Chris is publisher of the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by email at cpruett79@gmail.com or by calling (812) 847-4487

Hennette frustrated with lack of funds for county's gravel roads

Posted Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 2:00 PM

If you live along a gravel road in Greene County, there's a pretty good chance it's in bad shape.

Actually, Greene County Highway Superintendent Mike Hennette will use a much stronger word if you ask him: Terrible.

Hennette and his 32 full-time highway department employees see the problems daily. Unfortunately, there's only so much they can do because their hands are tied.

The highway department has $225,000 appropriated for stone this year, but that doesn't mean the state won't take some of that money back. A year ago during the summer, the state took $532,000 out of the county's Motor Vehicle Highway Fund.

"It hurts tremendously," Hennette said of not being able to have enough money to properly maintain the 500-or-so miles of gravel roads in the county. "Our gravel roads are by no means up to the standards they ought to be. We don't have the money to bring them up to the standards we would like.

"It's past frustrating ... it's pathetic. I feel sorry for these people and what they have to put up with."

Hennette advises those who live along gravel roads and need help to call his department. They will do what they can.

"They've got to call us. We'll do what we can to help them. We're keeping the big loads off the roads. We've got a 10-ton limit on the roads."

Hennette said that if you take the $225,000 that's appropriated for stone, divide that by $10 per ton for stone, that's 22,500 tons. He says that's not nearly enough to maintain the county's gravel roads.

The highway department has 32 employees who work 36 hours per week. They work 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday (not counting lunches), and eight hours on Friday.

Hennette said his department, though handicapped because of budget cuts, will continue to do the best it can to address the poor conditions. He added that his stone budget for 2010 was cut "between 65 and 75 percent. We could put a quarter of a million dollars of stone on our gravel roads, and that's not enough.

"We're actually out spreading stone. But our gravel roads, they're a disaster. We know that, and we're trying to remedy that."

Hennette added that two school busses -- one from Linton and one from White River Valley -- recently got stuck in muddy conditions on gravel roads.

Hennette doesn't expect the gravel roads to get much better in the near future.

"Once these roads thaw out and we get the spring rains, we have got to have some kind of stone material to put on them," Hennette explained. "They're not good.

"We didn't put hardly any stone on them last year, so it's not going to get any better."

Some county farmers have stepped up to help clear roads of snow, and they're also helping with the gravel roads.

"We've had some farmers who bought stone, and that's great. I appreciate that very much. That just helps us that much more," Hennette said.

Hennette stressed that he wants county residents to contact his department if their gravel road needs attention, and his employees will address it as soon as possible. If it's an emergency situation, it will receive quick attention.

He also has another suggestion.

"People need to write the Legislature (state representatives and senators). They need to let those people know we need help here in Greene County. It's not going to get any better," Hennette emphasized.

For now, Hennette and his employees will do the best they can and hope for a dry spring.

"But we can't always rely on the Man upstairs for that (no rain). I believe in Him, and trust Him. But we have to help ourselves," Hennette said. "We have to work together as a community to get through this."

Chris is the general manager/editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at cpruett79@hotmail.com .

Comments

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We greatly appreciate the help we got today on our county road, from Mike and crew, on the north end of Lonetree.

Got some gravel!!

-- Posted by FTM on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 2:42 AM
We too greatly appreciate anything that is done to improve our roads. We live on a gravel road and have ruined many wheels and tires on our cars. We have some potholes we can go over because our car will bottom out in them. We are always relieved when we see the county working on our road, I know they do the best they can with what they have. Its a shame they can't get more funding.

-- Posted by happyperson on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 10:06 AM
Mike, all the gravel in the world will not do any good until you dig or clean ditches. All you have to do is drive around and see all the water on the roads that has no where to go.

-- Posted by srcornelius49@yahoo.com on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 5:23 PM
Very true Greene County Farmer.

-- Posted by localyokal on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 6:44 PM
I also agee with Greene Co Farmer, on our family farm the ditch is higher than the road. -- figure that one out --

There are 2 trees that were cut up last winter (08) during the ice storm that are still laying in the ditch laying out in to my fields. I was hoping to get favorable weather - I was just going to burn them up.

Out of all the states I travel for my job - Greene County has more Gravel Roads than any other County. Except 1 in Illinois.

-- Posted by gary g on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 7:52 PM
I have seen the county trim trees and leave the brush in the ditches. I have seen power line companies trim trees and leave brush in the ditches. I have seen the county dig ditches up hill, I do not think water runs up hill. Mike might be frustraited, but not near as much as the taxpayers are and the residents of Greene County, Under the current board of commissioners we have the worse roads that we have ever had. The last time I looked we have not added any more miles of county roads. We have had alot of different companies come to our farm for different business reasons and have stated Greene County has the worse roads they have ever traveled. How can we expect to bring in new business to the county with the deplorable roads we have.

.

-- Posted by srcornelius49@yahoo.com on Sun, Feb 28, 2010, at 10:15 AM
What I have are the TREES not limbs or branches. Look on CR 800 West south of 48 and north of 48 on 825 West you will see TREES -- funny thing on our farm right, the tress are from the other side of the road. Not our farm/property.

Again another reason I wished I lived back in Greene County to bring a different way of doing business from the Commissioner's dept. (I know spelling)

-- Posted by gary g on Sun, Feb 28, 2010, at 11:47 AM
I think most taxpayers would agree, shut down the economic development office, take that money saved put into the roads then maybe new business will come.Really all the economic director has done is trying to push zoning which beleive is going to happen. Take care of the business that are already here first.

-- Posted by srcornelius49@yahoo.com on Sun, Feb 28, 2010, at 5:18 PM
I think the fire dept. are the ones that cut the trees after a storm now. Maybe not all the time but I know some have.

-- Posted by LT on Mon, Mar 1, 2010, at 7:32 AM
...keep cutting taxes until we look like

Missippi. Good plan Govenor!

-- Posted by isaacorlando on Mon, Mar 1, 2010, at 10:05 AM
Do you remember when everywhere you looked you could always see a county truck along the county roads? The only time I see county trucks out are when we have a snow storm. Surely if we can afford to sink all the money into trying to get jobs to this area we could at least give them nice or decent county roads to drive on. I know a family that was driving on county road 235W hit a pothole and broke a spring and stabilizer bar. Her frame was on the tire. A wrecker had to tow her car home. Now she has no car, a family to help support, just got laid off of her job and now this. I wonder if the county would have to pay for the damage,anyway know? Also, why do we pay a wheel tax? Good luck talking to the commissioners about it.

-- Posted by Aug on Mon, Mar 1, 2010, at 3:27 PM
Ask them where all the wheel tax money goes. Maybe when get zoning like our economic director and our county attorney wants our county roads will get better. The problem the bunch of them they have no common sense

-- Posted by srcornelius49@yahoo.com on Mon, Mar 1, 2010, at 5:59 PM
Another thing that could help keep water off the roads. I've seen it mentioned on here too.

These people who put tile down in their ditch, then cover it over with dirt, to make the yard look pretty. It is always sloped right out to the road. All the water runs out of the yards, right out into the road and floods it. A good example is about a half mile or so,south of the old Citizens Gas (700N) office on Lonetree Rd.

The water from two huge yards there, pour out into the Lonetree road when it rains, It has even cut the neighbors dicth bank out on the other side of the road. I am surprised there has not been a wreck here from hydroplaning on the deep water.

There are holes formimg where the water lays. This coving up the ditches, needs to be monitored or approved by someone to keep a bit of drainage in the area of the original ditch., and not laying in or on the road for days & days.

-- Posted by FTM on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 5:06 AM
Doing the best with what they have to work with.

-- Posted by LT on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 7:52 AM
Who would be responsible for digging the ditches along the road?? That wouldnt be Hennette or would it??

-- Posted by BadSpellerrr on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 11:30 PM
We need to get some of you into elected office. How can we persuade you to run for office and solve all of our problems overnight. You have done so much, with so little, for so long, that you can now do anything, with nothing, forever! Greene County needs you. Indiana needs you. Get on the ballot. If you've got all the answers and all the remedies, I'll vote for you. And, I'll campaign night and day for you. Stand up and deliver!

-- Posted by Globe&Anchor on Sat, Mar 6, 2010, at 10:36 AM
"There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right."

" Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out."

"The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away. "

All are great Reagan quotes that just might apply here.

-- Posted by Chris Cornelius on Sat, Mar 6, 2010, at 1:23 PM
We do not have any money to repair the roads but, we have birds to watch. That is if you can get down the road to get there!!

-- Posted by jamm on Thu, Mar 11, 2010, at 9:02 AM

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