Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 285, Greencastle, Putnam County, 10 August 1988 — Page 1

Banner Graphic Greencastle, Putnam County, Wednesday, August 10,1988 Vol. 18 No. 285 25 Cents

Former local resident Brenda K. Armstrong dies in state park fall

MARSHALL, Ind. A 27-year-old former Greencastle woman slid from a mosscovered rock and fell 30 feet to her death at Turkey Run State Park, officials of the Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday. KILLED IN THE accident was Brenda K. Armstrong, a former nurse at Putnam County Hospital. The incident occurred at approximately 6:06 p.m. Tuesday, the Parke County Sheriff’s Department told the Banner-Graphic. Mrs. Armstrong and her husband, Kevin, now residents of Indianapolis, were sitting at the edge of a cliff off a marked trial at the Parke County park,

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Resurfacing activity is under way on Locust Street Wednesday morning as workmen from Dalton Asphalt Corp., Cloverdale, apply new blacktop to the street between Hanna and Seminary. The resurfacing work by Dalton later included

‘Western bypass’ in city’s future?

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Editor The Southern Highway a bypass, if you’ll pardon the term, from Greencastle’s East Side to the south and west is scheduled for construction next spring. And the extension of Judson Drive north to Albin Pond Road is a venture Mayor Mike Harmless would like to see take place in the next year or two. BUT THERE MAY be another major road project in the city’s future. At least that was the word city officials revealed Tuesday night during the City Council’s 90minute session at the Putnam County Comprehensive Service building. The topic came up after First Ward Councilman Sheri Roach said severel constituents, most notably Lone Star employees, had sugges-

The mugging continues

Partly cloudy and muggy overnight with low in the low to mid 70s. Continued hot and humid Thursday. Partly sunny Thursday with a 30 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms. High Thursday in the low to mid 90s. Indiana Extended Forecast Hot and humid Friday through Sunday with a chance of thunderstorms statewide Sunday. Highs in the lower and middle 90s. Lows in the upper 60s north to the lower 70s south.

authorities said. As they started to leave, Mrs. Armstrong said her foot or leg had gone to sleep. She started to sit back down, but slid off the rock and fell to her death, according to conservation officer Kenneth Hutchins. HER HUSBAND, Kevin, was formerly assistant chaplain at DePauw University. The Armstrongs resided in the renovated home at the southwest comer of Seminary and Wood streets while living in Greencastle. They moved to Indianapolis more than a year ago. Funeral services for Mrs. Armstrong are pending. Her body was taken to Vermillion County Hospital at Clinton.

Moore’s Court on the North Side of Greencastle. The combined resurfacing project cost $16,000. The new curbs along Locust Street were put in by DePauw University, city officials have noted. The next area due for repaving in Greencastle, according to

ted that the city look at a western bypass from the Limedale/Manhattan Road area, connecting with U.S. 231 north of Greencastle. That would get the cement plant traffic off the downtown streets, she noted. “The Southern Highway is great,” she said her constituents responded, “but we ought to be doing something to serve the industries already in business here.” THAT IDEA ISN’T new ,to Mayor Mike Harmless, who has said he and City Attorney walked an abandoned railroad right-of-way west of town even prior to his election last fall. Like the Southern Highway making use of the old Penn Central right-of-way abandoned by Conrail on the South Side of Greencastle, the West Side area would be a natrral as a road bed, he has said.

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County salaries first on agenda

By BECKY IGO Banner-Graphic News Editor The temperature may still deceivingly feel like summer, but with August comes the fall review of county budgets. Set to make that review is the Putnam County Council, which at 7 p.m. Aug. 22, will conduct a public hearing on the 1989 county budget requests. The meeting, to be conducted at the courthouse, is open to the public. FIRST AND FOREMOST, at least in most county employees’ minds, is salaries. The Putnam County Council establishes those salaries, following a recommendation from the commissioners. Still, officeholders have already submitted their ’B9 salary request forms (as required by law) for themselves and their employees, which the Council will most likely have on hand at the board’s Aug. 22 meeting. The Council, however, will not make a decision on county

“A western bypass has been discussed,” Harmless conceded Tuesday night. “There is some right-of-way being looked at right now by some folks to see if it is available.” He suggested that the City Council may want to send the idea to the Plan Commission for study and evaluation. CITY ATTORNEY Wilson, however, said the proper first step would be right-of-way acquisition. In a related matter, meanwhile, Wilson said the city also needs to update its subdivision ordinance to provide that city right-of-way be dedicated before the subdivision is granted approval by the Plan Commission and City Council. “Everywhere else in the world,” he said, “they require a developer to put in the local access streets to the development.”

Putnam Patter

Kitchen was real multipurpose room

By DAVID BARR Banner-Graphic Civic Editor A multi-purpose room in the floor plan of your home is much of the time, a place to put some of your stuff that won’t fit anyplace else. Our rented home way back in the sticks had such a room, but we called it a kitchen. Much of what went into this area had some excuse for being there, but that still meant it was smarter to go through there in daylight to keep from bumping your shins or bruising your big toe.

employees’ salaries during the August public hearing, but will finalize those amounts at the board’s ’B9 budget review scheduled Sept. 6-7. PUTNAM COUNTY Auditor Myrtle Cockrell said Wednesday morning officerholders do have a figure in mind for ’B9 raises. Some officeholders, however, did not ask for any raise at all next year. “I’ve not really scrutinized the budgets that well yet, but it seems like most of them are asking for SBOO raises for their full-time help,” Mrs. Cockrell noted. According to the auditor, fulltime county employees received a S2OO raise last year. (Full-time employees, who have served at least a year with the county, also receive a longevity raise of SIOO a year for each year of service they have working in Putnam County government. The longevity raise is given up to a maximum figure of $1,200. Some part-time employees also receive a longevity raise).

Street Commissioner Jim Wright’s priority list, is Madison Street. When that project will be undertaken has yet to be announced. (Banner-Graphic photo by Gary Goodman).

JERRY MASTEN, developer in the area north of Judson Drive’s present termination, however, has pledged to work with the city and Plan Commission on the extension of that roadway. Harmless said Tuesday night that a preliminary proposal calls for Judson Drive to be extended sometime to Albin Pond Road near the Gene Sawyer property. He referred to a letter from the Plan Commission to the City Council, urging that city officials “look seriously” at the Judson Drive extension project in the near future. A second Plan Commission recommendation is the extension of Shadowlawn Avenue to the east from its present termination just east of the Armory. That extension, of course, could no longer be a straight shot east with the apartCol. 3, back page, this section

THE PRIMARY purpose of the room, of course, was to provide a place for mother to fix our vittles. There was a considerable space alloted for the kitchen range. It had to stay put for it stood next to the only wall with a flue hole. The kitchen table, big enough for eight, five kids, two grownups and a grandpa who made his home with us, filled a good fourth of the room and to make more space for the walking traffic, it had to be pushed against the wall during those intervals between breakfast, dinner and

MRS. COCKRELL SAID it is very probable that county employees will not receive anything near an SBOO raise. “I think we’ll be lucky if we get a S2OO raise this year,” the auditor added. “I can’t speak for the Council though,” she clarified, stressing it is that board’s sole decision what employees and officeholders are paid. Mrs. Cockrell did add, however, that the Council must have a figure to work with in determining raises. If officeholders do not put in for a raise for themselves or their workers, the Council cannot award any increases. In addition, if a salary figure is placed in the budget, the Council cannot increase that amount. The board can only award the amount listed or less, but is prohibited from adding to it at the September hearing. Any salary increase above the amounts listed must go through an amendment procedure after the first of the year. THE 1989 SALARY proposals

Smoking signals 52 trouble spots in sewer system

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Editor The City Council is ready to play 52 pick-up. Engineering consultant Jim Frazell of Triad & Associates, Indianapolis, dealt the hand Tuesday night. The stakes are a smooth-run-ning South Side sewer system. The ante’s $17,000. Cross-connections are wild. THE CARDS CITY officials are holding represent the findings of smoke testing of South Side sewers, as conducted by Frazell, Sewage Plant Supt. Charlene Nichols, Street Commissioner Jim Wright and their crews. Fifty-two trouble spots have been identified in the system, Frazell said in making his report to the City Council, meeting Tuesday night at the Putnam County Comprehensive Services building on Tennessee Street. He displayed a map, marking major problems in red, small troubles in green. In black and white, however, nine major areas are the biggest obstacles. They include storm sewer-sanitary sewer cross connections, as well as collapsed or broken lines. FOUR LOCATIONS alone are marked by the cross connections Sycamore and Illinois, Ohio Street, Main Street and Bloomington and Block Street (the one-block area north of the Collins-Evans Real Estate office). “I can’t quantify how much flow that brings into the College Avenue lift station,” Frazell added, “but it is substantial.” The significance of those cross connections, as Mayor Mike Harmless explained, is that storm water pools in low spots like Sycamore and Illinois, where it is properly directed into the storm sewer. But with the cross connection, storm water is put straight into the sanitary sewer lift station, and the infiltration is pumped to the sewage plant, right along with the wastewater. “And you’re paying to treat it,” Frazell interjected, referring to the storm water.

supper. At eating time, those assigned to the wall side had to edge into thenplaces first, otherwise, those on the room side would get too pushy and the wall people would begin to howl and mother would have to put her foot down to keep the peace. IN THE SMALL AREA at the foot of the table was a washstand just big enough to hold a washpan and the water bucket. This was the first stop for the “hungry and dirty.” The kids had two choices: Wash up, including hands and faces, or don’t

the Council will be looking at, as submitted by officeholders, include: Title IV-D Office Director Dorothy Smith, $14,969 with $1,200 longevity. Total: $16,169. Assistant director Joyce Tincher, $12,200 salary with S2OO longevity. Total: $12,400. Part-time help rate at $5 per hour. Putnam County Clerk Clerk Nancy Michael, $16,530 with S2OO longevity. Total: $16,730. First deputies Terry Judy and Roberta Smiley, $11,500 each and longevity of S2OO each. Total: $11,700 each. Second deputy Pat Braden, $10,700 and S2OO longevity. Total: $10,900. Second deputies Sharon Blaydes and Patricia Hillis, $10,700 each. Part-time help rate listed at S3O per day for 208 days. Microfilm Department Director Marty Watts, $11,397 with SI,OOO longevity. Total: $12,397. Putnam County Auditor Auditor Myrtle Cockrell, $15,530 with $1,200 longevity. Total: Col. 1, back page, this section

BEYOND THE NINE major problem areas identified by recent smoke testing, the minor difficulties include some things as downspout connections, broken service lines, caps off taps and faulty plumbing, Frazell said. Councilman Mike Rokicki asked about a timetable for correcting the problems. Major problems should take a day or more apiece to remedy, Frazell said, while minor difficulties can be handled at a two- or three-a-day clip. PROBLEMS FOUND on private property, however, are another matter. Residents will be sent notices of the trouble discovered and told they are responsible to have the difficulties corrected. Such problems include basement drains and downspouts connected to the sanitary sewer. Frazell’s report includes color photographs of all the irregularities uncovered. Frazell said he based his $17,000 repair cost on employing a contractor for some of the major work. However, if the city can handle the repair effort with its own staff and equipment, the cost could be “way less than half of that,” Frazell conceded. The engineering consultant explained for the Council that smoke testing is done with pressurized use of a smoke bomb. Ends of lines are plugged, allowing the smoke to escape where there is a bad connection. ONE MEMBER OF the sparse audience asked if the large amount of smoke that escaped through the sewer in the backyards along College Avenue indicated a health threat to children who frequent the area. “The problem is with the storm water getting in, not the sanitary sewage getting out,” Frazell assured, meaning wastewater is unlikely to escape and be played in by children. The consultant said once the South Side problem is remedied, the next area requiring attention is Col. 1, back page, this section

you come to the table. Above the stand was a “linenlooking” endless towel on a roller, and the washer could keep rolling it down for a dry place or a clean place. For most of the younger set, washing was more ceremonial than cleansing, and the finish marks were sometimes left on the towel. Mother accused the guilty of “leaving his picture on the towel.” ONE YEAR WHEN the crops were a mite better than the year Col. 3, back page, this section