Bartholomew County to consider borrowing up to $6 million for garage

Bartholomew County will be considering borrowing up to $6 million dollars tonight to build a new highway garage.

The county commissioners have proposed building a new highway department facility on rural 25th Street on property currently owned by the county’s solid waste management district. The 11.25 acre property is next to the Clay Township Volunteer Fire Department station. During previous discussions the County Council has suggested bonding between $5 and $6 million for the project. That money would be repaid from income tax revenue.

The current facility on State Street built in the 1950s is in poor condition, has maintenance facilities that are too small for modern vehicles and the property is not big enough to expand the current building. County Commissioners hope that a new garage could be built and ready to move into by the spring of 2020.

The highway garage is where the county houses and maintains its road equipment, stores supplies like road salt and has offices for officials such as the county highway engineer and administrative staff.

The council is set to consider the ordinance that would allow for the bond sale at its meeting tonight. The County Council meets at 6 at the Governmental Office Building on Third Street.