GCRC helps Worthington Garden Club with lighting costs

The Worthington Garden Club received a financial boost in its efforts to erect lighting in a mini park in the downtown area.

The boost came from the Greene County Redevelopment Commission on Thursday morning.

The Redevelopment Commission voted unanimously to allocate up to $20,000 to help defray costs of installing five or six pole-type lights following a presentation from Garden Club member Rhonda Lieske.

The Garden Club started the beautification project in transforming an empty lot where the old Williams Hotel once stood until 2010.

What started out to be a long-term, 10-year project, caught the attention and support of Worthington residents and has been fast-tracked, according to Lieske.

So far, $26,750.23 has been raised for the park.

Today, the 100 feet by 140 feet lot is already shaping up to a beautiful addition to the downtown area.

"The positive feedback from the community has just been overwhelming," Lieske stated. "We are all very proud of it. We can't thank the community enough. It has been a work of love for all of us."

Trees have been planted in the park to honor individuals or in memory of people who have passed away," Lieske said.

The property, at the corner of North Washington and Union streets, was deeded to the town in 2008 by a resolution passed by the Greene County Commissioners.

The old brick building was taken over by the county after $8,987.89 in property taxes was not paid.

The Worthington Historical Society once owned it, but that organization had no money to pay the taxes and the building eventually became the county's property.

The site has been cleared and now it's been landscaped to include a sidewalk, trees, grass scrubs, flowers and 10 benches. The benches are also placed in honor or in memory of individuals.

A 66-inch tall urn is placed in the center of the park.

The town will retain ownership of the park site, but gave the Garden Club permission to improve it. The town also has agreed to pay utilities for lighting and water service.

At the request of the town council, two large 20-feet long cast iron pillars that were taken from the old historic hotel building when it was razed will soon be designed at the park as a swing, Lieske pointed out.

The project was started when current Redevelopment Commission President Hal Harp still served on the Worthington Town Council.

He likes what the Garden Club has done with a former downtown eyesore.

"It's really attractive. I'm very impressed with the work they've done," Harp commented at Thursday's meeting.

"I believe this is exactly what we need to do. This provides economic development in the downtown area. This is a definite improvement to the downtown area."

The Worthington Garden Club, with about 20 members, is one of the oldest garden clubs in the state - established in 1953.

In other matters, the Redevelopment Commission learned it still has a modular home for sale.

Thursday's meeting was the deadline to submit a bid on a 1,585 square feet, three bedrooms, two bath double-wide manufactured home that is about 10-15 years old.

The home needs to be moved off of its current site by the prospective buyer no later than June 30

The $20,000 minimum bid is set.

Commission member Ken Gremore said it may cost between $10,000 and $16,000 to move the home, and that's a problem when trying to sell it.

The home, currently occupied by Roger and Jennifer Waggoner, is located on 100 acres of property the Redevelopment Commission purchased in January near the new Interstate 69 and WestGate at Crane Technology Park.

About 40 acres of the Waggoner property is located in Greene County and about 60 acres in Daviess County.

On Wednesday, it was announced that a $12 million battery testing facility was going to be located on about an eight-acre part of the property in Greene County.

"We'll have to move it one way or another," Gremore stated in pointing out that the property must be vacated by June 15.

Gremore was authorized to continue to try and find a buyer for the home and accept a bid that is over the minimum set price.

The Redevelopment Commission also awarded the contract for the Allen Farm lift station to Snedegar Construction of Bloomington with a bid of $143,972.47.