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Last updated on Friday, June 5, 2015
(BLOOMFIED) - Bloomfield School Board is faced with a complication. Indiana’s Department of Transportation (INDOT) is requiring a traffic blister be added leading to the entrance of a new outdoor physical education facility
The current estimated cost to install the required blister is $479,000. That price includes the installation of turn, acceleration, and deceleration lanes, as well as other adjustments to ensure safe traveling to and from the facility.
The Greene County Daily World reports that during the school board's May meeting, members discussed several options to consider before proceeding with any plan including taking the required amount needed to complete the project from the school's rainy day fund.
Although this was just a suggestion, several school staff members, as well as members of the community, expressed their disapproval of this action.
Superintendent Dan Sichting responded to the public outcries by explaining that when the project began INDOT told officials they could use a basic curb cut on State Road 231, but when the school hired Garmong they told us the turn lane was in their proposal, but when the contract was presented the turn lane was not in the proposal.
Former board member and current Bloomfield resident Ron Toon, who has a history with contracting business, advised the board to seek legal help to fix the problem saying the issue should have been charged off to an error from INDOT and Garmong.
Sichting reminded the crowd that no official contract was in place at that time, which only lead to more questions and concerns.
Toon asked who decided to sign the contract in the end, Sichting responded that the board approved that contract. Sichting responded that the board did not think it would be a half a million dollar error at the time and officials were working with legislators and INDOT to solve the problem.
Another option is the board puts a hold the project until additional funding comes in.
Belvia Gray of Umbaugh presented the board with their third option during their meeting, which would be to assume an additional $500,000 or $2,000,000 bond issue.
Although these bonds would be able to be paid back in a very timely matter, the public still expressed their concern because it would result in a slight tax increase, which is something they were previously promised would not happen.
The board reminded the public that these are all just options that are being discussed and no decisions are being made at this time.
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