Huntingburg Public Works Updates and Herbsfest Planning

The Huntingburg Board of Public Works held their regular meeting on Thursday morning, addressing some major projects and planning for the city. 

The Wastewater Department received the board’s approval to add a third drive for a pump at the 19 th street lift station, which will allow for the department to make immediate repairs on the pump when it goes offline. The current setup can only be repaired by one supplier, and adding additional wiring for an ethernet connection will allow repairs to be made by the department or to be bid out to other suppliers. While this will require an initial investment of about 36 thousand dollars, the board expressed that it had the potential for up to 20 or 30 thousand dollars in annual savings. 

The Huntingburg Herbsfest Committee provided some details on its upcoming event, which will be held in the last full weekend of September. This annual family-friendly event will be packed with activities, food, and fun, and a whiffle ball tournament is being added to this year’s agenda. The board approved the parade route, which will be the same as last year. Street Superintendent Jason Stamm gave an update on some upcoming projects, including a description of the notice given to residents when streets are being repaved. The city will be checking the main sewer lines before work begins. In order to avoid costly repairs in the future, the department is recommending that any anticipated residential sewer line repairs be completed before the streets are resurfaced. 

Stamm also advised the board that INDOT reached out to the city regarding the storm sewer that runs across 231 in front of Market Street Park. INDOT would like to replace it due to some water encroachment from an inlet, and this would be a joint project between the city and the Indiana Department of Transportation. The project is projected to begin in 2028, so it will be addressed again at that time. 

Huntingburg’s new Police Chief Brad Kramer addressed the board, expressing his condolences to the families of the retired police chiefs that have recently passed. He updated the board on the recently completed training of a K-9 unit in the department. They have received certification in narcotics tracking and apprehension, and will be doing a demo with Park and Rec in the near future. Some needed equipment replacements and additions, including dash cams and vehicle updates, are also in progress. Chief Kramer said that advertising has begun for full-time positions, in order to expedite the process when hiring begins. The department will also be hosting Coffee with a Cop to invite the public to come in and get to know the officers that they may not otherwise interact with.


For more information on these and other updates, visit www.huntingburg-in.gov


- By Drew Hasselbring