BY ROSE SCHMITT
COVINGTON, Ind. — Covington still is working on a problem of cleaning up its own west side properties.
Resident Dan Noble told the city council Tuesday night that no progress has been made in the two weeks since the last city council meeting toward mowing and cleaning up the city properties.
Street Superintendent Bob Tanner said the city has cleaned up and mowed city property around the electric department building on Water Street.
Noble said that the drainage ditches heading west from Second Street between Liberty and Crockett streets need to be cleaned out. Noble described how after heavy rains the water does not flow easily along the storm drains, but goes out onto the streets, because the ditches are filled with debris and overgrown weeds.
Mayor Brad Crain asked Noble to “give the city a few more weeks to take care of the problem.”
Tanner said the street crew has been occupied most of the summer putting in sidewalks and the areas Noble wants cleaned up will take a lot of work. Tanner did discuss using the city’s Bobcat to clean out the storm ditches between Crockett and Liberty streets west of Second Street.
Tanner also suggested the city might try spraying pramatol in the ditches since it is supposed to prevent weed growth of any sort for several years. Noble said he would give the city more time to address the problem, but said he does want something done.
In other business, city council members:
-- Discussed with Noble a storm sewer that runs behind the west side of the electric department building through his property. The city has tiled the storm sewer past his property, but Noble said the storm water still runs off into someone else’s property and creates a swamp.
- Discussed a possible radio maintenance agreement with the city’s police department and Ra-com of Lafayette. The council will consider the agreement after more information is received. The city hopes a better rate can be attained by getting the fire department included in the agreement.
-- Discussed a dust problem in the alley to the south of Liberty Street between Ninth and Eleventh streets. Resident Lou Ann Plunkett has complained to Tanner that the alley has been receiving a lot of traffic and therefore a lot of dust has come off the gravel alley. Tanner said that an emulse coat would be sprayed on the gravel to reduce the dust problem.
-- Approved a request for part of a parking curb to be cut away so that a driveway can be put in at Tom Park’s residence at 828 Harrison St.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Covington City Council will meet at 7 p.m. EDT Sept. 15 at the city building, 1329 Second St.
