg said that with winter approaching and the potential for snow and ice, the department is advertising for two open positions and will begin interviews as soon as possible. 

An additional appropriation of $60,000 was approved by the Commissioners for additional pipe inventory. Berg said that the existing pipe supply has been exhausted due to culvert replacements throughout the year, and that additional culverts will need to be replaced in the coming year for anticipated paving projects. For its final equipment purchase for the year, the Highway Department also received authorization to purchase a new in-ground hoist to address a critical safety issue in the shop. Berg presented a report of the 2024 Distressed Road pavement fund, showing that available funds have been utilized.  

County Highway Engineer Brent Wendholt told the board that a call for federal aid projects for safety projects will be held in November. He requested permission to utilize 90-10 funding, which means that the federal government would pay 90 percent of the expenses, in order to modernize some bridge intersections to improve their crash rating. While Wendholt said that this will be a significant investment for the county, it will also take advantage of federal funds to solve a known issue. Blessinger said that this has been on the bridge reports for the last 8 years, and the board enthusiastically approved the request to move forward. 

During the meeting’s public comments, local resident Wayne Porter questioned the Commissioners about the Mid-States Corridor process. He suggested that, for major road construction projects like these, these items should be placed on the ballot so that taxpayers can express their opinions. He also expressed a concern that the Mid-States Corridor Meeting did not have elected officials present and that there was no opportunity for the public to respond during the presentation. 

In other business, The City of Celestine was granted a request for temporary road closure for its Christmas Parade on Sunday, December 1 from 5:30-7 pm. The parade route will begin at the Celestine Church. The Commissioners also approved a request to begin the bidding process for an updated HVAC control system for the Courthouse. A report was provided on the proposed medical insurance plan for county employees, and the Commissioners voted to approve the renewal plan as presented. The board also voted to retain AFLAC as a carrier for employee accident insurance. The Dubois County Sheriff’s Office advised the Commissioners that an upcoming retirement will result in the county losing an employee who has been responsible for many of the county’s IT processes for the last 25 years. The suggestion was made that preparations need to be made and that discussions should be held in the near future regarding the creation of a formal IT position or the formation of a small IT department.


For more information on these and other updates, visit duboiscountyin.org/government


- Drew Hasselbring