Infrastructure News Summary
For July 24, 2008

Centerville will ask for street funds
Town project would create 6,000 feet of road, 3,108 feet of trail and bike path
Palladium-Item
Pam Tharp
7/23/08

CENTERVILLE, Ind. -- Building a new street on the former CSX railroad bed has been a town goal for four years, but asphalt costs have grown faster than available funds. Centerville Town Council President Dan Wandersee today will ask the Indiana Department of Transportation at a public hearing in Greenfield for an additional $600,000 for the project on the town's north side. Plans for the new street have won $1.8 million in federal funds and the $450,000 local match will come from a grant from the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Wayne County discretionary funds and town funds, Wandersee said. Six rural towns and five counties will present applications today for federal transportation funds to INDOT at its Greenfield office, INDOT spokesman Harry Maginity said. INDOT administers Group IV federal funds for transportation improvement projects in rural areas and towns with fewer than 5,000 people. The federal funds cover 80 percent of approved projects costs. http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS01/807230306/1008

Proposed tax increase for bridge repair
WANE
7/23/08

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Just as property taxes were on the decline, they may be going back up for the people of Allen County. The Bridge Maitenance Task Force proposed the idea at a meeting on Wednesday to allow taxpayers to vote on the idea of a property tax increase. The increase would help pay for bridge maitenance in Allen County. The task force is working to get the referendum passed so it can appear on the November election ballot. The idea was first proposed by Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. The other option is to raise the wheel tax sur tax, but a decision doesn't have to be made on that until July of 2009. The task force almost unanimously approved the referendum at Wednesday's meeting. http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=8725219&nav=menu32_2

City and county look at referendum on paying for bridge maintenance
News-Sentinel
Drew Stone
7/23/08

Mayor Tom Henry, along with city and county officials, agreed Wednesday at a special bridge meeting to find out the possibility of getting a referendum ready to see if voters would be willing to pay more in property taxes to fund bridge maintenance in Allen County. However, to have a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot, it must be completed and approved by Aug. 1, just over one week away. http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS02/807230369/1001

City projects, street work to begin after bids
The Pilot News
Rusty Nixon
7/23/08

PLYMOUTH - City street projects are underway for the summer, unfortunately not in a way that is immediately visible yet. City Engineer Rick Gaul is putting together specifications on the various repaving and rebuilding projects around the city but it may be awhile before any "concrete" work gets done. Several other things have to take place first. The meeting must be held when total dollar amount of the projects exceeds a predetermined amount. Representatives from the city, the county, the taxpayers, the unions and the state must then meet and discuss the rate of pay that will be voted on and set as a minimum for those working on the projects. The meeting must be held before any project can go to the bid process. After that process, the city will have to look closely at the bids' dollar amounts to decide just how much street work they can afford in the current year. Several projects are of great importance. http://www.thepilotnews.com/content/view/64707/27/

Gas prices slip below $4 in Indy
The Indianapolis Star
Tom Spalding
7/24/08

It may not last long, but gas prices have slipped below the $4 mark in Indianapolis for the first time in five weeks. AAA and Oil Price Information Service said today that the average cost for a gallon among city-area pumps was $3.98, 3 cents lower than Wednesday. The all-time high was set June 15 at $4.149. But prices have been slowly falling, and bargain hunters are finding fuel at $3.80 or lower around the city. The statewide average today was $4. Will it last? Internationally, oil prices edged up today after shedding nearly $4 a barrel in the previous day's session on concerns that high fuel prices are dampening demand in the United States, the world's biggest energy consumer, the Associated Press reported. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/BUSINESS/80724013