August 19, 2015
Lu Ann Franklin
Lake County Surveyor Bill Emerson Jr. reviewed various drainage projects throughout the county’s watershed during Wednesday’s meeting of the Lake County Drainage Board.
The board approved paying K & S Engineering of Highland $9,800 to take soil borings along Hart Ditch in St. John Township that is part of the Little Calumet River Watershed. Emerson said the banks along Hart Ditch have eroded too much to install rip-rap.
“We’re looking for alternatives including metal sheet piling for about 100 feet,” he told the three-member board.
Gough Inc., of Merrillville, was awarded the contract to start the second and third phases of the Willowdale Sanitary Sewer in Center Township that is part of the MS4 Water Quality system. Gough’s bid of $542,831.80 was $100,000 less than the next-lowest bidder.
Emerson said by starting the project now, homeowners in that area will not have to deal with muddy roads because the Lake County Highway Department can complete the roadwork before winter.
The Drainage Board also awarded the contract for emergency bank stabilization of Cedar Creek near the baseball field in Lowell to Brooker Contracting, of Lowell, for $46,556. Cedar Creek is part of the Kankakee River watershed.
In addition, the board authorized the surveyor’s office to supply all special Drainage Board documents about the quality of water discharged into Singleton Ditch from Singleton Stone Quarry in Eagle Creek Township to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Board members Roosevelt Allen Jr. and Michael Repay voted for the authorization. On the advice of board attorney Peter Katic, board Chairman Gerry Scheub abstained.
“This is the first time I’ve abstained in 20 years,” Scheub said. Scheub has been a vocal opponent of the quarry.
In other business, Emerson reported there had been illicit discharge into Spring Street Ditch near Avenue H (Division Street) and Central Avenue in Schererville reported on July 31. The discharge consisted of sediment from the pipeline work being done in that area and has been addressed, he told the board.
Original article can be found here.