Huntingburg Utility Upgrades Continue

The Huntingburg Common Council and Utility Board assembled on Tuesday evening with a special focus on several major utility projects. 

The Energy Department has continued to replace meters over the last month. Due upcoming price increases for Sensus meters, the board approved the emergency order of additional stock at the original price. Ten trees encroaching on power lines were removed at no cost to residents, and others will continue to be identified. While conducting underground electrical work at the city park, degraded structures were identified that needed replacement. This included a pole that powers the League Stadium lights. The department is converting the lights to an underground system, which should be finished in the next week. 

The Water Department also provided an update on their many active projects. Hydrant flushing in town is complete, and two faulty units were replaced. The hydrants at Southridge were flushed during fall break. Overnight flushing will continue to be done this week down State Road 64 and County Road 400. The department continues to use the metering system to notify residents of potential water leaks. Although the official report has been submitted to the state, the lead and copper survey will continue so that lead service lines can be replaced with poly service lines. Letters will be sent to customers with unknown or lead service lines, advising them of potential risk factors.

The Transit Department reported on the status of its surplus van sale. The only bid received was rejected by the department, although private buyers expressed interest. As the value of the van exceeds $1000, the city is required to publish an advertisement calling for sealed bids before any sale. The board authorized the readvertising for sealed bids. 

The bridge at 1 st Street and Cherry is scheduled to be shut down for replacement. The County will be conducting repairs on the 28 th . Limb yard and park access will be available through a shared lane, and signs will be posted before work begins.  

The board adopted Ordinance #2024-19 for the City’s 2025 Budget, as well as the Employee Salary Ordinance for 2025. After a public hearing, the board approved adoption of Ordinance #2024-20. This is an additional appropriation for the ARP Coronavirus fiscal recovery fund. The remaining funds are planned to be used for the senior center. 

In the citizens’ items, James Carter from Perry County appeared before the board to discuss support for a bill that will impact animal populations. Carter is on the animal control board for Perry County and says a state law that does not allow cities to license dogs is creating significant challenges. While the board could not make a recommendation, they thanked Carter for his work and the information that he provided.  

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

 - By Drew Hasselbring